A WI T C H

OF T H E

N I N ETEE NTH C E NTU RY ,

O O O O O O OO O O O O

WP Y
. PH E LO N ,
M . D .
,

Au t ho r of
“
F U T U R E R U LER S OF -

A M ER I CA ,
” “
H E R

M ET I C T EA C H I N G S,
” “
T H R E E SE V EN S,
”
E T C .

( J 1

Q Y R I GH
‘
Q

C H I C A G O, I LL .

T H E H E R ME T I C PU B L I SH I N G C OM
1 89 3 .
 A WI T C H or T H E 1 9 T H CE N T U R Y .

C H A PT E R I .

is early in t he fifties A tr a veler

T .

on the w est co a st o f E n gla n d in ,

a s s in g th rou gh o n e o f t h e littl e vil

p
l ag e s th at are ever d od gin g o u t o f
th e d istance coul d h a ve seen in the
,

m on th o f J u n e th is pi c t ure : A
t hatch ed c ottage i n a ll its l owli n ess
,

re a lly a thing o f be au ty t o the a rtisti c ey e .

I t st a nds a littl e ap a rt e v id en tly a freeh oldi n g

, ,

th e property o f some h onest y eom an o f t he ,

cl ass wh ose b r a in a n d bra w n h a v e raised up the

E ngl an d of t o d a y o u t o f th e darkness o f
-

sav a gery I t is set b ac k qu i te a little dist a n c e

.

from th e street as if hiding in s w eet retire

, ,

m en t l i k e a c oy m ai d en from her l over I ts

,
.

b ro w n th at c hed roof overh a n gs o n eith e r sid e

, .

H ere th e sp a rro w s h ave b u il t their n ests a nd ,

n o w bu si e d i n t he care o f their y o u ng t w itter

, ,

a ll d ay l o n g H ere are a ls o visi ble th e gre e n

.

pa t c h es o f th e s c ien ti fi ca l ly n a med pl a n t s em
4 A WI T C H OF TH E

r v iv iu m bu t en de a red t o every o l d fash ioned

p e
-

E n glish heart as hen a n d c hi c ke n s“

U n de r .

its m o therl y stron g le a ves it p rotects th e ten

, ,

der little ones from h arm Th ere is also a s u .

p e r s t i t i o n a tt ac h e d t o th is pl ant t h at its
presen c e is a prote c tion from light n ing s troke -
.

H igh er u p fro m ou t th e th atch p ee p t h e

,

gabled w ind o w s with their n um erou s d iam on d

,

sh ap ed w indow p anes T he wh ol e windo w

-
.

s w in gs b a ck at w ill let tin g in th e p erf u med

,

a ir s w ee t w ith the breath o f m any flo wers

, ,

while up ov er th e brick walls i n graceful riv

al r
y clamber from the l a p o f m ot her earth t o

th e s un sh in e th e w oodb ine an d th e rose u n til ,

breath less in gre a t masses o f fragran t c o l or ,

th ey l ie o n the v ery peak of t he th a t ch Th e .

gabl e d en d to ward th e s treet h as th e fron t e u

tran c e o v er it ; facin g to w a rd th e west is a
ro dm sh ady p or c h w h ose vin e em bo wer e d
y
-

, ,

beau ty c on c eal s fro m the c as u al p ass er th e

s teps o n e i th er side bro wn wit h age well w orn
, ,
-

with th e i mprint o f gen erations of l ittl e feet

as they c l a mbered u p and d o wn t o get in to
’

g randp a s l ap . Many a n d m any are th e tal es

o f l o v e th at h ave been breat hed forth a n d p a rt

ings sighed in th at quiet s p ot N on e h a ve .

b e e n w i t n essed h o w ever save by th e n ight in

, ,

g a l e in the h e dge o r th e bees w h ose c e a sel e s s

, ,
 N I NE T E EN T H C EN T U R Y . 5

hu m n e ver ends d urin g the s un n y h ou rs A ll .

th e n o o ks corners an d h iding pla c es and th e

, ,

windows f ul l o f fresh wel l tended pl a n ts a re

, , ,

m ute wi tnesse s o f ten d e r watch ful c are from ,

the l oving h ands w ho oc cup y th at quiet h om e .

The traveler is th irs ty an d t ak e s t he liberty ,

t o w al k u p th e gra v e l ed p a th a n d as k a d rink
o f water from th e iron bou n d bucket a t t a c h e d -

t o th e great s weep c l ose t o th e back d oor .

Open wind o ws and doors show the roomy

k it c h en w i th cl e an wh ite stone floor o n o n e
, , , ,

s id e the fi re pl a ce with the b acklog o f th e

,

m or n in g fire still glo win g w ithin i t A s th e .

s un sh ine p o u rs in it is refle c ted b a c k in a th o u

,

s an d ligh ts fro m th e brigh t utensils o n t he

wall N e a r t he fire p l ace a re the ancien t high
.
,

b a c k ed settles s o p ro te c tin g t o t he ir oc c u p an ts
,

fro m dr a ugh ts an d a f a v ori te res o rt o f t he

,

fam ily w h en the wo r k o f a w in ter s d ay is ’

d one . T h e o l d eigh t d ay c lo c k u p on the stairs

-

w ith i ts m oon face d dial ti c k s audi b ly

-

th r o u gh o u t t he wh ole h o use Th e on ly p art .

o f t he c ott a ge in which d arkn e ss a nd the

s ilen c e o f d e a t h re ign s s u p reme is th e p a rl or
~

dedi c a ted t o C h ri stm as w eddi n gs ch ristenin gs

, ,

a nd t h e l a s t l o v i n g trib u te we c a n o ffer to t he
s p irit ca ll e d to th e h om e w e c a n n ot see Th is .

s a n c t ua ry o f th e deepes t e m otio n s is suit a bl y

(i A WI T C H O F T H E
f u rn ish ed with th e m ost l u gu brio u s an d n u
com fortable f u rn it u re possible .

Ba c k o f the h o u se is a th rifty or c h a rd of a p
ple pear and pl u m trees w hi c h g ive th e m os t
, ,

ample promise th at in d ue tim e th eir s p re a din g

bran c h es will droop with a heavy b urden of
ripe ning fruit Ou t by t he wel l s t a nds a m a
.

j e s t ic elm lifting
,
its gi a n t h ead h e a ven w ar d .

F rom o u t its leafy covert th e s on g o f th e earl y

bird greets th e oc c up a n ts o f th e c o t ta ge T hen .

th e re are bed s of the o l d fashion ed fl o w ers ou r-

gr a ndm ot hers l oved so wel l Lo n d o n p ride

— -

s w eet l aven der rosem ary s ou thern w ood e gl a n

-
.
, ,

tine and my rtl e and hin ts th a t th e e a rl y s prin g

,

h a d bro u gh t gi fts o f violet and sn o wd rop I n .

th e m i d s t o f these w as a n ar b or s u g ges tin g ,

cozy teas under the leafy shel ter of the gree n

billo w s o f j ess a mine cl em a tis an d roses
, .

This t idy homeste a d h a d been th e abidin g

pla c e o f fo u r generatio n s H ere they h ad bee n
.

born gre w up and p assed h en c e le a vin g pos

, ,

session to th e n ex t o f kin : and n o w h e w h o wa s

the l ast own er i n fee was sitti n g in th e room y
p orch wit h h is g u de wife res tin g fro m th e
“ ”

toils o f the d a y .

T h ey h ad bee n a t w elv e m onth m a rried .

The f a th er h a d wit hin th a t ti me pa ssed on his

w ay leavin g t he s o n al on e s o far a s a ny l i v in g
, ,
 N IN E T EEN T H C E N T UR Y .

relative w a s concerned T he wife w a s an .

orph a n w hen sh e m a rrie d s o there w as little ,

ex c e p t w a rm frien d ships th a t h el d them t o

E nglis h s oil T he m an s tret c h ed up on the
.

bro a d settle was sm oki n g ; th e woma n also

, ,

res tin g after the wom an ly fashio n w a s kn it ,

tin g as sh e s l o w l v ro c ke d in a l o w h i gh backed ,
-

ro c ker W o m
,

an is tireless in beh al f o f th ose

.

she loves ; evenin g morning n oon o r n igh t

, , ,

c on s tan t as th e needle t o the p ol e turns ever

h er t h o ugh t t o her l oved o nes and th eir b est
good .

T he m a n wa s q uie t a n d eviden tly t hi nking

.

o f som e m ore th an usu ally serio u s m at t er .

Th e f ac es o f both told even the m ost c asu al o b

server th at th ey c o u ld th in k .

“
T h om a s s a id th e wife
,
wh at tro u bles,
“

y o u ? I t is n o t often th a t y o u are s o l on g

othing t ro u bles l ass ; b u t o l d m an

N ,
il W
liam s h ad a letter from h is s o n John h e th a t
'

w en t o u t to A meri c a y o u kn o w th e d a y H e
,
.

s ays th a t o n e ca n get a freeh old o f o n e hu n

d red a n d six ty ac re s a lm ost for th e cle a rin g
”
o f it .

“
Y es a n d l o s e h is s ca lp by som e o f th e s a v
,

a ge s if h e d oes n o t mind w a s th e q u i c k re
, ,

t o rt f
’
H A WI T C H O F T H E
the s avages are n o t ever ywh ere an d
But ,

sure o n e co uld some wh ere find s o me l a n d w her e

,

he c ould make a h om e for th ee and ple a s e , ,

G o d th e l ads and lasses ; it is o f th eir ch anc e

,

I m thin k ing
’
.
”

Th e wife looked up a l ittl e wav e o f c ol o r ,

m o u n ting over th e clear red an d w hite o f he r

compl ex ion Sh e h ad n o t b e e n s o l on g m a r
.

ried th at th e n e w h ad becom e en tirely old .

I k n o w l ad th ey are n o t s o cro wded ove r

“
, ,
.

there a n d if y o u reall y desire t o t r v a n e w

,

co u n try I certain ly will n o t h ol d back

,
.

T ho u rt a goo d W
’ ’
“
ife J an e we ll n o t m ak e , ,

a leap in t he d ark b u t I ll fin d o u t m ore abo u t

,
’

”
it .

T he n ex t an d m a n y foll o w i n g d ays were

u s ed t o exte n d in form ation o f th e E l Dorad o
bey ond th e western w aters w h ere it w as possi ,

ble fo r a p o or m an t o o w n th e l a n d he
w ork e d fo r hi m s elf he an d h i s h e irs forev e r
, , .

S ati sfi e d at last o f th at w hi ch a t t h e firs t ha d

b orn e i ts elf in to h is m i n d he m ad e th e fe w ,

an d s i m pl e p reparati on s n e ce s s a ry fin d in g ,

q u i c k s a l e for h i s h ol d i n g a t a fai r pri ce w i t h ,

al l th e p e rs on a l p ro p erty T h en re a d y fo r .

h i s d ep a rt ure h e an d h is go o d w ife t u rn e d
,

th e ir f ac e s to w a r d th e c o u n try w h o s e ho s p i t
a b l e s h o r e s we lc om e d a lik e th e righ t e o u s a n d
 N INE T E EN T H C E N T URY .

th e u n rig h te o u s ; th eir w h ol e store o f s a vings

b eing a little l e s s th a n fo ur h u n d re d p o u n d s
s terling .

S t a n d in g u p on th e de ck o f th e o u tgoing
v e s s el th e y l o o k e d b a c k u p on th e cr u e l
,

m o th er o f a p ugnaci o u s p ers i s te n t o ffspring

, ,

a n d E ngl a n d ha d fore ver lost ano t her p orti o n

o f the s t u rd y S a x on w hi c h h as m a d e h er
w h a t sh e i s .

T h ere w ere n o te a rs i n t he eyes o f ei th er fo r ,

w h y s h o u l d th ey w e e p i n le a v in g th e s cen e o f
to i l a n d th e p ros p e cti v e b on d age fo r th e ir c h il
d re n o f m on eye d ca ste if p er c h a nce th ey
, ,

m igh t re ce i v e i n exch a nge th e b irth righ t o f

e v e ry s o u l b orn i nto t he w orl d life l i b erty
“
,

a n d th e p u rs ui t o f h a p pin e s s ?

U n d ern e a th th e s toli d a p p e ar a n c e o f b oth

th i s m a n a n d w om a n wa s a fi ner p erc e p ti on
th a n ord i n a ry o f th e th ings w hich a re n o t
a l w ay s re c ogn i z e d a s o f a ny c ons e q u en c e ,

e v e n b y th e m ore c u l t u re d T h e s e e n a n d
.

t a ngi b l e h a s v ery l i ttl e u s e fo r th e u n s e e n .

T h e y w ere b oth p s y c h i c s cove re d o v er w i t h

th e c r u s t o f c ir c u m stan c e s an d only wa i ti n g
,

th e to u c h o f u n s e e n fi ng ers t o d e v e lop .

T h e v oy ag e w a s m a d e w i th th e usu a l ev e nts ,

n o th i ng n ote w or th y o c c u rring A s Mr VV il
. .

l i a ms s o n th e fri e n d o f th e H ol m e s w a s
’
,
’
,
10 A WI T C H OF TH E

l o c a te d n e a r th e C h i c ago s ettl e m e n t a n d lan d ,

co u l d b e a t th a t ti m e b o u gh t c h e a p l y in
, ,

C o o k co u nty th e y t o o h a d fix e d th e ir d e s ti
, , ,

n a ti o n t h ere Ov er th e th e n s c ar c el y tr a v
.

c le d ro u te s s o s oon t o b e co m e t h e hig h w a ys
,

fo r th e fe e t o f u ntol d m illi on s th e y fi n a ll y ,

re a ch e d th ei r d e sti n a ti on i n th e f a ll o f 1 8 53 .

T hro u g h th e ki n d offi ces o f h i s o l d fri e n d ,

a ne igh b oring q u a rter se c ti on c o u l d b e h a d a t

-

a re a s on a b l e p ri ce B efore t h e c ol d w e ath e r
.

s e t i n a thre e room e d fr a m e h o u s e a d d e d i ts
-

attr ac tion s t o th e i n c re as i ng v a l u e o f th e
nei g h b orh o o d .

C o u l d n o t th ese t w o p i on e ers i n t o a n e w
c o u ntry b e p ar d on e d a l i ttl e pri d e 1 1 1 t h e i r
a c c om pli sh m en t a s th e y s u r ve y e d th e w or k
w h i c h h a d gro w n s o s u cc e s sf u lly an d c o n
t i n u o u s l y u n d er t h eir h a nd s ?
I t w a s th eir o wn o n e h u n d r e d a n d s i xty
a cre s o f a ra bl e l a n d a ll p a i d fo r n o t t o m e n
, ,

ti on th e te n a cre s o f ti m b er ov er o n th e D e s
pl a in e s ri ve r w h i ch wa s t o f u rni sh f u e l fo r
,

th e fi r st Wi nte r a n d w ork fo r T ho m a s d u ri ng
th e col d w e a th e r w h il e wa iti ng a n d prep ar i ng
,

fo r t he co m ing o f th e s e e d ti m e -
.

I nd u stri o u s th rifty a n d h e a l th y w i th m e n
, ,

t a l p o we rs a b o v e th e ave r a g e i t wa s n o t ,

s t ra nge th a t a ll n a t u r e s for ce s wa i t e d o n th e m
’
 NI NE T E EN T H C EN T URY . 11

b u t t o se rv e I n t he l a ng ua ge o f th e i r neigh
.

b ors th e y s e e m e d to h av e a p a te nt r igh t o n
,

g o o d l u ck ; b u t th e y w e r e s o geni a l s o ge n
,

u i n e l y kin d t o a ll th a t e nvy d i d n o t d a rke n

,

th e ir l i vi ng M r H ol m e s w a s a li ne a l d e
. .
.

s c e n d a n t fro m a y o u nger broth e r o f a f a m il y

o f re n o wn ,
b u t th e b r a n c h l ong a g o c u t o ff
fro m th e p a r en t st e m h a d d ri e d u p a n d with
e red a nd a s th e re s t o f th e f a m il y h a d b e en
,

re m a r ka b l y s trong a n d prolific th e ch a n c e s
,

fo r th e m in or b r a n ch e s t o re c e iv e p rofi t o r
b e n efi t fro m th ei r c on n e c ti on s e e m e d very
s l i m i n d e e d N o r h ad T h o m a s H olm e s e v e r
.

i n d ul g e d i n a n y d a y d re a m s H o nes t i n p u r
.

p o s e s tro ng i n i n tegrity a n d p ers i s ten t i n p u r

,

p o s e i t wa s e no u gh fo r h i m t o b e all o w e d t o
,

ca r v e o u t a d esti ny fo r h i m s elf a n d w ife a n d

th e f a m ily w h i c h m igh t b e p u t in his k ee pi ng .

A l t ho u gh b ro u gh t u p u n d e r th e tr a i ni ng
o f th e C h u r c h o f E ngl a n d h e wa s ve r y li b er a l
,

i n his v i e w s b o t h i n reg a rd t o th i s p re s e n t
,

a n d th e f u t u re li fe ; a ge a n d exp eri en c e onl y

b ro a d e n e d th e fi el d of h is s pi ri t ua l p e r c epti on
.

T h i s g r o w th wa s s ti m u late d b y the c onst a n t

p r o m p ti n g s o f th e u n s e en in telli g e n c es
w h i c h w er e c on s t a n tl y m ol d ing a n d g u i d ing
him t o th e c ro w n in g w or k o f h i s l ife .

F o r t w o y ea rs h u s b a n d a n d w ife toil e d t o
 A WI T C H O F T H E
lay d e e p an d p erm an e ntly th e fo u nd a ti on s o f
th e ir hom e F ort u n e sm il e d ; e ve ryth in g
.

th e y t o uc hed pro s p ere d W h a t e ver o f d i sa

.

g re e a b l e n e s s c a m e t o t h e ir n e igh b ors th e y
w ere n o t s h a rers . W h a te ver th e y h a d t o sel l
wa s p u t op p ort un el y u p on th e m a rke t a n d ,

bro u gh t th e b e s t p ri ce s A t l en g th th er e
.
,

cam e t o e a ch fore kn owl e d g e o f a n e v e n t de

,

b oth W h il e w e are w a i ti ng fo r t he
.

a d v ent u p o n th e mi m i c s t a g e o f l i fe o f ,

a noth er a ct or l e t u s g o i n to t h e ro o m b e h i nd
,

th e s ce ne s .
 N INE T EEN T H C EN T URY . 13

C HA P T E R I I .

NE nigh t Th o mas was a wak e n e d by his

wife w ho s aid s h e h ad h ad a wonderf u l
,

visi on wh i c h sh e a t once p ro c eeded t o

,

rel at e t o h im ; b u t d urin g the rel ation sh e d id

n o t seem li k e h ersel f eith er in m an ner voi c e o r ,

l an gu age ; fo r l ik e o n e en tran ced by the ma r

v e l o u s be a u ty of w h at s he s aw she w e n t o n as
,

foll o ws :
C a n y o u n o t see th ose pe aks crown ed with ,

a n in effable ,
glorio u s ligh t o r th e vast p l ain s
,

th a t lie b e t wee n ov er w h i c h are scattered

,

forests a n d grassy me a ds an d s parkli n g waters ?

A l l o v er a s far as th e eye c an rea c h are be a u ty
and h a rm on y a n d p e a ce T on es o f c olor ra v
.

is hin g t o th e e y e sy mph onies o f mel ody th a t

,

lift t he s o u l into th e hi g h est vib r a tions p ossible ,

and a w on derful p e n etrati n g s u btle fragr a n c e

,

fl ood and perm e a te the w h ole bei n g ; eve r y

sense e v ery th ou gh t is e there a li zed
, ,
The .

sense o f enj oy men t is in tens e ; a l l th e m ore

be ca u s e w e feel s ure th ere will be n o rea c tio n ,

n o reb a te dem a nded N o l onger h as th e spirit

.

t o p a y t ol l to t h e a n i m al fo r im p erfect service
'

gr u dgingly re n dered This is the S u m mer

14 A WIT C H OF T H E

l and th e l a nd o f bea u ty a nd j o y a n d p e ac e an d
,

a ccom p lish men t ; th e res t rem a ining fo r th os e

w ho desire it .

“
Do y o u see th os e gates openi n g in w a rd ?
Look ' t he v are o p enin g a nd one en ters w h o ,

is evidently un f amiliar with h er presen t s u r

rou n din gs b u t th ou gh a stran ger sh e sh o w s
, ,

n o signs o f fe a r — o u th e con trary

j y
o s p re a d s ,

ov er h er s eren e fa c e A form b rilli a n t in

.

p u rity a ppro a ches and g reets h er ; a gl ad re c o g

n i t io n l igh ts up th e w hole f ac e o f th e n e w
c omer M y d au g hter o h my d au gh t er ' T h e
‘ ’
.
, ,

m oth er l ove res train ed fo r years bre a ks forth

-

a great torren t o f gl adness at th is meetin g s o

l on g a nti c ipated by b oth ; th e o n e en g a ge d in
the p leasant du tie s o f t h e h igh er life t ha t
b r ough t n o sti n g of dis a p p oin tm en t a t their
c ompletion the oth er p lo d di n g al on g th e d ull
,

ro und o f e a rth s m o n otony Le t u s d raw n e a r ;

’
.

perh ap s the d au gh ter m ay an s wer a q u es tio n

or two .

U
po n o u r ap proa c h th e eld er in S p irit l ife
t urn s h er fin e f ac e tow a rd m e a n d in ans w er , ,

t o my query s ay s : ,

The gates are th e e n tr a n ce th ro u gh th e

veil t ha t separ a tes th e s een from th e u nsee n ;
they s w ing b u t one wa y a n d th a t is i n wa rd ; ,

th ose w ho go h e n c e d o n o t g o th is w ay ; t h is
10 A WI T C H OF T H E
B ut on this p l ane we can sen se th o ugh t a nd
n ot hing else E ven you m ortal and earth
.
,

bound are n ot h ere in body bu t in y o u r

, ,

th o ug ht and when w e see k to k n o w o f o u r

,

friends still upon th e earth we d o n ot seek th e ,

ph ysi c al b o d ies but o n l y th e th ough t b odies

, ,

whi c h th ey h ave bu il t a s a m odel for them

sel ves t o m ani fes t upon in th at pl ane H ere .

a l l i s t hought w e are t he th ou g h t form s o f th e

,
-

”
On e w ho is th e C a use of A ll .

B ut wh a t is this I see o n every h an d a b ou t

‘

us this beau ty of color and fra g ran c e an d

,

form ? I asked
’
.

‘
I t is th e prev aili n g h armon io us c ond ition
o f t he pl a n e o f vibrations upon wh i c h y o u a re

n ow r es tin g she replied

,
’
W hatever y o u
.
‘

thin k of earnest l y here be c omes v isibl e t o y ou

j u st a s y o u th i nk it ; and as w e a l l desire h a r
m o n y and peace s o it is I f w e desire th e
, .

presen ce o f a u v acqu a in t a n c e o r friend w e ,

thin k of th em in tently f o r a few min u tes th en ,

th ey come to u s dra wn by o u r in ten se wish

, .
’

B u t w here i n spa c e are we ? I a sked

‘ ’

wond eringly .

“
J us t th e n a form m aj estic with a f ac e full ,

o f po w er and k n o w ledge seemed t o j oi n o u r

,

gro u p o u t o f th e ap paren t n oth ingness H is .

c o min g w a s as w h en o n e c omes t o us in d re a m s
 N IN E T EE N T H CEN T URY .

w ith o u t wa rnin g H e bo wed gr a vely a nd the

.
,

s p irit w ith wh o m I h ad been talk ing said

‘
I refer y o u r qu es tion fo r a n swer t o my
te a ch er h ere a s also th e other un a n s w ered
,

th ough ts in your m ind .

’

“
H e s miled ben ign a n tly u p on me and l a id ,

his h an d gen tly upon my h ead I nstantly .

a mis t v c l o ud seemed to lift a nd I sa w w e were ,

s tanding in th e dar k ened c h amber o f death ,

w h ere robed for b urial l a v t he empty tenement

b u t a sh ort time s in c e v acated by her w h ose
en tran c e in to S p irit life I h a d w itnessed
-
.

“
A f a in t sigh trem bl ed o n th e air fo rmu l a t ,

in g th e w o r ds : W hy did I n o t insist up on
‘

the crem a tion o f m y body ? H ad I b een c er

t a i n th at I sh ould be h el d by it s o th at tr a vel ,

wo ul d b e impossibl e un til it was c ons u me d I ,

sh o ul d h ave insisted upo n liber a tion at once .

’

I re c ogni zed the v oi c e o f th e m other Lookin g .

’
t o my friend I as k e d :
,
I s th is s o ? ‘

‘
Y es h e replied ; y o u see th e S u mmer
,
’ ‘

l a n d is n o t a p l a c e b u t simpl y a condition j u st
, ,

a s di ffe re n t p eople in th e s a m e room m ay be

v ery h app y and very miser a ble at ex ac tly th e
s a m e m o men t o f time Th e c ond i ti on of th eir
.

ow n th o u gh t d e c id es the m atter fo r the m .

W e do n ot go a w ay to fi nd he av en De a th .

si mp ly pu ts u s o u t sid e inste a d o f i n s ide th e b ol ts

18 A WI T C H O F T HE
tl l d b ars B ut t u rn in g t o me y o u see k th e
.
,
’
,
‘

en t r a n c e int o e a rth life from the S um m erl a nd

- .

La y yo ur h and in m ine and p erh aps t he visi on ,

will be giv e n y o u I m us t tell y o u h o wever

'

.
, ,

tha t souls seeking ret u rn from th eir o wn

a n x ie t y a n d
'

the re fl e x fa c tion of th e earth l ife

-
-

often ch ange very mu c h th eir o w n s urro u nd

i

D0 n o t b e disap p oin ted in seein g th e

‘
ings .
“ ‘

chilling e ffe c t o f th e e a rth o n th e S u m mer

l and ?
“ So s ayin g h e ex tended his righ t h a n d a n d I

pl ac ed mine with in it H a rdl v had ' f e l t h is .

