New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-22
felt that her misery was greater than she e.u,a


Rowena went to the woman's side and began ).
look at the Pompadour ROLL succumbing more and
more to the strange fascination it had for be,
You'll soon be cheerful" said Mrs Jarvi.
feeling her rather drcd-up heart going out SOM.
what toward this girl. "Of course Pm ALWAYS
busy. but if / have a minute | will try TO maLo
BOrSton agreeable. / think you'll find Bors,on
very pleasant. Ii is a privilege TO live here
Rowcna tried not to gioan She said than,
you," and was moving toward the stairs, thinking
she would 90 up to her cold room and CRY thu
rest of the day.
Stop minute, Miss-Miss-'
"Tuttle," again said Rowena. and again her
hostess did not hear her, for she went back
to her table to take two tickets from two girls
who were laughing so that they seemed to fall
down into the lower hall.
Il was going TO say" went on Mrs. Jarvis. re.
turning, that it would probably do you good
to come into the paror here this evening. We
are going to have sea-ants
Rowena looked and felt bewildered. But she
was thankful to know that Mrs. Jarvis meant
to be kind.
MADAME Van Benthuysen will be present.
said Mrs Jarvis with great junction. "Of course
you have heard of Madame Van Benthuysen?'
"No ma am" said Rowena, conscious of de-
PRAYING ignorance.
Mrs Jarvis looked at her pityngly. The roll
of hair even had commiserating aspect.
"Madame makes it her home in Borston,' went
on Mrs. Jarvis. She resides in Harrison-avenoo.
She says the mental atmosphere of this city ia
more congenial than the mental atmosphere Of
any other place. She sometimes speaks of it as
soulful | do not suppose there is human
being on the face of the globe as sensitive 10
mental atmospheres as Madame Van Benthuysen.'
Rowena stood in silence She was greatly
perpleXed She wished, cOnfusedly, that, If ths
air here were soulful, she might have realizing
sense of it. She had not thought of the air a.
being in the least like that. But perhaps 1t was
different in Harrison-avenue.
81 shall he glad to have you present this even.
ing at about s." resumed Mrs. Jarvis. I'VE ex-
pect the sea-ants to be peculiarly interesting.
Mauame gave me TO understand that she was
almost sure that her first husband, Major Stranger,
yvbo was killed in the battle Of Bull Rum would
be with US
Mrs Jarvis made this CHASTITY announcement
with the utmost satisfaction of manner. Kowena
felt her hair rising How could she be present?
And vet it seemed ungracious to retuse. She
wished Major Stanger would not come IL was
possible that an engagement in heaven or neil, or
in some intermediate sphere, would keep him
away. Stul, tne 9Hl hhc" Div "''' NN Va
pecting to meet the Major.
H. was only in the vaguest and slightest way
that Rowena had ever heard Of Spiritualism, and
she knew nothing Of any Of the terms USED o.
its followers. .
Have Won ever attended sea-ants?" inquired
Mrs. Jarvis.
.No. maam. don't know what they are
us il possible? And you don't know whether
Won could no n MEDIUM or not? '
"Oh. no! no."
Rowena put out both her hands as if wardlns
off the thought. She began to make backward
movement toward the door.
You have that peculiar expression about the
eyes that usually indicates great medyumSuc
powers" went on Mrs. Jarvis. showing new
interest in her ledger Have you never had no
thoughts o. being developed?'
"Oh. moi no." cried Rowena again. this time
more cmphaticay than before. A wild idea came
70 her that she would away If there were
danger of being developed.
You shrink now because you are Ignorant
said Mrs Jarvis. Ignorance is always cowardly;
it is only as you reach forward that you get into
the full stream of spirtuastic light. I'm sura
Madame will be interested in you. Don't fail to
come at g.
Rowena did not know how she could escape
the sea-ants. She gave her promise to be present.
thinking she might die before night.
When she had climbed half the stairs to her
room she came back and asked if she might take
up some fuel She was shown into a dungeon
underneath the house. where there was quantity
of coal and some small punches OF klndling. She
was told TO come here for fuel, aud did not know
that she paid for having il carried 10 her room.
An hour later She was sitting over her little
stove, which was now red-hot. She had tlded
her room. she had made a list OF tie things she
must Immediately buy. She must 90 out on the
street. She wished that she had something be-
sides that heavy. coarse shawl a Jacket for IN
stance. But she must hoard all her money for
her living and her lessons; She looked at a card
she held in her hand. " Mr.. Alestree, Studio 4,
No. fremont ST.
In five minutes she was walking up Beach-st.
with small portfolio of her own sketches under
her arm. She very pale and her heart beat
heavily. She had TO inquire her way good mans
times and when at last she had mounted the
broad and what seemed to her magnificent stair:
" that building on Tremont-st she found
that Mr.. Allestree would not come for nearly two
hours. 1t was now not much after 8.
She went back and sat the two hours in hei
room. She could not buy tea, or Kerosene o.
any such vulgar necessity, until she had seen Mr.
Allestrec. il seemed TO her that she could hardly
breathe until she had seen him. And perhaps h
would not take her
She held herself in her room ten minutes after
the time mentioned by some official She had seen
She did not know whether to knock or 60 boldly
in. She Knocked twice, and then had her land
on the latch, when the door was suddenly flung
open from the inside by lady, who held palette
in her left hard. together with mah!-sticlS. and
who had pant-brush between her lips.
As soon as she released the door she removed
the brush from her mouth and said
II don't know why YOU can't come right in
Rowena stepped i'm, and the door changed shut
behind her. She felt dazzled. She knew vaguely
that there were busts and casts, and statues. and
drapcry, and pictures. framed and unframed,
everywhere about but what dazzled her was the
woman who had opened the door. and who now
stood looking at her with that calm kind of
gaze which one gives 10 an inanmatc object
which cannot look back Roweaa knew very
we'll that she was only an object to this person;
she was indignant, but she was drawn all the
same,
The woman was dressed in something light
gray and soft there was a fall OF pale thin silk
at one side of her skirt. and some Of The Same
silk was huicd about her throat, and by some