Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-10-04
! AT THE HIGH
) tide Or love
: A Tale of the SOul-Fl0Od,
BY William Arch Mclean.

| T2 AA9G u VI LIZ ] u ESSy
M3 A Tale of the Soul-Flood. N
M3 By William Arch Mclean. IN:
H 4 ;' 4; ;; I; !: Il !;
VOL CTOR IRVINE was man of
" decidedly peculiar appearance,
" habits and thoughts. He was
large in frame. He had long,
straight hair, that fell around his head
like SO many strings. His little dark
eyes went skipping from one thing to
another. On one occasion he greeted
friends with effusive politeness; on
the next, passed them without recog-
milton, occupied with his thoughts
People called him crank. They smiled
when his name was mentioned, init
mating that something was not quite
fright in his upper story" He was
known, however, to be man Of intel
ligence, scholar. His neighbors said
he made his living with some horrid
smelling stuffs he called Chemicals.
| NiSlol hub u uopDy tlluL
owed all other pecularities, which he
confided to those with whom he was
| intimately acquainted. To these he
invariably explained strange philoso-
ply that possessed him. He would in
troduce 1t by speaking of the mysteri
Gus attraction Of the sun and moon up
| on the great oceans; how under their
influence there was the ebb and flow
Of the tide twice a day. Then he would
conclude by saying that the greater
part Of the human body was n liquid
formation; that this same overwhelm-
Ing watery composition was subject TO
an ebb and flow as in the oceans; and
that it was fact that he recognized
iaily in his own body.
There was cause for this philosophy
Of Victor. His mother was Of highly
nervous temperament, and very deli
cate in health. Her physician had Or
| dered her one year to the sea. She had
gone early in the spring. In cottage
by the sea she passed many weeks,
most of the time with her face toward
the great eXpanse of water.
AS the flow Of the tide came in with
roar and a boom, there was an eX-
hilaration in it that was conveyed to
her that gave her hope and courage.
1t was a stimulus to her spirits. Life
was richer than at any other time.
Then would follow the 'ebb, with its
muffled break, with its subtle slipping
away Of waters. 1t brought a change
to the woman. There would be re-
lapse, a passing away, tameness, a
spritlessness.
Each day Of the whole summer the
ebb and flow Of the tides brought an
ebb and flow in the woman, in her
spirits. In the fall baby-Victor-
was born. He came at midnight at the
greatest roar and rush of high tide
Then the ebb set in. AS the mother
lovingly gazed at her child she family
murmured: 'He came at the flow of
the tide; 1 go at the ebb." So 1t
proved.
Thus the strange philosophy Of the
ebb and flow entered the life Of Victor
Irvine. The story Of his mothers last
moments had never been told him. He.
was, however, not grown to manhood
when he first felt and recognized the
strange influence of the ebb and flow.
1t came to be to him that only in the
fow-a few hours at midday and at
midnight-could he accomplish any
thing. Then he conducted his chemical
experiments, made his analyses. With
the rush Of the flow thoughts, ideas,
conceptions, suggestions burst tuhultu-
ously upon him, pounding on the surf
OF his brain. 1t was a work of fever
ish Intensity to grasp and save them
If he failed to catch them, with the ebt
they went. Work was drudgery the
remainder Of the day. At the midnight
flow 1t was his habit to put in perma-
nent form, in writing, the work he was
engaged upon. Any treatise finished
then was usually received as. brilliantly
scientific. The moment the cbb was
on the pen became impotent.
Into the tides Of this mans life
foated two objects which became of
absorbing interest to him. One was a
woman, the other chemical mystery.
He had come upon an element in his
chemical studies that he could not sat
isfactorily explain to himself. He real
lied that it might be q new element.
He might be the discoverer of that
which would startle the scientific
world. So far the element had eluded
him. He had not only been unable to
satisfy himself of its existence, but
also what its characteristics were, or
whether 1t might not be known ele-
ment in new form.
The woman-Mary Ames-was a
warm hearted, whole souled woman;
woman who, with broad, tender, hui
man sympathy read life and the vari-
Gus species Of natures that possessed
mankind she knew; woman who could
see good where others saw dross. She
understood Victor Irvine. She gave him
credit where others had given ridicule.
She respected the man, the student.
She found man who could be honest
and true. a man who could love.
The love Of Mary Ames became n
staff for him to lean ON. Through her
eyes he took new view of the earth !
Of mankind. He was irreslstibly !