’

wa rm c l asp stron gly c l ose o ver it w hen th e ,

cl o u diness wh ich h ad s e ttled over m e again

cle a red .

I s a w inclinin g with a ge ntl e s l o p e a w ay

“

from wh ere we s too d a vas t valley Over th i s .

b rooded a gr a yis h ligh t as w h en fro m th e ,

hidde n s u n its rays stru ggl e th ro u gh thi c k

m a sses o f va p or B u t in this weird ligh t t h ere
.

w as n o ch ange only the s ame awful m on oto n y

, .

T here w ere trees i n th e valley an d t heir

“
,

foli a ge seemed b u t a bl u ish fl ame l i k e ex ha l a ,

-

tion shim merin g in a p h osph oresce n t ligh t .

Pl a n ts c ould als o b e distin guish ed Th eir fo r

-

m a tion wa s stran ge in termixed a n d in terbl end e d ,

like the f a n c iful l ines o f a m o n ogr a m c on t a in ,

ing all the parts o f a s p e c ies o r f a m ily a s if th e ,

 N I NE T EE N T H C EN T URY .

wh ol e r a nge o f th oug ht ch a nge p ossi ble w ere

-

h ere c o n densed o r c ry s tal ized aga in st the time

o f recall into m a ni fes t ation o n e a rth Th eir .

bl osso ms appeared t o b e cu t o u t o f gem s o f

mos t brill iant h u e leaves o f e merald a n d topaz
, ,

caly xes of g arne t o f ameth ys t o r chry s o phra s

, ,

d a isies of di a m on ds lot uses o f most u n ima gin a

,

a ble w on de r s a n d in a l l a nd th ro u gh all a sup

,

pressi on of fiery power and c h an ge th at even ,

in this g hastly ligh t foretol d h ow th e dese rt

,

u pon wh i c h this c ryst a lized t ho u gh t s ho u l d f al l ,

wo uld bl oss om l i k e t he v a le of C ashm ere .

B u t th rough the wh ole length and bre a d th

o f th is dre a d ful va lley n o song o f b ird n o r h u m ,

o f bee n or so und o f any livin g th ing p u ls a tes

,

wit hin th e de a d heavy silen c e n o r is there any

, ,

wind e ve n to sh ak e th e trees a nd p l an ts I t is .

th e silen c e w h i c h pre c edes by p er pe tu al condi

tion t he re cre a tion o f ma n up on th e earth ;
,
-

w h i c h t o th e l ivin g , q u estioni n g m a n ret u r n s

n o ans w er t o th e q u ery W hen c e c ome I ?
,
‘ ’

Th is is the c on s u mm ation o f th e a bsor p tion o f

al l earthly experien c e ; n o thi n g o f th e earth is
h ere fo r within t h ese bou nds th e s p iritu a l ized
,

sou ls al one awa it retu rn t o an e a rth life to -

w hi c h h o a ry a ges have bo u n d up on them .

A t t he f ar ther e nd a gre a t l a k e fill s t he

,

w h ol e s p ac e ; n o gl a d stre a m fl o w in g d o w n the
20 A WI T C H O F TH E

mo u n t a in sides p l u n ges m ad ly i n t o bo u ndin g ,

so unding w a ter b u t the w h ole is a sol e m n m a ss

,

o f w h ite v ap or w hi c h w h ile in gr a vem on otony

'

, ,

it rolls ove r t he feet o f th e mou n tains w e ts ,

n eith er them n o r th e b a se o f p ro mon tories n or ,

th e sh ores o f th e shining isl a nd s a ro u n d w h om ,

it is w o u nd li k e a glitteri n g s ca rf
Th at sea s ays my g u ide o u its l o w e r
‘
,
’
,
‘ '

side to uc h es the e a rth

’

.
,

“
B u t th ere is m otio n h e re s o u ndless motion
'
,
.

F orms flit a cro s s t hi s gh ostly l ak e of va p or .

T hey resem bl e in form ation th e fo am v s u b

st a n c e i n w hi c h they are c ons ta n tly risin g an d
sin king A long the dre a ry sh ores the y a l s o
.

flit n o r h av e thei r surro un dings au gh t o f in fl u

,

e n c e o r im p ression u p on th ose p al l id w ai tin g ,

drea mers Bet w ee n a p a s t a nd fi nish ed life

.
,

and th e p ossibil i ties o f a ne w e ar thly existen c e ,

th ey a re dre a min g a nd pl a n nin g a nd h o p i n g ;

, ,

comp a rin g th e l as t a n d onl y re me m bered w ith

the c omi ng ne x t before th e w ord o f th e I n ex
,

c r a ble G o a n d forge t
,
‘
s h a ll be a r th e m in to ,
’

the fier ce str u ggle o f pl anetary life on c e m ore .

W h a tsoe v er h idden s p rin gs o f ac tion are c oiled

w ith in th e ir E gos they th emsel v e s k n o w n ot
, .

“
I n dre a m li k e c h a n ge my g u ide a nd I a re
-

borne c l ose r a n d c l os e r u ntil I can s ee c l ea rly , ,

if anything w rough t o u t o f mist c an be c l ea r ,

 N I NE T E EN T H C EN T URY . 21

t he dis tingu i s hi n g fe a t u res o f these restle ss

g h os ts. T o o n e in pa rti cu l a r I a m es p e c ially
a ttra c ted . T he sed a tenes s o f his fe a tu res w as
a l mos t o f o n e w ho h ad finish e d h is re births -
.

I t h o u gh t : Oh if I c oul d only spe ak t o it '

‘ ’
,

‘
Th o u m ayest s aid my guide a nswering
,
’

m y t h o u gh t . I t waits ye t a little bu t w ill

‘
,

g l a dl y give thee th o ugh t transferen c e f

-
or n o ,

s p ee c h is n e eded here So app ro ac h ing the

.
’
,

being s al u ted c o u rteo u sly and s adly a n d th en ,

this dis c o urse w as borne in upon my so u l fl u ,

”
e n tly a nd eloqu ently .
222 A WI T CH OF TH E .

C H A P T E R I II .

N th at p o rti on o f th e m a p s o f t he e a rt h s ’

s ur fa ce n a me d th e W e s te rn H e mis
h e re can b e fo un d a n i m m e n se isla n d
p
s t u d d e d s e a a n d a n al m os t l a n d l o c k e d g ulf
,
-
.

I nto t his gu l f s tr e tch es a n e a rl y p erfe c t pa r

a l l e l o g ra m th e p e n in s u l a o f Y u cat a n
,
.

S o l ong a g o th a t h is tory fa d e s i n to t he
h oary m i sts o f tradition th e g u lf w as a n
,

i nland l a k e W h ere th e i sl a nd s n o w sh o w
.

th e mselv e s a m i d t h e bl u e w a ters a co n tin en t

.

s u nn e d i ts elf i n th e ligh t o f b l az ing d a ys .

T his conti n en t wa s p e opl e d b y t he A ry a n

ra ce I ts la ti t u d e te e m ed wi th a l l n e ed e d
.

con d iti ons to m a ke ex oti c life m o s t d e s i r a bl e ,

w h e th er s uc h li fe wa s o n th e an i m a l o r v e g e
t a b le pl a n e T h e p op u l a ti on i n c re a s e d a n d
.

m u lti pl i e d u n ti l th e w h ole broa d l a n d b e ca m e

o n e va s t city T e m pl e s a n d pal a c e s w ork s
.
,

o f ski ll a n d art a b o u nde d ev ery w h ere

,
These
.

d i d n o t th ere re p res e n t th e sl o w toil of h u m a n

s w e at an d agon y o f b r u te for c e t y ran i z e d
,

i nto s u l ky co mpl i a n c e B rilli a n t i n d e s i gn

.

an d b ol d in exec u ti on th e y w ere th e m a ni
,

fe s t a t i o n o f s o u l p o w er ov er e lem e nt a l fo r ce
-

.
24 A WI T C H O F TH E

I t wa s n o t s tr a n g e th erefore th a t t he se o f
, ,

w h om I s p e ak s h o u l d h av e h eld th e m i gh ti e s t
se c rets o f th e u nive rs e i n th e ir ke e p ing I t .

wa s n o t str a nge th a t th e tr a ck le ss wa s te s o f
w a ter i n u nk n o w n s e as b e c a m e t o th e m
f a mil i a r p ath s n o r th a t t h e m ys te r i e s o f t he
,

e a rth o f th e a ir a n d o f a l l n a t u re w ere a t
,

th eir c om m a n d T h e a rch i v e s o f a ll a n c i e n t
.

n a ti ons c a rv e d i n th eir b o ok s o f sto n e s p e a k

, ,

c l e a rl y a n d tr uly o f th e m I n E gy p t i n .
,

A ssyri a i n I n d i a a re fo u n d th e s a me i n s c rip
, ,

ti on s co nv eyi ng th e s a m e k n o w l e d ge t h a t i s
, ,

to d ay l o c ke d u p i n th e r u in e d c i ti e s c ov ere d
b y t he forests o f th o u s a n d s o f y e a rs i n
Yu c a t a n .

T h e w e stern l a m p of k n o w le d ge wa s n ev e r
’
l i g h ted from th e e a s t F ro m th e p ro u d s e a gir t
.

contin e nt o f A tl a ntis w en t forth as fro m th e ,

s u n t o a l l p a rts o f th e e a rth u n d er t he
,

h e a v en s , th e il l u mi n a ti on o f t ru th a n d
kn o w l e d ge .

‘
T h e o l d A t l a n tian s goi ng forth i n th ei r
,

g a l l ey s h i th er a nd yo n s o c on trolle d t h e e l e
,

m e nts b y th eir k n o w l e d ge o f th e h i d d e n l a w s
o f nat u re th a t th e y h a d n o n e e d t o w a i t fo r
th e m ov ing o f th e w inds n o r ti d e s L i k e .

C h ristos w ho i n th e s to r m still e d th e w av e s
, , ,

a nd b a d e th e m b e a t p eace a n d i m m e d i a te ly
,
 N INE T E EN T H C EN T U RY . 25

th ey we r e a t th e pl a ce w h ith er th e y were goin g ,

s o t h e A t l a n t i a n s m o v e d over th e w i d e w il d er

n ess o f wa ters o n th e e arth s c a tteri ng th e

,

s e e d s o f th e ir k no w le d ge a l o ng th e s h ore s
th e y visi te d T h e s e s e e d s fe ll i nto goo d
.

g ro u n d i n E gyp t C h al d e a a n d I n d i a
, .

‘
I t c a n b e n ot e d w h erev er th e pre ss u re o f
th e e v er re c u rri ng d e m an d s o f th e p h ys i cal
—th at n e v er yiel d ing c ircle o f n e c e s si ty — wa s

l e a st o n th e m a tter over w h i ch t he spiri t

s o u gh t t o ma i n t a i n d om in a tion me a n w h il e
,

s i n k i ng d e e p er a n d d e e p er in to i ts ill u si on s
w i th th e d o w n war d r u sh o f th e cy c le th ere ,

th e s e e d s o f tr u th to o k r o o t a n d gre w m os t
v igo ro u sl y A t s u c h p oi nts w ere m ore
.

l e i s u re s tr e ngth a n d p u rp os e t o bring forth

, ,

a s fr u it t he k n o w ledge o f th e u nse e n i n i ts
,

g re ate s t p erfecti o n an d a b u n d a n ce S p irit .

d om i n a tio n is a tropi ca l fr u i t re a c hing m a

t u re p e rf e cti on onl y i n th os e c o u ntrie s w h er e
th e b o u n tif u l ear th m i ni ste r s v ol u nt a rily ,
’
a l wa y s a nti ci p a ti ng m a n s p h ysi c a l n e c e s s i
ti e s S u n c oo k e d fo o d d o e s n o t s ti m u l a te
.
-

gr o ve ling d e s i r e s .

T h e d w ell ers i n m or e rigoro u s l a tit u d e s ,

w ho in s p i t e o f op p os ing for c e s til l g a in

, ,

s p i r i t ua l e l eva tion fo r th e m s e l v e s a r e ri c h er
,

i n s tr e ngth a n d fo rc e T his is th e r e s u l t o f
.
26 A WI T C H O F TH E

th e d i s ci pli n e ac q u i re d i n t h e ov er c o m i ng o f
t h e nat u r a l ob s t a cl e s o f th eir e n v iron m e nt .

h e h ard er th e b a ttle th e m ore i m p ort a nt t he

v i ctory S o lon ga s A tl a nti s o b ey e d th e la w
.

t ha t m a ke s all m en go d s i n w i sd o m s o l on g ,

i t prosp ere d migh ti ly B u t th ere ca m e a t

.

l a st a ti m e w h e n th e y wh o h a d t h e k n o w l e d g e
onl y i n tr u s t p erm i tte d th em s elv e s t o th i n k
,
.

t o w i s h a n d t o plan fo r gr a sp i n g th e a b s ol u t e
control o f the w h ole e a rth I n th i s th e y .

so u g h t to c l im b in t o th e seat a n d pl a c e of t h e
S up reme B ey ond th e e a rth lies onl y th e u ni
.

v erse T h e l esser is b u t th e resu l t o f t he

.

greater .

The On e denies n o o n e kn o w l edge W h o .

e v er s e ek s to t ak e fro m it its a u th ori ty it s

, ,

s uprem acy th u s , a ttem pting arrog a tion o r a h

s orp tio n into th e On e nes s in a n y oth er th an
t he a p pointed wa ys w h ich l ie open to a l l
cre a ted b e ings sh ows a t ain t o f gros sness in
,

spirin g th e desire s u rely provo cative o f s wift

,

destr u c ti on T hey w ho h a d th u s p l a n n e d
.

wer e po werf ul f a r bey on d th e c o n c e p tion of

th e m ortal h ol d in g at th eir o p tio n al l t he
,

se c rets o f n at ure save one th a t o n e e mbra c in g

,

th e in finite s u pr e ma c y o f th e On e .

T hese le a d ers h a d fre e ly s c a ttered k n o w l

edg e a broad u p on the earth By sel f den i al .
 N INE T E E N T H C E N T U RY . 27

an d l on g tr a in in g t he v h a d att a in ed an d ye t ,

a t al m os t the suprem e m omen t dazzl ed by th e ,

brigh tness o f t h e ill umin ation th ey l ooked ,

o n ce ag ai n t oward sel f F ro m th e i r memories

.

f a de d o u t th e u n ch an gi n g la w : Th u s f a r and ‘

n o farthe r s h a l t th o u go
,
Th e ce a s eless.
’

b reakin g o f t he w a ves o f th e mighty

again st th e sil e n t resista n ce o f r o ck b o un d -

c oasts ce a sed t o u tter its w ar n i n g t o d azed

,

m en tal ity Th e o n c om i ng d ay beginnin g o f

.
-

th e end t o th ose w ho h ad forgotten th e very

life a nd es sence of the On e w as a t h and T he , .

prou d c ity o f A tl an tis city and con ti nen t o n e

, ,

sittin g a s a q ueen upon th e throne o f the

wa ters h ad by a rrog an t presumption fille d
, , ,

full the c up o f w rath fo r w hi c h expi a tion ,

— —
m us t b e m a d e Th ey m a s ters of a l l th e ele
f
.

m en ts and all lawfu l k n o wle d ge o f the unseen

— n o w so u gh t th e forbid den a s if th e p a rt ,

sh o u ld demand equ ality w ith th e wh ole Step .

by s tep th e y h ad rea c h ed t he v eil separati n g

t h em from the w h iteness o f th e I m med iate
Pre sen c e ; an d n o w a s th e l ast fatal ste p they
.
,

h a d d e term in ed by th e ex er c i se o f th eir m ost

p oten t skill to rend th e veil and c om e u n he r
a lde d a n d u nsu m moned before th e f ac e o f I t
wh o m n o man h ath se en a t any tim e .

“
C a ref u l ly w ere th eir p re pa r a tio n s m ade
‘
,
28 A WI T C H OF TH E

m os t acc ur a tely w ere th e s ac red c om p u tati on s

wro ugh t o u t t o de c id e the a us p i c io u s h o u r
P a n o p lied w ith th e cons c io u snes s of p revio us
ac hievemen t t heir call to th e e m b attl e d h osts
,

o f the u niverse r a n g o u t a lon g th e as tr a l cur

rents C o n fi de n tl y th e w ord o f p o w er w a s
.

sp oken i n a l l the pride o f h u ma n w ill Th e .

expected a c co mplish men t d i d n o t fol l o w T o .

t heir a m azed h o rror th ey dis cern ed a n e w vibra

tion a res ul ta n t o f c reative th o u ght in it s o w n
,

defe n c e T o th is th ey ha d n o k ey an d fi rs t
.
,

be wildered th en terrified th ey per c ei v ed t ha t

, ,

th e imm ense for c e m om en t a rily u n bo un d by

their own a ct h ad d estroyed th e acc ur a te
,

b a l an ce an d a dj u s tm en t of n at u re s l a w s ’
.

U tterly with o u t reso u r c e th ey w a ited for t he

,

o u t c ome .

T h us k n o w ing th e inn er beh old the o u ter

‘
, .

The s u n ris e s in its eastern splen d or T he .

migh ty millions w ho d wel t in pal ac es an d tem

pl es ,in l ux ury a n d fr u g al ity d ream n ot o f n o r,

c an th ey u nd erst a n d th e w ord o f th e Omn ipo

t en t a lre a dy s p o k en and gone forth wh ereu n to
,
.

i t w as sent Th ey a w a k e t o th ei r l i fe o f e a se
.

and pl e as u re w i th the s el f a ssu r a n c e th at th e

-

th in g e x isti ng hith erto w il l s till c on ti n u e t o

be I n th eir h e arts t hey s ay :
. H a ve we n o t
co mpelling p o w er a n d for c e ? S u ffi c ien t fo r th e
 N INE T EEN T H C EN T URY . 29

’
d ay is th e e vil thereof They pass o n with ou t
.
,

c on c ern to th eir u s u al affai rs C l o u ds begin

, .

t o i n terr u pt th e c learness o f th e sky T hey .

d eepen a nd d a rken T h e u n c on troll abl e e le

.
,

me nt al s torm o f t he tropi c s a fter ye ars o f ,

d u ran c e h a s b urst its p rison i n g fette rs Th e

, .

p eople a re aw e d by th e terrific inte n sity o f th e

ou tbu rst b u t com fort th eir h e a rts with t he idea
,

th at i t w il l p ass o n a s it h a s h ith ert o do n e .

Th ey k n e w n ot th at th e s c eptre h ad slipped
fro m th e h ands o f the former rulers w ho , ,

within th e c h a m bers o f th e T hree F ive an d ,

S even i n th e great t o w er o f t he templ e n o w

, ,

l ie p rone up on t h eir fa c es heroically a w aiti n g

,

th e u nrolli n g o f th e book o f j ust j udgme n t .

T he c y c l one be c omes a c o n tin u o u s sto rm o f

d ay after d ay T he ro ck in g e arth vi bra t es
.

beneat h th eir feet an d trem bles w ith e a ch new

,

bl ast of th e migh ty for c es of n at u re win d ,

en v el o pe d d r aw n h e re by h u m a n w ill and n o w
, ,

u n c ontrolled T h e w a ters o f the sea in vade

.

th e l a nd La s hed on by th e fier ce c u rren ts

.

u pon th eir s u rf a ce th e tides seem t o be m o u n t

,

ing higher a n d h igh er I t is n o w k n ow n th a t

.

it w a s th e s in k in g of th e l a nd a n d n o t th e ,

risi n g o f th e w a ters whi c h fo r ages h a s h id

,

den fro m in v es tig a tio n th e a bodes o f th e ri c h

est a n d m os t p o w erfu l n a tion e v er d w ell in g
 O A WI T C H O F TH E

u po n th e earth F oo t by foot a ll th a t h a d e v e r
.

been g i v en t o u s by t he w a ters was ag a in d e

ma n d ed an d ret u r n ed t o it s o rigi n
,
T he .

re c ords o f tho u sands o f ye ars w ere b u ried

be n eath th e s tor m to s sed w aters — bu ried b u t
-
.

n o t destroy e d On l y the mo un tain tops and

.
-

th e highest plateaus n o w kn o w n as isl ands

, ,

remaine d o f all t he va s t c ontine n t T he ih .

l and l ak e min gled its waters with th e in co min g

torren t from t h e sal ty ocean an d a gre a t gul f
,

water s the so u thern sh ore o f the cou n try wh ere ,

n o w live in p ea c e and wo n der over th e h idd e n

,

past the sam e r e incarnated migh ty ra c e A

, .

fe w s c at t ered b o oks w ritte n in s t o n e w er e

, ,

saved and a wal l i nvisib l e and i mpermeable

, ,

was b u il t aro und the i ndes tructib l e m an uscrip t .

U nseen th e I n finite P ower th u s p reserves u s e

fu l kn o w ledge u n til the time and times fo r th e
revealing sh a ll h ave c ome .

‘
F ear and dread fo r ages a n d ages after th e
a w ful cata c lysm det a ined w ith in the bo u nd a ries
,

o f th eir o w n c o untry th e feeble rem n an t o f a

,

peopl e once s o in vin c i b l e an d ven t u res om e Th e .

rest o f th e w orld p ass e d o n a n d forgot th em .

’

Here th e speaker paused H is w h ole form

.

seemed t o dil a te th en h is m usi ca l inton a tio n

,

comm en c ed ag ain b u t n o w m ore sl o wly a n d

,

w i th a m our n f u l ca de n c e
32 A WI T C H OF T HE
s e e m a s re a l a s y o u sitti n g th ere W h a t d o
.

y o u s u p p os e h e m e an t ,
Th om a s b y ,
c o m i ng
i nto e a rth l ife o n th e fift h d a y o f Oc to b e r
-

th a t i s a lm os t a m on th ye t ? Do y o u s u p p os e
th ere is a n yth ing i n i t th at m e a n s u s ?
:
”

Th o m a s l a u gh e d q u ietl y a t h er e a ge rn e s s .

I d on t k n o w l a s s ; b u t if w e m a y b eli e v e th e
’
,

w i s e on e s b igger th i ngs th a n th a t h av e ha p
,

p e n e d to a s h u m bl e fol ks a s w e T h ere s .
’

n au g h t t o d o b u t wa i t I h a ve h e a r d tel l a l l
.

th ings c om e t o t he wa i te r a n d a go od m a n y
,

things c a n h a p pe n i n a m o nth .
”
 N IN E T EEN T H CE N T URY . 33

C H A PT E R I V .

T wa s pl a i n t o T h o mas fro m t h e
gl i m p s e s he h a d h a d o f t h e in v i s i bl e th a t
s o m e e v e nt a li ttle o ut o f th e ordi n a ry
wa s t o hon or h i m a n d h i s h o u s e A ngels .

h a v e n o t s topp e d c o mi ng u n awa re s t o m en ,

n or h as m a n b e e n l eft u n b efri e n d e d a n d
a l on e b y th o se w ho c a n a n d d o h el p him .

W h i le t h u s s u re o f s ometh ing it wa s onl y

,

b y th e i n d efin i te k n o w l e dge a n d n o t by a ny
,

thing he h a d b e en t a ugh t in f ac t th e bu r
—
,
a

den o f a ll te a ch ing a n d o f h i s a ss o c i a te s h a d
, ,

b or n e h e a vil y ag ai n st th e f a cts w hi c h h e
kn e w a s a c ertain ty kne w as h e w a s cert a i n
—

h e wa s a l iv e T h is c on s t a n t o p p os i ti o n h a d
.

a rre s te d s p e e ch o n th e s e m a tte rs H e h a d n o
.

mi n d t o b e m a d e t he o bj e c t o f la u gh i ng ri d i
c u l e b y th ose w i th o u t e i th er k n o wle dge
o r s e ns e o n s u c h li ne s o f u nfoldm ent ; n e ith er
d i d h e w i s h t o b e a nt a gon i z ed o r a rg u e d wi th ,

so h e s a i d n o t hin g ; o n l y t o J a n e w h o m h e ,

k n e w wa s i n f u ll sy m p a th y w i th h i m S uc h .

b oo k s a s th e y c o u l d a fford w ere w el l re a d -

a l o u d a n d a w e ek l y C h i ca go s e c u l a r pa p er a nd
,

a n a gri c u l t u r a l m on thly w e re s t u died by both .

34 A WI T C H O F T H E
On poin t h ad been fi xed in t he mi n d o f
e

each a nd th at wa s th at o n e h u n d red a n d six ty

,

a cres p ro perly and full y i mproved w o u l d s up ,

p ort a family o f eigh t in co m fort and c ompara

tive l u x u ry if need be T o do th is however
, , ,

fen c e rows o f w eed s m ust c e a se t o h ave s tand

-

in g grou nd T h o mas w a s often reall y pain e d

-
.

at the wa s teful meth ods of th e f a rmers a b o ut

him .

I t seemed t o h im th at if an a c re p rod u c ed
te n bushels o f wheat and by cl ose c u l tivation
,

co u ld b e m a de by a very littl e m ore l abor t o

prod u c e t we nty th at it w as better t o coneen
,

t rate effort o n sm all er spa c e th an t o in c reas e

l abor and fatigue by d i ffu si on over h alf ca red -

’
fo r s p ac e and wear one s self o u t by steppi n g
,

aro u nd in ste ad o f arm —exercise in sl ay in g

,

w eeds a nd stirrin g th e s u rf ac e Th ere is n o .

sl a v ery eq ua l to l an d b ond age -

.

