The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-07-12

| main dS they are. Dick must know
now that awful smile affects me: and
1 cannot tell him myself. You are n
physician; people will listen TO things
from you that they would not toler.
ate from an ordinary person. Won't
you help me?'
ala not like the idea. but the girl
looked so beseechingly. so young and
terrified, that ! could not help yield.
ing. and promised to do as she re.
| quested. When she had left | stood
ieahing against the rail, thinking over
me strange interview | had Just had
with the girl. Ny candid impression
was that she herself was i'll, and that
1t would only be fair to Farquharson
TO warn him with regard to her con.
diticn. Just then the man himself
made his appearance.
IF you are looking for Mrs. Farau.
harson." ! said, she has just gone
below. She asked me to give you a
message. ! trust you will not con-
sider II TOO great liberty on my
part. 1! | tell you that ] think your
wie's nervous system needs atten-
ZION badly. She came to me a little
while ago and confessed that she was
frightened. II Is an odd case. all
nerves | suppose. but she informed
me that she could not stand your
smile-what Is the matter? You don't
/ seem we'll"
The man had turned very pale. my
| smile" he gasped 81 never knew
that she had seen me smile: I had
guarded against II. No wonder she Is
/ upset"
ut is plain case of nerves." I re.
peated, but he shook his head.
There is nothing the matter with
her," he said. She only failed to
endure what no woman could stand.
| see. Halifax, that | must give you
my confidence. ! had no right TO
marry that girl: but was tempted,
| for loved her. This Is my Just pun.
ishment. tell you, doctor, you have
| never come across case like mine.
| Come over here. under this light. My
wife has explained to you that she
breads my smile. The best way TO
show why she breads it. is TO Illus.
| tratc IT, Some people wonder at my
gravity, but Tor you will lift the cur
| tain"
! Suddenly his whole face underwent
complete revolution. The mouth
stretched wide, and literally seemed
TO open from ear TO ear, showing his
glittering white teeth. The short
hair on the forehead was brought
down and reached the eyebrows. At
the same time, by some extraordinary
CONFUSION of muscle. the lower eye
lids were inverted, and the eyeballs
rolled up until there was ncthirg Wis
ible but the whites. In this horrible
contortion. which partook OF the idiot
and monkey I'm It's extreme horror the
real Farquharscn seemed TO have
vanished. Uttering groan as his
features recovered their normal cast.
the man turned aside and covered his
face. A cold horror seized me. had
looked upon what might have been
the face OF fiend.
For Heavens sake" | said catch
Ing him by the arm, what Is the mean.
ing of this?"
II have illustrated my SMILE" he
said. THAT Is the only way in which
| can smile. Now listen to my laugh.
Steady your nerves. for tho sound Is
not pleasing"
He gave n sort OF chuckle. low and
deep ut first and resembling. 20 GER
tain extent. the baying Of hound;
but as the laugh proceeded, IL rose In
strength and sound, until at last It re.
sembled certain strings of the bass
fiddle played I'm absolute discord. IL
came and went. rising I'm volume. I'M
I'll the sense of every nerve Jared
caused the listener to involuntarily
clan his hands TO his ears. | had
heard madmen laugh. and listened to
the jackal shrek in the jungle. but
no man or beast had ever produced
such sound of horror as that pro-
ceeding from Farquharson's lips.
"Now you know my secret" he said.
resuming his usual automatic manner
and immovable cast Of face.
"But why do you do IT." ! asked.
81 cannot help myself. As n child.
| am told that | was all right. but
when very young had bad fall and
sustained conclusion of the brain.
From that time the horror grew upon
me. was taken TO many doctors. but
not one could help me. The general
supposition was that received some
grave injury TO the cerebral centers.
One doctor said that as II was EVIL
IDENTIFY caused by shock II might be
possible that another and greater
shock would restore me to normal
condition. but that sort Of thing can
not he done to order, and my case Is
surely incurable. For years | have
trained myself never to smile or
laugh. Even the ordinary powers of
expression are impossible to me. for
tho slightest movement Of my face
couses an intolerable grimace. Be-
fore we were married lii often re-
marked on the immobility OF my face,
but I nut her of with tender words,
and she learned to love me In spite OF
NV urly exterior. often felt that
ought 10 tell her the truth. but rear
nj losing her kept me silent De-