Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-10-21
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE MAHATMAS, MESSAGE.

In the deepening twilight of an
autumnal evening Doris Shirley
paced to and fro beneath the trees,
waiting with feelings of doubt and
uncertainty the issue of the most
momentous event of a maiden's life
time-the interview between her
lover and her parent. AT the sound
OF advancing footsteps she paused,
and as a manly figure reached her
side it needed but once glance at his
face to tell that his mission had been
one OF failure.
He has refused ?" she queried.
Yes. love; absolutely and with
out hope"
Did he say why he would not
consent ?"
He said that you are aware that
ms wishes run in another direction. -
Then the daughters heart rose i'm
hot rebellion against her sire and her
eyes flashed fire as she cried
He wants me to marry Joshua
Bentworth because he is q theoso-
phist, but 1 will not, so there! He
Is nearly double my age, and / hate
him. Ever since my father en-
braced theosophy he has been quite
a different man. His whole heart
and soul is in il, and everybody and
everything must be subservient to
his creed. Marry Joshua! Never ~
ANA then in softer tones: "You
know, Sydney, that in Is months |
shall be of age, and then"
Eighteen months, pet-what a
long, long time to wait"
I" Is 1t not better than never? Well.
II you do not care to wait, we will
say goodbye now" and she held out
her hand, pretending to be offended.
The result was, Of course, what she
anticipated. She found herself en-.
circled by her lovers strong arms,
while kisses of contrition greeted
her brow.
Wait, darling! l would wait 20
years, but l could not live without
hearing from or seeing you, and your
father forbade me to do either after
this last interview"
And then, as in thousands of simi-
lar prohibitions, they plotted as to
the ways and means by which they
might hold communication unknown
to the antagonistic parent.
A week passed away; it seemed
like month to Doris and she won.
oered how she could endure I8
months like it. Her father had told
her OF his interview with Sydney,
and requested that the subject might
never be mentioned again, and Doris
had given him to understand that
under no circumstances would she
marry any one else. And now
week had passed-seven long, weary
days-without hearing from or see
ing Sydney, and poor Doris, driven
to desperation, had been wondering
now she might best broach the sub
lect to her father and try to induce
MIN to reconsider his decision. But
the task seemed hopeless; she felt
That she might as we'll appeal to a
stoneWall as to his stubborn will
Was there no way but wait?
II.
Mr.. Shirley was sitting In the big
arm chair in his own particular sane.
tum. generally referred to as the
"study," and letting his thoughts
run riot. First, they fitted here
and there over various phases of his
new hobby, and then, taking a sad
der tone, coDjured up the vision of
his only child, whose dearest wish he
had refused. Why was she 80 self
willed? There was Joshua, well pro.
Vided with worldly goods. hale fell
Iow-well. met with every one, and,
above oil. a brother theosophist
why could not the girl be satisfied
with her fathers choice? Then the
truant thoughts pictured Sydney
wallace as certainly the better look.
ing OF the two, nearer Doris age. a
man or energy and excellent charac-
Ter; out-and there was the rub-he
had Deen so openly and audaciously
nonest ss to express his disbelief in
the manifestaii ions of Theosonbv
and so he had sealed his fate.
1t was now quite dark, and Mr..
Shirley rose from his seat, lighted
the gas, drew down the blind and
locked the door. 1t was his custom
to spend his evenings alone with his
books, and reaching volume from
it's shelf, he drew his chair to the Ia
bic, and was soon absorbed in new
mystifications, theoretical and i'm
practicable.
After reading for some time, he
came upon a marginal note giving
reference to another work which ne
cessitated a visit to the bookshelves
at the other end of the room. He
soon found the passage referred to,
and was about to resume his seat
when he uttered an exclamation of
surprise and cast frightened glance
around the room.
There, on the pages Of the book
open where he had been reading,
was something which was not there