T his b eing a decla r a tion of freed om th ey

lived u p t o it to the f u llest exte nt T heir s u r .

p l us w hi c h beg a n t o a cc u m u l a te t hey d id n o t,

p u t into more ac res th us c reatin g a m ill st o n e

,

fo r th eir n ec k s b u t u sed it firs t for h om e im

,

ro v e me n t s A artesian w ell c a m e first

p n . .

bringin g th e water from f a r bel ow th e bl u e

c l a y a nd rising t w e n t v fi v e feet a b ove th e s u r
,
-

f a ce p o ur ed in to the gre a t c is tern w hi c h g a v e

, ,
 N IN E T EE N T H CE N T URY . 35

head to the pi p ing o f t h e h ous e an d th e bath

roo m o f the m ain part a l ready pl an n ed .

T he roomy b a rn t he am ple woods hed a nd

,

th e we ll ligh ted c e l l a r un d er the h o use a ll c a m e

-

i n d u e time Th ey we re plan n ed fu lly a t the

.

first th en as m oney ca me from th e p e rennial

,

s u pply th e earth ; w hatever was d on e was paid

,

for an d fitted in l ike a pie ce o f m os a ic w ith all

, ,

—
th a t ha d bee n d one b efore it w as sim p ly a
carryin g o u t o f the origin al pl a n .

They h a d this id ea perh aps it w as a n erro

,

ne o n s o n e th at th is o n e h u ndred and six ty

,

acres was th eir i n veste d c a pit a l and the per ,

cen t o f in terest obt a ina bl e therefrom w as d u e

.

t o th e l abor o f h and an d brain a nd the m ore

,

brain th e better Th ey m ad e n o d ebts bu t as

.
,

e ve ry thi n g was paid fo r they l aid up n o stock

,

o f w orry a nd hearta c he .

Ov e r a n d over again th ey were urged t o b u y

t his forty or th a t eigh ty o n ti me it was su c h a
,

b a rg a in and th ey w ere often ca lled c areless o f

th eir o w n i n terests o r w orse be c ause th ey
, ,

cl a im ed to kn o w en ough t o m anage th eir o w n

affairs Bu t th ose w ho m eddle d m os t h av e
.

lived to see the wisdom o f th eir c ou rse w hi c h ,

h as bro u ght th em pe a ce and h a rm ony .

B u t th ese thin gs did n o t h a p p e n all a t o n c e ,

n o r r ap idly b u t in the n at u r a l o u t c o me o f th e
,
 A WI T C H or T H E

s te a dy w or k i n g o f t wo lives th e fo u nders o f a
,

f a m ily to w hom n ewly com e from th e silen t

,

l a nd th ey offered a h ome an d by inferen c e a

, ,

sh a re in the toil and p ro fi ts a cc r ui n g from th e

fo u ndation a nd growth o f th at h om e .

I s it n ot to o of ten t he ca se th a t th e p a ren ts
ass u me for th ems elves th e righ t t o d ire c t and
j ud g e aye t o for c e th e c h ildren in to t he m os t
—
,

distas teful a n d u n c on g en ial c ondition s a ss u m ,

ing th ereby t hat th ey t he pare n ts h av e

— —

c re a te d fo r th eir sin gl e u se an d beh oof both

th e b odies an d s oul s o f t heir children ? Th e
family u n der th is impio u s ass u mption u n c o n
, ,

c io u s l y be c omes a rem orsel ess despotism i h

s te a d o f th e co O perati v e r ep ubl i c it o u ght t o

-

be T h e i nte rests o f a ll the mem bers are

.

i d enti c al a nd c a n in n o sen se be a t v arian c e

, .

T he j u dgme nt o f th e yo un ge r m em bers is pro

p ortioned t o th eir ex p erience an d t he a c cu m u
l ation of p a st l i ves .

T he f a ll m onth s o f 1 8 55 w ere u n u s u a lly

p leas a n t a nd favor a b l e fo r far m w or k J an e .

h a d a s trong w om a n fo r a h el per an d a s th ere ,

h a d b een a n addi t ion b u il t up on o n e side of t he

origin a l c ottage c ont a inin g t w o room s on e
, ,

for th e family a n d th e oth er fo r th e c h il dre n s ’

bedroom th ere was a mple acc o m m od a ti on fo r

,

th e p re se n t T he larger r oo m w a s c a rp eted
.
 NINE T E E N T H CEN T URY 37

wit h r a g c a rpet whose m a teri a l h ad been pre

-

,
’
p ared by J an e s b usy fin gers a t in terv a ls an d ,

e ven T hom as and th e hired m an h ad helped in

t he r a in v d ays fo r stran ge to sa y h e h ad
, , ,

time e n ou g h t o attend t o ever y th in g ex c ept th e

ho u rs o f ra i n v day l o a fi n g at th e corner g ro
-

c ery w here s o m any o f h i s n eigh bors sw apped

,

s m utty s tories and l aughed a t indece n t j okes ;

for neith er t h es e n o r the liq uor wh ich i n v a ria
b l y accompanied th e m ha d h e any tast e As .

we are talking ab o ut a h um an m an an d an ,

E n glish m an we can n ot d e n y th a t h e s m oked

, .

B u t we were des c ribing the c osy room with ,

i ts car p eted fl oor a n d w hite m u slin cu rtain ed

wind o ws T h e sills are o l d fashioned and
.
-

d eep s o th at a pet gerani um o r t wo an d a

,

h eliotro p e c an fi nd c om fortabl e qu a rters wh ere

th e so u th ern s un peeps s a u cily in d uri n g th e
wint er m o n ths .

On th e w a lls a fe w h arm onio usl y c ol ored

,

c hrom os and a ste el pl a te head o f W ashi n gton

rel i e ved the otherwise baren ess o f the room .

T h ere w e re three win do w s and a k n o t o f ,

c h erry colore d rib bon held b a ck the wh i te cu r

-

t ains On th e d ay w hich w e a re d es c ribin g

.
,

t here h ad bee n a c ot placed in th i s room and ,

d u l y m a d e up a s J an e s a id to h er help :
,

T o b e a l l re a dy o u k n o w T hings h ap
y
.
,
38 A WI T C H O F TH E

p e n s u dd en someti mes an d th e n she l a u ghe d

,
,

a bl u sh ing l ittle l au gh .

F o r mon th s and mon th s J an e h a d be en a s

h appy as a bird co ul d b e ; whil e sh e h ad work ed
h a rd yet n o t t o the o v e rtax in g o f h erself it
, ,

was as if p art of the h arm ony of a s train o f

m u si c in w hi c h discord h ad n o effect I t w a s .

as if all infl uen c es were com bini n g t o prepar e

th e way o f the coming and m ak e th e path s
s traigh t .

F rom su nny Se p tem ber d ay s w a s brewed a

h e av y fros t an d as th e y e ar t u rn e d i nto t he
,

O cto ber h o u s e cl o u d s h u ng l o w a n d t he
,

we a th er b e c a m e v e ry trea ch e ro u s On t he .

4th o f O cto b er a s torm s et i n an d a s th e d a y

,

gre w o l d com i ng e v en ts th a t c a s t th e i r
,

s h a d ows b efore h a d s e nt T h om as fo r th e m i d
,

w i fe and n urs e T h e ev e ni ng wa ne d a nd l o s t
.

i ts e lf in th e nigh t I n th e ki t ch e n T h o m a s
.

sa t n e r v o u sly wai ting th e en d t h a t sh o u l d als o

b e a b egi n nin g i n w h i ch o f a l l th a t h a d o c
,

c u rre d ih th eir m a rri e d l ife th u s far h e co u l d

b e o f no h el p .

H e co ul d n o t s h ak e o ff a fe el i ng o f a w e
s o me n e s s a s if t h e c o m ing h a p p e ni ng wa s i n
, ,

th i s ca s e o f m ore th a n u s u a l im p ort a n c e
, .

Th e o l d cl ock i n th e corne r str u ck o n e a n d ,

d ro w s in e ss s u d d enl y w ei g h e d d o w n u p o n hi s
40 A WI T C H O F TH E

he h e a rd a v oi c e th a t s o u n d e d l i ke h is b u t ,

wa s it h i s ? I t s a i d
Octo b e r fifth t w o o cl ock i n t he m orn
“ ’
,

ing '
W h a t w a s i t th a t h a d c o m e t o h im a m i d s t
th e s c re e ch ing o f th e te m p es t a nd th e fi er c e
sh ock o f conte n ding v i br a tion s as t he
. W .

cu ri o u s v isi on o f h i s w ife a re a li ty ? Di d t he
l on g a go d e a d re e m b o d y ?
-
W
ho k n e w a n d ,

w ho c o u l d tell ? W a s i t pro b a b l e o r p o s s i bl e
fo r s o u ls o u t o f th e bod y fo r a ge s w ho h a d ,

sinn e d an d s u ffere d t o on ce m ore cla i m h eri t

,

age u p o n th e earth ? C ou l d th e a n ci e n t ra ce s
l a y h ol d u p on th e m o d ern p e ople s fo r t he
p u rp os es o f th eir o w n ful fillm e n t an d w h y ,

n ot ? Th ere t o thi s p l a in h on e s t co m m o n
, , ,

s e n s e i n q uirer a fter th e tru t h th e m a tter fo r

,

th e pre s ent s topp e d .

Wh y n ot ?
N oth i ng i s i mp os sibl e t o th e O n e S eem .

i ng i m p ossi b ility i s th e re s u l t o f o u r ig n o r
a nce o f l a w W e h ar d ly k n o w th e l aw s th a t
.

govern o u r o w n b o d i e s I t i s n o t s tra nge th a t

.

w e f a i l t o u n d erst a n d th e f a r re a c h i ng a n d
-

i nter w e av i n g o f re s ult a n t fo r c e th r o u gh o u t
th e u ni v erse m u ch o f i t b e yon d e v e n o u r
,

S piri t t o u c h fo r th e ve ry r ea s on th at w e c a n
,

n o t u n d ers t a nd .
 N INE T E EN T H C EN T U RY . 41

S h or t l y th e n u rs e a n n o u n ce d th a t a vigor
o u s h e a lth y girl b a b y wa s h is
,
-
A girl ' Th i s .

wa s a s u rprise H o w th e n co u ld it b e th at
.
, ,

th e r e v el a ti on c o u ld be corre ct ? T h ere m u s t
be a c o g o u t s o m e w h ere fo r a b o y co ul d n o t
,

b e a girl S u rely th ings are ge tti ng s tr a ngely

.

m i xed T h e th i ng th at w as pl ann e d h as
.

f a il e d I n co m ing t o th i s concl u s i o n h e fo r
.

Q o t th a t s ex b e lon g s t o th e p h ysi c al b o dy an d ,

h as n a u gh t to d o w i th th e s o ul Th e b o d y is .

th e to o l o r i n s tr u m e n t o f th e s o u l a n d th e ,

w ork d on e m u st di ffer w i t h th e ch a r ac t e r o f
th e to o l On e w o ul d n o t u n d ertake t o s plit
.

r a il s w i th a r a z o r n o r s h a ve w i th a n a x e a n d
, ,

y e t b oth a re m a d e o f ste e l a n d th e d i ffere nce,

wo u l d c orre s p o n d w ith s ex diff ere nce V erily .

,

i n h ea ven t hey a re n e it h er m a rri e d n o r giv en

i n m a rri a ge fo r s ex i s l eft w i th th e b od y t o
, ,

w h i c h i t b el on g s .

W h e n th e m orn ing d aw ne d i n cl e a ri ng
b righ tne s s th e n e w f a th er wa s a d mitte d t o
,

th e b e d s i d e o f h i s Wif e s till w e a ry w i th th e
,

g re a te s t m ys tery o f th e w orl d I n a n u n d er .

t on e s he s a i d :
B u t T h o m a s h e h a s com e ; I k no w i t ; onl y
, ,

I d o n t s e e w h y i t i s a gi rl H o w ca n a man
’
.

b e a n y th ing b u t a b o y w h e n h e i s b o r n a g a in ?
S ee h er . S o s a yi ng s h e u n c o v e re d th e mo r
”
42 A WI T C H O F TH E

s el o f h u m a n i ty by he r s i d e A t th a t m o me n t
.

th e g r e a t bl u e e ye s o p e n e d w ith a n o d d ol d
, ,

l oo k st a rtli ng i n i ts penetr a ti o n a n d com pre

,

he n s i o n o f i ts s urro u n d i n gs .

Th a t s a n a wf u l l o o k s ai d th e s t a rtl e d
’
,
”

fath er . S h e ll b e a w itch s u re S h e l o o k s
’
,
.

as if s h e kn e w m ore n o w th a n t he gro wn u ps -
.
”

F r o m th at h o u r th e fath er a lwa y s s to o d a
li ttl e i n a we o f t h i s visi tor i n h i s h o u s e h ol d ;

w h os e c o mi ng ha d be e n so d e fin i te ly p resage d ,

a n d th e ac t u a l ad v e nt s eem e d t o b e a tte n d e d
wi th n a t u r a l d ist u rb a nc e s B u t n oth ing h a d
.

h a d s o m u ch e ffe c t o n him a s th a t firs t l o ok ,

to w h i ch s o me bro th erh o o d ti e o f h i s o w n
s o ul h ad a t o nce repli e d e st a b li sh i ng fo r a l l
,

ti m e t o c om e h i s warm est a n d te n d ere st a ffe c

ti on fo r th is h is fi rs t b orn
-
.
 N IN E T EEN T H C EN T URY . 43

C HA P T E R V .

H E v igoro u s bo d y giv en in to t he k e e p ing

o f a l ivin g s o ul g re w a n d s t r e n th e ne d
g
from d a y t o d ay I t re a lly see med si c k
.

n ess pro of . I t ea t a nd sl ep t ; th e ord i

-

n a ry s e t b a c ks o f c h ildh o o d h a d n o e ffect
-

u p on i t I t co u l d h a rd ly h av e be e n s ai d t o
.

h a v e ha d a si c k d a y up t o th e ti m e w h e n th i s
c h a p ter o p e n s I t w a s h e r s ev e n t h b irth d a y
. .

S he wa s a l wa ys k in d ly co n s i d er a te o f h er
c omp a n ions a nd hel p ful b eyon d th e exp e c ta
,

tion o f h er a ge B u t th ere was ab o ut h er

.

l ar g e eyes a n in te n t e xpression as i f c onstan tly

,

liste n in g a w ier d i mp r essio n a n d her qu aint '

, ,

spee c h w a s a c on st a n t s u r p rise t o h er m oth e r ,

t o w h o m sh e h a d b ec o me very dear a n d t o ,
’

’
w h o m in th e so u l s sel f h a d c ome a feel ing of
, ,

m ore t h a n p a ren t a l l o v e com p arable t o n oth

i n g b u t o l d c om r a d esh i p o f sa c rifi c e a n d a d
he re/n e u n til li fe itsel f h a d f a ded o u t into th e
g ,

U n s ee n .

I t w a s h a rdl y to be ex p e c t e d th a t th e c hil d
w o u l d b e in th e c o m p a ny o f th e f a ther a s
m uc h a s in th a t o f the m oth er b u t m a n y h o u rs
,

w e r e s p e n t t o ge th e r N ev e r w a s E l s ie better
.
44 A WI T C H O F T HE
pl eased th an when sh e c o uld go into th e fie l d
”
wit h he r father an d hel p fix it wh at eve r
,
“
,

w a s th e a ll otme n t of th e d ay .

I t was n o w o n der th en th at sh e was s tron g

, ,

an d f u l l o f life a nd a go od d eal o f a romp

,
.

E v ery live th ing o n th e p l a c e seemed to k n o w

and respect h er from t h e big d o g T u rk w ho
, ,

ha d been a presen t as a p uppy fo r th e baby t o , ,

th e h ome bred h orse wh o ch afed u nder ever y

-

h an d b ut h ers .

A s a birth day privilege sh e h ad begged h e r

’

father s permissi on to go over t o th e wood l o t -

with him t a lo ad o f wood fo r win

’
ter s use . n early a l w ay s ,

an d yet wi th an in d efi n a b l e som eth in g res ti n g

upon h er f a ir face as t he d aw n im p rin ts itsel f
,

u p on th e hem of nigh t s s a bl e robe a mys ti c

’

ch ange constantly ev olved U p on t h a t tabl e t .

there seem ed a l w a y s a p er c e p tion o f th e ligh t

whi c h is n o t o n l an d n o r sea an d yet is over ,

a l l a nd c on trols all in its p otent en ergy

, , .

S he s a t by her f a th er s side o n th e S p ring

’

s eat and,
inste a d o f bu bblin g over w ith h er
,

usu al Wins ome c h atter a gre a t still n es s settled

,

u pon h er Thi s her f a ther p er c eived an d

.
,

fin a lly s aid ’

W h a t a ils t he e E lsie ? W h a t m ak es th ee
,

”
so s till ?
 N INE T E E N T H C EN T URY . 45

I do n t kn ow papa I t seems as if I was

’

, .

t w o great b ig pe o pl e I think it s c a use I

\
.
’ ’ ‘

hav e a b i rth d ay Do y o u th ink peo p l e feel

.

d i fferen t o n d i fferen t bi r
”
th d ays ? I d on t re
m em ber th a t I fel t s o when I w as si x yea r s o l d .

B u t sh e a d de d I don t t h in k I re mem ber

,
”
,
“ ’

’
very w e ll Th en th ere s anoth er th i n g p apa
.
,

did n t I u se d t o l ive some wh ere else t han

’

h ere ? H ave I al way s l ived h ere with y o u and

m a mm a ever since I was b o rn e d ? T ell me
t r ue p a p a Th o m as
,
.

“
Y o u were born h e re a n d h ave never bee n ,

o u t o f th e n eigh borh ood

”
was th e fath er s re ,
’

ply a p erpl e xe d l ook s te aling in to his o w n

,

f ace .

T he n wh y is it pa p a I see m t o re member
, ,

a bo u t gre a t big pala c es and te mples s u ch as

, ,

m am m a re a ds ab o u t o u t o f th at his tory a n d s o ,

many s p l endid peo p le w ho h ad the m o st be au ,

t ifu l e s t dres ses and t hin gs o n and I seem t o b e ,

on e o f the m mysel f Th en I h ave h o r rid .

d re a m s so me ti mes Seem s as if I d been re a l ’

.

w i ck ed a nd I w a s goin g to b e d ro wned j u st
, ,

l i k e o u f p o or little k itte n s W h at m akes m e .

”
a pa , s a y ?
p
T h e f a the r c o ul d only reply
W
hy E lsie I ca n t te l l
,
The n th ere
,
’
.

’
c ame v ividly to h is mi nd h is w ife s vision s o ,
 46 A WI T CH OF T HE
m a ny years sin c e H a d th a t an y C o n n e c tion
“

.
'

wi th these th o ugh t s o f h is l ittl e o n e ? W a s i t

tr ue th a t th e firs t ro u nding o u t of th e n u m ber
sev e n bro u gh t a bo ut the beginn in g of a n e w
- ' -
f

u nfol ding a n d this the begin ni n g o f th e m an

,

ner o f it ?
A little feeling o f j e a l o u sy c ame over h im a s ,

if the l ove a nd affe c ti on o f t he c hild ; w h i c h h ad

been s o m u c h t o hi m w a s a b ou t t o be c o me less
,
.

A s if in repl y to th e th o u gh t E lsi e l oo k ed ,

B u t papa I d on t
’

up soberly an d sai d ,
“
, ,

ca re ho w many on es I be an d th e d ream s wo n t ,
’

m ake me pro u d I s h al l al wa y s love my p a p a

.
,

j ust as l on g as h e is good and ever s o m u c h ,

l o n ger t o o I gu e s s
, ,
.
”

S o she dropped th e s ubj ect and th e me rrv ,

sel f reasserted itsel f a g a in B u t th e l esson t o .

th e fath er w as o f m u ch imp ort and did n ot ,

dri ft o u t o f h is mem ory for d ay s as h e w o n

dere d w h at i t al l p ortend ed .

A rri v ing at th e l o t th e c h ild wa s p u t u p on

,

th e gro und t o w and er at her o w n s wee t will ,

fo r she w as n o stra n ger t o th e w oods and “

,

t o gath er s u c h treas ures o f l ate fal l fl o w e rs a n d

le a f a nd n u t as are al w ays de a r t o the c h ild is h
heart Mean w h ile th e fath er oc cup ied him sel f
.

in m a kin g u p the l o a d he in t e n d ed to carrv

b a c k t o th e h ome .
48 A WI T C H O F TH E

how a nd he sto pp ed for it w a s get ting t o ,

be m ore and m ore o f a p u zzl e t o h i m .

A s h e stop ped speaking a voi c e c l ose by , ,

gr a v e in ac c en t b u t clear and bell l ike i n it s

,
-

in ton ation said : ,

I t is th ine t o w ear in re
“

me mb ra n ce o f t he d a y Bin d it abou t thy .

”
ne c k forever The fath er a n d th e ch i l d both
.

h e a rd these words a n d saw a grave tall pers on , ,

age ih a n ashy gray robe w ho s miled kindly

, ,

u pon th em a nd faded o u t in to thin air .

“
I did n t see hi m g o a n y w here ; wh ere is
’
he w as E lsie s excl a m ation .

I g u e s s y o u w ill s e e him a g a i n s o m e ti m e ,

sa i d th e f a th er n o t at a l l al a rm e d b y a p h e
,

n o me n o n b y n o m e a n s s tr a n g e t o h i m .

T h e f a th er prod u c e d from h i s p o cke t a

s to u t p i e ce o f t w i ne T h e man s a i d .
“

’
th o u t t o w e ar it l a s s H e d i d n o t s e e m o f
,
.

th e n e e r d o w e e l s s o w e ll p u t i t o n a s tri n g
’
- -

,
’

u nti l th y m oth er c a n get a go l d ch a in fo r t h e e

from th e city ”
S o s a yi ng h e ti e d firm ly o n
.
,

h er n e c k th e l o ck e t w h i ch h el d in a he a v y ,

fr a m e o f o l d gol d a circ u l a r p l a te o f s e a gre e n -

be ryl ; o n th i s w a s e ngr a v e d a m ys ti c s y m b o l
o f b roth erh ood ofte n s e e n i n th e ca rv i ngs o f
th e a n ci en t E gy p tians in b o th te m p l e and
t om b .

T h is re a d y o b ed i e n c e o f th e f a th e r t o t he
 N I NE T E EN T H C E N T U RY . 49

i n j u n cti o n o f th e u nkn o w n m e s s enger w as o f

f a r m o re i m p ort a n c e to h i m th a n c o u ld h a v e
se e m e d p os s ibl e as w e s h a ll see l ater o n
, We .

are v ery often li a b l e t o bl a m e o u r s piri t

fri e n d s for t he di s a stro u s e ffe cts o f o u r o w n
t a rd y o b e d i en ce to th e i r re q u e sts m a d e w i t h
a d e s i re t o h elp u s .

S e e m i ngl y q u ite i m pre s s e d E ls i e fo u nd a ,

s e a t b e t w e e n t w o tre e tr u n k s gro w i ng clos el y

-

t o ge th er a n d w as si le nt w h i le he r f a th er fi n
i s he d th e lo a d i ng .

A t last ev erything be ing i n re a d in es s h e ,

m a de a s e a t fo r hi m s e lf a n d th e gi rl a n d , ,

c a lling h e r h elp e d h e r u p th e n m o u n ting

, ,

h i m s elf h e t u rn ed h is h ors es h o m e wa rd .

H ar d l y h a d th e y s t a rte d w h en E lsi e s a i d
W h y p a p a th i s l o ck e t t a lk s I h e a r
, ,

w or d s th a t s e e m t o c om e fro m i t .

”
W h a t d oe s i t s a y l a s s ? a s k ed th e f a t h e r
,
.

D on t cros s th e riv e r o n th e u p p er b ri d ge
’
,

or y o u ll b e s orry
’
.
”

A re y o u s ur e th at i s w h a t i t s a ys ? ”

Y e s ; i t s a i d i t over a n d o ver t w o o r th re e
”
ti m e s.

Th i s a d v i c e if foll o w ed wo ul d m ak e n e c
, ,

es s ar y a d e t o u r of a t l e a s t t w o mile s a n d th e ,

ro a d wa s n o t q u i te s o go o d ; b u t n o t b e ing a
d o u bti ng T h o ma s a n d h av i ng li v ed s o m a n y
,
50 A WI T C H O F T HE

y e ars i n ful l c on s ci o u s ne s s o f th e re a l ity of

th e inv i si b l e a n d th ei r in t e nd e d b en ef a ctor s
t o m a n h e t urn ed o ff o n th e ro a d t h a t l e d t o
,

th e l o w er b ri d ge I t s b u t a li ttl e th ing
.
“ ’
,
”

h e sai d an d ho w can w e g e t go o d o r h elp

,
“

from t he in visible if w e don t a c t on th eir ’

advi c e ? A s he th o u gh t th is h e h a ppe ned t o

”

glan c e at t he l ocket which h u n g in f ul l sigh t ,

o n E lsie s n eck I t see med as if a ray o f s u n

’
.

s h ine rested o n it made m ore pro min en t be ,

ca u se th e s u n w as h el d in a cl ou d .

D uring the evenin g a neigh b or c alle d a n d ,

told him the upp er brid ge ha d broken d o w n

while a l o a d o f wood was goin g over i t T he .

w agon wa s bro k en th e h orses l amed an d th e ,

o w n er th o u gh b a dly scratched h ad n ot been

, ,

f a tally inj ured .

“
I k ne w yo u generally we n t th a t w ay h e ,
‘

s aid s o I th o u gh t I would c o m e aro u nd a n d

,
“

”
tell y o u .

Y es replied M r H ol mes bu t I d id n o t
”
,
.
,
“

c o me th at way t o d ay -
.

“
Migh ty l u c ky fo r y o u y o u d id n t neigh ,
’

b o r w as the res p on s e
, .

