Year: 1875

in melancholy gusts through the almost de-
nuded boughs, and caught up the scattered
leaves that had lately formed their covering,
but now lay in dry and withered heaps upon
the ground, whirling them round and round
in fantastic dance as if in mockery of their
departed verdure and beauty. Such day
might we'll cloud the gayest spirits, and Vir-
gilia, standing in depressed mood at one OF
the windows of the little cottage which was
now her home, was not insensible to its trying
influence. She had taken up some needle
work little while before, but was in too rest
less mood to pursue this occupation. Then
she had tried book, but the experiment was
equally unsuccessful-she could not fix her
attention on its contents. And now, aban-
doning her seat near the fire and her effort at
employment simultaneously, she sought to d.
vert her mind by gazing at the prospect with
out-an attempt as fruitless as the preceding
ones Wild, dark fances chased each other
through her brain-shadowy phantoms that
rivalled the dance of the dead leaves in their
swift evolutions Calm and restfulness seemed
to have abandoned her mind forever, and a
chaos of conflicting emotions agitated it with
continual tumult. She seemed to move ever
in a tempest, amid surgipg pillows and low
ering clouds but its commotion was silent
and inward one. Outwardly she was pale, COL
lected and subdued, and only the nervous
movement of her thin, delicate hands, and the
restless glances of her eyes, ever betrayed
that composure was a stranger to her soul.
In these days she felt like one walking in a
dream. Her movements, her very thoughts,
seemed subject to another's will IAN influence
too powerful for her to resist its sway.


am not attempting to describe anything
supernatural, or beyond the bounds of posi-
bility, when say that she was as powerless
in the hands of her busband-literally her
master-as plastic clay in the hands of the
modeler. Cases have been known Of this
mysterious relation existing between two hu-
man minds; the one omnipotentin in its behests,
the other blindly obedient and submissive to
its dictates. There were intervals, as it were,
of selfassertion-fragmentary attempts to re-
cover independence of action-but they were
brief and futile, and each subsequent strug-
gle for liberty seemed fainter and more quick
ly conquered than the last No tabled magic
spell was ever woven more closely and fatally
around its victim than that which bound in
its tolls her energies and purposes, absorbing
her whole being and her inner life into that of
another, and bearing her swiftly on to an in.
evitable end, as a rushing cataract hurls a
frail bark toward beeting rock, to dash it
into the cbasm below. And yet she had ad-
ventured herself, of her own choice, into the
peril which encompassed her; had herself
nourished nest of adders, which were to
pierce her with innumerable stings.


Fortunate would it have been for her if the
power exercised over her had been fraught
with kindly intent-if it had been employed
in soothing hurtful passions and correcting
mistaken impulses in uprooting the fostering
weeds that tainted her moral atmosphere, ,and
planting in their stead fragrant and health
full growth in the soil of her heart. But such
was not its aim 1t only added deadliness to
the poison of the draught she had brewed for
herself, extinguishing the last bene6cent sun
rays that shed struggling light about her
path, and encompassiug her with an Egyptian
darkness, in which she groped blindly, led by
a treacherous hand. She was mere tool in
her husbands hands, picked up to be retained
as long as useful, and then thrown, without
compunction, aside.


Perhaps he had not found the tool as useful
a one as be had anticipated; or, perhaps, he
had been foied in some part of his scheme;
for when he entered the parlor on this gloomy
November morning, and approached the win
dow at which she stood, there was forbidding
frown on his brown, and look of portentous
sternness in bis deep-set eyes.


Virgilia turned toward him as he entered.
1t was noticeable fact that no matter what
her occupation might be, or how deeply en-
crossed were her thoughts, he never came near
her but that she instantly made this move
ment, as if, like magnet, he possessed hid
den attraction to draw her toward him.


"Idling |" he said in a quiet tone; slight
smile, as he spoke, usurping his lowering ex-
preston. "Did not prescribe constant occu-
patton for you?"


She submissively took up the work she had
thrown aside, and went on with an unGnised
seam.


SOLITARY brooding is not profitable pas
time" he continued. "You would do we'll if
you were to allow no other thoughts to en-
gross your mind than those which desire you
to dwell upon"


any thoughts will not always be controlled,
Louis" she replied, but without any reflection
of anger in her tone.


mop he rejoined, with keen glance.
"Well let me know whittier they are wan
dering just now"


II was thinking of my sister, Claribel-and
of the others at home"


"Pardon me, my love, this is your home
now"


"At my former home, then"


"What were you thinking of Claribel ?"


"That should like to have some informa.
ton in regard to her"


"Information? Why, have not informed
you that she is safe and well, and out of harms
way?"


"I should like to know where she is, Louis.
Please tell me-"


"Not yet-you shall know in little while.
Be content with my assurance that she is
g..