The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-01

| / had seen IN church.
| 81 believe mentioned before that She
| was beautiful. but tonight the soft, cling
! ine folds of white lace made her appear
/ even fairer, while the dark red flowers
contrastcd with her snowy neck. Her
/ hair was auburn and rippled over her
/ head in loose waves, and her eyes were
gray and deep. But the haunted look
was still in them, and reminded me
| strangely of "a dumb creature awaiting
| blow
"Her face was turned away from the
| man, but he moved around and confront
/ ed her.
Both seemed to have forgotten the lacI
! that was present.
You are depressed, dear" he said
| sympathetcally, i am so sorry, especially
since ] have promised our hostess 10 sing
| and will need you 20 accompany me. DO
| YOU think it will be too much for your
His voice had an unusual ring IN IL ana
| l noticed how bright and peculiarly close
| together his eyes were.
q" 4 dare say ! can get through the
| songs. she answered briefly.
But her curt acquiescenCe did not seem
| to content him They were still IN the
| shadow of the curtains, and he put his
hand under her chin and turned her lace
toward his.
Smile a little for mel he entreated.
BE bright and gay, and your own fair
self
He kept his hand under her chin, and
his eyes were intently gazing into hers:
and as he gazed, change came over her
features. The dull. sad, apathetic look
died out of her eyes, and smile crept IN
TO them. Still he gazed, and laugh fol
lowed the smile, and she caught him by
the arm, crying gayly
''You foolish fellow to care so much for
lot lpuD and aston
ish the crowd with that wonderful
voice of yours.
She gave his arm an affectiOnate little
squeeze, as she spoke, and they moved off
together. She laughing and talking, and
to all appearances careless and happy.
"A few moments later the beautiful
notes of mans tenor filed the rooms.
Every one listened, silent, nay spell
bound. | understood, then, why she had
called his wonderful voice.
"A short time afterwards ] left the re-
ceptiOn, and as ! walked through the al
most deserted streets, l puzzled my brain
to discover what might be the cause of
that womans strange behavior.
"She certainly did not love him, and yet
what an aAectionate couple they seemed
when / last caught sight of them. He
had finished singing and was leaning
against the piano, looking down at her,
and she-she was returning his look of
love by one of evident tenderness But
now he was gazing into her eyes! All
at that point ! saw it all. Great, God,
could such thing be- She was bound
to him body and soul through some mag
netic power. A shiver crept through me,
Could this power be carried to such
length2 And with the thought a dread
of myself came over me; for / knew that
l, too, had that strange force in my ma
ture, though to what extent | did not
realize had never tested it farther
than by willing persons to describe pic
lures of which was thinking, or else
move about the room as my fancy should
suggest Would ], too, be able to dOmi-
nate another's being so entirely that it
would be as soft wax in my hands2 What
a soul destroying pOwerl What a gift
but from God}-Or Satan?
81 pondered that question all night as
lay sleepless, and great temptation
came upon me, urging me to seek out that
woman and learn her history [ put the
thought from me, as unworthy of my
calling. and arose, fully determined to
think no more of this strange couple.
But fate decreed otherwise. Two days
later was called to see a sick woman
outside the city limits; for you must know
mine is only one of the small suburban
churches l was returning about sunset,
and as / walked along | noticed some one
sittiurr on 7vavsi1p bench beneath a
tree II was she the victim. as | copsid-
e,od her,
,.She was all alone. and her dress was
AGAIN bIocly as If had been when first I
e5yy be,, and orain there was that terri
BILE despair in her eyes.
sao+, ~, 600 me-. then moved hack few
stens and stood INST opnoslte her~still
sba Ala not At me
"Then like a torrent rushing down a
mountain the temptation | mentioned
AGAIN assailed me. but this time with over
whelmlnp force. | strOye to resist it. but
it was stronger than l. Prove your
| powerr a voice whispered within me,
| whether angel or demon, / know not.
| ceased to struggle with my impulse.
| raised my eyes and bent them full on the
! woman, and threw all the strength Of my
| being into the gaze.
"Her features contracted as if with a
| spasm, and her eyes met mine For a mo
ment or two we remained thus; she, sit
| ting beneath the tree with the glory OF
! the setting sun lighting up her pale face
| and |, standing in front of her, with
| clasped hands, willing her to tell me hel
| history; but it was only for a moment OF
| two Then she rose slowly, with her eyes
| still rlVeted on nine, and, cropping WIN
| her hands like one bhnd, sue moved nearer
| to me- step by step, until she was so neal
that her breath touched my cheek' anc
then she fell on her knees before me.
IN