A s th e ma n of wh om they were tal kin g w a s

well t o d o n othing m o re wa s s a id o f it
- -

, .

N either th en n o r at an y oth er ti me did th ey

o r E lsie mention her gift t o th eir n ei g hbors
;
 NI N E T E EN T H C EN T URY . 51

n or did s he ever in h er girlish years o ffer t o ,

sh o w it to he r pl ay m ates .

W hen th ey were a l one th at nigh t the father

an d m other t a lked l o n g an d a nx i ously over
E lsie s bi rth d ay gift and th e cir c u ms tan c es o f
’
.

its c oming T he moth er w h ile h a vin g n o

.
,

d o u bt o f th e acc oun t h ad bu t o n e s olicitude in

,

regard to it a n d t ha t w as would th e talism an

, , ,

fo r such it see med t o be bri n g good t o E lsie ? ,

‘
W ife I think it mu st said Th om as ; any
,
”

ho w i t is h er s a n d sh e m u s t we a r i t th at s
’ ’

,
”
pl ain .

So it h appened th at th e very nex t time t he

good m other went to C hicago she bro u gh t ,

b a ck a stron g gold ch ain and c lasp I n th is .

cas e price w as n ot cou n ted n o r c o n si d ered I n .

th os e day s gold was gol d fo r m en s p a ssion s ,

’

a n d wron g d oin g h ad p recipitated a crisis and ,

th e Wa r o f the R ebellion w a s o n .

F rom th is even tf u l d ay E lsie w hile n o t in , ,

a n y s e nse m oping seem ed to h av e gro w n w o n

,

d erfu l l y d is c ree t I t w as like th e bloss om o f

.

t he rose w h i c h re a ch es a c ertain p oin t sl o w ly

,

a nd in seq ue n c e a nd th en s u dd e n ly al l a t on c e
,

b u rs ts in to full bl oom th e a ir is de l u ged w i th ,

its fr a gr a n c e an d t h e eye d a z zl e d wit h its h a r

,
'

m o n ies of c ol or S o w ith E lsie ; it s eemed as

.

if th e min u t e h a n d o f her l i fe h a d been m oved

-
5L WI T C H O F TH E

fo r w a rd s ever a l poin t s I t w as n o t th e tr a n s i
.

tory c h a nge o f a c l ou d pa s sin g over th e s un b u t

,

p e rm a ne n t an d n a t u r a l in s ome w a ys s trange
, ,

h o w e v er be cau se o f th e u nex p ec t e d n ess of it

,
.
 NIN E T EEN T H CE N T URY . 53

C H AP T E R V I .

P t o th is wi nter E lsie had n o t been t o

s c h ool H er moth e r h a d t a ugh t h er t o
.

read a nd o f her o w n ac c ord sh e had

,

pic k ed u p an o l d men t al a rithm eti c a nd s p en t ,

m u ch time in w or k ing u p on th e simpl e opera

tions o f m a them a ti cs q u es tioning h er mother
,

c l osely a t th e first b ut soon pu sh in g her re a

,

s oni n g far o u t into t he intri cac ies of o peration ,

a nd sh o w in g herse lf v ery brigh t o n p oin ts a s ,

o cca si o n o ffere d wh ere sh e h ad h a d n o in s t ru c

,

tion B u t th is winte r sh e te a sed t o go t o

.

sch ool .

A ne w dist r i c t h ad been for med a nd th e n e w ,

sch ool h ous e h a d b ee n b u ilt a bo u t a m ile from

-

t h e H ol mes far m Th e t e ac h er they h a d

’
.

hire d wa s a n elderly m an wh o h a d patien c e .

e n o u gh to be kind t o th e c h ild re n F ro m .

his m e mory h ad f a ded if it ever d wel t there

, ,
’
the a n c i en t anti t hesis l ick in an d l arn in
,
’

H is s o u l h ad l oo k ed o u t a l on g th e p a th s o f al
tr u is m and in th e v ie w o f sh ortening l ife
, ,

gre e d ha d shrivel e d u p in its e ffe c t o n his d a ily

l ife I t w a s a fo r t u n a te t hi n g fo r E l sie W a s
. .

it a h app en s o or wa s t he w ind t e m p ere d t o

,
54 A WI T C H OF T H E .

th e sh orn l am b H o w a re w e t o ta k e an d a c
?”

c ou n t fo r s o many th ings o f th e in s c r u t abl e

c on s tan tly c om in g t o o u r n o tice and in to o u r

lives ?
I t w a s M o hd a y after Th a n ksgi v in g t he ,

s c h ool O pened T here were th o u s a nd s o f

.

h e arts o f w ives a n d m oth ers th rougho u t t he

c o u ntry t o wh o m it seem ed h ard t o fin d c ru m b s
eno u g h o f c omf o rt t o be th ankfu l fo r .

I n th e m a i n E lsie s sch ool d a ys p a sse d

,
’
-

m uc h as other chil d re n s b u t occasion a lly

’

som e in ciden t w o uld indi cate th a t th e o u te r

life w a s n o t the life wi thin .

S e v eral times s h e ca m e h ome an d tol d o f

s tr a n gers w h o h ad com e i n to the sch ool room -

and a fter res pe ct fu l l v addressin g th e te a ch er

,

m oved ab o u t th e room a nd th en sh e d id n o t
,

see th em go o u t .

“
A nd m a m m a sh e wo uld s a y th e y di d
, , ,
“

n o t p a y any atten tio n t o t h em Tea c her d id

.

n o t n o ti c e th e m n o more t h an if th e y h a dn t ’

been th e re .

T o th ese rem ar k s the w ise m oth er m ade b u t

l i ttle reply fo r sh e k new w ho bett e r th a n sh e
, , ,

th a t her d a u gh te r d wel t c onst a n tl y o n th e bor

d e rl an d of t w o w orlds of w h i c h i m p res s ion s
,

w ere r e ce ived from o n e a s s trongly as from th e

oth e r .
56 A WI T C H O F T HE
ings n o r o f th e w on d er o f t he ch il d r en a n d
,

th e am u s e d l ook o f th e t e ac h e r a n d h i s w a it
i n g p u pil .

Still w i th o u t a w ord E l sie t o ok the cray o n

from th e t e ac her s h and a nd tu rn i n g t o t he
’
, ,

bl ackb oard i n a large firm m asc u l i n e h a n d

, , , ,

c om m en c e d w i th c o s a x sine a —1 c os b . x .
,

an d w i th o u t a p au s e or a n y si g n of h esit ati on
w h a te v er w rote o u t a d e mons tr a ti on c o v e r i n g
,

h alf th e bl ack b o a rd an d con c l u ding w i th th e

,

corre ct res u lt T he dem onstration w a s clear

.

a nd in disp u t a b le .

T he s urpri sed te a ch er sa i d s i m p ly : Th a n k “
,

”
y ou ,
E lsie .

T h e c h il d t urn ed b ack t o h er seat and the ,

q u i c k eye o f th e tea c h er a l on e n oted the c l ear

/
in g o f h e r f a ce t o its u s u a l e x pres s io n Tan d
'

the n th e h e ad wen t d o wn o n t he folded a rm s

u po n th e desk in fron t a n d fo r h al f a n h o u r ,

sh e sle p t undis turbe d .

I t is t o be inferred th a t th e wise ol d sou l

wi thin did n o t ofte n th us test th e stren gt h
and p o w er o f his i n stru ment b u t one m ore i h ,

eident h ap pening th is win te r sh o u ld be rel a ted

On d ay after s c h ool w as dism issed o n e of

e ,

th e b oys o f the r u d er sort h ad p i c ked up a fo r

l orn kitten w h i c h h e w a s ab using wi th th e
,
 NI NE T EEN T H C EN T U RY . 57

us ual bo y ish h eedlessness H e h ad seate d h im

.

sel f upon a s t one by the si d e of the road th e

b etter to a cc omplish h is pu rpo s e and was giv ,

ing f ull reign t o th e brute within w h i c h is t he ,

c om m on h eri tage o f m a n kind whether c ivilized ,

o r u n c i v ilized .

F e w th i ngs e ve r s o dis tre s se d E lsi e as c r u e lty

t o a n i m al s a n d th e m ore d efe ns ele s s th ey
,

w e re s o m u c h th e m ore wa s s he up in arm s
,

fo r th eir pro te c ti on So n o w sh e i n dign a ntl y

“

a s k e d t he y o u ng s ca m p t o sto p h i s tort u re .

I t s my c a t a n d it a in t n one o f yo u r b u si
’
,
’

ne s s a nyh o w w as th e t a rt rej oi nd e r
, , .

B efore h e co u l d m a k e a ny re s i s t a nce E lsie

h a d s e i ze d th e k i tte n a n d h ol di n g i t in h er
,

a rm s at th e s a m e tim e t u rnin g u p on h i m a
f a ce th a t f a i rly sh on e s h e earn e s tly s a i d
,

“
I t i s m e a n in y o u t o b e s o cr u el I hOp e y o u
.

w ill h av e t o s it th ere u n ti l yo u a re b ette r ' ”

S a ying th a t s he W a l k e d q u i ckl y a w a y Th e .

b o y s t a re d a fte r h er u nti l sh e d i s a ppe a re d

a ro u n d a turn in th e roa d c a rrying th e k i tte n
,

n e s tl e d i n h e r a rm s .

A fte r a l i ttle h e tri e d to ge t u p b u t a h a n d ,

o n h is s h o u l d er s e e me d t o h ol d h i m d o w n A .

b ur s t o f te ar s relie ve d h i s firs t a l a rm a n d , ,

a fte r s o m e m e d i t a ti on a g e n u i n e regr e t fille d

,

h i s th o u gh ts .
58 A WI T C H OF TH E

I ess I w a s m e a n a n d I ll n e v e r d o s o ’
’

g u ,

an y m ore s h el p m e
,
’
w a s th e e j a c u l a ti o n
,
”

j u s t a b ov e h i s b re a th .

N o s o on e r h a d h e u tte re d th e s e w or d s th a n
h e fel t f ree t o m ove an d h u rri e d h o m e ,
.

T h ere wa s s om e th i ng m ore in this t h a n t he

mere telli ng a s i t a ppeare d o n the s u rfac e fo r ,

q u ite a ch a nge wa s wro u g h t i n th e b o y w ho , ,

fro m a pers o n i n cli n e d t o te a s e th e d efe n ce

l e s s bec a m e th e d efender a n d al wa y s th ere
, ,

after w a s o n e o f E lsie s stron g e s t ch a m pi o n s

’
.

I t w a s p l a i n t o al l w ho w itn e s s ed o r k n e w
o f an y o f th e s e d is pla ys o f a b n or m a l p o w e r

th a t i t wa s n o t E ls i e th e ch il d b ut s o m e th i ng ,

th at wa s a nd w a s n o t h er W h e n q u es ti on e d.

a bo u t ho w sh e did th o s e s tr a nge th i n gs “
,
”

h er repl y i n v a ra b l y w as
“
I d on t d o th em ; they d o th e m s elv es
’
.
”
 N INE T EE N T H C EN T URY . 59

C H A PT E R V I I .

S t he y e ars w en t by an d he r m e nt a l
‘

p ercepti on increase d sh e be came m ore

,

a nd m ore reserve d re p ressing w i th

,

i n h ers elf a n y exh i b i ti on o f th e po w ers wh i ch

s e e m e d c on s tan tl y t o grow s tro nger S h e ha d .

n o d e sire t o d r a w u p on h erself th e cri ti c is m

o f w i tlings n o r t o b e co m e a ce n ter fo r p u b
,

l i c n otori e ty I t w a s en o u gh fo r h er th a t
. .

s h e kn e w s om e th in g o f h er o w n s trength an d ,

t h a t th os e n e a re s t t o h er h er fath er an d
—

m o th er b o t h u n d ers to o d a n d sy m p a th i z e d
—

w i th h er .

I n t h e f a ll o f 1 8 63 s h e advi s ed h e r f a th er t o
i n v e s t h i s s p are c a sh i n s o m e land o n th e ‘

S o u th S id e o f C h ic a go w h i ch a b u s in ess
,

fri en d wa s very a nx i o u s at th e tim e t o ge t ri d o f .

I t w as a b a rgain I n A ugu s t 1 8 7 1 th e f a th er
.
, ,

ca m e h o me from th e ci ty o n e d ay an d s a i d ,

“
E l s i e l a ss I h a d a n o ffe r fo r th at p i ece
.
,

o f p ro p erty o f o urs i n th e ci t y S am B riggs .

o ffers me fo r i t ; I th i n k h e ll giv e
’

b u t i t h as d o u bled its elf ev ery t wo

ye a rs a n d it s eem s t o m e it w il l s el l fo r m ore
W
.
,
”
h a t d os t th i n k ?
 A WI T C H O F TH E

I f h e w ill gi v e fo r it t ak e i t , ,

wa s E l s i e s s w i ft r e pl y
’
I t w i ll b e w orth
.
“

m uc h le ss b efore i t i s w orth m ore .

S o s trong l y wa s th e f a th er c o n v i n ce d o f
th e u ns e e n g u i d an ce th a t b e o b e ye d i mp l i c
it l y n o w i n a ll ca s e s w h ere th e i n s tr u cti o n
,

wa s d efin i te s o th e n ex t d a y th e b a rg a i n wa s
,

co mpl et e d A fe w d ays l a te r th e
. in ,

govern m e n t bon d s w a s i n th e s a fe b u il t int o ,

a va u l t c onstr u cte d u n d er t h e o l d h o u s e A t .

th a t ti m e b o nds w e re th e n e a re s t a p p ro ach t o
cash gol d a n d silv e r i t wa s p o s si b l e t o re a ch
,
.

I t wa s o n t he 5th o f O ct o b er 1 8 7 1 th a t , ,

E ls ie s s ix te e nth b irth d a y c a m e T h e o l d
’
.

h o u s e h a d b e e n s o en l arged a n d a d d e d t o ,

th a t i t c o u l d h ard ly h a v e b e e n rem e m b e red ,

ev e n fo r i ts elf o f s i xte e n y e a rs b efore T h e

, .

th e ory h a d b e e n w orke d in to pra c ti c e ; t he

w h ol e o n e h u n d re d an d s ix ty a cres ha d b e e n
tr a n sform e d i nto a g a rd e n in its ferti li ty ,

a n d i ts p rofi ts w e re ofte n te nfol d th os e o f t he

neigh b oring secti o n s i n w h i c h a ll l ab or a n d
,

m a teri a l were s pre a d ov er fo u r ti m e s a s

m u ch sp ac e C on cen tr a ti o n tell s w he th er o f
.
,

th o u gh t o r h and w or k -
.

B u t i n t he be s t ro o m a fte r t e a th e re w ere
, ,

E l si e h er f a th e r and m oth er a n d fo u r girl

, ,

fri e nds w ho o f a l l th e ir n e i gh bors w e re

, , ,
 N INE T EE N T H C E N T URY . 01

n eith e r a frai d n o r a s h a med t o d ecl a re th e ir

b elief th a t m a n d i e s n o t an d th a t h e c a n ,

c om m u n icate w ith th e l iving if t he livin g ,

wil l on ly h e a r .

T h e re h a d b ee n a li ttl e b irth d a y s u pper ,

a n d n o w th e y w e re si ttin g u i e tly talk ing i n

q
r e s tf u l tone s w hos e pe ac e bro u gh t h arm ony
,

t o a ll th e vibr a ti o n s and w ai ting fo r w h at

,

m i gh t b e gi ven t o th e m th ro ugh E l s i e .

S i t ting in a h ig h bac k ed c h a ir h e r h e a d
-

r es tin g easily ag a i n s t the c rim son p l u s h an d ,

h e r eyes c l ose d she w a s ve ry f a ir t o loo k u po n

, ,

a n d al th o ugh he r d ress w as n o t costly b ey ond

h er s t a tion ye t all t h e c o l ors, th e fi tting a nd

,

t he fi nish in g a n d th e s oftness a n d th e fin eness

,

o f th e tex t u res t h emselves were s tu d ies fo r a n ,

a rtis t .

S i ttin g th us he r fri e nd s p er c e ive d a ch a n ge

,

s teal over h er fa c e a ch ange f a miliar t o th ose

,

w h o h a ve taken a n y steps to be c ome a cq uain ted

w i th t he d w ellers of th e S u mmerl and Th e n .
,

w ith fe a tu res fi xe d and rigid she com m en c ed

'

s p eakin g i n a qui c k te rror s tri c ke n wa y

:
-

“
I see a gre at c i ty a t night a n d a fire breaks ,

out . I t is a sm a ll fire at th e firs t a n d the fi re ,

m e n se em to p u t it o u t B u t n o ' th e y don t .
’

pu t it q u ite o u t fo r it bre a ks o u t again I

,
.

th ink i t is C h i c a go o n th e W est sid e a n d the

,
02 A WI T C H O F T H E
N orth side and th e So uth side a re a ll on fi re .

On l v the N orth a n d S o u th sides are b a dly

b urn t Th e . W
est is i nj u red b u t a littl e T h e .

wi n d bl ows fro m th e s o u th w est A ll th e

stores are b u rn t u p and the fi re co m
.

es n orth
un til there is n o m ore fo r it t o burn an d th e n ,

it sto p s T he a ir is o n fire ; it is lik e a gre at

.

f u rn a c e People h a v e n o tim e to s a ve th eir

.

f urniture h ardly th eir l ives I se e t h em fl y .

ing every wh ere Oh i t is h orrible ' T here

.
,

h a s never been s u ch a disas ter s i nce t h e worl d

s tood I see no w gre a t heaps of bl acken ed
.

ru ins p il es o f b ri c ks a n d s tones and a s hes I

, .

see also the ma n ifestation s o f th e w orld s pity ’

in ins tan t rel ief ; th en as the pi ct ures f a de in to

o n e another in a dis solvi n g v ie w I b eh ol d a ,

n e w fairer ci ty s t a tely and grand th a t

, ,
w ill , ,

before the c entu ry ends brin g all th e w orl d t o

,

look u pon h er stren gth a n d be au ty fo r t he ,

‘
S tron g Men o f th e W est w il l s u rel y rebuild’

m ost m a gnificently th eir f a vorite c ity .

W ord s fail t o des cri b e th e e ffe c t o f th is reve

l atio n u p on this l ittle gro up of h earers B u t .

’
E l si e s father in a l o w v oi ce ask ed ,

“
I s th is ne a r at h a nd ? ”

T h e beginn in g is a l m os t h ere The time .

is n u m bered by d ay s Wa s t he a n s w er
,
”
.

T his w a rnin g s o soo n t o be verified wa s

, ,
64 A WIT CH O F TH E

C HA P T E R V III .

E F OR Egoing farth er w ith o u r h e roin e ,

sim ply premisi n g th a t her f a ther a n d

m other seekin g th e p ossible for h er
, ,

c on c l uded t o send h er t o a s c h ool in on e o f t he

E astern S tates a n d wh ile sh e i s gettin g ready
,

t o go w e will go o n a he a d a nd see fo r o u r
, ,

sel ves th e an noyan c es t h a t a wai t he r .

On a l onely road j ust beyon d a s till l onelie r

,

fores t , s t an ds a l a rge squ a re h ouse eviden tly

, ,

on c e t he residen ce o f a w eal th y o wner T he .

hea v y bl i nds a re sh u t b u t th e grou nds a n d th e

,

h o u se itsel f a re w ell ke p t in spite o f t he l o n e l i

-

ness A f a ith f u l m an a n d his wife are i n

.

ch arg e w ho kn o w it is fo r th eir in terests t o be

,

careful and n o t t o t alk t o an y c h an c e visitor .

They h a ve k eys t o th e l o w er part of th e b uild

in g b u t t o th e u p p er s tory n o one h a s ever
,

bee n adm itted s a ve th e mas ter a n d som e

friend s w ho c om e here once in three m on th s
,

fo r a c ou p le o f d a ys al way s at th e ti me o f t he
,

f u ll moon T hey h av e d one th is fo r a l m os t

.

th irty fi v e y e a rs I n this time the m aster h as

-
.

s eemed t o age m uc h f a s ter th a n th e years

sim p ly w o u ld wa rr a n t S om e s ec re t an xi e ty.

h a s disq u ieted him S o thin k s the a ged se r v

.
 NI NE T EEN T H C EN T URY . 65

i t o r, a nd s ays n ot hin g w h i c h is m os t discreet

,

in him .

T o n igh t is o n e o f th eir regul ar meetings

-

Drivin g up from t he n ear e s t r a il road st a tion ,

seven old men com e to th e h ouse a n d bei n g ,

a d mitted t o the lo we r p art o f th e b uildin g are ,

wai ted upon by t he servi n g m an and his wife ,

as th ey h ave d one m an y times before Th e .

roo ms bel o w a re com fortabl e an d embra c e a ,

s i t tin g room a d inin g roo m a n d kitchen w ith

-

,
-

seven bed ro oms S mall n ee d h o wever o f

.
, ,

th ese l atte r fo r guests wh ose best work m ust

be d o n e wh en o th ers sleep .

T he u p p er part o f th e h ous e h a s in it s cen ,

ter t w o room s o f n e arl y eq u al size se p arated

, ,

b y a p ortiere o f e m broidered sil k h eavy w ith ,

gol d t hread B etween th e walls o f th e h ouse

.

a n d th e in ner roo m s is a passageway o f a bo u t

fiv e fee t w ide compl e tely s urroundin g th e m
, .

Th ere is b u t o n e door Op enin g o u t of th is pas s

age in to th e inner ro om s ; th e partition w all
w a s t h i c k of b ri ck an d unpier c ed by an y
, ,

o pen i n g s a ve th e door yet mea n s h ad bee n,

fo u n d fo r ven til a tion More th an th at p re

.
,

ca u tions ha d been t ak en o n th e i n si d e t o bric k

u p u nder th e blin ds al l o f th e wind ows s o th at ,

w h a tev e r se c re t th ese roo ms h e l d was l ikely

to be s o h el d u n til t he end o f time .
 A WI T C H OF T H E
W h e n th ey h ave fin ish ed t h eir s upper an d
a re read y ,
th e m ast er takes a key fro m hi s
pocket and O penin g by a conce al ed pan el in
, , -

t he wal l t he l ock Of a door h e ap plies h is key ;

,

the he a y y do or swings wide open T h e S ev en .

sl o w ly ascend th e s tairs t o th e upper s tory ,

w here th ey find themsel ves in th e h a ll w a y

alre ady me n ti on e d a few s tep s fro m th e do o r
,

le a ding i n to th e i n ner rooms .

A t the Master s tou c h th e d oor slides n oise

’

lessly open a n d th ey a l l en ter Th e room is

, .

pl ainl y fu rnished t here is a ro un d tabl e 1 1 1

—

t he center and c om fortable a l 1i l c ha 1 1 s fi n is he d -

in cane o n a d a i k fram e s tand a 1 o u 1 1 d it

,
.

H e 1 e th ey take th eir seats in so me s 0 1 t O f p

a rr a nge d order Th ere is b u t a w ord o r t w o
.

and th ose in the q u ietest a n d m ost even tones .

N o t hin g bu t a p erfe c t h arm ony between ea c h

m em ber c ou ld h ave bro ugh t abo u t a h elpf u l
condi ti o n for th e exercise Of pot ency n o ma t ,

ter for w hat purpos e .

T he ro u nd table is O f ebon y inl aid w ith rich ,

woods in s ome my s ti c desig n an d divi ded int o ,

se ve n segmen ts Over th e cen ter a t s ome five

.
,

feet a b ove th e tabl e h an gs a c r y stal g l o b e ,

fro m wh ose i n terior gl o w s a l u mino us cen ter .

T his brillian cy modified by th e medi u m

,

th ro u gh wh ich it s hon e sh e d s a s t e ady radia n c e

,
 N INE T EEN T H C EN T URY .

O 11 all th ese m en o f un m i takable pu rpos e and

s

in s c r ut a b l e s tr a nge kn o wledge
, .

A s we l ook at them t he v every one sho w

,

th a t th eir pl an s once form ed are rarely d i

verge d fro m b u t pu shed t o t he e n d regard l ess
,

o f any person al s n fi e rin g o r pain Th ey are

.

gray h aired and th eir l o n g beards are wh ite

-

, .

F o r y e a rs th ey h ave trod th e m y stic p at h .

T hree are d octors in m os t s uccess ful practice .

On e is a divin e k n o w n th ro u g hou t th e w orl d

,

fo r h is persuasive p ul pit oratory T w o are

.

professors in ins ti t u tio n s Of learnin g w h ose ,

si g n atu res u p on the books th ey n o w and t hen

giv e to th e w orld s t a mp t he w ork i n th e sci
,

e n t i fi c and l i t e ra r v w orld a s au th o rity T he .

seven th is a m agn ate in t he b u siness world ,

wh ose associates and th e world at l arge d e em

gi fted with th e cap o f F ortun a tus H is career .

h as bee n m os t m arvel ou s H o w lit tle d oes the

.

c a rel ess h appy gO l uc k y w orl d O f o urs kn ow

,
- -

O f th e inner mystery t h e caref u lly co n ce a led

,

life o f th ose w hose s u c c essful e ffects on l y are

p erm itted t o th e gaze O f all beh olders T o .

w homs oever d a res en t er th e c h am ber o f in itia

ti o n is p ermitted accordi n g t o his c o u r a ge an d ,

th at Only .

I t h a s bee n de monstrated bey ond a d o u bt

th at t o s u c h me n wh en keepers o f the h oly
,
( 38 A WI T CH OF TH E

pl aces a great d e a l O f th e my stic th o u gh t O f

,

the p rese nt d ay is d ue by which every body is

,

impelled in a greater o r less degre e t o seek t o ,

k n o w s ometh i ng o f the U n seen an d I n t a n gi

bl e w hi c h i s th e only real
,
.

