The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-05-31
miscellaneous.
A GraphioIogicaI Puzzle.

W
whistle and escaping steam, the Den
yer through express train pulled out
of the Union Depot at Kansas City one
April morning. In one of the chairs
in the parlor car sat a gentleman
whose keen eyes took in every detail
of interest both in and out of the car
in which he was riding. He had ar
ranged his belongings and settled
himself in his place with the air of an
experienced traveller, and as if his des-
tination were some distance ahead.
Charles Hastings was pleasant fel
low to look upon-tall, broad shoulder
ed, with frank blue eyes and an intel
lectual brow, a man whom every wo-
man would instinctively trust and
every child would love, which, by the
way, is as high Il compliment as could
be paid a man.
AS the train rolled on over the fertile
praries and through the booming
towns of Kansas, his business eye not
ed every detail of prosperity or adver-
sity. He had been over the road sew
eral times before, and so saw every
improvement that had been made,
and judged much in regard to the
character of the people whose homes
he was passing. When he wearied of
this he studied his ollowtravelers-
applying to each one his favorite
theories of phrenology and psyche
logy. Again he leaned back in his
chair, closed his eyes, and in thought
was back in New York City. Before
his mental presence appeared three
young ladies-Vera Nansant, tall, dig
nified, graceful Madge Bryant, arts
tic, musical Jessie Willow, gay, prac-
tical, fascinating. These were the
three in whose society he had spent
much of his time during the past win
ter. Now he was going west on bust
ness trip which he expected would oc
cupy the whole of the spring and sum-
mer, and it afforded him no little salts
faction to think that all three of these
young ladies had consented to cores
pond with him during his absence.
So it was that he viewed his fellow
travellers and the country through
which he was passing with I'M
common interest, and his kodak
| caught some of the amusing or beauti-
Jul scenes for the benefit of his fair
correspondents.
At his first leisure hour after he
reached Denver he wrote and dispatch
ed three letters.
Ill XII llCi blllC, SOhSiu-
ering that his correspondents were en-
gagged in the whirl of society, he re-
ceived his answers. So far as the
style and contents of these letters
were concerned, Hastings had no
cause for complaint, yet he seemed
far from satisfied as he spread them
OH the table before him.
Strange" lie murmured, that
three persons SO utterly unlike should
write so perfectly alike. Where is my
science of graphology now? Let me
see This handwriting indicates self
control, dignity, reserve-not one of
| which adjectives can properly be ap-
piled to Miss Jessie Willow as l know
her. These heavy cross-strokes indi-
cate strength of will and resolution,
| neither of which terms applies to
Madge Bryant. Firm, clear strokes,
open capitals, no unnecessary dashes,
no long flourishes, summary, firm,
| courageous, generous, but not extrav-
| agant-that is not Vera Vansant, who
screams at sight of mouse and is no.
| toriously spendthrift. Is science Il
fraud, or have these three girls con-
spired to dupe me? l had hoped by
a. correspondence during my absence
| to become so well acquainted with the
characters of these girls as to be able
| to- decide to whom to give the prefer
| ence. Now at the very outset mystery
confronts me. 1t will be strange in
deed if | cannot solve it," He read
! the letters over again. The matter in
each was totally different, but the
style was so much the same that the
| three read as one letter. He read
them over, frowned and finally laugh
ed. If they are written by those
whose names are signed, can soon
| discover it. If written by one indivi-
dual, she will have to be remarkably
bright if do not mix her up inside of
half dozen letters"
AS time passed on he grew more and
more fascinated by his correspon-
dence He tried to persuade himself
| that the remarkable similarity in pen
manship was due to the fact that all
three were graduates of the same in
stitution, which fact might also, in
part, account for the resemblance in
thought and expression. Yet it was
not a satisfactory conclusion, and just
as he would get himself to the point of
believing it, he would be puzzled by
some expression utterly foreign to his
idea of the lady whose name was sign
ed to that particular letter
Gradually the images of the three
girls faded from his mind. Madge,
Vera and Jessie were blended into
one, and that one was his ideal wo-
man.
1t made no difference whose mono
gram was on the seal or whose name
was signed to the letter-he read
every word with intense interest and
longed for more. Such letters as he
wrote. in reply Sheets filled with
VIVID. descriptions of persons and
places discussions Of literature. art,
EiEusic, metaphysics, religion, no doubt
Ehis correspondents were surprised at
Ethe number and length of his letters.
I 1t must be confessed that he never
Estopped to consider what they might
think of his eagerness, or what con-
struction might be placed on his very
frequent and very friendly letters.
When he wrote he spoke from his
Esoul to a kindred soul-that was all
he knew or cared.
I Business grew irksome, in spite OF
the fact that his mining investments
were proving successful and his for,
tune was materially increasing. He
began to long intensely for the time
to come when he might return to New
York. There was a magnetism draw
ing him that he could scarce resist
he acknowledged that much even to
himself but when he came to analyZe
it he was at once plunged into dark