The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-06-29
THE WOMAN
WITH The EYES

marry again, and the man OF her
choice will be happy. Perhaps right
ly so-who shall say?
Where she came from nobody
knew. 1t was said Derrick met her at
summer resort, and that was all
anyone seemed to know about her. He
married her for her beauty; she mar
ried him for his money and social
position. l suppose both Thoroughly
understood the terms of the contract.
He admired her much as he might
have admired a fine horse, and he
was proud to claim her as his own.
She didn't actually hate him-he was
an unfortunate encumbrance Of wealth
and social position. But she bore him
no love.
Perhaps the last straw that broke
down her endurance was when Dor
rick came home drunk from some club
meeting. Derrick was not drinking
man, and this was an exceptional
case. Perhaps he had been drinking
too many toasts to his young wife.
But 1t was an offense against good
form-the only thing she cared about
now When Derrick ceased to be
gentleman the last link broke.
my dear" he began, and then he
stopped short, for he had caught her
glance She had peculiar eyes some
times-hard, cold, penetrating eyes
gimlet eyes, an irreverent youth had
once called them Derrick seemed to
shrink up within himself beneath her
| gaze. Half drunk as he was, he
seemed in some way fascinated-"like
as if he'd been mesmerized,P said
Mrs. Dorrick's maid under her breath;
she had been to see. a professional
hypnotist who had been performing
at one of the music halls few weeks
before. Mrs. Derrick overheard the
remark, and it set her thinking.
The suggestion of mesmerism broke
in upon her like a revelation; perhaps
she had found the key to freedom. She
had heard of this marvellous force that
science but dimly comprehends, and
she was prepared to believe wonders
of it. Forthwith she set about study
ing it, Little by little, as she mastered
the subject, she came to understand
how complete is the control exercised
by the mesmerist over his subjects
and found that she herself possessed
marked powers of fascination. Then
she began to try experiments with
her husband. She had no definite end
in view. She wanted to gain such
| mastery over him as to make him en-
tirely subservient to her will. Then
she would no longer be CALLED by the
sense that she was part of his prop
erty.
In month she succeeded. The out
ward world saw no change in Derrick
Z or his household; but in the privacy
of his home he was different man
: A single glance from his wife bereft
: him of will power, almost Of conscious
? ness. He was no longer living, think
Z ing man, but an automaton, perform
ing her will blindly, and without the
). power of retaining even shadow
,elsof remembrance IL she willed he
s should forget. She was far too clever
!. to let outsiders see this-even the
a servants never suspected 1t. She
herself hardly knew how far-reachine
n was her strange power. But she hat
+ gained her point.
- She began tentatively. Derrick de
e veloped a habit of dressing a LITTLE
8 too lightly for the season of the year
{ and caught cold several times. Hi
wife scolded him for his carelessness
4 but to no purpose Little by little HI
" became more careless. He neglected
g to see a doctor, after catching YER
severe cold, though he had been II
: the habit of taking the utmost car
of his health Again his wife scolde
him. and sent for the doctor herself
= Derrick recovered slowly, but the ei
= fects Of severe chill had left hir
weaker. Then he committed tn
= browning imprudence of taking "a col
bath in the middle of January and NET
= lecting to dry himself thoroughly. Mr.
20 Derrick scolded again. and again sun
= moned the doctor. The doctor wa
= angry, and took Derrick to task sharl
~ ly for his carelessness. Its simpl
.s suicide" he said, Simple suicide!
20 And he left directions for Mrs Dorric
ID and drove away.
to He was right; he could do no goo
10 Derrick had thrown away his life.
about a week he fell victim to pne
monia, and Mrs. Derrick was free.
Mrs. Derrick, the bride of scarce s
months, mourned deeply for her hu
% band, and inherited his wealth Pc
ne haps there was just little genuin
ness in her sorrow; a, tinge of remor
~ ~ no more. AS said, to-day she is
leader in society by right of her la
he husbands name and wealth, her you
oe her beauty, and her sorrow. Perha
IN she may marry again; this time s.
will not sell herself-she will not me-
to- And the man of her choice. W
be accounted happy, for no one kno'