Before goin g 0 1] w ith o u r st ory we m u s t

m ak e On e o r m ore expl a natio n s — t h at is whil e ,

t hese men were a pp a ren tly abso rbed in t he

calls of the o ut e r life t hey n eve r fo r o n e mo
,

men t l e t go O f th e th re a d O f th e in n er a n d b y ,

th eir u nited p u rpose in inves tigatio n d em on

s t ra t e d bey o n d d ou bt several qu es tio n s o f be

wildering perpl ex ity t o th e a vera g e min d On .

this present meetin g th ey were to receiv e an

ans w er t o a p robl em they h ad wai ted y e ars t o
sol ve b u t we will le t th e s tory ex p l ain itsel f
,
.

Th e ton es O f t he speakers h a d gro wn l o w e r

1 n d l o w er a nd t h ei r words farth e r an d fart her
,

a p art u n til t he chim e O f a cl o ck s ol em n as

, ,

the n ote O f a cath edral bell h an gin g o n t he ,

w a ll Op posite th e Master s pl ace pro c l ai me d ’

th e qu a rter h o u r H is q u ie t v oi c e t hen s a id
-
.
:

Le t the b rothers n o w cl oth e th e msel ves in

“

”
t he a pp a rel O f th e order .

A t t his ea c h mem ber Of th e c ir c l e app roach ed

,

th e w all o f th e room and from se c re t ca bin ets

,

dre w l ong w h ite robes w ith fl owin g sleeves a

, ,

g irdle fo r the w aist an d a ligh t squ are m us

, ,
 NIN E T EE N T H CE N T URY . 69

l in h e a ddre ss als o with flowin g side pi e c es

,
-
.

A s e ac h don ned his insignia h e ret u rned t o

h is p l ac e q u ie tly and w i th a s little s tir as th e
,

s oft m urm ur o f th e s u mmer ze p h yr amon th e

g
l e a ves O f th e grove .

On t he girdle O f each was a s y m bol wrough t

int o a c ry s tal sph e re h a n gi n g pend an t b u t o n ,

the headd re ss O f h im w ho was chief th ere was ,

a seven p ointed s tar in w hic h the p l a v o f

-
'

c ol ors w a s as vary i n g a n d vivid a s th e corrusca

tion O f a di a m ond .

A few m omen ts more O f silen c e in which ,

t h e tic k in g o f th e cl o c k w a s li k e the blows O f

a tri p h am mer a nd then the E lder B roth er
-

s p ok e. T he d a y fo r wh ich we h ave in
“

p a tie n c e con te n t ed o u r s oul s is h ere M ay t he .

W isd om o f t he A ge s gu i d e u s a nd p rote c t u s ,

an d m ak e us poten t T u rn in g t o his l eft

.

h an d h e m ade a c h allen ge ; this w as a n s w ered

a n d repe a ted u n til it re tu r n ed wh en ce it c a me .

T his i n t r i—form th ri c e re peated w a s foll o w ed

, ,

b y a sign o f manifes tatio n Th en a l l risi n g

.
,

cl a s ped h a nds a n d p rofes s ed u ni ty Th e n

,
.
,

w ith th e h ands c l a s ped as i n th e Old E gy p ti a n

,

rite t hey c overe d thems el ves with t he inv o c a

,

tion a nd adj u r a tion O f th e u nspe a k a ble .

T his o p en in g wa s fol l owed by the us u al

ro u tin e o f re c or d kee p i n g a n d t he re p o rts O f
-

,
70 A WI T C H O F T H E

the o u t c ome o f experime n ts goin g 0 1 1 a ll ove r

th e worl d in I n d i a i n C en tral A merica in
—
, ,
.

the m ou ntai n s o f A fgh anistan in E gypt an d ,

A byssinia .

B u t n ow th e clock chime d the begin n i n g o f

t he last q uarter b efore l o w t wel ve T h e E ld e r
B roth er m ade the sign of attention ; at on c e
every ey e w as fixed u p on him A s o n e m a n .

they s tood up a n d ste p ped t o t he righ t O f t he

,

se a ts th ey o cc upied ; then with lik e precision

,

as o n e th ey fol l owed him l eadin g t he w ay t o

, ,

th e h eavy c urtains Of the arch wa y be tween th e

t w o rooms A s th ey approach th e c urtai n s
.
, ,

seemingl y o f their o w n accord parted at t he ,

c en ter an d slo w l y O pened A t th e co mmen ce

.

m en t Of th e moveme n t we are describin g a l o w ,

h u m h ad be c om e a u dible in creasin g r a pid ly in

,

en e rgy and l o ud ness a nd as th e c u rtains were

,
'

s wept aside it becam e a l ong dr a wn n o te o n a -

m in or key sobbi n g an d th robbing with t he

,

s orro ws o f t he race I t was t he appe a l O f pr o

.

j e c t e d potency t o the powers O f th e h u m an

sou l o n th e li n es Of c on s train t m ost resis tl ess
, .

A t th e sam e time th rough ou t both th e room s

there fl oated a p en etratin g p erf u me e x hil a ra t ,

ing al mos t t o intoxication a n d u n d er w h ose ,

e ffect th e limiting w all s Of h u m an en v iron

m e n t s e emed t o f ad e a w ay A dded t o th is w as
‘

.
,
 2 A WI T C H O F T H E
an d s h i m m ere d li k e a p ol i sh e d m irro r T he .

l u stre of re fle cti on w a s s oft a n d p o werf u l

wh erev er i t fe ll upon th e l i vin g F ro m t he .

c e i li ng a gl o b e o f cry stal m a i n t a i n e d i ts e q u i
p oi se With o u t v i si bl e m e a n s o f s u p p ort I t .

wa s ev i d e n tly a s o u rce o f ligh t b u t i t d i d n o t

,

y i el d it i n th e s am e wa y a s a n ord i n a ry l a m p ,

fo r n o glare p reve nte d its be i ng d is ti n c tl y

seen i n th e u niv e rs a l ly d i ff u s e d li g h t c om in g
from n o w h ere i n p arti c ul ar .

O n o n e s id e o f t he room wa s a c i r c le a b o u t
fi v e fe e t in d i a m e ter in c l osed by a tri pl e c i r
,

c u m fe re n c e o f re d wh i te a n d b la ck T he
,
.

o u te r circ l e wa s bl a ck a nd t he i n n er red
, .

T h e form a n d col or sy m boli z e d th e i r b eli e f

th a t d a rk n e s s a n d s il en ce h el d all an d th at ,

fire wa s th e c re a t iv e e n er gy ; t o t hi s w a s d u e
al s o th e col or o f th e arteri a l b l o o d o r l ife o f
th e b o dy T h e i nteri or o f th i s circl e i n i ts
.
“

w h ole a rea re s e m bl e d th e gro un d g l a s s o f a

,

p h otogr a p h i c c a m era Ov er i ts s u rfa ce form

.

less sh a d o w s w ere m ov i n g i n a m e a su r e d
rh yth m corre sp on d in g t o th e p u l s ati ons o f
,

s o u n d c ol or a n d fragr a nc e n o w m a n ife s ti n g
, ,

th e ms elve s s o in t e ris e l y t o t he p ers on a l s e n se .

U p on th i s s e p t u m a re re fl e c te d th e se c r e t
re cord s o f th e H a ll o f L e a rn i ng
“
Wh os o .
”

h as th e k e y c a n re a d h ere i n th e th i n gs of
 N INE T EEN T H CE N T URY . 73

th e pa s t a n d t he fu t u re fo r are n o t th e se part
,

o f th e a s tr a l re cord s — th at d i v i n e m e m ory
w h i ch re m e m bers all th in g s b ot h th e ev il ,

a n d th e good ev e ry j o t o r title fo r ' arm i c ex

,

p iati on i n th e a ge s t o com e ? B u t let h i m

w ho a tte mpts exp l ora ti on o f t h i s fi el d tak e
h e e d t o h i m s el f l e st th e ev il d e ceiv e h i m by
,

a p p e aring t o b e go o d fo r o f s u ch is its n a t u re
, .

On t h e opp os i te si d e o f th e ro om r u n ni n g ,

t he wh ol e le ngth wa s a h igh ly p ol ish ed ma

,
-

b o g a n y table inl a id with s ilver On t hi s

, .

re s te d a m os t i n tricate arrange m ent o f w ire s .

w h e els a n d el e ctri c m ulti pl iers T h es e w ere .

a ll ev i d e n tly co nn e cted w i th a g l a s s c a s e c o n
t a i ning am a gnifi ce n t g a lv a nic batte ry Ov er .

t he ce n te r o f t hi s c u ri o u s m e ch a ni s m ag a in s t ,

t h e wall was a l arge d ial li ke a cl o c k face

,
-
.

A v ery gro te s qu el y c a rv e d fram e o f e b o n y

s u rro u n d e d t he d i a l th e w h ol e re pre sen tin g
,

th e E gyp ti a n s ym b ol o E ter i ty a s erp en t

f n —

w i th its tail in its m o u th T h e re w ere fi v e .

h a n d s e a ch e n d ing i n a serp ent s h ead w ith

,
’
,

b rilli a n ts fo r ey e s T h e u s u a l circl e fo r th e
.

h o urs an d m in u te s wa s i n th e ce nte r Ou t .

s i d e o f t h i s w ere th e m on th s a n d d ays a n d o n ,

an o u ter c i rcle s till w ere n u m b ere d years

fro m o n e t o t w e n ty fi v e A t a mo me n t wh i ch
-
.

w e a re n o w d e s cri bi n g th e h an d s i n d i c a ted
,
74 A WI T C H O F T HE
five min u tes b efore twelve o c l ock o f th e l a s t ’

d a y o f th e twelfth m onth o f th e t w e n ty fi ft h -

ye ar Th ere wa s n o t th e s m a ll e s t p ar t o f th i s
.

s uper b m e ch ani sm b u t w h a t w as o f th e m o s t
perfe c t fi ni sh a n d h ighes t p ol i sh .

B u t i n th e ce nter o f th e ro o m o n a rai s e d ,

d ais a t a n angl e o f forty fi v e d egr e e s s o a s t o

.
-

b e i n f u ll v i e w w a s pl a ce d a c a s ket o f gl a s s
,
.

W i th i n i ts cryst a l w a lls re cli ne d a m a i d e n o f

w on d erfu l b e au ty H er h air of th at ri p pl i ng
.
,

l ustro u s gol d a b o u t wh i c h p o e ts a n d a rti s ts

rave fl o we d a b o u t h er n e ck and s h o u l d e rs a
.
,

g re at a
,
m b i e n t fl o o.
d o f c olor re fl ecti n g b a ck .

th e s oft b ri lli a n t l igh t o f th e ro o m fro m i ts

,

g l oss y w av es A. r obe o f foam y ti s s u e c o v

ered h e r s a v e w h ere th e b a re arm s a n d s h o u l

,

d ers ro u n d e d a n d f ull s h o w e d th e ir ex q u i si t e
, ,

an d s t a t u e s q u e pro p orti on s S he l a y w i th .

cl os e d e ye s a s i n sl u m b er .

Th e seven adv a n cing sl o w l y a n d d e coro u s ly

a rr a n ge d th e m sel v e s e vi d e n tl y i n s t a te d
places e ac h s t a n d i ng u p o n a di ffere nt i nl a i d
,

s ym b ol u p on th e fl o or O nce ag a i n t h e y
.

j oin e d h a n d s i n th at m ys ti c i n ter cl a s p o f
u nity On th e in s t a n t th e m u si c i n c re a s e d
.

i n its i n t en sity ; i t b e c a m e a s p o k e n sp e l l a ,

v oi c e d inv oc a ti on an d a ll th e c orre s p on d e n
,

ci e s we re adv a n c ed i n th e s a m e rati o I f .
 N I NE T E EN T H C EN T URY . 75

s o ul s ca n b e c a lle d b a ck from wh en ce th ey g o ,

th ey c ert a i nly c o u l d n o t resi st th i s appeal .

A nd n ow a s tr a nge th in g h a p p e ne d Di m .
,

s h a d o w y form s fl o a te d th ro u gh th e room i n ,

d i s ti n ctly p e rce iv e d T h e n ca m e the sh u d

.

d eri ng th rill by w hi ch al l p h ysic a l b ei n g in

'

v ol u n ta ri ly te sti fi es i ts a ll egi a n ce t o th e
u n se en a n d spiritu al passi ng th ro ugh e a ch
, ,

p ers o n p re s e nt .

T h en h e w ho was M a ster s p ok e an d a s h e ,

d i d s o t he sev e n p oi nt e d star o n h i s foreh e ad

-

flas h ed and fl a m e d a s i f m oved b y an i n ner i n

t e l l i g e n c e b el o n gi n g t o its elf al on e T hese .

w ere h is w or d s
“
B roth ers o f t he eter n al an d mys tic n u m
ber we m eet at l ast fo r th e fin al veri fi cation
,

of th e gre a t c entral i d e a W e s hall soon

,
.

kn o w wheth e r the so u l dom in ates th e bod y

th ro u gh t he i nfinite a ges T he h and o n th e .

dial a p p roa c h es t he f u ll ti me wh e n th e t wen ty

fi v e y e a rs s h a l l b e compl eted si nce in this ,

ro om my belo v ed d au gh ter o f h er o w n free

, ,

will p ass ed fr o m a nest hesia t o s us pen ded a n i

,

m a ti on D uri n g th is qu a rter o f a century the

.

b ody h as been p reserved in ta c t from th e p o w er

o f ' eb C h ro n os th e Destroyer
,
I t is n u
.

to u c h ed by th e moulderin g d e ca y w hi c h h a p
pen s t o gross m ort a lity Ou r s k il l and her
.
76 A WI T C H O F T HE
a c quies c ence preser v es t hi s ph y si c al form t o u s
thi s d ay be a u tiful a n d p erfe c t a s a t th e m o
men t wh e n sh e s o willin gly o ffered h ersel f as
a vol un teer expl orer i n th is u ntried a nd d a n
gero n s ad van c e in t o th e d om ai n o f th e U m
k n o w n S c ience Th u s far ou r ex p erimen t is a
.

s uc c ess W e are n o w t o l earn from t he act u al

.

wh e t h e r th e spirit c an re en ter th e body at -

w ill A re we ready ?
.
”

T he sages bowe d l o w as o n e m an an d th ei r ,

v o ices a s o n e v oi c e replied ,
“
I n th e n a me o f th e T hre e t he F ive t he ,
.

Seven w e a re ready , .

Th e h ands o n the dial o f th e gre at clo c k

m oved sl i g htly Th e tw e n t y—fi v e ye ars w a s
.

finish ed and th e lid of th e casket fle w ope n '

,

T h e occ u pan t m oved opened her ey e s — bl u e ,

as th e sap p h ire s o f S t J oh n s vision — an d .

’

s p o ke H er v oice was n o n o f m o rt a l c a d en ce
.
,

an d see med li k e an a n s werin g c h ord t o the

m u sic wh ich h ad n o w c eased A silence fo l .

l o w e d a s profou nd and as far fro m al l m ort al

,

th ings as li g h t is f ro m darkn ess I t was th e .

silence w hi c h l o uder th an the s even th u n

,

ders s p e a k s t o th e s o u l o f u n u t ter a bl e things

, .

Li ke th e m usic o f a dream h er words fal l on

th e inn er sen se th e tru e c l aira u die n c e w it h
, ,

o u t th e n eed o f th e a u dit o r v n erve

.
.
 N INE T E E N T H CEN T URY . 7?

F a th er dear an d my h on ored friends I

, ,

h a ve come back an s werin g v o u r in vocatio n t o ,

ful fill m y o blig a tion un d er o u r m os t s ol em n

c o m p a ct .I an sw e r y o u r u n spoken qu estion
b v wor d as a ction h as alre a d y repl ied
,
I t is .

p os sible f o r th o s e w h o h ave p assed beyon d

t he veil to c om e b a ck t o th e earth form if it i s -

k ep t unsoile d a n d perfect ; b u t o h ' my fat her ,

it is n o t d esira bl e fo r t he s o ul w ho h as pro
g res s e d s o t o do T h e y o uth o u tgro ws
. t h e

s w a ddl in g b ands o f in fa n cy I f th is is tr u e
.

o f the ou t e r manifes tati on ho w m u c h m ore s o ,

i s it o f t he s p irit u al grown a part o f its gar

men t o f clay ? N e ve r vol u ntarily will the , ,

s o ul d escen d agai n in to i ts o ld o u t gro w n ,

-

prison h o u se
-
.

'
T he n e w b od y o f th e pe rfe ct reve aled t o
t he wise on e s u nd er th e s y m b ol o f t he R esu r
rection will be as s p irit u al an d perfe ct as the
,

s oul ,
a gro w th f rom w ithi n o u tw ard ly th e re ,

v erse o f the m an ifest ati o n n o w kn ow n t o you r

person a l sen se as phy s ical gro wth F are w e l l .

,

d e a rly bel oved un til v o u releas e d als o fro m

, ,

fe tters o f c la y s hall meet m e i n the e t er n al a n d

,

u nd yi n g I adj u re y o u by th e d readfu l word

W
.
,

o f p o w er t o let m e g o
,
’
ith all th e spiri t
.

for c e I h a v e a tt a ined d u rin g thes e years o f s o

j o u rn b e v o n d th e veil I WI LL th is d u st t o d us t
.
.
”
 A WI T C H OF T H E
A s these w o rds vib rated o u t in fi rm c lea r
,

t on es a cl o ii d of fine ash es fel l back i n to t he

,

c asket c overin g the wh ol e s urfa c e o f th e b ot

,

t o m and l eavi n g a gl orified sh ap e th at fl oated

,

o u t in to th e room and w a s g on e .

U pon th e faces of th e seven c am e a l o ok o f

r e lief as when one h as graspe d th e s ol u ti on
,

o f an in tricate problem . Only u pon th e co u n

t e n a n ce o f th e M a ste r appe a re d a u gh t o f
cl oud as if i n th e c up o f s u cces s there re
,

mained a si n gl e drop o f th e bitterness o f th e

w aters o f M arah Sh e h a d be e n h is d a u gh ter
.

an d companion i n all his s t udies un til the fatal

d ay whe n inspired by en th u siasm w ith th e
, ,

sel f devotio n pe culiar t o h er s ex sh e h ad

o ffere d h erself as a su bj e c t fo r t his da n ge rou s
,

an d,
as i t pro ved fatal exp ri men t
,
e .
80 A WI T C H OF T H E

titled th em t o th e privilege of as kin g a n y u n

n ece ss ary o r person al q ues tio n s in regard t o
m atters that were w h olly p rivate I t is tr u e .

there is n o pl a c e o f c once al men t eq u a ling a

l arge c ity fo r its co mpleten ess B u t t he serv
’

ants said he h ad not been q u i te ri gh t s in ce h is

wife d ied and h i s d a u gh ter dis appeared T h e
.
.

roo ms th ree i n n u m b e r — s i t ting ro o n i li br a ry

A -

, ,

—
and slee ping ap artmen t were as w e h ave ,

al ready s tated t a steful ly a n d ha rmoni o usly

,

fi tted w ith a s pe c i al regard fo r th e u ni ties an d

m assing of c ol ors and forms Th e y were s c r n .

u l o u s l y cared for b v h is o w n special servan t

p ,

a s o n o f H am o f m os t d ecid ed c ol o r wh ose ,

fidelity kn e w n o d o u bt ; bu t th o ugh o n d u ty
cons tan tly in th e d ay time n o s u m i n gold ,

p aid d own w o uld h av e ind uced h im to pass a

nigh t with in th eir walls .

l —
O e m arse is good n ever was b etter th an
‘

he ,
h e said ; bu t dis n i gga n o b is n e s s w i th
“

w ha t h e kn ows
”
.

B ut c u nn ingly con c ealed from q u estionin g

ey es and tongues in t he s p ace o c c u p ied by th e
,

inn er divisions a n d t he o u tsid e wal l s w a s a ,

s mall room five feet b y seven The en tran ce .

t o th is n o man kn e w save t he presen t o w n er

,

and o cc up a n t H ere daily s ave w h e n th e f u l l

.
,

moon mee tin gs w ere he l d ei th e r t he phy si c al

,
 N INE T EE N T H C EN T URY . 81

or as tral form o f th e M as ter w a s presen t .

A s he s i ts n o w m usin g think in g o f th ings n o t

,

l aw f u l t o u tter e v e n in th e lo w est w h isp er l est

, ,

th e ever m ovin g th ough t c u rre nts o f th e U n i

-

verse tra n spl a n t s o m e p rolifi c germ to a fertile

min d w hich seizin g h ol d up o n su ggested po s
, ,

s i b il i t ie s coul d th ro u gh s elfi sh m a n ipu latio n

, ,

m ake th e w orl d worse the l i ttle c l ock o n th e

,

m a n tel w ith a s weet trill o f bird n ote s a n

,
-

n o u n ce s th e h ou r o f t we lve m idni g h t H e .

rises t h ro w s o ff h is dress in g go w n an d robes

,
-

h i mself in a wh ite lin en stol e w i th fl owin g ,

sl eeves rea c h in g t o t he floor p u ts u p on his

, ,

fee t a p a i r of gl a s s slippers a nd a bel t o f som e,

d ark flex ible m ateri a l is c l a sped a b o u t h i s

,

w a ist On o n e si d e o f th e room p ainted u p on

.
,

a l arge ta b l et o f i v ory is a f u ll l e ngth portrai t

,
-

o f th e l ovely girl w h o h a s gon e hen ce in t o the

sil en t w orld H e ap p ro a c hes it t o u ches a

.
,

sprin g a n d th e w h ole tablet o p en s in t o th e

, “

roo m dis c l osin g t he s e c ret c h amb er al re a d y

,

men tione d A t th e in s t a n t o f O penin g a bril

.

l i a n t ligh t fl a sh e d o u t relievin g a pr e v ious

d a r k ness T he fl oor is o f gl a ss th e w a lls a re
.
,

c onstr u c ted o f pl a tes o f m etal i n som e ord er

of sequ e n c e c on tin ue d th rou gh th e w h ole
series I n t he f u l l ligh t t hey sh ine w ith a
.

p olis h u nd i mm ed by the ac tion of th e a tm os

82 A WI T C H OF T H E

p he re The ro of wa s arched in an el i ptic a l

.

o u tli n e I n th e ex a c t c en ter was an e a sy ch air

.

o f gl ass stan d ing o n a gl ass pl atform raised

, ,

f rom th e fl o o r l ev el by a singl e s te p b u t th e
-

sea t b ack a n d arms o f th e ch air w ere u p ho l

,

s t e re d in w h ite sil k .

Th e M a ster stepped in to the room th e pan el ,

door as if c l osed by invisi ble h a nds s w u n g

, ,

s oftly t o a s h e ad van c ed to th e c h air an d s e a te d

him s el f E very step h e m ade o n t he p o l ish ed
.

floor w as atte n ded w i th c u rious c orru s c ation s

o f ph osph orescen t ligh t and res on an t cra c kle ,

as if o n e w ere w al kin g o n a th in m etallic s u r

face wh ich yi eld e d t o th e press u re o f th e
w eigh t W he n se a ted d i re c t l v b e fore him
.
,

fi xed in th e w all w a s a circul ar metal mirror

, ,

th ree feet in d i am eter m a d e of an am a l gam ,

c ov e r ed with gl ass kn o wn t o th e wise ages , ,

an d ages a go H e fix es h is eyes upo n th e mir

.

ror an d th e p o w ers o f h is m ind d r a w at once

,

to w ar d h i msel f a ll th at bel on gs t o h im
,

h i t herto sc a tter ed t hro ugh all th e ch an nel s o f

U nivers al com m unicati o n Over t he fa c e o f .

the m irror co mes an i n tense bl ackness wh ich ,

c om pl etel y o bs c u res i t I t w as as if th e m ir .

ro r ha d fo r the time been en tirely rem ove d

, ,

f ro m t he w al l Th is sl o wly br e a ks a w a v u n
.
,

folding from the cen ter ; th en as th e s u rf ac e

 NI NE T E EN T H C EN T URY . 83

becom e s v is ib l e o n ce m ore six forms are seen ,

c l e arl y m irrore d up on its s ur face A t firs t in ,

dis tin c t t h ey fi n a l l v com e o u t c l e arly d e fi ne d

,

on th is wo n de rful tre ssel board Th e faces -

.

are th ose of th e my s tic broth erh ood w ho

“
,
’

( rd in ter i m meet th u s o n
, the as tr a l pl ane fo r
c on s ul ta ti on T h e sign o f greeti n g is ex
.

ch an ged th en th e M a s ter asks a udi bly :

, ,

“
W h at kn o w y e m y b ro th ers o f in teres t t o
, ,

”
t he visibl e brotherh o od ?

Th en an s were d o n e o f t he for ms h is v oi c e ,

s o und in g as if far o ff an d yet e v e rv w ord fall

,

ing cl e a rly upon the inn er s e n ses

R ej oice w i th me my broth ers ' Th ere h as
,

co me to th e s ch o ol with w h i c h I am con nected ,

a y o un g girl wh ose m ystic p o w ers are o f th e

m os t p ron ou n c ed ch ar a cter T his I alrea d y .
,

per c eive F ro m tim e t o time I wil l i n form

.
,

v o u o f w h a t sh e m a v d evelop which m a y seem ,

s uit a ble fo r o u r pu rpose I s t his in accord with

.

”
y o u r views my bro th ers
,
?

Th e ans w er B e i t as y o u say wa s st a rt
,
“
,

l i n gl y d i s ti n c t .

A c h ange o f fe at ure was al s o discer n i bl e 0 1 1

th e f ac e o f ea c h a ligh tin g up as if with e u
—

t hu s ia s t ic e a rnestn ess Th us was E lsie d oomed

.

t o trials fro m w h i c h no th i n g b u t th e ac quired

s tren gth o f p re v i ou s in ca r n a tions co ul d p ossi
84 WI T C H O F T H E
bl y d eliver h er Other m a tters w ere dis cu ssed
.

before th is session cl osed b u t a s th ey w er e n o t

,

rel ev a n t to o u r story we w ill n ot lin g e r t o

,

des c ribe m at ters whi c h are s u re n ot to bring

good to the w orld in their ultim a te o u t c om e .

