Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-05-20
THE MARBLE BEAUTY.
BY THOMAS coLQUITT.

BY THOMAS COLQUITT.
Louis Calvert was q chemist. In the
little Southern seaside village he was a
physician and surgeon-the only one in
the town-greatly esteemed for his medical
skill, but the simple people of the place
were secretly afraid of him, though they
could not have told why. DIR. Calvert had
married in his early youth, but his wife
soon died-killed by his cruelty, evil
tongues whispered-and he had lived alone
until few weeks before my story opens.
The doctor married again.
He was now about fifty years of age.
Tall, well-formed, and WELL preserved,
with fair skin, blue eyes, and dark, silky
beard, the doctor was really q handsome
man, despite that dread, uncanny look about
him which no one could explain. The vii
lage gossips were all agape to see and know
his wife, and great was their surprise and
Indignation when they learned he had
brought from they knew not where, mere
child. A fair, slender, rosy-cheeked girl
of perhaps seventeen, was the Doctors
"new wife," She was quiet, self
possessed little lady, however, and the gos-
sips soon learned to leave her alone. They
could only learn that she was an orphan,
vert, she informed her visitors in strict con-
fidence, with tantalizing smile. simply
because she loved him."
But they imagined they knew better.
1t was lonely life to the young wife.
The Doctor, apart from his professional
visits, rarely mixed with his fellow towns
men. He was veritable recluse. A
close student, he had always confined him
self closely in his study, and even now he
left his bride alone many hours during the
day.
She had mt first sometimes asked per-
mission TO go with him aud sit in his labo-
ratory while he worked. She feared the
request displeased him, his reply was so
short, but so great was her loneliness, and
SO oppressed was she with vague, name
less, haunting fear, she went even at the
risk of being unwelcome. But she went
only few times. 1t was an inside room,
low and dark Heavy curtains of many
colors divided the room into many apart
ments. Lamps burned here even at mid
day, throwing curious and ghostly shadows
in the hooks and corners, and rejecting
strange, CHASTITY reflections from
the different curtains. Books and papers
Uttered the floor and tables, numerous
glasses, tubes, and retorts, crucibles, filters,
and other chemical apparatus were visible,
while a strange odor almost overpowered
one who entered the room for the first time.
There was. however, something stranger
still about that curious place. 1t was the
sensation that always came upon one that
a human presence was near, though the
visitor might know he was alone. 1t was
more terrible still. 1t was the awful feel
ing that comes over one when watching
alone through the night with the dead.
The Doctors wife grew nervous and fever
ish undert the haunting presence, and would
shrink and tremble, and glance fearfully
about her as she sat in silence watching her
husband, who was buried in some deep ex-
pertinent. Then she would stroll softly
about the room, pausing often before
marble statue which stood just across from
the Doctors work table, where he could al
ways rest his eyes upon it when he raised
his head. 1t was a magnificent female
form. If l were versed in the technical
nomenclature of the sculptors shop, /
might describe the marble beauty at
length. A woman, tall, and ell-rounded,
with glorious wealth of hair about her
shoulders, stood with parted lips and laugh
ing eyes and extended arms, as if saying to
her lover, "come!"
The marble was in all respects terribly
like. 1t never failed to thrill one at
the first glance. The position was so
natural, the tint of the checks, it appeared
to Mary Calvert, as She covertly studied
the image, rivalled her own. Most wonder
full of all and most incxplicable of oil, that
awful feeling always grew stronger upon
her as she stood near this strange statue.
Often the Doctor would pause in his work,
quickly raise his head Gs if called, and
bowling toward the image, say, with queer,
sad smile, "NaY. nay, cannot come YETI"
but his horror stricken wife knew he was
buried in thought and was not conscious
OF what he was doing.
She soon gave up her visits 10 the
strange, haunted chamber, and never
entered it but once again when
she went to gaze upon that
terrible marble beauty, to learn its horrible
secret, and TO rain kisses in heart broken
anguish upon the cruelty beautiful face of
her husband, cold in death.
The village gossips who know almost all
family secrets; who go behind closed
shutters, darkcned curtains, and locked
doors on their evil ways, soon came to
know the ,oung wife's trouble. They, too.
had heard strange stories of that mysterious
apartment. One Of their number had
bodily made her way into its most secret re-
cesses. She had heard the Doctors heavy
voice blended with the soft and gentle love
tones of q woman--but she had seen moth
ing.
depend on il, my DEAR" said this cruel
and reckless village tell-tale, @there's some
one in there with him; that's what makes
your flesh creep while you're there. She's
hiding and watching you"
The young wife suffered in silence. She
loved her husband and believed he loved
her-wheu he was out Of that dread pres
ence. In their own sitting-room he was
kind and affectionate. II was only when
he sat before the marble beauty, In the