The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-14
Eden-and the Serpent

| was Ediths fault. She was a woman
VINO could never get used to the common
place. She would, perhaps, have enjoyed
| living in feudal times in the midst Of
wars and adventures. She certainly would
| not have objected to a troUbadour to
| celebrate her charms.
But she lived instead in a Steamboat
| ed house on the Lake Shore drive. She
had trouble with the Swede servants and
worried over her calling list, which was
| twice as long as she wished it TO be.
She might have Injured herself to the ha-
RAISING details of life Il only her asso-
citation with her husband could have had
more poetry in it. But Herbert Even
den was not inclined for heroics. He
had entered into marriage as into a
| peaceful harbor, and was thankful TO be
| safe from storms of emotion. He was
glad that his blood ran quietly IN his
| veins and that the tumults and doubts
and fears of youth were past.
| If his wife had had more to occupy her
! perhaps she would not have been so con-
scious Of the dull pace Of life; and certain
men might not have been made to feel
so poignantly the power of her beauty
Edith took her good intentions for grant
ed. She always thought of herself as a
| woman of the highest principles, and she
! took a heroic view Of the disturbances
| Of mind into which her sentimental fol-
! lies plunged her.
| She was not analytical enough TO per-
| ceive that what she really enjoyed was
not 81 much the sentimental admiration
of men as the despair she sa" mem '=los SUI.
fer when her caution and her inherent
| remnant of consciousness oade hef
| rah,,ke them after their infatuat1on had
| voiced itself in words.
| Rut nf all the men she had known ana
| instructed in the art OF love none Liau
| interested her so much as REMAIN 0dA-
| isbury. To begin with, ne had HeNSI
/ loved any other woman-that 1act "de
patent to her He was UNCONSCIOUS u
| his magnetism and ms 9reaC p5t5. -o-
| charm. He was not even suflclehtly So
phistocated to observe life. de simp4!
| lived and was grateful for life.
II caroe TO him with a terrible snock
| that he loved Edith Evenden-the VIE
/ of another man It seemed crime 70
him from the first moment of his reah-
cation of the thing. But the beauty OF
Edith and her tenderness toward hlIl
proved a temptation too great for MS re-
sisting. He could not orlhg hlISe 80
leave forever the one person IN the Worlu
who was able TO give meaning and charm
to existence.
One glorious day in early autumn ne
yentured to do a holder thing than ne
mad vet done. He called at Edith's mousse
She was home and received him with an
air of subdued excitement.
why is not something unusual nap
nAnfng todayss" she cried. See how gol-
den the sunshine is; look at the SHINING
waters of the lake! Is it not sacrileg1ous
IN stav in the house on such day?
should like to be on a swift horse riding
across the plains?'
IT should like to be with you! re-
sponded the young man, catcn1ng neF
fire. Il should not object to riding quite
to the end of the woodland stay there:
His ewes said to her what his tongue ala
not venture to speak and they stood
facing each other, held as in spell by
the Joy of each others presence. The
exquisite suspense of the moment became
uncomfortable. Pelham trembled lest he
should snatch this woman to his breast
and be rebuked and sent away from her
presence, loathing his lack OF selt-con-
troll.
come" he cried with forced gayety,
'Iet is go out into the sunshine! We
cannot mount horses and ride to the end
of the world, but at least we can get on
a street car and ride to the end of the
line"
But what will people think?"
''You wanted something unusual to hap
pen," he retorted
She hesitated moment more, then
ran with the impetuosity OF child for
her hat and jacket.
They rode to the end of one street car
line, and then TO the end of another, and
then to the end of third, and at last
they were in the country, amid the fresh
cut harvest fields, with the golden day
beating about them.
With her glowing face and her splendid
wind-tOssed hair, and her joyous step,
she seemed like the spirit of the DAY.
Ceres" said the young man, bowling
before her. these are your domains"
She caugt his mood at once.
BE seated sir" she said, upon my
right hand. here by my throne" She
dropped upon an united cleaning Of rye
and he sat beside her. The soft wind
droned about them; the distance was pur-
Pile and they sat in golden haze, and a
summer silence, and ecstasy fell upon
them.
This is Eden" thought the young
man. ''Who am l to fight against my
destiny? Surely this woman was meant
for me- He turned toward her. his eyes
making a declaration, and she did not
forbid him. II e leaned forward, and,
reaching out an arm, EMBODIED it about
her. It seemed as If his senses half
swooned for a moment. Then he was
conscious of strange, alarming sound.
He had never heard a sound like II in
all his life, yet 1t sent a chill through all
his blood, and a spasm Of aversion shook
him
A scream from the woman at his side
startled him still more.
See" she cried, pointing behind him.
He looked. a serpent half twisted in the
cut rye, darted q malignant tongue at
them.
"A rattlesnaker' cried Pelham, with a
sudden comprehension, half finging Edith
from the pile of grain
Your sleever said Edith Look at
it, 1t was covered with a strange,
Ereenish slime with green crystals gilt
tering on it. He jerked OF the coat and +
flung it from him.
1T is an Eden, indeed said he aloud /
and"
And the woman tempted your" broke
in Edith. somewhat scornfully. But the +
Young man did not mind her scorn. He .
seemed TO see before him the tragic and .
shameful path he would have walked
had he taken this woman with the Iasciv-
i1us eyes for his guide. BY the light OF +
this sudden illumination It seemed TO him .
that he would 90 through any Geth- +
semane OF sorrow to attain once more ,
70 liberty and purity OF thought
I viii take you home" he said IN an
alien voice.
The serpent has frightened you" she .
tainted.
He picked UP stick and beat the ser /
pent into a hideous mass. and with each ,
blow he seemed to crush q base desire !
when IL was over ne picked up his coat.
on watch the n0xious poison had dried IN .
the sun. and put K or
You are quite right" he confessed.
"the serpent has frightened ne. i was
q symbolic serpent. you know"
And you leave our Eden?' sneered .
the uiGued woman
II see the angels with the flaming
sw-r5s.- sid PLAN E-aNe-v