S o let us ret urn t o o u r h eroin e.

 N I NE T EEN T H C EN T URY .

C H A PT E R X .

LSI E S’
pre p a r a tio ns h a d b e e n d u ly m a d e ,

a nd w h e n th e s ch o ol s electe d op e n e d i ts
s ch ool y ear s h e e ntered h erself u p on
,

i ts r os ter of st u d e n ts .

U n u s u al ly brigh t a n d gifte d s he a t on ce ,

a t tr a cte d th e atte n ti o n o f h er tea ch ers an d ,

e s p e ci a l ly o f o n e o f th e m os t s t a i d a n d dig
n ifi e d o f th e p rofe ss o rs w ho b egan evid e ntl y
,

t o s e e k h e r frie ndsh i p i n a q ui et u n d e m o n ,

s t ra t i v e way T h ere w ere n o s u gge sti o n s

.

w h a te v er o n th e l o we r plan e n o r a nything ,

e v en o f th e s l ig ht e s t t o w h i ch sh e co u ld o h
j e c t o r t a k e u m b r a ge ; b u t th ere w as a wa ll o f
s o m e k i n d w h i c h pre vente d h er fe eling free
to wa rd s h i m .

A s th e m on th s w en t o n an d s h e b e c am e in
t e re s t e d i n h er s t u d i e s a n d a cc u s to m e d t o t he
,

ch a ng e fro m th e freed om o f h om e life sh e -

fo u n d h ers e lf very m u ch attr a cte d b y s om e o f

th e lin e s o n w h i ch th e p rofes s or wa s c o n s id
ere d a n a u th ori ty .

T h e m o r e s h e s o u gh t t o k n o w th e m ore s h e
w a s a tt rac te d t o w a r d s th i s p a rti c u l a r i n str u o
to r. I t wa s a ls o a f a c t th a t th e s u bj e c ts d is ‘
8 01 A WI T C H O F TH E

cus s e d r e la ted t o th e u nsee n a n d wer e o f t he ,

cla ss o f w hich t he or d i nar y m an d i s c l ai m s a l l

kn owl e d ge w h atev er B u t th e p rofe s s or i n
.
,

h i s te ach i ngs s e e m e d a l w ays t o s p e ak i n t he

,

pre s e nt an d o f hi s o w n p ersonal kn o wl e dge

, ,

giv ing ne w life an d a d d e d z e st t o th a t w hi ch

i s u s u all y call e d a v ery dry s u bj e ct .

F in ally th re e o r fo ur o f t he cl a s s w ere
s i ngl ed o u t for s p e cia l i n str uc ti on ; w h y t he ,

rea d er b y th i s ti m e c a n pro b abl y m a k e a go od

g u e s s . T h i s s p e ci a l c l a s s met t h re e ti m e s a

w e ek a t the profe ssor s h o u s e i n a l i ttl e cl a ss

,
’
,

ro om op enin g o u t o f th e p rofess or s s t u d y ’
.

T h e h o u rs o f m e eting w ere at th e firs t s e t i n , ,

t he e a rl y e v e nin g a n d from b egin n i ng to e n d

,

o f the six m on th s w h i c h e n d e d s o p e c u li a rl y

an d un exp e c t e d ly to th e p rofe s s o r th ere wa s ,

n oth in g on th e p h ysi c al pl a ne t o w h ich t he

h igh e s t p urest ch i va lry o f th a t pl an e c o u l d

,

ta k e exc e p ti ons o r c a lu m n y brea th e a w hi s p er

,

o f sl a nd er ag a i n s t Th e c l a s s con s i s te d o f
.

fo u r yo ung la d ies all i m p res si bl e o n th e

,

ps y ch i c pl a n e .

N one w ere m ore s e n si ti v e th an E lsie b u t ,

w h ile a l l s e e m ed t o p oss e s s th i s gift th ere ,

w a s a di fference i n th e m anifes ta ti o n a s w ell

a s i n the c ap a bi li ty fo r i n d u c ti on w h i c h e ac h
m a nife st e d B u t E l sie b esi d e s h er u n u s u a l
.
,
88 A WI T C H O F T H E
i n th e ac c o mplish m e n t b y w h i ch ma n b e
co m e s a go d .

R igh t h ere a d i ffe re n c e th a t h a d b e e n w id e n

ing as th e i n s tru c ti on s w e n t o n gre w s o
ma rk e d a s a c t u a l ly t o d e l a y th e pr ogre s s o f
th e c l a s s P art o f th e mem b ers see med t o
.

l ose i n a d e g re e th ei r d e sire t o progre s s ; a p a rt

b e c am e ca re le ss o f t he d rill th a t w as a b s o
—
l u t e l y ne c e ss a ry if th ey p ro ce e d e d i n f a ct ,

a l l s e e med disc on c erted b u t E lsi e w ho gre w ,

m o r e a n d m ore fe a rl e s s a s sh e gr a s p ed m ore
a n d m ore f u ll y th e k no w l ed g e th at li es be hin d

th e v e il Th i s c on d i tio n wa s th e res u l t o f
.

d irect re sis tan ce from th e k e e p ers an d g u a

d i a n s j w ho li k e th e fl a m i ng s w ord o f G e n e s i s
, ,

k e e p o ff th e ti m i d a n d w e a k B u l w e r te l ls u s
.

of a d we ller o n th e th re s h ol d and a ll w ri t
“ ”
,

ers w ho w ri te from kn owl e d ge a l wa y s in ti

m a te wh a t m a y b e ex p ected b y th e ex p l ore r
i nt o un t r i e d region s .

T h e re w a s al s o a sing u l a r d i ffere n c e be t w e e n
the a cti on o f E lsie a n d h er co m p a ni on s i n
p a s s i ng in to th e h ypn oti c s t a te H er a s s o .

cia tes a ll see m e d t o s u rre nd er p a s s iv el y t o th e

g u i d a n ce o f th e m a s ter w ill wi th o u t v ol i tio n
-

o f t h e ir o w n a s o n e s u b m i ts t o be blin d fold e d
,

a n d l e d by a n oth er B u t E l si e s i m pl y b y
.
,

the force o f h er o w n w ill a ppe are d t o c on s e n t

,
 N INE T E EN T H CEN T U RY . 89

or co m pl y wi th t he re q u e s t of th e M a s ter ,

a n d w h a tev e r s h e d id o n th e p sych ic plan e

was w i t h th e f u ll se n se o f s el f con sc i o u sn e ss
-

T hi s e x p lanation se ems n e c es sary in vie w o f

w h a t foll owed T h e o l d profes s or o fte n
.

l o ok e d s te ad i ly a t h e r in a s ort o f da ze d a y*

b u t w h a tev er h e sa w h e d i d n o t confi d e t o
a n y on e els e .

T h e wh ol e cl as s h a d s o pro g re s se d in th e
l ang u a ge o f th e sil e nce th a t th e a ct c o m
,

m o u ly k n o w n a s th o u g h t tr a nsferen ce h a d be
c om e a n al m ost p erfe ct occ urrence an d th e ,

v i s i ble p res e n ce w a s n o t n ee d e d fo r kn owl e dge

( fli e a c h oth e r .

Th e secon d year o f E lsie s school term h ad

’

cl osed brin gi n g com m e nd ation an d h on or t o

,

h er as a n ex c ept i on al an d brill i an t s tuden t .

Sh e retu rn ed t o h er W ester n h o me fo r t he
l o n g v ac ation .W e m us t n o w t urn o u r
th o ugh ts to th e o th er a c tors in th is o e r tru e
’

t ale.
 A WI T C H OF THE

C H A PT E R XI .

Wlet
O ,
ret u rn t o th at l onel y h o use
us

which we h ave before des c ribed in t hese

pages I t is again tim e fo r th e reg u l ar me et
.

i n g o f th e terrible seven I t is dee med d e s ira

.

ble by th e compan i on s th at th ose w ho h a v e

’
been under t he p rofess or s t rain in g s houl d be
s u m m on ed t o t he a s se m bl y Th e room in .

wh i c h we saw at o u r l ast visit th e casket an d

t he m achiner y for n otin g th e l apse o f time h as ,

been rem ove d and in its pl a c e stan d n o w on a

,

h alf ell ipse seven ch airs th ree o n each side of

,
—

the p resid in g broth er I n t he focu s of th is

.

c u rv e stands a h u ge globe o f gl ass th ree fe e t ,

i n d iam e ter restin g in a set o f br a zen c l a w s

, ,

whi c h bear it al oft from th e floor Other t ha n .

th ese n o f u rnishin gs a re visibl e s a ve a squ are ,

bl o c k o f polish ed onyx j u s t b e yond th e gl ob e ,

risin g a bou t t w o feet from t he fl oor T h is .

bl o c k h a s a queer tri c k o f ligh ti n g up an d th en

.

b e co ml n g d ull ag a in a t the s a m e tim e e mitti n g

,

a l o w m u si c a l n ote whi c h i s all very ni c e per

, ,

h ap s b u t gives a pe c ul iar sens a tion u p a n d

,
’
do w n on e s s p ine w h en w at c h in g i t and a feel ,

in g th at w e mi g h t be prep a re d to ex p ect al
 N INE T E EN T H C EN T U RY . 91

m os t any thin g else to follo w this premonition

Th ere w as an oth er cu rio u s circumstance
abo u t th e ch an ge th us m ade in t his room I t .

was only o n e o f m any wh i c h h a d take n place

there from ti me t o time and ye t n o m aterial
,

o f a n y kind h ad ev er been brou g ht here by

v isi ble m e an s since the su mmer wh e n t he me

cha n i c s ha d finish ed seal i n g th e upper story
fro m th e ou tside w orld ; neit he r h ad th ere been
an y a rtisan s i n t he bo d y w ho h ad sough t a d
, ,

mission from th e keeper sin c e t ha t tim e C c .

c a s i o n a l l y betw een th e ful l m oo n perio d s h e

-

h ad th ou gh t at tim es there were sig n s of mo

ti on n oises etc in these my ste rio u sly cl osed
, ,
.
,

room s b u t s a gel y reasoni n g th a t it w a s n o

,

con c ern o f h i s he wisely kept silen c e an d

, ,

made n o inves tigation B u t wh atever th e seve n

.

will ed to be d on e h ere w a s al ways s u rely d o n e

,
.

T h e p relim in ary ex er c ises h a ve been finish e d ,

an d t h e seven a re seated in th eir orde r a cc ord

in g to t h e ir n u m bers Th e ligh t previously
.
,

m e n tion ed i s elev ated an d pier c in g

,
.

T he pres idi n g b roth er t ur n s t o th e professor ,

a n d s ays :
“
Le t us c om me n c e ; y o u m ay O per
ate and w e w il l a ssis t
,
.T he h a nd s a re folded
”
,

th e c h in dro p s u p on t he bre ast an d a sile n ce,

i n w h ich th e p uls atin g of th e bl ood i n its fl o w

th ro u gh th e h e a r t be c omes an au dible s ou nd ,
92
'

A WI T C H OF TH E

presses d ow n cl oser an d cl os e r N o m oti o n .

,

no t even the b reathi n g gave the sligh test ,

token th at th ese were other th an statues .

A t the fi rs t as s u m p ti on o f th is posi t ion th e ,

great glass gl obe seemed t o c l o u d up a little in

its in terior ; t he fil my mistin ess becam e thic k er
an d thicker m oulding i t sel f in to hum an f o rm
, ,

’
un ti l th e l ike ness o f o n e o f E lsi e s fel lo w s t u -

de n ts above the wais t w a s visi bl e appear ed as

, , ,

if imprs io n e d in this h uge sph ere W hen t he .

figure h ad be c o me f ully d e fined a voice c l e a v , ,

ing the silence as t he bow o f the s hip cl e aves

th e w aters s aid : ,
Tak e t l i v place as a free
“

so u l and ans wer as th o u s ees t

, .

H a rdly h ad th e w ords m ad e th e msel ves a u di

bl e wh en th e fig u re dis appearin g from th e
,

gl obe stood at fu ll l en gth on t he p e d es t a l o f

,

ony x a mis ty gr a y drap ery falling fro m t he

, ,

sh ould e rs t o th e feet H ere st a n d in g quite

.
,

,
w —
s till the Sin La c c a ans ere d qu es tions n o t o f
her o w n voli tion n or o f her o w n kn ow l e d ge ,

b u t f ro m s u ch perception as c am e to her on
th e a s tral pl an e w h en th u s lib erated from th e
body a n d in ful l c ontact wi th t he astral cu r
,

ren ts A t l as t th e s h a d ow y for m wa s d is
.

miss ed a n d a t once fad e d o u t int o n o th in g

,

n ess I n a si mil ar m a n n e r o n e a fter anoth e r

.
,

a l l the members o f t h e cl ass w ere c a lled an d ,

 N IN E T E EN T H C EN T UR Y . 98

tll respo n d ed w i th a s ingle exception N o r .

d id t he re s eem to b e a ny pa r t icular d esign o r

pl an in th e calling save th e ex perie nce o f th e
,

e xperi m en t fo r n othi n g o f im p ort w as c o n

,

v e y e d by e i th e r qu es t io n o r a nsw e r .

B u t n o w m in u t e s elapsed a n d n o sign o f
s u b s tan c e appeare d eith er w i th in th e glo be o r
o n th e o ny x p e d estal Th en su d d e n ly throb
.
,

bi n g i n the in tense si l en ce comes a m u si c al ,

s o u n d s uch as we h av e mentioned on ce before .

Th e n o te o f vibratio n i nc re ase s in i ts ex pre s

sion o f p o wer gro w s stron ger an d stronger
, ,

a n d s till t he re is n o r e spon se an d n o w th ere ,

c o m e s a su d den h ush : w ord s seem to fo r mu

l ate t h ems elv es i h th e air word s o f a w f u l

—

m e a nin g I t is s u c h an adj u ration as th e a n

.

c ien t re c ord tell s us J es us th e C h rist t he So n ,

o f G o d co u l d
,
n o t resis t b u t obe y ed ,
H ardly .

h ad th e w ords ceas ed to tre mble o n th e a ir

wh en a pi ll ar of c lou d re s ted o n th e pe de s tal
o f ony x n o t c omin g as the oth e r s h apes ha d
, , ,

t h ro u gh th e g reat gl o be b u t d i s d ai ni n g bonds
, , ,

ha d f ulfilled its o b l ig a t i on T h e cl oud s lo wly

.

s e t tl ed i nto th e p ro p orti on s o f a ta l l m aj es ,

t icall y formed ma n
-
w h ose pre sen ce c oul d
n ever be mist a k en fo r an y less t han th e Mas

t e r it w as N o s oon e r h ad it becom e fu lly

.

v isibl e th a n w i th a l ook o f s te rn n ess upon its

,
94 A WI T C H OF T HE
fa c e an d eyes th at s c i n tillat ed l ike burnin g
,

c oals taking i n to i ts gl ance see mingl y the

, , ,

eyes o f al l t he s eve n at once i t u t tere d a sin gl e

,

prol o nged w ord T he s o u n d w as s tr a nge an d

s

m ost w eird in its e ff e c t ; it wa s n o t l o ud ,

bu t w as a s pier c in g an d d is tin c t as if it h a d
b een I t h ad a rem ote cad e n c e b u t w as as
.
,

for c eful as if pron oun c ed n e ar at h and T he .

e ffec t of the sou n d was s tartin g l y w ond erful .

fo r o n th e in stan t th er estood b eside each ch ai r

a form si mil ar t o th e o n e a t eas e i n th e c e n ter
W
.

“
hy h a ve y e disquiete d me t o brin g me
h ither ? H ave y e forgotten t he ter m s of th e
compa c t w ith w h i ch ye w ere obligated in th e
G reat Temple o r are ye o f m i nd t o fors w ear
,

y o u rselv es ? Y e k n o w wh ats oever th e neo

phy te o r th e in iti a te may p erceiv e o n t he
a s tral pl an e beca u se of th e lim it ati on s m ay be ,

reported t o wh o m th ey w il l ; b u t n oth in g n o t ,

even th e sm a l lest j o t or title on c e given in

,

c harge o f t he H ieroph an t can ever b e c o mmu

,

mica ted Y e h ave erred in th at y e h ave f a il e d

.

t o seek wisd om w i th y o ur u s u al discretion .

B y th e oblig a tio n of th e B ro th erh ood I de ,

mand rel ease from th e p o wer o f y o u r wil l s ,

wh i ch these m an y d a ys h as been oversh ad o w

ing me ; o th erwise will th e p en ality o f th e vio
l ators o f com p a ct rest u p on y o u .
96 A WI T C H O F T H E

C H AP T E R XI I .

T h ad bee n a warm d ay in th e early p ar t

o f A ugus t an d E lsi e h ad bee n h elpin g
,

h er m o ther ab ou t th e h o useh ol d d uti es ,

for w h en a t h om e sh e ne v er all ow ed h e r
m oth er t o traverse al on e th e n ecessary ro u n d
of rou ti n e w ork tha t p ertai ns t o every h o me .

They were n o w as ever compani on s E lsie s

, . .
’

sch ooling inste ad o f p u tting he r beyon d h er

mother h a d onl y increased t he d au g ht er s
,

a ffection Their rel a tionshi p h ad be c om e like

.

t hat of tw o sis ters on ly E l sie t o ok th e pl ac e

,

o f the elder .I t was very be a u tif u l an d th e ,

b es t o f it was its reality T here w as n o n e ed

.

o f any preten ce wh atever b etween th es e t w o .

Th e d ay o f w h i c h we spe a k h ad brough t with

i t m ore t ha n th e u s u al a m o un t o f ca res as th e ,

s u mmer days often w ill t o th e farmers wives ’

an d d a u gh ters W h en n i gh t c ame th e res t of

.

s leep was m ost wel c ome t o al l .

/ h

Th e li o n se ha d been fi ni sh e d accord in g t o'

t h e original pl an E v er y th ing abo u t i t h ad

.

b een w ell b u il t a nd o f th e best materi a ls o h

-

t a in a b l e
. T he farm w as k ep t u p to i ts h igh ‘

es t p oin t o f pro d u cti on ; it n o t only f u rn ish ed

 NI NE T EE N T H CEN T URY . 97

a living b u t a c onst a n tly in creasi ng s ur p lu s

,

th at by its pru d e n t investmen t had m ade

, ,

T h om as H ol mes a mem ber o f the most inde

penden t cl ass ih th e worl d a weal thy farmer
—
.

N or h ad th e weal th flo win g t o the m in any

sense made the m pen u rio u s fo r u n o s t e n t a ,

t i o u s l y th eir h elpful h ands ligh te ned th e bu r

den s o f t he sick a n d s u fferin g all abo u t them .

N one h ad bitter w ords fo r th em T heir w arm .

frien d s we re many a n d tr u e .

B u t beca use th e o l d h om estead h a d been

f ull y complete d E lsie s ch a m ber was in the ’

se c ond story o n the n ortheast c or n er I t was .

a l a rg e s q u a re ro o m a n d d i a g on a l l y o pp osi te
, ,

fro m h e r p a re nts ro o m i n t he s o u th w es t c orn er

’
.

O n th e nigh t o f w h i ch w e n o w sp ea k s ome ,

w h a t f a tig ue d b y th e d u ti e s o f th e d a y s h e ,

h a d re tir e d e arl y A s sh e di sro b e d th e ligh t

.
,

cf th e fu ll m o o n i n t he e as tern sky f ull y

-

l igh te d h e r ch a mbe r T w o larg e wi nd o w s .

'

wi t h i n s i d e blind s l o oke d t oward th e e as t

,
.

O n e o f th e w i nd ows o p en e d n e a r th e h ea d
o f th e b e d b u t th e bli n d s were cl os e d a l
, ,

th o u gh th e w i n d ow i t s elf was op en ; b u t th e
o th e r n e ar th e fo o t o f th e b e d a d m i tte d
th ro u gh t h e op e n bli n d s th e ful l l igh t o f th e
“

m o on E ls i e fin a lly h a vi ng p u t awa y o r
.
,

fol d e d u p th e d a y s b el ongi n gs l a y d o w n
’

,
.
98 A WI T C H OF TH E

i n th o u gh t th ankf u l ly fo r th e e x p res s i o n o f
,

B u t t he fe e li n g o f fa tig ue a t th e firs t p oss e s s

, ,

i n g h er ha d v ani sh e d an d a fe eling o f q u i e t
,
.

s elf p osse s s i on ha d c o m e in i t s p lac e S o

-
.

s h e l a y l ookin g at th e m oonl igh t a s i t refl e ct e d

a g a in st th e b ackgro u n d o f bl a ckn e s s b e yo nd .

S u d d e nly a l u m i n o u s form s e em e d t o d i s e n
t a ngl e i ts e lf fro m th e li g h t a n d a p pro a c hi n
,
cr

a fe w p ace s towar d E ls i e s ai d ,

“
T here are th ose w ho d esir e k n o w l e d g e ,

re ckless a n d careless o f h a rm t o th e e Th ey .

w ill s oon call th ee W h a t s o e v er t he p a st

perm its w ill be d on e T h o u h a s t n o n e e d
.

o f fe a r fo r th e b on d o f o bligation is t w o
,

fol d i n i ts op er a tion I t a ls o restr a i n s w h il e

.

i t i m pel s ; n o b roth er c a n h arm an oth e r wh e n

on c e h e i s ma d e kn o w n a s s u ch R e st th o u .

fre e o f a l l i n fi rm i t i e s o f thy p re s en t in c a r
nation fo r th y pre s en t form w ill i n n o s e n se
,

ha m p er t hy a cti o n ; m ore over th e ti m e ha s ,

c o me w h e n th e strength o f th e i n c a rn a ti on
on t h e ph ysi ca l p l an e will s t a n d th ee i n
g oo d ste a d fo r t he r e inforci n g o f th a t w h i c h

h as n o w co m e t o th ee o u t o f the cen t u ri e s .
”

E l si e ac c u sto m e d a ll her l i fe t o s tr a nge

,

o cc u rrences w a s n o t e v e n st a rtl e d b y t h is d i s
,

pl ay a lth ou gh n o t com p reh e n d i n g i ts f u ll i m

,

p ort a nd t o th e q u ie t a s s u ring t on e s re pl i ed
, , .
1 00 A WI T C H O F T HE
W h a t its adve nt u res were we have d etaile d ,

i n a pre v i o us ch apter .

W hile thes e events were transpirin g a th u n

d e rs t o rm w as b roodi n g in th e s ou th wes t an d
its l o w m u tterin g gro w l h ad a wakened th e
,

m other wh o crossed over into E lsie s room t o ’

,

se e if all was ready t o receive th e co mi n g

storm A s sh e steppe d ov e r th e th resh old
with h e r eyes fixed o n th e semi d ar k n ess in -

w hich th e d au gh ter l ay sh e percei v ed w ith t he

,

qu i c k in t u i tion o f a sensitive th e ray o f l igh t

attached to E lsie s brai n H ardly h a d th e
’
.

sigh t bee n realized w h en a tall m aj estic fi g u re ,

appe are d over the slee p er fo r j u s t an in stan t

, ,

s topped s mile d kindl y upon t he m o th er wh o

, ,

fel t a s trange c ordial u pliftin g u nder t he ih

,

fl u e n ce of t he recognition Th e n the figure .

seem ed to dissolve into th e sin gl e t h read o f

ligh t wh ic h n o w did n o t ex ten d b e yo n d t h e
c h amber w all an d fin ally was in dra w n i nto th e
,
.

sl ee p er A l l th is took pl ac e far m ore r a pidly

W
.

th an it c an be w rit ten hen t he m oth e r

.

reached th e sid e o f th e cou c h an d ben t over t he

d augh ter he r bre a thin g h ad gro wn d ee p a n d
,

n orm a l a s l ig ht fl u s h ov erspre a d th e f a ir fa c e
, ,

and a littl e m oist u re u p on th e foreh e a d w a s al l

th at gave a n y t o k e n o f the sy mpathy o f th e
'

physi c al in th e a wf ul stru ggl e o n th e u n s e en

 N I NE T EE N T H C EN T URY . 10 1

p l a n es in w hich th e u n willi n gly su m m o n ed h ad

a n s wered th e obligation th at forever binds ,

i n d fr ustrate d ev il be cau s e s e l fis h in t en t bei n g

,

a b le so t o d o 0 11 acco un t o f the acc u m ul ati n g

,

s o ul forc e o f t he m i h ty E w i spiri g
g g o n o n n
-

t h is pers onal ity .

T h e good m other w as en ou g h o f a p roficien t

in th e und ers tanding o f hidden th i n gs as n o t
t o be startle d at th e visio n n o r t o s e e k t o wak e
,

E lsie fro m h er s ou nd sl eep S h e m oved qu ie t l v

.

a bout th e room mak in g everyth ing s a fe

,

a g ai n s t t he s torm which n o w bl i ndin g fl ash

,

up on fl a s h wi th a con ti n u o u s peal o f th u nder

, ,

s pread o ver the wh ol e sk y w h ile gre at rush es

,

o f wind in equ al g usts sh ook the house to its

fo u nd a tions T his w a s the dire c t res ul t o f th e

.

u n bal a n cin g o f vi b ratio n s by the i n terj e c tion

o f the po we r o f the h u m an wi l l as m an i fested

a t th e p oi n t where th e seven were met . The

c h al len ge the reply a n d th e sh ort sh ar p co n
, ,

flic t h ad ch an ged pol a ri ty an d upset vibrati o n s ,

c ul min atin g i n the s torm sweepi n g s o violent l y

a n d r ap idly from the s o u th we s t to the n orth

e as t al ong th e d ire c t t ra c k p u rs u ed by th e
j ourn ey i n th e a s tr a l form .

