The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-26

could not find 1t in my heart to say
the little word that would make him
happy. For one reason, though I liked
him and was pleased with his atten-
ton, l was not sure enough of my own
heart to marry him; and for another,
kind as Sir William and Lady Nor
daunt were, I did not feel by any
means certain that the marriage of
their young brother to penniIess
governess would be altogether to their
mind, and was too proud to enter any
family where L should only be received
on sufferance. He went up to London
for a few weeks, and was thence to go
to Ireland with the regiment into
which he had exchanged.
When Frank had left, of course, az
ter the fashion of my sex, wished him
back again. Life seemed very fiat
without his sunny smile and cheerful
kindly ways. But it was too late then.
so | tried hard to persuade myself that
1T was "all for the best" and devoted
myself with exemplary assiduity 10
the interests of my pupil
Our next visitor was Jasper Nor
daunt, brother of Sir William. Mr.
Jasper had beer i'll, suffering from Sc
we're mental strain and nervous depres-
sion. He was not happy in his mar
RED life, and it was thought the COM
plete rest and change in the bracing
air and lovely scenery of our Welsh
home would be beneficial in restoring
him to health. Sir William and Lady
Mordaunt went to town, but the former
only returned with his brother. Lady
Mordaunt having gone to Brighton for
a week or two with Mrs. Jasper.
1t was late in the evening when Sir
William and his brother arrived, but I
own | felt somewhat scared as I caught
a passing glimpse Of our new visitor
saliow, cadaverous face. and wild, dark
eyes His appearance the next morn
ing did not tend to reassure me, more
especially as he Immediately singled
me out as the object Of his exclusive at
tention, and kept fixing his eyes upon
me as sat at the head Of the table
dispensing the tea and coffee in a man
ner which was. to say the least, slight
ly embarrassing. He addressed nearly
all his remarks to me, and kept paying
me such broad and unnecessary COM
pliments that I felt myself getting
crimson, partly with vexation, and
partly with amusement. Sir William
looked on laughing, and at last said:
Come, come, Jasper, this won't do;
If you say SO many pretty things to
Miss Monroe I shall have to send for
Susan''-Mrs. Jasper-''to keep you In
order. And by the way, you have not
told me how you slept last night. I
hone Won Waro comfort q hIn
That set him off.
''Slept" he cried excitedly: "why 7
never slept wink all night-not one
blessed wink, Miss Monroe
I expressed my regret, and Sir viii
liam Inquired the cause of Mr. Jas
per's insomnia.
well, I'll tell you all about it," he
said; ''but first Of all, do you believe
in the transmigration of souls?"
Certainly not" replied Sir William,
with conviction. cit is an exploded
superstition
"Oh, is 1t, them" answered Mr. Jas
per. well, can tell you it is nothing
Of the sort, but real certain fact, and
I'll prove it to you, and tell you why
I could not sleep last night. Some
years ago / knew a lawyer; he lived
very respectable member Of the profess
sion. Now, this man was an awful
scoundreI and swindler; used to get
people to intrust him with their money
to invest, and then make away with It.
Why, I knew three sisters for whom
he was trustee, and whom he COM
pletely ruined. Well, at last this man
failed for I don't know how many
thousands, and numbers were involved
in his ruin, among others the three
sisters l have told you Of Then the
man shot himself. Now that man had
not the soul Of man at all; he had
the soul Of a rat, miserable, sneaking
vermin of rat, and when he dieG his
soul went into rats body. It was late
one evening when I saw a big black
rat run through my room, which was
on the other side of the wall to this. 1t
was an enormous rat, quite black,
with long white whiskers, and very
bright eyes, and It ran squeaking and
shrieking through my room, and then
disappeared. I could not see where it
went to.
The next morning / heard the man
had shot himself. Then / knew 1t was
the mans soul which had gone into the
body Of this black rat. Of course, they
had an inquest and brought in the YER
dict, Temporary insanity and they
had big funeral, and all his relations
came. They invited me, and 1 went,
out OF politeness, you know, but when