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To-day's Short Story

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To-day's Short Story HER INMOST MIND White passing the summef at a eeaaide reaort &ome years ago I met and fell in love 1\rith a. bea-utiful young lady whom, for pre- sent purposes. I wiH call Miae Atwood. In addition to her beauty, she had many other attractive qualities. &he sang sweetly, if with little power; played the pia.no to per. fection. was well read, and. abo've I judged her to be pure. simple-minded. a<od anec- tionate. rThe miaerable hours during which I could Bot be with her I passed as beet I could. walking m deep medita.tion the beach. or, more fortunately, in playing at chess a. man named Arkin. He was a. tail, dark, morose-looking man. who, aa I was told, had travelled all over the world ajid been through many strange adventures, bat be never spoke of these things ho &ekiom Hpoke at all except, whom be sat down with me for an hour at our favourite game. One day we were sitting in a little upstairs balcony of the hotel, from which we see in one direction the great, rolling blue o.f the ocean extending to the horizon, and in the other the intricate arbour work and gorgeous nower beds of the park. looking like a. huge piece of printed calico in the sun. A scene like that," he said, nodding towards the park, always gives me peculiar satisfaction." On a<ocoumt of its beauty?" I asked. Yes," he. replied. and because it ia so typical of life aa a. whole—"beo.uty without. foulness within." How do you mean?" Why look," said he, at the marv&IIous Sower-beds glowing in the sun, at the splendid magnolias in full bloom, and at the orange throve in the distance, the golden 'fruit gleam- ing in its rick setting of gree'n—ia it not all lovely? Now think of what is beneath; yet a few inches below lies the dark da-nk e<arth. .full of blind moles, crawlmg worms, fhnd the boTtes of d'ead men. See that group of gay yo-ung women com- ing down the gravel walk. It ia with them aa it ia with tOO earth; if you were to look into their you would nnd meanness, jealousy, pettiness, everythin-g revolting." "Oh, come!" I exclaimed, m disgust, "ycxa <'a.rry yoTU" analogy too far. I will grant that there ia often an evil nature concealed be'neath a bea-utiful form and face. but I believe that on the whole people are what they seem, and what right has an individual man, who ca.n only roea.lly know one huma.n jheart, to condemn them all!" But.' said my oompanioTi. "supposing one were to ha-ve the power? What if one were to read the inmost secrets of a. human hea,rt as easily as a gardener lays bare the earth with hjs spade? What then?" Why," replied I, "the thrmg ia impossible." "Wheif I waa a yourng man." replied Mr. Arkin. I was an enthusiastic student of natural science, chemistry, physics, astronomy, zoology, botany, all cajne. in for their share of attention. But the subject which interested me most of all was the anatomy and physiology of the huma-n brain and nervous system. One day I received from a friend in Zan- zibar a little packet of roots, which he eadd were used by the medicine men there, and were suppo&ed to have wonderful properties. I made a. deooction O'f 80IDe of the'II1, and a-fter testing it to ascertain that it waa net 1>'Oi.)ono1lB I took a BIDa.ll dose. At the end of an hoar I could perceive no effect, and had about concluded that the thing was a fa-ke,' when the young man whom I employed to .asgil>t me in my experi- ments entered the room. Well, I undffi-stood him to say. I sup- pose the fool has been messing some mtxre with his aithy roots.' "'Sir!' I exclaimed, 'how dare you!' "My assistant looked at me with. astonished expression I didn't sa.y amytMng. sir,' he re-plied. and tht-n, though his lips were shut tight, I E.eemro to hear him add—* Is he drank or crazy?' I stood bewildered for a moment, and then the truth flashed upom nue—the drug had in some way rendered my brain directly responsive to the thought of smother .without the mediatMm of the senses. For several days I went about reading the thcmghta in people's minds. a.nd the revelation of the ge'n<-ral business of humanity became so terrible that I resolved never to touch the drug a.gain." Mr. Arkin here paused. And did you. never," I asked, &nd a-ny exception, any trme. noble 8OtJI. amid all the rabble of base ernes ?" "Never." he replied. "Wnat waa not <)vH was petty and trivial." Yea," said 1. "sTMh certa,inly do exist. I will be sworn tltM I know a p<T- son with a mind so pure. you might search it with a.n mtelLectua.1 microscope, without nod- ing one trance of anything ignoble, or any- thing but what ia true, beautiful, and good." My triend gave me an understanding loojt and sadd, with a. smile— Happy ia the man w<bo otm believe tha.t. I envy him from. the bo'tto'm of my beajt." If you do not belteve it," I repijecL, pr'o- voked, t..1lÆm take BOIlle of Y'01tt miserable drug a,nd ooTne with me. I will let yon see ior yoorsejf." No." be aaM. "I vowed to tonoh tt a.ain..a.nd I nerer wilt, bat if yoa woaM like to try—way I ha.w no objection to tend- ing you a Httle." I sigTLined my desire to do eo, a.nd be went to his room.. retumiBg preae!ntty with 801 tittle vial, hatf-nlled wiHi a. roify liquid. "Take three droops of t.bat m a. glass of water." he eaid. a.baut. haJif a.n hour before y<m meet this person. But before I give it to you I want yon to protmiae me ttM thinga —nrst. that if, aa I expect, yon nnd this