M a n littl e re a lizes ho w far th e torn ad oes

a n d cy c l o n es up on th e e a rth are d ue to his
fren z ies o f p ass i on e moti on a n d sel fish desires
,
1 02 A WI T CH OF T H E

b ut th e n fail u re to pe rce l v e i t d oes n o t dest ro y

,

t he tr u t h o f th e fact Th e vibration of a sin

.

gle thou g h t m akes its mark o n the s u rround

ings ; ho w m u ch m o re then wh en th e re is a n y
, ,

degree o f c on c en tr a tion o r u nited a c tion ?

I n the m or n in g t he storm h ad s u bsided an d
l eft i ts freshen in g f o rce on all th e s u rrou nd
in g s E lsie c a me d o w n to brea k f a st happy an d
.

c h eerf u l as u s u al b u t in c lined t o be a l i ttl e

,

a b se n t minded H er m oth er rallied h er a n d

-
.

her fath er j oked h er a ll o f w hi ch sh e took

,

in the kind spi rit it w as in tended and fin a lly ,

s ai d
“
Mother I h ad a s tran ge d r e am l a s t nigh t .

I n d eed s ai d th e m other s u p pressi n g he r

, ,

curiosity ; b u t t ho u rt al way s h a v in g d reams

’

E lsie ; wh at w a s th ere q ueer a bo u t this ? ”

“
I t seemed so re a l replied t he g i rl ; it
,
“

can t b e sh aken o ff try as I w ill b u t it is j u s t

’

, ,

as s tro n g o n my mind as a ny th i n g th at h ap
pen ed yes t e rday ; b ut I ll tell it to y o u a n d y ou
’

,
’
ca n j udge but I c a n t give y o u any id e a ho w
,

real it seem s t o me .

“
I t seemed as i f I w as my s e l f a nd yet s om e ,

body else very m u c h older a n d stron ger th an I ,

and th at I was s tandin g in my room upst airs

wh en I heard some o n e a t a di s tan c e ca ll m e .

I t was n o t by th e n a m e yo u c a ll me b u t some ,
1 04 A WI T C H O F T H E
t h is p oi n t s h e l ost t ha t impelle d ap pe a r a n c e ,

an d w e n t o n m ore l ike h erself

A ll this happ ened a t th e same tim e w ith
‘

my j ourn e y and i n a gre a t deal l e ss ti m e th a n

,

I a m telling it it w a s accomplis h ed Li k e a
,
.

ch ange i n d ream s I saw a h ou s e w h ich I e n ,

t e re d N o s oon er h ad I d one th at th an I fel t

.

as if s ome inv isible m antl e w as th ro w n a b o u t

m e w h ose e ffe ct wo u l d b e th e l oss o f my o w n
,

will power I n d i g n a n t an d d e term in e d I

'

-
.
,

I m y u tm o s t force i n resi s tan c e and freed ,

mysel f fro m th e d a nger m en acin g m e a n d as ,

I fel t my sel f th u s fre ed I fo und I was s tan d ,

in g o n a p l atform o f s om e c u ri ou s m arbl e in
wh ich th ere w e re d a rk bl o o d y l ines r u nn i n g
,

th rough a g roun d o f a s oft fl es h c ol or N o t -

.

only d id it h a ve t he tint b u t i t als o ha d t he ,

warm t h o f th e l i vi ng fl esh a n d the pe c u li ar ,

magneti c sensation al wa ys fel t t o a g re a ter or

less d egree i n th e to u c h o f th e h u m a n bo d y .

I t w a s t o a l l in ten ts a s if I w ere s ta n d ing o n

some b o dy N o soon er h ad m y feet to u ch ed
.

th is th an a th ril l p as se d up w a rd from th em t o
my h ead g ivi ng m e a s el f p osses s i on a n d a s
,
-

s u r a nce an d p erfe ct free d om from fear Be .

fore me in a h al f circl e s a t se ven pers on s A s

-
.

I l ook ed at t he m I s aw t h ey were a ll w ise a nd

,

s trong B u t o n th ei r l o ng w h i t e robe s b l a zed

.
 N I NE T E EN T H C EN T URY . 1 05

a fiv e p o i nted s t a r w ith t w o p oi n ts u p a n d
-

o n e p oin t d o w n I k n e w by th is th a t th ey
.
‘

h a d p ervert ed th eir gi fts an d wis d om t o s elfis h

p ers on al us es an d th erefore h a d becom e
, , ,

Bl a c k Magicia n s .

“
S t a n din g s t r et c he d to m y ut mos t h eigh t I ,

p r on o u n c e d som e w ord t ha t I c a nn ot n o w re
c a ll A t th e s ou n d o f i t e a ch o f th e s e ven
.
,

ste ppe d o u t o f th e i r b odies a n d be came a s I ,

w a s I th e n m ad e a s p e e c h t o th e m I ca n
. .

feel th e th rill o f th e w ord s I s ai d n o w — h ere

a v isi ble sh u d d er p asse d ov er her only I “

d o n t re mem ber w h a t th ey were B u t th e

’
.

seven d i d n o t s e e m t o m a ke a n y o bj e c t i on ,

only a ck n o w l edging w h a t I s a i d t o be true and ,

th e n I d on t rem e mber a ny th i ng u n til I fou nd

’

my s e lf on ce m ore i n b ed a nd d ay ligh t sh i n ,
”
i ng in i t all seem e d s o re al
,
.

Pe rh ap s it was lass s a id th e m oth er

, ,
”
I .
“

am n o t s u re if t ho u rt in th e b ody a l l l ast
’

n igh t o r n ot .

T h e f a th er s a id n a u gh t b u t p on dere d al l ,

th e m o r e d ee p ly .
1 06 A W I T C H OF TH E

C H A PT E R X III .

H E N the va c a ti on wa s o v er E lsi e ,

wen t b a c k t o s c h ool t o s pen d a n ot her

two ye ars T he profes s or o f w h om w e h av e
.
,

spok e n d id n o t h a v e ch arge o f h er cl a sses in

,

an y s t u d y o f these latter years of th e cou rse .

s o sh e did n o t come s o cl os ely in con t a ct w i th

h im B u t th ei r rel ation s t o ea c h oth er seem ed

.

ch anged fo r th e o l d m an l ooke d up t o h er
,

w i t h a qui e t d efere n ce w h en e v er th ey c h a n c ed
to m e e t N o r w as th ere any a ttemp t m a d e t o
.

ren e w th e ol d m e etin gs o r eX pe riin e n t s I t .

seeme d as if th ere we re a tacit u n d e rs tan d in g

t o p ut th e ma tte r awa y by a l l wh o ha d th ere
,

ess ay e d t o try t h e ir fligh t into th e a wf u l re

g ions an d s h a do ws o f th e u nseen .

Th e re s t o f h er c ou rse w a s u neven tf u l u n til

'

th e C om men c e ment ex ercises B eca use of he r .

a bili ty h er meritor i o u s cond u c t an d h er

,

s c h ol a rly r e cord sh e wa s m ade the v a l e d ic

,

torian o f he r c l a s s H er p ap e r h a d bee n c are

.

f ull y p r e pa red a nd had been a pprove d by t h e

W
,
’
fa c u l ty I ts s u bj e c t w a s
. om a n s F reed om .
”

T he day ha d c o me with all i ts h opes and

fe a rs a nti c i p a tions an d realities T he cl a ss
, .
.
108 A WI T C H on TH E

h e a r t he c on c l u d i n g w o rd s and fro m th a t ,

ti m e to t he end o f th e disco u rse h er stro n g ,

fl exi b le ton es filled th e w h ol e h all w ith th eir

cl e ar bird like u tter a n c e s
,
-
.

T he fi rs t fe w s e n te n ce s w ere re a d fro m h e r
p ap er b u t h ere la ying h er p a p e r u pon th e
,

s mal l re adi ng s t a n d o n th e st a ge s h e s e em e d ,

t o go o n fro m m e m ory H er st a te men t o f t he

.

e nth r a ll men t o f p a rt o f th e ra c e d i ffere nti a t e d

,

fro m th e oth er p art fo r p u rpo s e w a s s tartli n g ,

in i ts e arn e s t p ortr a y a l a n d p a th e ti c in its d e

tai ls I t wa s th e s k e tch in g o f a m as ter h a n d
. .

T e a rs a nd sm i l e s a ltern a t e d i n th e au d i en ce ,

an d oc ca sion a l l y t he h o u s e sh o ok w i th th e
u n wonte d th u n d ers o f appl au s e N eve r i n a ll .

th e h i s tory o f t h e ins ti tu ti on h a d s u ch a n
e v e nt o c c u rre d b e for e .

Pi ctu re th e sc e n e ; a h a ll c ro w d ed u n ti l
th ere w a s n o t s tan d i ng room ev e r y o n e l i s
-

te ning a s if life i ts elf d ep e n d e d o n ca t c h i ng

every i n to nati o n ; u p o n th e s tage a girlis h
figure fro m w h o m a s fro m a m a st e r i n o ra
, ,

tory p o u re d a stre a m o f fie ry el o q u e n c e ple a d

, ,

in g fo r h er s ex , th e m oth ers w i v e s a n d s is ,

te rs w h o m th e v i br a tion s o f t he lo w e r o n t h e
ph ys i c a l p l a ne h a d c r u s h e d i nt o s l a v ery w ith
o u t i ts privileges o f re s p on si bil i ty Th e e s s a y .

o f a s c h o ol g irl h a d be c ome b y s o m e s tr a n g e
-

,
 NI NE T E EN T H C EN T URY . 1 09

t r a nsm u t a ti on , th e or a ti on o f a w on d erf u l in
te l l e ct
. I n cl os ing s he s a id
T he d u tie s w h i c h m a ke up th e liv e s o f th e
m an an d th e w om a n a re complem e nts e a ch o f
,

th e oth e r ; th ey a re a l wa ys o n th e s ame p l a ne .

A s w e w ho a re h ere pre sent a re n o w A meri

c a ns s o we th e s a me e gos w ere i n th e l ong
, , ,

a ge s o f th e p a s t A t l a n t i a n s E gy p ti a ns a nd ,

E as t I nd i a n s A s w e a ll a re n o w ei th er m an
.
,

o r w om a n , so h a v e all o u r egos in th e pas t

b een s u b j e c te d t o th e d iscipline o f b oth form s
o f m anifes t ation . W
ho sh a ll s a y th e n t o , ,

t he w e a re r o f a w inter o r s u mm er d ress th a t
th is o r t h a t is i n feri or w h e n bo th s erv e,

e qu a l l v w ell ? I see in th e n e a r f u t u re a daw n

ing p ercep ti o n o f th e tr u t h th a t the same is
e q ua l t e i tse lf W om a n i s a n s equ al h i s
. m ’
,
”
c o mr a de a n d n o t his inferi or
,
.

Th u s s h e cl o sed w h il e ro u n d a fter ro u n d o f
,

appl au s e fill e d t h e h ous e T urn i ng to h er

‘
.

s c h o ol m a tes h e r w or d s o f in spir a tion h op e

, ,

a n d e n ergy l eft th e ir i m p re s sion u p on every

m em b er o f th e c l a ss an i mpre ss th a t m a de it
,

s el f fe l t th ro u gh a ll s u cc eed in g life .

A d d res s i n g t h e fa c u lty w ho had b een as ,

t o n i s he d a t this s u d d en u n fol d m en t before

t h eir e y es o f occ u l t p o w er sh e ten d ere d th e m
,

i n s uc h fo r m as i t h a d n e v er c o m e before fo r ,
 10 A WI T C H O F T HE
h ers el f a n d fel lo w s th e s in c ere th a n k s o f a l l
,

w h os e gro w th a nd d e vel op m en t th e y ha d
fos tere d .

Th e n th e gre at org a n p e a led fo r th e clos in g

an th em ; th e au d i e n ce w a s d ism i s s e d A s .

E lsie sto o d ch a t t i ng wi th h er f a th e r m o t h e r ,

an d s ome o f h er fri e n d s while wa itin g fo r t he

,

great cro w d to di spers e s everal s tr a n ger s ,

so ugh t intro d ucti on to E l si e .

A m ong thes e were a wi d o w l ady a n d he r

so n ,
a yo ung m an o f s o me t wen ty th ree ye a rs -

o f age . T h e m other h erse l f a w orker i n t he

,

ca u s e o f w o m a n s in d e pen d en ce ca me t o
’
,

th a n k E lsi e fo r h er b ri ll i a n t a ppeal t o th e j u s
ti ce of the w orld fo r he r sex .

Th e yo u ng m an s h o ok h a n d s 0 11 b ei n g i n
t ro d u ce d a n d a q u i c k fl a sh i ng gl a n ce p a s s e d
, ,

fro m ey e t o e ye The i ntro d uc tion i n th e

.

o u ter wa s a c co mp l ish e d b u t th ey h a d n o nee d

,

i n th e re al a n d inne r fo r an in trod u c tion .

A g a i n wa s Dic k e ns aph ori s m p rov e d :

’
A nd “

th us ev er by d a y a n d n igh t u n d er the s u n
, ,

and u n der th e st a rs clim b i ng t he d u s k y h i lls

, ,

and t oil ing a l on g th e w e ary pl ain s j o u rn ey i n g ,

b y lan d a n d j o urneying by se a c o m i n g a n d ,

going s o str a ngely t o mee t a n d t o act an d re

a ct o u one an oth er m ove a ll res tl e s s tr av elers
,

t hro u gh th e p ilgri m a ge o f lif e .

”
1 12 A WI T C H O F T H E
in a modified w ay but they were n o t s u rp r i se d
, ,

fo r as a frie n d s aid : Y o u m igh t a l w ay s ex

“

p e c t E lsie t o be queer al,th o u gh sh e is a s n i c e

”
a nd good a girl as ever l ived . Th is was th e
u nive rsal testim ony Th us s h e h eld he r s t a
.

tion bel ove d by a ll doi n g th e d u ties th at lai d

, ,

ne a res t h er
.
 NI N E T E EN T H C EN T URY . 1 13

C HAP T ER X I V .

N a few came a n ote from Mrs

d a ys .

C l e n ha m repea t ing h er i n vitati on and

, .
,

fixin g the time fo r t he l a s t o f A ug u st .

A s there w as n oth i n g t o p reve n t an d he r

,

paren ts ha d n o o bj e c tio n o n l y a l i ttle feeli n g

,

o f l o s s i n h aving he r a way from h o me E ls 1 e

'

,
'

a c cepted the inv i tatio n an d o n th e a ppoin ted

,

da y took the cars fo r R Mrs C l en ha m s .

’

r e s i d en c e w here th e deligh t ful situ ation o f t he

'
,

h o u se a n d groun ds l ocated with i n s igh t o f th e

,

ever m oving l a k e brou g h t t o E lsie a n e w sen

-

s ation w h i ch w as very e n j oy a bl e i n d eed .

Y o un g M r C l e n ha m was very attentive

. .

There w er e l on g c arri a ge d ri ves and m oo n -

ligh t sail s in a tri m l ittl e y ach t and readi n gs and

,

ta l k s o f m orn i n gs i n th e l i brary o f th e ma n
sio n . I t was a ne w experi en c e b u t on e wh ich ,

sh e r e ceive d easily a nd w it h o u t co n fu sio n fo r

, ,

gre a t so u l s are n o t easil y dis co n i po s e d by th e

a cc ide n ts of t he ou ter l ife b ut assi mil a te ,

readil y th e ir a llote d qu ota w ith o ut regard t o,

th e rem a inder .

I n th i s in s tance th e c o u rse o f tr ue l o v e fo r
o n c e seemed a b o u t to ru n sm oothly A fe w
,
.
114 A WI T C H O F T H E
day s before h er v i sit w as to te rmi n at e th e th r e e ,

were sitting in th e libr a ry Th ey ha d b een .

t alki n g o f th e p re historic conditio n s o f t ha t

p a rt o f th e c o un try and w onderi n g w h a t its
,

f u t ure wo u ld be Th e ful l m oon sh on e in

.
,

sending a bri lliant flood o f ligh t th ro ugh t he

l ib r ary wi n d o ws .

A s it h app en ed th e th ree w e r e sittin g in a

,

tri a ngl e thro u gh th e bas e o f w h i c h ca m e th e

,

m oon l ight strikin g t h e floor abo u t th e cen ter

,

o f t he figure E l sie s p osition bein g a t th e a p ex

’
, ,

th e s o n t o th e right an d th e moth er t o th e
left T hro u gh the windo w c o u l d b e s ee n th e
.

ex p a n se o f th e gre a t l a ke w h ose s u rfa c e , ,

kissed by th e d a ncing even in g ze p hy r bro k e ,

up in to th o u sa nd s o f f ac ets e ac h refle c tin g ,

the ligh t of th e q u een o f n igh t I t w a s a p er .

feet n igh t E lsie h ad s a id with a gre a t de a l o f

, ,

e a rn es tn ess
W
hy d o th e dead h old b a c k fro m u s th eir
k no w ledge when it migh t be o f servi ce t o u s ?
,
”

T o this sen timent a ss ent h a d b een m a de by

the oth ers wh en f r om a b ove th em i n far o ff i ii
, ,
-

tonati on b u t cl e a r a n d distin ct ca me the w or d s

, ,
'

“
Be cau se the l ivin g ref u se to h ea r th at
whi c h is offered t o the m ”
.

St ar tled a lit tle b u t n o t s urp rise d b ecau s e

, ,

li k e a ll a d v a n c ed m inds Mrs C a n d h er s o n
, . .
1 10 A W I T C H OF TH E

kn o w w h at th e word fe a r me a ns S ay o n .
,

s i r we are a tte n tive t o y ou r m essage a nd w ill

, ,
”
s u rely hee d yo u r instr u c tion .

“
T he gre a t c ity th at s tands o n th e ed ge o f
the wa ters w a s p re c eded by o n e migh tier an d
l a rger th a n th e inh a bitan ts o f th e p rese n t c ity
h a v e ever d re a med o f T o th e n orth al on g th e
.

sea d w el t m any men migh ty in w isdom w ho ,

k new ho w t o u se u n seen elem en tal for c es fo r

t hei r o w n w il l an d ple a s u re W h en th eir sel .

fi s h d esires at l as t brou gh t d isas ter u pon th e m ,

t he y l e ft t he ele m en tal s c h ai n d t o th e sp o t
.
e .

A mon g t he m was a tribe o f p owerful fi re

s p irits These h a ve on c e brok e n l oose from
.

th eir pr i son and m a n y at th a t tim e es c a p ed

,

fo r good and the w h ole w orld k n o w s o f th e

d a mage th ey in flicted Th e rem a inder are .

likel y t o esc a pe from th e ir bond age a t a n y

ti me n o t only i n th e c ity o f D a n b u t in B e er
, ,

sh eba o r any p oin t in the wh ol e c o u n try b e

,

t w ee n T h is city iii w h i c h s o ma ny eleme n

.
,

t a ls h ave be e n c h a ined a n d h a rn e ssed i n iron

a n d steel a nd br a ss so l o n g a s t heir h arness
,

sh a l l repress and h old th e d re a d en ergy o f th e

'

migh ty ones wil l prospe r bu t th eir keeper s

, ,

m u st be care ful a nd v igil a n t or i n an u n re

”

garded m o me n t the fier c e th e mer c il ess wil l

, ,

be in c on trol .
 N INE T E E N T H C EN T URY . 117

N owa s t o th y ow n i m medi a te co n c ern s :

I f th e y o u n g man th y s o n sh a ll desire t o fo l
, ,

l o w t he ph y si c al l a w o f thy s o c i a l order a nd
t ake the w o man to wife i t is well fo r th ey ,

were de a r friends o f th e o l d times T he a n .

c ien t ti es will n o t be broken wh ateve r h appe n s

i n t he o u t e r B u t h e m u s t n o t expect service
.

f rom h er as run s yo ur l a w n o r u ndivided a tten ,

t ion I f he d e s ire s l e t hi m pl igh t his faith before

.
,

s he le a ves th is d w elling t o be s oon follo wed by ,

c o n s u m m ati on T h e n l e t the marriage j o ur

.

n e y b e to w ard th e s o u th we st wh ere som e ,

t h ing o f i m p ort a n ce awa i ts th e m a s o n e o r ,

s he alo n e Ob e v th e la w a n d p e a ce b e th i ne
”
.
,

So s a yin g h e s e e m e d t o b e co me a bs orbe d in
t he m o on l ig ht s ti ll brilli a n tly s h in ing in th e
r oom .
'
1

T he gr o u p m ov e d n o t fo r several min u tes ,

t h e n E l s ie g a v e a l ittle s h u d d er a n d g a sp
'

w i th a h a l f s u p pr e s s e d excla m a t i o n
-

W h y M rs C l e n ha m h ave I b e e n as l e e p
,
.
?
,

B u t I h a d a be a u tif u l d rea m I th ough t I .

a n d sh e p oi nte d
”
w a s s ta nd in g rig ht o u t th ere ,

t o t h e s p ot w h e re th e fig u re h ad s t o o c but “
,

I ha d o n so m e b o d y s d res s t ha t d id n o t q u it e
’

fi t me I s a w s uc h a gre at f u rn ac e o f fire
. ,

a n d i t s e e m e d s o ho t T h e n it s e e m e d a s if I
.

w a s d o w n a m ong gre a t s tret ch e s o f c a ct us ,

118 A WI T C H O F TH E

an d gre e n gro v e s w h ere or a n ge s a n d figs an d

al l k i n d s o f tropic al fruits gre w w il d a n d ,

th ere w ere l a rge bu il d ings s om e o f th e m c u t ,

o u t o f s ol i d s t on e an d I c o u l d se e in to th e
,

m o u n tain s and everyth ing i n sid e o f th e m

,

was a s pl ain a s if i t wa s o n th e o u ts ide I .

cou l d s ee a ls o th e bi g vei n s o f gold an d s i l

, ,

v er a n d o th er m e tal s I t s o u nd e d t o m e a s i f
.

s om e b od y s a id : T h e s e a re y o u rs fo r u s e u n
‘
,

d e r d i re c ti o n W i l l y o u ac ce p t th e tr u s t ?
.
’

B u t before I c ould a n s w er e very t hi n g s e em e d ,

”
t o fad e .

W ell th a t i s as a s toni s hing a s th e re s t of

,

it and Mrs C l e n ha m tol d E l sie w h a t sh e a nd

,
.

A rth ur h a d s e en .

W h a t i s yo u r i d e a Mrs C l e n ha m o f th e ,
.
,

meth od in w hi c h m a teri al izati o n s o cc u r a n d ,

w h y sh o ul d I go t o sl e ep ? I f a n y o f th os e
m ys t e rio u s th ings ha p pen I ge n er a lly d o a n d , ,

l os e th em a ll .
”

“
So fa r a s I h a ve ha d a c h an c e t o i n v e s ti
g ate th e s u bj e ct I b eli ev e a ll w riters o f bo th
,

th e f a r E a s t a nd W es t c o n cu r i t th e s t a teme n t
th a t th e as tral bod y o f th e s ensi tive i s p ro
j e c ted a s plas ti c s u b st a n ce a n d t he s tro ng ,

th o u gh t o r d esire o f th os e p res en t ei th er v isi ,

bl e or invisi ble form s i tsel f th ereon as th e

, ,

l igh t forms its e l f in to a pi c t u re o n th e s e n s i

1 90 A WI T C H O F T HE
I a m m u c h o bl iged s a id E l si e
,
I feel a .

gre a t m a n y thin gs t o be tru e th a t I c a nn ot ex

plain a n d I believ e v o u are ri gh t
,
.

T he e ve n ing before E lsie w en t h om e s he ,

an d A rth ur w e nt o u t o n th e la ke al on e a n d ,

th ere u nd er a u spicio us s u rro undi ngs a nd b e

, ,

cau se th e s tars w ill ed i t th e y p l ed ged th eir

,

m u tu a l trot h a fter t he m an n er o f frien d s w h o

s e e k a l i fel ong co mr a d e sh ip w ith o u t a n y o f
,

th e efferves c en ce whi ch co min g s olely fro m

,

th e p hysic a l b o rn i n a m o me n t d y i ng w i th in
, ,

a n h o ur s o often leaves the h e a rt s bes t affe c

,
’

tion s str a nded fo r th e w h ol e o f the s u c ceedin g

life o n the e arth pl a n e T he v were both o f
-

age ; th ey u n d er s too d th e tr u e m atin g t o b e o f

the so ul a n d th a t sex w as en ti rely a p ro p er t y
,

of th e p hysica l w a s a d ifferen ti a ti o n a m a rk
, ,

set 0 11 C ain th e F i fth R a c e th a t i t sh o u l d n o t

, ,

p e rish from t he earth A l l th i s th ey ac c epted

.

a s an ine v itable l egacy an d n o t as th e begi n

,

n ing an d en d of m arried life I t i s th is l ast . .

V ie w w hi c h m akes it m an s error and w om a n s

’ ’

d ish o n or .

Their co mp ac t w a s h o we ver co n d i ti o n e d
, ,

an d s u bj e c t t o r a ti fi c a tion by t he co ord in ate -

po wers o f both h o u ses .

 NIN E T EEN T H CE N T URY . 121

C HA P T E R XV .

Oobj ection t o th e u n io n w as o ffere d b v

Mrs C l e n h am neith er did E lsi e s f a th e r ’

.
,

o r m o th er l a ter o n
,
o ffer a n y s tren u o u s o b j e c
,

tion W hile t hey fel t th at th eir da ug hter h ad

.

o n eed in th e u s u al m e anin g t o m arry th ey

n ,

l ooked u p on m arri a ge as h on orable and th is ,

view w a s re in for c ed by th eir o w n h appy ex

e rie n ce and th ey were s a tisfied in he r c h oice
p . .

