The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-07-17
A Curious
Mental
Condition
1t Was Experienced by
a Tourist.
By ALAN HINsDALE

nothing about me, for was enveloped
In mist. A rocking sensation made me
doubt whether / was arhore or on the
water Another singular feature was
a faint singing of birds-so faint, in
deed, that l doubted whether l heard
birds ora ringing in my ears There
were occasional voices about me, hav-
ing a mellow sound, as If spoken on a
quiet day after a fall of snow or on
a balmy morning when the air is full
of moisture.
While was wondering where l was
and how I happened to be there a girl
came out of the mist and stood before
me. She seemed as much surprised to
see me as / was to see her Her face
was that of a saint-fair complexion,
hair and eyes, There was but one
blemish-a small red birthmark, shap-
ed like a rose leaf, on her neck. 1t
was rather an imperfection than a
blemish.
where are WEI" l asked.
Il don't know" she replied.
Il hear the sound of waves"
"Then we must be on the seashore"
"And birds singing"
THAT would indicate that the beach
is lined by woods"
Wherever we are, we were evident
ly sent for each other"
1T would seem So" She lowered
her eyes.
"You were certainly sent to be with
me. What would become Of me alone
in this dense mist without the power
to find my way out of it? With you
shall be happy even here. You are
very lovely"
"You do not say beautiful"
But you are beautiful"
mo; l can't be that"
"WhyT
Because of this" She put finger
on the birthmark.
do you know" l said after a brief
pause, that 1 like you so well as you
are that would not have even that
changed?"
Suddenly the mist was gone. It did
not melt away; it vanished. We were
standing upon beautiful bay For
miles ON either hand the beach curved
In semicircle. Back Of us the shore
rose till 1t mingled with mountains.
The waters of the bay were of different
colors. Near us, where 1t was shallow,
1t was a pale green, beyond a deep
blue and beyond that silver On this
silver an island rested, rising from its
base to height on which the sun
shone golden. We stood looking out at
the view. / was entranced, and, turn
ing my eyes upon my companion, saw
that she was equally wrapt.
Il feel" l said, that / must go out
on the bosom of that sea-"
There is a boat" she replied, "chain-
ed to a stake"
Lowering my eyes to the verge,
saw skiff rising and falling with the
languid swells.
The next scene of which was cog
infant or at least remember now was
pulling along under great cliffs that
formed the island
There is cave" said my companion,
with waterway for an entrance"
Turning the boat, l pulled for the
cave. The rocky roof over the water
way just grazed our heads as we made
the entrance. Inside we found our
selves within a cavern, its roof hung
with stalactites. The light coming
from the entrance tinged the vaulted
roof with ever changing colors. Now
it was a blood red, now a pale blue,
now sea green, now white
1T is from the changing Of the wa
tiers outside" said. "a changing sky
changes the bay, and the changing bay
changes the hues in here"
ut is all change" she said sadly.
II wish something in the world were
fixed"
l dropped my oars and, seating my
self beside her, took her in my arms.
II wish this would never change" l
said, "for have found my leEe." l
kissed her. She put her arms about
me, and it seemed to me that 1 had
thrown off something that had trou-
bled me, some great evil that had over
hung me, and had passed to a con-
valescence of perfect happiness.
Alas, while supremely happy In this
companionship, felt my love slipping
through my arms and saw her float
ing over the surface of the water
toward the mouth Of the cavern At
that moment both the water and its
rocky dome We're a pale blue. They
tinged her garments with the same
hue. She looked back at me with an
expression of indescribable melancholy.
/ called to her not to leave me, but
she floated on, passed out through the
mouth of the cavern and was gone.
/ seized the oars to follow and, dash
ing under the low arch that separated
me from the outside, in another mo-
ment was under the greater vault Of
the heavens.
All was serene as when we entered
the cavern, but my love had vanished.
Then came a sensation of being toss
ed to and fro, up and down, as though
were on a stormy sea. 1t was mere
~ a consciousness of feeling. There
was no communication with the out
side world. There were voices In the
air. What they said l did not know.
There were also sounds of invisible
people passing and the occasional open
ing and closing of door.
next was lying on a lounge look
ing out of an open window. The air
was clear as crystal. Before me rose
a range of snow capped mountains.
Over them was a white cloud. But
was it cloud? No; it was peak far
above its fellows, with a strip of cloud
beneath 1t that gave it the appearance
of a peak. How high 1t was! 1t
seemed to mingle with the heavens
blue. l arose and went to the window
to get a better view of its summit.
When leaned out and looked up at it
it seemed higher, higher, all the while
higher. My brain began to whirl. l
returned to my lounge. | was weak
and languid.
While was recovering from my gid
diness a door opened and my lost love
came into the room. At first she look
ed anxious, then smiled.
For a moment l was In doubt If it
were really she. 1t did not appear that
she was changed, but that looked at
her through different eyes from before.
Her figure did not face me- but she
was looking at me sidewise. l was
troubled l longed for her, she was
with me, but l was not sure she was
the same person. While / gazed in
perplexity she turned, and l saw the
birthmark on her neck. Then she
came to me, seemingly wading through
water. and took my hand. l drew her
. down beside me and said reproach-
p,,Ilx.