Year: 1871

"cSp"h, as'tueHt gave WHAT ne nau
failed of obtaining by earnest seeking.


a widow-dangerous TO bachelor
peace. a. edged tools are to the care.
less hands of the inexperienced-came
to the village on visit. The weeds
had not been removed that marked her
bereavement, and the merest touch of
melancholy rested ON her brow; but
her eye was laughing. and a sweet
cur! straycd away and lay like a CHS
eled eddy upon the marble of her
check. She had jewel on her hand.
and the black dress she wore was cut
Jndiclously. the dressmaker that cut il
had been widow herself, and knew
how TO manage such ma,ters-showing
beautiful white shoulder and a bust
Of rare lovlness.


Martin met the widow at the resi-
dence of friend. and liked her. He
had never seen So prepossessing
woman, he thought. But she had bur.
led one husband. and that WAS rather a
drawback. One visit led 10 another.
the liking still increasing. until he
hroached the subject Of biology, with
wish, fcrvently felt, that this might
bc the woman he sought. She was
fully acquainted with il, and, in ans
wer to his question il she was suscep-
thle Ia its influence. she replied that
she didn't know. but was willing to
have the fact tested.


What a position for Martin Seat
ed by her side on sofa, with her hand
laid in his. her rich dark eyes resting
upon his with a look equal To that
which the widow " adman poured into
those of the unsuspccting Toby in the
stiffness OF summer evening, But
science held him secure, and his nerves
were calm rs the summer day oil that
evening. BY and by the beautiful lids
dropped, the head bent gently forward
and the widow. with sweet smile up
on her lips, lay fast asleep. Martin
could have shouted Eureka in his de-
light at the discovery. Now his pulse
quickened, and he stopped 10 kiss the
lips that lay unresisting before him
but he didntl BY the exercise Of his
power he awakened her, and she was
much surprised At being caugh, nap
ping, and blushcd at the s,rangencss
Of 1t. and hlushed more when Martin
told how he had been tempted, and how
gloriously he hal resisted and laugh
ed little when she slapped his cheek
with her fingers as he took pay from
the widows lips for his sclf-tlcnial. and
went home half crazy with joy al his
new-fUund treasure. more like a boy OF
nineteen than a maturcd gentleman Of
forty.


Every nigh, found him a visitor at
the widows, and every night the sue
cess Of the science was proved, until
hy a mere look or wave of the hand.
the beautiful widow become subject
Of his will and he became at the same
time subject OF hers. She was such
a splendid creature too You would
not find in long journey another
fairer, or more intelligent, or more vir-
tnous. The question might be asked,
which magnetism was the most pleas
ant, his or hers. But he thought only
OF his own, not deeming that he was in
a spell more powerful, that was ire
vocably binding him. What could an
old bachelor know OF such a thing.


This state Of things grew 10 a crisis
at last, and Martin formally proposed
To the widow that the two should be
made one, by the transnutation of the
church. To this she a-sented. and IL
was announced soon after, TO the as
tonishment OF all. that Martin Speed
had married the widow Goode. The
punster of the village made notable
pun about Good-Speed, AT which the
people laughed very much; and the
editor of one Of the papers, who was
a very funny man. put it in print.


II happened, shortly after the mar
riage that they had famous party and
some Of the guests bantered Martin
about his marriage, upon which he told
them Of the manner it came about
They were a little incredulous, and he
volunteered TO give them some speci-
mems of his remarkable power over
his wife.


She was in another room attending
TO some female friends, when he called
her To him. She came obediently, and
he asked her TO sit down which she did
He took her hand and looked into her
eyes, TO put her to sleep. Her eyes
were wide open. and lurking spirit of
mischief looked out of them broadly
into his. Tie waved his hands before
them. but they remained persistently
open. He bent the force of his will 70
their subjugation, but it was of no
use.


"Mr. Speed" said she. laughing, IL
don't believe the magnetism OF the
husband is equal TO that of the lover:
or, perhaps science and matrimony are
at war"


She said this in manner to awaken
strong suspicion in his mind that she
had humbugged him, and had never
been put to sleep at all. His friends,
as friends will when they fancy poor
fellow has got into hobble, laughed
at him, and told the story all round the
village. For months he was an object
Of sport to everybody. People would
make passes over each other as he
passed, and women would shut their
eyes and look knowing. But, whether
his power had gone or not, hers re-
manned and he cared not a fig for
their laughing, for he was happy in
the beautiful spell Of affection which
she threw over him, that bound him as
q chain Of flowers.


The attempt to close her eyes Was
never repeated, for he was too glad TO
see them open to wish to lose sight Of
them. Life with Speed sped well, and
Martin became father in time. He
never regretted the expedient he
adopted to get his wife, though he
never could make out exactly whether
she humbugged him or not.