Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-10-02
Continued.


coined his visitors proposal that he
awaited the result with some
curiosity; and when neat and pretty
maid-servant, who answered the sum-
mons of the bell, showed manifest
CONSERVATION at the order to prepare
the Dolly Warden room, Armathwaite
felt a little pleasurable excitement at
the adventure. If it we're only rat
behind the wainscoting that he was
going to discover after this exciting
prelude of masculine curiosity and
feminine terrors, it would be at least
a satisfaction to set at rest the
mind of his beautiful and interesting
hostess. While Mr. Crosmont walked
away from the fireplace to chaff the
maid on her evident reluctance to
fulfill his order, his wife turned to
Armathwaite with serious face.
"You are very strong-minded, sh3
said Cali doctors are, l suppose.
Do you know, think if I were forced
to sleep alone in that room with the
door locked on the outside, l SHOULD
be found in the morning a ravi1g
lunatic. Even the sound of Goa
dropping out of the fire in the draw
ing-room, underneath my room, makes
me start up and tremble, although
know perfectly well what it is. You
think this nonsense, of course; a.
though, equally of course, you are too
courteous to tell me so.'
''No doctor would presume to call
it nonsense. If it were nonsense, 81
would every symptom of every dis
/ order be-
Disorder"
Certainly. 1t proves an entirely
tenn, the result probably OF sor. e
shock or over-strain. Tell me, does
your own doctor think you are in
robust health?"
moo, | don't think he does BIT /
don't know" Her tone changed end
she spoke with some sadness. II
never see DR.. Peele now"
''But you are wrong. Don't vol
feel yourself that you are wronS
You have not always trembled at I'll ,
sound of coal falling out of n
fire?"
Moo"
You probably know yourself lo2'
long it is since you began to suffer
like this-for it is suffering"
mo, that is just what dur
know, what l cannot Understand. /,
has come upon me so gradually ina:
can't remember a beginning to it,
but it is since the winter came III
that | have become conscious of what
seems like a weakening of the powe
OF my mind. [ do things without
wishing to do them, without eve !
knowing why: l seem to be LOSING
touch of the things which exist
around me, and to start back IN
actual life with a painful shock at
any call for an effort of my own VII.
Perhaps you understand now nv
strange conduct towards you, and tn
babbllng loquacity with which | ain
tell all this to a stranger"
She seemed at that moment to call
herself abruptly back into reality, and
cast at him, blushing, a quick, Shy
glance, to see whether he had re
celVed her confessions with an
astonishment. But he grave, open
and kindly gaze of his eyes reass
her
Does your husband know" he
asked.
Yes, he has been very kind anI
ANXIOUS about me. You haven't seen
MIN at his best" she continued hur-
rledly, as at that moment the sound
OF MS voice in the hall, scolding the
servants, broke upon their ears. nc
is hasty-tempered man, but he aas
many good qualities. You must not
Judge man when you see MIN
harassed with his work, as Pm ne
he is at present, though he ne,,l
complains''
AfmathWaite murmured in suitable
terms his admiration for his hos 6
exquisite qualities, and the LADY,
spoke again
Tell me-" she said. "You ha- G
seen other people in the nerves
state in which I now amp
Armathwaite considered 81 20.
only remember one" he said. "whose
symptoms were exactly the same rs
you describe yours to be. It was a
very singular case, but the cause hcl
NOTHING in common with yours"
What was the cause?"
A professor, as he called hims >1f
Oh splrltual1sm. or spiritism, an I'm.
pudent charlatan enough, but with
some undoubted powers which con.
slder purely physical, had emploved
as what they call a medium, a. vouns
girl OF extremely sensitive and
nervous temperament. who. after hav
ing assisted him at these seances for
some months. became so utterly I'M
hinged in mind ana body that she was
oohged to put herself under medical
aoVlce. Her symptoms were very
much like yours. But it certainly
cannot be mesmerism which,
she interrupted him with a Quick
movement of her head as her hus-
band was heard approaching the room
again. Not a word of mesmerism
before him" she began.
But It was too late. Mr.. Crosmont
entered, with a frown on his face,
and marching up to the heartb-rus
looked from his wife to his guest an.
back again with evident displeasur,
With the same strange and attractive
mixture OF dignity and submission
which Armathwaite had noticed in
her before, she rose and held ont her
hano to him, babe him good night
Kissed her uncle, and taking the