Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-04-28
AN EXPERIMENT.


"Dr, McLare. you are crossing to-
night?"
"Miss Maitland, is it possible that
we may have the pleasure of travelling
together?'
Beneath the lamps Of Liverpool street
station they exchanged glance which
suddenly illuminated the commonplace
surrounding with flash of poetry and
mystery--the eternal poetry, the IN
fathomable mystery of love.
Emily Maitland was tall, pale and
fair; she was colorless as some flowers
are, but with the vigor of flowers, with
their sweet distinctive personality. Her
eyes were of blue, and she wore a gray
blue travelling dress, which emphasized
their radiance. The doctor felt himself
absurdly foolish and romantic, for in
spite of the hustling porters and Shrek
ing trains he experienced in meeting her
the persistent sensation Of twilight
wood woven through with the blue Of
violets and stars. In appearance the
doctor was anything but romantic; he
was of the massive build, black haired
and black bearded, robust mentally as
well as physically; splendid head,
that held the most intimate secrets of
psychology; dominant will that over
rode every obstacle. But in his student
years at Guys the disease stricken
women and children of the borough had
learned to love his almost reverential
tenderness, while his colleagues of to-
day respected, though they did not al
ways sympathize with, his overscrupu-
lous conseientiousness.
Fate, contrary to her reputation, had
evidently planned this meeting with
extreme kindness and forethought. She
wished we'll to the young people and
determined that the course of their true
love should run smoothly. A journey
gave scope for many unobtrusiye atten-
tions and would doubtless afford happy
opportunity for the all important Ques-
tion. If they reached Rotterdam without
pledging of vows, fate, at least, was
not to blame.
''I thought, y said Emily, as she set
tied herself among the cushions, THAT
I should have to travel alone. My maid
was summoned into the country only
this afternoon to see her mother, who
is i'll, and do not join my brother till
reach The Hague. +"
''It is more than happy chance,
said the doctor gravely. "that l should
happen to be crossing tonight. The con-
ference at Amsterdam does not begin
till the 10th, but / was anxious to visit
some little Dutch hospitals and to do
some little exploring among the dead
cities of the Zuyder Zee.''
81 am very glad you thus advanced
your Journey" said Emily. "It is so
very lonely travelling by oneself. What
is the subject Of your conference this
year?"
SIT is to be meeting of brain special
lists, % replied McLare. 1--WE shall dis
cuss chiefly the bearing of recent inyes-
LEGATIONS on hypnotisrn, animal magnet
ism and kindred subjects. The world is
quite unaware, believe, how largely
these actual if impalpable influences en-
ter into it's everyday life. But must
not bore you with my medical chatter.
Won't you close your eyes little and
take rest? We are some distance yet
from Harwioh, and you look dreadfully
tired. !"
Fl am dreadfully tired, said Emily.
sfMy poor maid went off in the greatest
duster, and could not find where she
had put any of my things. There are
disadvantages in having maid, you
see. -
Presently her eyes closed. DR.. Nc
Lare took out the programme Of the
medical conference and began glancing
over it. He was himself a hypnotizer
of no mean order. He possessed the
power to remarkable-nay, he some
times thought, to dangerous-exte
It is dangerous to be able to influence
mems thoughts and turn them in the
direction you desire. The paper slipped
from his hand. She lay. more like a
flower than ever, in the yellow light.
Her soft breath came regularly. She
was asleep. Might he not send into her
mind dream of love, dream all built
up of violet color and violet odor, but
with something of his own personality
woven through its structure? Night he
not reveal his nobler, better self to her
by whisper into her thoughts? The
world only sees the trivial and poorer
sides of men; the veil of the flesh not
only hides, but distorts; she could never
love him for his world self-the pros
porous physician, the courted diner out.
And yet she had seemed to care for him
without the intervention of his sugges-
tion. What if all this time he had been
exercising unconscious hypnotic infiu-
ence upon her? What if from the first
moment of his attraction toward her the
power of his will had compelled her
thoughts to him? Her tender smiles, her
responsive glances, would, on this sup
position, have been purely automatic.
And then the cruel injury to herl Il
was horriblei There she lay asleep, like
q flower. Had his overmastering will
dared to chain any of her delicate, feet
ing impulses-d dared to crush out the
bloom and spontaneity OF her personal
ityG At least-at least. his interference
with her springs Of feeling had been un-
whiting; he had not to face the agony
Of conscious guilt.
A sense of foreboding passed through
Emily's sleep She roused suddenly
and surprised face of blank misery
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