person unwortbjy you vtdll mot in yaor deepaar do anythin? deeperate; a.nd. second, th&t yoTi twill return to me the vial a.od Tepotrt the .resul.t of the experiment." I rea<dtly acceded to these reqTreata, a-nd we parted, he to ta.ke lua a-ftemoon na.p, ajid i to stroti (m the beach. After eupper I 1reŒt. to my rocm. took t.he reqraired doee, amd in haJf an hour sallied forth fo, And Mies Atvocd. I m-ade op my mind wr occurred net to betray my new power, but I nearly hroka my reeohztic-n the nrst person I met. Thaa was one Binka. & fellow who had been In toe habit of borrow- ing emaJl auma of mo'nay. He greeted ine with a broad smite and a. "Ho'w d'ye do?" but ho thought Here comee tha.t bloommg jay. Brown. Wonder if he's good for another tanner?" No. sir," I said, dratwing myBeIf up and looking at him Bercedy. That blooming jay, Brown, is not good for another tanner, nor jfor another cent." His jaw dropped; he stared at me, and I left him under the impreesi<m that he had inadvertently spoken hia thoughts aloud. I found Miaa Atwood sitting by heraelf in a. cane-backed settee on the veranda., looking out over the water. The last glow of the fading sunaet gleamed over the tranquil aea. In its magic light Misa Atwood's face aeemed to me to be cf almost supernatural beauty, -a.nd I a. r with a. fœ1ing akin to .-awe. ThLa waa qui-te di.apoU.ed, however, by her thinking aa I came mp, "Oh, good! Here <omee Ciharlie'" She had Tieve- called me by my Qrst name, tmd I was no Ie6B 8Ul"prÍæd than delighted. Good evening, Miae Atwood." I ea-id. Good evening. Mr. Brown," she replied, .movmg over a little on the se¡¡,t. Won't YOiU eit down?" Mias Atwood. Ducy deaj*, you know tha<t vl love you." I spoke with greater certainty on &he point than loveo'a are wont to do. I tave loved you sinoe the nrst da<y when we met in the park. Will you join your lot with mme, .Lucy?" I leaned over ajtd took her ha.nd without waJiting for aJU a.DSWel". Oh. thia ia so sudden, Mr. Brown," she 'replied, affecting great em<barraesment, but Jeavmg her hand in mine, you most give .j&e time to consider." This hypocrisy irritated me. Oh, come," I said. You thc'ng'ht ct thia before, I know y<yu have," and con- sidering that it was dark emoogh. I put my arm over her ahou.ider. drew her to me, and <k:Meed her. Oh. let me- go," &be whispered, not ma.Jdn.g aa-ny great ea'ort to fjee herself, however, ahe .waa thinking—but, perhaps. I bad better not ea,y No," I replied. you ca-n't get away u-ntai ypu've said yea." Wen, th<m," øh m a moot-plaintive iroioe, if that'a the case, I m.ust comply, you wicked man—Yea." I prepared the feeling of tender .toy which was to diffuse itself through her mind at this ha.ppy consummation, but thia JB what she thought: "Well, it's all eetHed now. I wi&h, though. it been Willie; he has twT&e as much mtoney. Little ahe thought how fata.1 thaA was. rushing her rudaly away from me, I ex- Indeed! Would yon like me to tell Mm ?f your regard?" Why. what's tho -matter?" Me pta-mmered. "Tell who—what?" "Teli WilMe, whoever ho is. of your grea,t a,nection for his nMney bags." I don't umderstand." she said tremulously, 'which was true enough. Then the same thraig <X)carred to her that did to Binks—she sup- poeed th'a.t abe had uncoTjaciouaiy gpoken her a.!oud. "Wha.t did I say ?" she asked. Oh. you didn't say anythmg. confound it. ? rephed, you only thought." "How do you know what I thought?" ahe teked. in indigna.nt aatonishTnemt. Oh. never mind." I rerplied. Good-bye." i"I roae a.nd started to leave her, but &h'9 :walked quickly up t-o me, took hold of my 'tøeOat lapel, and cried in a hall-whisper fut! wrath: Sir, how dare you wÍJtíh my a.Secti)ons thia way! The Tnaea of furious thoughts which ragged %n her mind at this moment was a revelaticm ?o tne. It waa worth all the pa?n of my di&- <)pcam6tnro. Don't.get excited," I eadd eoobhiagly; exoitememt diia.tes the bh)od veaeela of the fa.oe amd spoils the complexion. As to tja-at breach of projmse suit. you were just now thinkiTLg' a.bout, let nM, from. my legal knowledge, a<tviee you not to try it; you h&ven't sumoient grounds." She started back in terror. Cam you read th-o inmost worMnga of my heart?" she ciried. "Perha.pe," I replied; "a,t any ra<te, I caN see into the ca-vity where the heart ought to be." She sat down aThd buried her fa«' in her haBds, thiBkmg sh<; had lost her mind. I left her ajid hTirried to my room, giving a wide berth to everyoTie I met on the way. I coruld not steep, but sa.t up a.ll night emok- ing a<nd I)ouder-,ng over my btrange cxperi. iMnt. Aa aoorn as it began to get light I left my ohajitber a-nd went out on the little balccmy where we had been playing chesa the da.y before. Presently I wa& roused from my reverie by som,eon.e comng up behind me, and fuming, I Paw Mr. Arkin. Well." he B&id. what luck? I told him the result of the experime'nt and returned him the vial. LMe M a, failure," I said. "No," ;h.e r<'pli<?d, "I don't think it is when inquisitive people like you and I go prying into aecreta not ;ntnded for us; it is cur o'wn foolishness a.nd .not nature we have to blame for the result. 117ne live the more I become convinced that life is Eiym'boli- ca.l; tha.t its wcrth ii<-s not in what it is in itself, but in what it s'gDJncs to us, a,nd tha.t the icMi who expectg 'm<j're is aa foolish ae he who would tear a rent in a beautiful paintinc; and then co'mp'lain of the dim'gy wall behind it."

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