Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-07-18
AN AMERICAN CLEOPATRA.

man to be smart OF ufeSS lHdu OL
speech. Listen to our tale.
Doubtless Miss Loring herself would
be at a loss to say exactly how it came
about The simple truth, no doubt
is that she began innOcently enough
with Marion Crawford, and then, at a
single bound, stood daZed before the
mysteries of Isis Unveiled" After
that there fell across her brown eyes
a melancholy shadow; there crept into
her conversation a tincture of theos-
ophy, and in strolling the piazZas her
goddess head dropped forward a Bit
as though seeking to arrest some fu-
gitive glimpse of the infinite.
This was the last summer at Bar
Harbor and this was the first impress
sion that Paul Nugent, after several
tedious weeks, got of her there, and it
amused him. There also, and for the
first time, he met Professor Coll. The
two men made false appraiSement of
each other at a glance. Nugent had
height and shoulders and color, and
that almost Haunting air of health the
sight of which brings envy to dyspep
man, of fine, Wiry form and mem
orable head; of olive skin and battling
age. He mistook Nugent for good
natured swell Of dense muscle and
perception. Nugent took him for a
French adventurer who pretended to
see celestial glOries in symphonies, and
who set his liquid eyes as snares for
sentimental women. He saw, too, that
this man was already much to Miss
LOring, and that the two were very eff
fectiVe together.
'Our talk will bore you, | fear" she
had said when he first came upon
them. professor Coll will deliver a
course of lectures in New York this
winter on various subjects related to
psychic science, telepathy, hypnotism,
and such things, you know
She said this glibly, in tone toler-
ant of PaulS assumed ignorapce, and
the professor unconsciously adopted
her manner in asking politely:
Are you interested in the subject?'
Don't know anything about it, said
Paul i'll a cheerful, confiding tone.
$50 far as mind reading and hypnot-
ism and Nine. Blavatsky are con
cerned''-he paused, Disconnected by
the patronzing smile with which both
the professor and Miss Loring re-
garded him-"why," he added, with a
light laugh, they make me very
tired"
After that he was silent and ignored.
He listened, however, and learned
much and the next day he gained au-
dience of them and learned more. AS
follows:
Metempsychosis? Believe it," muir
INJURED the professor. "Gt is the oldest,
the only religion. Miss Loring, l
know 1T to be true"
An answering heat flushed her face.
OH she said, IF | could only tell
you what l know to be truer' Paul
was quite forgotten, and this scene
was too much for him. He turned
quietly aside and entered the music
room, where sat his sister, Mrs. Hank
ness. She began to grid him gently.
'Paulie, Paulie," she said, looking ten
derby at him, what a ridiculous baby
boy it is" He swallowed hard and
tried to Wriggle away, but she kept her
hold and went on rapidly: you know
less about women, my child, than the
pope. You like pure air and food, and
boxing gloves, and other ridiculous
things; and now listen to your sister,
who thinks she does know women.
Gertrude loves you
She never forgot the grateful look he
gave her
'At least she did love you, Paulie, |
am sure of that. But you can't capt
ure woman as you would bear-not
a woman like Gertrude. You must
race for her if you want her. Go home
and get in training. The race will
come off this winter. Not before; l
won't let it. After this hour where
Gertrude is there shall be your only
and own sister; don't worry about
that"
SO Nugent next morning went away
and his sister kept her word. Her
witty challenges tricked the professor
into a constant exhibition of the
lighter and less romantic side of his
nature; and this, in retrospect, he
found exceedingly provoking. Mean
While in New York Nugent boxed a
great deal at the Fencing and Sparring
club; but was never sensible of the
humor of this.
In midwinter Professor Coll began
his course of lectures here. They took
at once. He ranged in theme from the
open secrets of animal magnetism to
the mystic SubtletieS of esoteric
Buddhism. He spoke with admirable
eloquence, and above all, there was a
charming sympathy between the man
and his subject.
Miss Loring, of course, went each
time to hear him, and each time with
Mrs. Hardness. Nugent had previous
engagements, but he heard of the
lectures great deal, and he renewed
his acquaintance with the professor
one evening at a dinner given by his
sister
1t really seemed that Paul had been
training indeed. His stories were
fresh, brief and abundant: his iocund
mood contagious and it held ont
bravely to the salad.
The professor was exceptionally
quiet all the evening and he STAYED
late. Paul left early in obedience to q
sign from his wise IuJuie sister. Again