The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-09-25
Fine girl, that. Never saw her looking


at her when she comes here. Is She
but of course you didn't stop to speak
to her."
"Of course 1 did. We had quite q
little chat Walked two blocks to-
gether. Graceful walker, isn't she?
Say, that meeting must have been re-
markably interesting. Josie was ex-
planning to me about the degrees Of
intuitive mentality think she called
it-and psychological soul progress
do get that right?-and it was great!
She said the professor is to be at their
house tonight, just informally, and
she'd be glad to have us come over and
meet him. Like to go?"
The brown eyes of little Mrs. Armi-
tage opened wide How had Josephine
managed to arouse Fred's interest
when all her pleadings had brought
only SCOTS and ridicule? But Josie was
so clever. Why couldn't she, Dolly, be
clever and talk people over-at least
her own husband? But she was only
too glad to have him awakened to the
beauties of soul study-that is what
they called it-though she felt little
chagrined that evening to see him
hover at Miss Cars side, listening
| with intense interest to every word
that fell from the young woman's lips,
as though through her alone he could
receive the wondrous truth of psychol-
| ogy.
Josephine, at first puzzled by the ap-
parent fascination of heir new convert,
| attempted to put forth the claims to
notice of the professor and draw Fred
out in one of his famous ''soul talks T"
| But Armitage, with gentle resistance,
made her do most of the talking and
was so flattering pupil that she felt
it her duty to devote her energies to
his conversion. And Dolly, while the
professors long-winded phrases fell
on her deaf ears, sat wondering how
Fred could be so attracted by such a
plain girl as Joe Carr-so bold and
| officious, too. Fred had never liked
talkative women. 1t was very strange.
Whirr-r! sounded the telephone bell
in the Armitage fiat next day THAT'S
Fred" exclaimed Dolly, dropping her
| sewing.
Her husbands voice sounded faint
but familiar in the distance, but gra-
cious! what was he saying! Just had
| phone from osephine-wanted to
know if remembered what the pro-
fessor said about true realization of
one-ness'-told her to come round this
evening and talk it over. What's that?
Yes, coming to dinner-if she'd be
pleased-told her you'd be delighted
all right, eh?-goodby."
Dolly dropped the receiver with a
gasp. What strange influence could
be working on her matter-of-fact hus-
band? Why, he used to shudder when
she proposed inviting Josephine to
dine. And he always faxed" an en-
gagement to get away as soon as pos
sible. Well, it must be his great alb
sorption in the new cult. She always
knew if ever Fred did take up anything
it would not be in a half-hearted way.
Only she did wish that she and not
another woman had happened to be his
guiding star on the road to esoteric
bliss. Esoteric fiiddlesticks! Telep-
athy was a tiresome tumble, and she
didn't more than half believe in it. But
for Fred's sake she must keep up, and
perhaps, after all, they could slip away
from the crowd-and Josephine-and
go hand in hand along the paths of
occult lore.
1t was a nice little dinner, nicely
cooked and nicely served. For all her
mental distractions, Dolly was model
little housekeeper. And Josephine en-
joyed the dinner. There was no doubt
of that. Again and again did Fred
help her to some specially attractive
delicacy How watchful he was. The
instant her plate was empty he begged
her to have it refilled. And there is
no doubt Josephine ate great deal.
Dolly, whose appetite was of the ca
nary-bird order, was astonished at
Josephine's capacity
Is it any wonder, then, that the con-
versation languished-or that it took
sudden flights into extremely practical
fields? Dolly could see that Fred was
disappointed over his inability to draw
Josie out. But this didn't prevent him
from doing his best to please her pal
ate.
And then, after they had left the
table and withdrew to the cosy Ii
brary with it's restful tints and its dim
lights, and Fred seated himself near
Josephine, and the moment was ripe
for soul utterance, even then Josephine
seemed strangely distraught Once
she even yawned.
And Fred, evidently determined he
wouldn't be discouraged, talked on
and on, in such steady monotone
that Dolly felt like yawning herself.
And Josephine replied only in monosyl-
tables and presently did not reply at
all. And then Fred held up his hand,
and pointing at Josephine, where she
half reclined amid the couch pillows,
whispered softly to Dolly: "She is
communing with her inner conscious
ness" -
"She is asleep" murmured Dolly, a
little sharply.
Perhaps she was. Anyway, when
she suddenly Strengthened up and
asked what time it was, and Fred told