Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-09-13
THE END 0F A FAD.
BY MRS. NJ. Il. RAYNE.

1 m0ter OF tadr, ana DNt iVf TIE common sense
! Of his excellent wife, he must have come to
| grief at an early period 81 MS career, both
/ in a financial way and personal matter.
| His latest exploit, however, came 20 near
being fatality that he has pulled himself
together and made solemn promise TO
Mrs. Benedict not to promulgate any new
theories IN the next Ave years She hopes
that by the expiration Of that time-limit
he will be satisfied to leave the occult, the
iliimitabe, aud the uniatnomable to the
investigation Of posterity, and take more
immediate interest in things mundane which
are necessary to the comfort Of mortals
whose wings are not grown
Mrs. Benedict did not seriously object
20 an invasion OF her home by lizards,
snakes and ella monsters-for her hus-
band assured her that these interesting
horrors were to illustrate the book he was
writing on the subject Of evolution and re-
incarnation. nor was she angry when he
came home half-leading, half-dragging an
immense shaggy animal, which she be-
lieyed TO be mastif. On the contrary, she
patted his tawny head, and was about to
possess herself OF one Of it's great paws,
when her husband said
Isn't he a beauty? | got him from the
keeper Of the zoo. Only cub, but such
magnificent fellow know now why have
always been so attracted to the lions cage
was lion in my first stage of existence.
Cant you believe that Mabel?"
IL think you are a donkey answered
Mrs Benedict, with emphasis, as she
climbed on the library table and eyed the
lion cub with strong disfavor. II never
heard of such nonsense in my life. / just
tell YOU Martin Benedict, that if that brute
stays, leave. It's bad enough living with
. crazy man, without having menagerie.
/ draw the line right here"
MY dear, there is not the slightest dam
ger, for you know / have the power that
controls the widest animals. Let me look
in the eye, and | can hypnotic it to do my
bidding This fine fellow opens new world
of investigation before me. | viii show
power that can tame the king of beasts, a
feat never yet performed. Hypnotism shall
conquer him."
Martin, you couldn't hypnotic a cat
you tried it and the cat had fit from
fright and that's all your hypnotic will ac-
complshed Keep hold Of the strap until
get out of the room. Ugh! he looks as if he
would like to eat mel" and Alss enedict
edged from the room, closing IL folding
doors after her.
Whether Mr. Benedict could tyonotize
the lion cub remained to be seen, ht ne did
hypnotic his wife into permitting him to
keep the great brute, but almost any wife
can tell how that is done. There is moth
ing occult about the method, persistence and
blarney bringing the desired result. And
for once Mrs. Benedict was getting her re-
venge without knowing it. Instead of Mr..
Benedict hypnotizing the lion it was hypno-
tizing him. He could not take his eyes
from that cruel face, and it did really seem
as if his own features were taking on the
expression of sleepy alertness and wicked
watchfulness expressed in the leonine fea-
lures. He neglected every other pursuit to
feed and fondle his strange pet, and when
he took his walks abroad was Stunned by
the townspeople, who fell over each other
in their haste to get out OF the hons way.
The small boy followed at a respectful dis
lance, awed for once by superior faculties
for destroying, and horses instinctively
SHE'D as they recognized an enemy from
the jungle. The animal keeper at the zoo
did not want the animal returned, and
Mr.. Benedict dare not let it go at large.
He was in communication with several cir
Gus managers, and hoped some of them
would come to the rescue before he himself
died OF nervous pFOStrdtlOn.
Mrs Benedict, good woman, did not
know anything of this. She had accepted
the cub as she would have accepted any
other fate, and made the best OF it. When
her friends called, she saw to it that the
animal was locked up, and she had been
SO busy with her own fads OF picking and
preserving to make her home comfortable
taat she had not bothered her head about
the whole character of the woman showed
In that one action. 1t was not the first
time she had taken time by the forelock.
In a neighborhood where burglaIies were
imminent, Mrs Benedict had supplied her
self with a revolver, every chamber OF which
was loaded. This revolver travelled up and
downstairs with the basket of solid silver,
which was the JOY OF her housekeeping soul.
SO that night or day that weapon was within
easy reach for, as she naively said: When
! need it | shall need it quick, mans
phrase unadorned by unnecessary adjee-
tVes
One day Mr. Benedict was sleeping on a
lounge in the library, when Mrs. Benedict
looked in to see il everything was right. The
cub lay at full length on the floor, facing
him and watching mis- slumbers. The ami
mails immense paws, the claws of which
were always sheathed, gave such an idea
ri represgcd strength that even with her
dislike undated Mrs. Benedict gave the
massive brute his need OF praise. But she
did not care to attract his attention, and
wondered how her husband could sleep UNI
der tae baleful light OF those green-gray
eyes. Then she closed the door and sat
down to some needlework in the next
room
She was disturbed by growl 1t did not
reach the dimension of a roar but she had
heard her husband say that when the cub
growled it would want meat, and then it
would be dangerous and must be shut up.
>1e waited a moment, another and deeper
nowl Why did not Martin speak to it,
Was he using his hypnotic influences? She
rose softly, reached her hand into the draw
er of the sideboard, took out the revolver
and opened the door of the library. And
| this was what she saw. Mr.'B nedict lying
white and still on the lounge has nand hang
| ing over the side, the blood dripping from
! it as the cub licked it with horrible inten-
| sity, while the unfortunate man dared not
| v,c,,a =, a,-alas al lost tho sovavo hut 49,.