T here being n o impedi men t t o th e u nio n it ,

w as settl e d t ha t th e u nion sh o u ld t a ke pl ac e
’
on Oc tob er 5 1 8 7 6 E lsie s t w e nty fi rs t birth
, ,
-

d ay.

Th a t whi c h w a s needed t o be d one w as d on e

q uietly a n d u n os tent a tio usly T he we dd ing .

t ook p l a ce at the H ol mes h omes te a d Th e

.
’
.

y o un g p e o p l e i ns tea d o f si mp ly s a yin g y e s
,
”

to th e q u es ti on s o f th e offi c i ating clergym an ,

e ac h pledge d themselves dis tin c t l y t o th e ot her

for al l th e d u ties a nd in cid e n ts o f th e life th a t
migh t c ome t o them while th ey sh o u ld wa l k
togeth e r in th is in c ar n a tion H avi n g d u e re .

s pe c t fo r th e l a w th at is th e found ation o f a l l
h arm on y th e i i ec e s s a rv legal fo rm a lities w ere
,
1 22 A WI T C H O F T HE
th e n co mpl e te d an d t he proper a u th ori ty pro
,

n o u n c e d them m an a n d wi fe B ou n d th u s by
.

a n oath t h at ca n no t b e e s c a p ed from except as

i ts c o n di tion s are fulfille d th ey w en t fort h o n

,

thei r w edding tri p .

I n flu en c e d by th e w ord of th eir c el e s tial

visi ta n t th ey were to s p end t h e w in te r in
'

Mexi co an d th i th er l ay th eir j o u rney T h ey

,
.

m ad e t he C ity o f M ex i co t hei r h eadqu arter s .

F ro m this poin t they m a de e x c u rsion s to v a ri

o u s pl a c es in th a t m arvel o u s co u n try a s t heir

fancy dict a ted T he v h ad se cu red fo r th eir

.

guid e an d travel ing c ompanio n an in te l l ige n t

ge n tlem a n a c reole w ho n a t u rall y keen a n d
, , ,

qui ck w i tted h a d been s o m u c h in terested in

-

the h istory o f h is na tiv e l a nd th at he h ad he

come a l most perfectly a c q u ain t ed w i th al l th e
lo c al traditi ons a n d at t he s am e tim e he po s
,

sess e d th a t sy mp a thy fo r o cc u l t su bj e c t s w h i c h
sh o w s th e u n derlying k i n sh ip .

On e d a y M r a nd Mrs Glenh am had been

. .

tal kin g o f th e ru m ors a l way s rife in Me xi c o

o f th e gre at c ity u n a p p ro ac h a ble b u t s o me ,

time s visi ble amon g th e m o un t ain s o f t he

s ou th w es t .

I won d er sai d E lsie if w e c o u l d mak e

“
, ,
“

th a t s e c ti on o f th e co u n try a v isi t ? P e rh a ps
w e c o u l d ge t a dis s olvin g vie w o f i t a n y w a v ,
1 24 A WI T C H OF TH E

A m o n gs t a l l t he n a tive tri b es o f so u th
western Mexi c o is rife a l eg e nd o f a ma gn ifi
c en t city a mong th e m ou n t a in s t o wh i c h ,

strangers are n o t all o w ed t o fi n d acce ss So me .

o f the most d ari n g o f t he n ativ es a s w el l a s a

,

fe w o f the h ar d y scou ts w h o find t he W e s t

and t he S o uth w est s uch g en ial s oil for th e ir
w or k a nd ad ven t u res h ave clim b ed high u p o n
,

t he m o u n t a in p eaks an d fro m th en ce h a ve
, “

vie w ed th e glories a n d b e a u tie s o f a ci ty lyin g

upon a wide s p re a di n g p lateau o r ta b l e l an d ,

wi th an im m ense ro c k te mple on one si d e a

-

v as t l a ke in th e c en ter an d in n u merable b u ild

,

in gs o f ston e a l l sh u t in a n d re n d ere d per

,

fe ct l y in ac c essibl e by an i mmen s e w all o f l oft y

mou n tain p e aks T h e peopl e w ho d w ell t h ere
,

h ave n o p artic ular k n owl e d ge o f th e w o rl d we

k no w nor d esire t o min gl e wit h i t Th os e
,
.

w ho from th e o uter seek ad mittan c e a re

baffled and mi sled i n their e ff ort t o g ai n acc ess .

W he n o n e o f th e n a t ives o f th is ci t y seeks
t o in v estigate th e other p art s o f th e worl d if ,

o v erb orne by h is e a ge r c uri osity h e i s firs t ,

w arn ed wh at th e c on sequ en ce w ill be I f s till .

insisting h e is al l o w e d to go forth and p ro

,

n o u nce u p on him self a sen ten c e o f b a n ish

m ent d uri n g th e rem aini ng p eriod o f his e arth
life u n d er p ledge o f se c re c y as t o his n ati ve
,
 NIN E T E EN T H C E N T URY . 1 25
-

c it y re tu rnin g o n l y w h en the b ody sh o uld be

,

l ai d a sid e T he people w ho d w ell h e re h a ve

.

a tt a ined m arvel o u s k no w le d ge o f the spi ri t

forces a n d thei r u ses o n th e p lane o f m atter .

G o verned by th e fi x ed l aws o f n at u re they a re ,

q uietly w ai ti n g fo r th e time w h en th ey w ill b e

f orce d to ta ke part i n th e rest oration o f the
w ast e pl aces o f th e e a rth a n d th e ir rebuil d i n g
,

a n d thei r u p lif ti n g t o t hat cond iti on o f h a r

m ony an d pea c e d e s igne d by th e I nfinite

th o u gh t .

I t w as to wa rd this city E l sie w a s n o w

c alled in the i n visible and impelle d b y th e
,

a ction o f force s sh e ha d h ersel f s e t i n mo tion

m any t h ou s an ds of y e ars ag o B u t le t u s n o t
.

a n ti c ipate .

T heir pre pa rati on s were fully m ade the ,

p arty c o n s ist in g o f t hree y o u n g me n w ith ,

E lsie a n d he r h us b an d and a h alf d oze n a t

,
-

t e n d a n t s set o u t W h ate ver th e courier h ad

.

d ee m e d n ecessary t o pr o vide fo r th e ex c u rs io n
h e h a d b e en s up p lie d ca rte bl an c h e fo r .

Th ey were t o g o o u horseba c k by e a sy
'

s ta g es w h ile their belo n gin gs w ere carrie d o n

,

b ur ro s th e ser v iceabl e l i t t le d o n keys o f th at

,

c o u n try .

W i th o u t p arti c u la r ar r a n gem e n t th e first

,

s tart w as m a d e s o th a t at th e firs t c amp the

1 26 A WI T C H O F T H E
n ew m o on h ung l o w over th e set tin g s u n .

Their c ourse l ay s o u th o f w est t o wa rd t he

m o u n tain s and mo unt a in o u s c o u n t r y b ord er
i n g o n t he G ul f o f Teh u an tep e c . T h eir d aily
ro u tine w as : T rav el from s u n r i se to th e n o on
’
h o ur t he n a t w o h o urs siest a ; a fter th a t in
, ,

th e l engthen ing sh a d o w s th ey t r a v eled 0 11 n u

,

til a bo ut a h h o u r o f s u nset when t he v w o u l d

,

ca m p fo r the ni gh t .
 A WI T C H OF T H E
regul a rl y l a id o u t i n streets and peo pl e d with
a race w ho ev iden tly knew s om eth i n g a bou t
c i vili zation .

Th e h ouses were o f s ton e an d w ere s u r ,

rou n d ed b y y a rd s i i i w h ich c o u ld b e d is c erne d

gro w ing flo w ers a n d sh ru bs On all sides .

w ere eviden c es o f taste in th e inh a bi t a n ts .

Th e l oc a ti on o f th e city see med t o be in a

v a st a m ph i theatre th at c o uld o n ly be reac hed ,

if at a ll by a l ong n arro w d efi le fro m t he

, ,

west l eadin g i n to th e m ou n tai n s from t he

,

Pa c ific co a s t side F ro m t he size i t migh t b e

.
,

inferred t o c on tain betw een and ln

h a bitan ts .

T aki n g a cc ur a tely th eir beari n gs from a

c o m pa ss th ey wen t in t o c a m p an d w aited
,

e agerly fo r th e d a w n Th eir ap pa ren tly o h

.

ss j o u rney h ad s u d denly re c eived a mig ht

j ec t l e
y
i mpu l se to wa rd a defi nite c on c l u si on .

A t th e fi rst dawn in g th e w h ole c om pa ny ,

wa s a stir a n d a s th e ligh t gre w s tron ger th e

,

fi e l d gl a s s es w ere anxio u sly t u r n ed ag a in upon

-

thi s w o n derf u l spot bu t o wi n g to th e posi tion

,

o f the s u n th e vie w w as n o t as distinct a s t he

n igh t p re v i ous S til l it d id n o t di minish in
.

si ze n o r v anish a s a m irage So soon as b re a k

, .

f a s t c o ul d be finish ed cam p was s tr uc k and ,

th ey s t arted ful l o f h op e o f bein g a b l e to

 N INE T E EN T H CEN T URY . 1 29

rea c h th is w onder o f th e A m erican con tin e n t .

T o th eir s u rprise a n d pleas ure th e d e fi l e s

seem e d to be easi er t o trave l o v er and th e
'

ro ugh nes s of t he broke n w a y s n o t s o tro u ble

some a s th ey h a d been at firs t ; a l l things
seem ed t o h elp them i n th ei r e ffort t o mov e
t o wa r d th e n amel ess ci ty F o r t h re e d a y s
.

th e y advan ced s te a d il y o n th e co urse indi c ated

by t hei r compass wi t h o u t getting anot her
si g h t o f th e pl a ce th ey so ught Mos t o f th e
.

ro u te w a s m ad e a t s u c h l o w level s as t o give
n o furth er ch a nce fo r a d i s t an t V ie w .

On th e n oon o f t he th irteen th d ay fro m th e ’

C i ty o f Mexico th ey st oppe d fo r t heir sies ta

, .

A ll th e m orn in g they h ad bee n traveling

th ro u gh a n a rro w c a non o n eac h s ide o f
,

w hi ch i m p ass a ble rocky b a rriers h eld t hem to

,

th eir co u rse w h ile a s ma ll s tream ran al ong

,

o n e s ide o f the r o ugh a n d ro c k y p a th th a t c o n

s t a n t l y asc en d ed a t an a n gl e o f from 1 5 t o 2 5

degrees N o g re e n th ing gre w here fo r th e

.
,

s u n never re ach e d d o w n i n to its t w ili gh t

d e p th s Th ere was n o attr a ction i n i t fo r m an
.

o r an i m a l an d b esides this w as a feeli n g o f

'

,
’

a w esom e n es s w hi c h even th e s tronges t n i in d e d

o f th e p a rty co u l d n ot sh ake o fl a nd it wa s
,

wit h th e u tm ost d iffi cu l ty th ey c o u ld c om p el

th e att e nd an ts t o m ov e for w a rd ; b u t this th ey
1 80 A WI T C H O F T H E
fin a l ly d i d al th o u gh wi th m u ch cros sin g o f
th e mselve s a n d m u ttered pr a ye rs t o th e vir
,

g in m o th e r fo r safet y a nd help I t wa s a s i f
.

i nv i sible s e ntries h eld th e w a y an d co n s t a n tl y

,

c h allen ged th eir righ t t o pr o c eed A t l a s t t he .

defil e broa d ened o u t u p on a pl ate a u o f s om e

q u arte r o f a n acre in ex te n t H e re o n th e
.
,

farth er sid e from t he en tr a n c e a ble a k p reci

.

pice l ifte d i tse lf squ arel y up b etween t w o a n d

th ree h undred feet I t wa s a bs ol u tely i nac
.

cess i ble ; n o cleft n o r c revic e app e are d i n t he

c old h ard q u artz ; n o r w as th ere s h r u b n o r
,

pl ant t o give v an t a ge n o r h old o n a l l i ts s u r

,

face T o th e righ t an d le ft th e g ro u n d w a s
.

o f s u c h form a tio n th a t th ere w as n o w a y in

s igh t by which th is m igh ty w a l l of rock c o ul d

be fl a n ke d F i om t he j u ncti on o f t he prec i
.

pi c e a n d th e s u rf a ce o f th e p l ate au a stre am
o f cle a r sp a r k l i n g w ater gus hed forth s k irte d
, ,

t he edge an d l os t i ts el f in th e can o n
, .

H ere in a n ab s ol u te s olit ude th e y p rep a re d

fo r rest firs t and afte r consu l t a ti on t o d o
, , .

w h atev er migh t be th ough t bes t Th e s ur .

face o f th e pl ate au wa s a ra bl e ; th ere was q u i te

'

a gro w th o f gr a ss Th e anim a l s w ere ho b

.

bl ed a nd t u r n ed o u t t o gr a ze w h il e th e re,

ma i n d e r o f th e party a fter a l i g h t rep a st a nd

,

in d u l ge n c e i n t heir c ig a ret t es c on c l u d e d t o
,
 A WI T C H O F T HE
ro c k o p e ne d d i s c l osi n g a bro a d p a s s a ge w ay
,

w i th i n an d a t all p l e a s an t faced m a n s t a nd
, ,

i ng a t th e e n trance W h ere h ad she seen him .

b efore ? T h e i mpression o f th e f a ce w a s d is
tin ct b u t wh en ? J u s t th e n a s ensa ti on from
,

th e l o c ket h an g in g o n h er neck recall ed th e

w h ole a n d th e sce n e o f her se venth bi rth d a y
,

i n h er fat her s w oo d l o t S pread before he r m e n

’
-

t a l vision B u t t his w a s f a r m ore s u bs tan t i a l

.
,

an d w ith o u t any o f th e eeri e n e s s of th at well

remem bered scene .

“
Y es it is I in d eed b u t I am n o w in t h e
, , .

flesh an d n o t as th e n i n th e a str a l
,
‘

h e s aid kin d ly in an swer to h er q u ick m ovin g

, ,

th ou gh t W e are m os t glad t o w el c o m e
.

”
th e e t o th e T e m pl e o f the B roth e rh oo d .

H o w sh all I kn o w th at th i s is ri g h t ? d e
”

m a n d e d E lsie .

w a s his re p ly a n d h e u ttere d a
”
“
B y th i s , ,

si n gle syl lable T o th is th e lo ck et a dd e d a

.

sy ll a ble th e bro ther a n oth e r and th e l o c k e t

, ,

comple te d th e w ord .

E lsie seem ed b y s ome re cu rrin g kn o w l e d ge

, ,

t o kn o w th at this w as corre ct a n d w i th ou t ,

hesitation en te red t he gate w h ich close d w i t h ,

o u t noise beh i nd th em B e fore t hem a l on g .

,

broad pass age stretc hed w id e e n o u gh t o a ll o w ,

th e t w o t o wa l k abreas t .
 NI NE T EE N T H C EN T URY 1 33

T akin g h is pl ace by h er si d e he said : Y ou ,

“

h a v e b ee n s u m m o n e d and l e d h ith er a nd y o u ,

wil l be det a in e d h ere th ree d ays .

“
B u t w h at o f m y h u s b and a nd h i s p a rty ? ”

Th e y w ill b e n o ti fied an d re m ain Th ey , .

c an n o t
go h en ce as they c o ul
, d n o t h ave co m e
h ith e r s ave by o u r permission M a ke yo u r
, .

s el f e asy fo r y o u a re where u h ave righ ts

, y o ,

b a s e d o n o bligatio n .
”

Le avi n g E l s ie t o go forward let u s re t u rn t o ,

t he o u ter A s Mr G lenh a m cam e back t o

. .

c amp w ith h is p a rty at th e app oin ted tim e h e ,

a t on c e m i ssed E lsie A larmed at h er d i s .

a ppearanc e he t u rn e d t o h is friends t o say

,

s o m e th in g w h e n w h e el ing o u t o f t h e heights
, ,

bey on d t he m o u n t a in s a iled do wn a carrier ,

d ove C o m in g s tr a ig ht t o h im it aligh te d o n
.
,

h is arm H e s a w a l e tte r f a s tene d a rou n d i ts

.

n e c k T hi s h e took from its resti n g p l a c e I t

.
-

w a s seale d with yell o w wax wit h bl ue ch ar a c ,

te rs u p o n it Mr C l e n ha m did n o t b reak t he
. .

s e a l b u t w ith his k nife c u t a ro u nd it and

, , , , ,

op enin g it re a d a s foll ows

,

“
T E M P L E OF T H E G U A R D I A N S O F S E C R E T S A N D ,

M A ST E R S o n P O T E N C Y .

F l l m o o of t h t hi d m th u n e r on

y a o f t h T e m p l e r e e .

T o h i m w h o i n l oving ki n d n e ss wa its news

fro m h is c om rade greet i n g : R est qu i e tly ,
1 34 A WI T C H OF TH E

with th i ne attend a n ts fo r th ree d ays ; a t t he

e n d o f th a t ti m e sh e sh a ll com e t o t he e .

hI e a n w hi l e s h e i s s a fel y a tte n d e d w i th i n t he
T e m ple o f th e for g otte n c ity w h os e i nh a b i t ,

a nts w ors h i p th e o n e G o d a n d gro w i n g d a il y

,

in perce p ti o n a w a i t th e u nfol d i n g o f T i m e
, ,

w ho w ill ma k e them th e te a chers o f w h a t t he

w orl d s o h u nge rs t o kn ow U nd e r th e l a w .
,

b u t o n e m ay e nter S o th e oth ers m u s t w a i t

.

fo r th e fu lfillm e nt B e p a ti e nt
. .

( S ign e d ' T H Y B R O T H E R .
’

Mr G l enh a m h a d a s w e h a v e alre a d y s een

.
,

th e fu lle s t con fiden ce i n E l s i e a n d th e inv i s i

b le a n d i n t h e M os t A n ci e n t W i s e O n e s ; b u t
,

fo r a ll th a t i t w a s a h a rd s tr u g gl e t o s ch o o l
him s elf fo r th i s t a s k H e d id a cc om pl i s h i t
.
,

h o w e v er an d o n th e ev e ni n g o f th e th ir d d a y
,

sh e s u d d enl y s to o d i n t he m i d s t o f the w a it
i n g c o m p a n y l ooki ng fre s h an d s tro ng b u t
, ,

w ith a n e w expre s s ion o f c onsci o u s kn o w l e d ge ,

s u ch a s c om e s t o all wh o m ak e a n y eff ort at

t he u nfol d ing o f th e ir s piri t u al n a t u res Sh e .

w a s war mly gre e te d b y h er h us b a nd a n d b y

t he re s t o f th e company a s if s h e w er e o n e
'

ri s e n fro m the d e a d Th ey h a d all e v e n th e

.
,

h um bl es t p e on b e co m e a tt a ch ed t o h e r fo r
, ,

h er u niform k i n d n e ss o f m a n n er d u ri ng th e
trip a n d w ere e v er re a d y t o s e rv e h e r t o t he
,

exte nt o f th e i r a bili ty .
1 30 A WI T C H OF T H E
d i a n tri b e s w h i c h in goin g o u t th ey ha d
, , ,

m a de a c o n sid e r a b le deto u r to av oid On t he .

m orn ing o f th e fifth d a y th e y fo u n d t h e m

s el ves o n th e great roa d l e a d i ng fro m t he
s o u th ov erl o o k i ng th e f a ir C i ty o f M e xi c o ,

al th o u gh i t h a d t a k e n th e m th i rte e n d a y s t o
go H ere th e guid e s t urn e d b a ck a n d l eft
.

th em .

On e th i ng wa s s tr a n ge a b o u t th e w h ol e
m atter E v ery mem be r o f th e e ntire p a rt y
.

se em e d un d e r s o me s ort o f gl am or Ol d .

woodm en a s s o me o f th em were th e y w er e ,

n e ver a bl e t o tell ho w th ey c am e n or d id their

,

s tori e s o n this p o in t e ve r a g r e e ; n o r d id th e y
‘

ap p e a r anxi o u s t o re t urn i n t h a t d irecti on .

 NIN E T EEN T H CE N T URY . 1:
v 1
v «

C H A PT E R X V II .

E T U R N E D to
'

th e ir l odgings E lsie ,

a n d h er h us b a n d reste d q u ietl y fo r
a b o u t a m on th M r C l e n ha m . .

h a d n ev er as ke d h er a b o u t her a d vent u re s ,

s u re th a t wh a tev er i t wa s l aw ful fo r h i m t o
kn o w s h e w o ul d t e ll h i m w h e n th e p roper
ti me c a m e .

T h e eve ning w h e n th e m oon fu lle d a g ain

th e y w er e s itti n g in th eir ro o m a t the h otel .

T he gre a t w av e s o f l igh t ro l l e d in u p on t h em ,

a s sittin g s i d e by s i d e t h e y e nj oye d a q uie t

c hat .

“
A rth ur said E l s i e I c a n tel l y o u t o
, ,
“

n igh t w h a tev er I m a y o f my vi si t t o the Tem

p l e and o f a l l th e in c i d e nts c onnected th ere
,

with A fter wa rd s I m u s t forever h old m y

.
,

p e ace o n thi s s u b j ect fo r s u ch is th e l aw ,

.

Y o u a re perfe ctl y free a s y o u k n o w he

“ ”
, ,

s a i d t o s a y o r w i t h h ol d ; I h av e n o d esi re fo r
“

u nl a w f u l k n o wledg e .
”

“
Y e s I k n o w E lsie h a s ten e d t o re p l y
, ,
”
,

a n d it is beca u se y o u u n d e rs t a n d l a n ] a l ,

l o w e d to p e rm it y o u t o h el p m e ke ep th i s
k n o w l e dg e s o lis ten
,
.
”
1 38 A WI T C H O F T HE
T h e n c o mmenci ng wi th h er en tran ce in t o
t he m o u n tain a nd h er re co g nition o f he r o l d
.

fri en d al read y k n ow n t o th e re ad e r sh e c o n ,

tin u ed
“
we wen t o n togeth er fo r a l on g d is
So
tan c e th e fl oo r see mi ngl y rising by a v e r y
,

gra d u al sl op e u ntil I c ame t o a c u rio us fligh t

o f s teps wh ich wen t up th re e s te p s to a l a nd
,

i n g th e n five s t e ps t o anoth e r l a n d ing a nd

, ,

th en seven s teps Th ese were re peated in thi s

.

orde r t w e n ty one ti mes On t he top p l a tfor m

-
.

we s to od j ust i n sid e o f a litt l e win d o w l ookin g

o u t o v er t he c ity l ying b efore a n d belo w The .

i m men se p lain was m o u n tai n l ocke d b y h u ge -

and pre cipito us w al l s of rock th at restrain e d

th os e w ithin eq u al ly w ith w ardin g o ff t hos e
, ,

fro m w ith o u t A l m os t in th e c en ter of th e

.

pl ate au was a gre a t lake w ith n ei th er a vi s i bl e

,

inl e t n o r o u tlet b u t a t ce rt a in d istan ce s a b o u t

,

th e ro c k y i n c l os u re h u ge t a n k s h a d bee n h e wed
o u t o f th e s o l id ro c ks T hese w ere fi l led th ro u gh
.

earthe n pipes w ith w ate r dr aw n from th e c en

t ral l ak e by m a chinery m oved by el e ctri cit y ,

or s o me oth e r force of wh i c h I h ave n o k n o wl

edge F rom t hes e tank s th e wa ter w as d rawn
.

of f to s u p ply th e h ou ses an d irrigate th e soil ,

wh i c h origin a lly s a ndy is n o w bl oss omin g

, ,

w ith flo w ers fruits a nd v ege ta bl es in t h e

,
1 40 A WI T C H O F TH E

le a ving m e lying upon a co u c h c ove red w i t h a ,

ligh t w oven fabric th ey bro u g h t m e t he m os t

, ,

del icio u s bread h oney grap es oranges a n d

, , ,

fres h pom egran ate s with some kin d of a d el i ,

c i o u s a cid d rin k .

“
W h e n I h ad fully s a tisfied my h un ge r
an d I was h u ngry th ey left m e s milin g
—
,

k indly ba c k and by si gn s w i sh in g m e ple a san t

,
.

sl eep S o I l a v d own and slep t u n til t he

.

brigh t s un p o u ri ng in to th e wind o w o f my
,

ch a m ber a wak e ned me B y th at I kn e w t h a t

,
.

it fa c ed t h e e ast H ardly v a s I fair l y wid e

.

awak e wh e n my at t end a n ts o f th e n igh t before

ca me t o m e a n d assis ted m e t o a bath o f r un
nin g wa te r th at w as l ed th ro u gh a t an k c u t i n
t h e soli d rock T h u s refresh ed an d recl oth e d
.
,

they bro u g h t m e refres h ments un leav ene d ,

c akes c ris p and w h ite a nd tropic a l fr uit

, , .

T hese were serve d u pon pl ates of h am mere d

gold .

A fte r I h a d fi nish ed one o f th e girl s wen t

“
,

a w ay carrying th e re mn an t o f th e rep a st an d
, ,

t h e other s a t w i th me aw hil e talk ing b y sign s ,

and r a th er a s a m atter o f com panion s hi p th an

o f the c u ri osity th at migh t b e exp e c t ed u n d e r

th e cir cu m s t a n c es .
 NI NE T E E N T H C E N T URY 1 41

C HA P T E R X V II I .

a nd by my gui d e o f th e d av before
Y
cam e a n d h is com i n g was a n n o u n ced
,

b v the rin gin g o f a s m a ll bel l in t he air

j u st abo v e my h ead Th e tone w as si l very and
.

cl e ar b ut th ere w as n o be ll in the room I t

, .

w as n o t a ph an t asy of my brai n either fo r , ,

t he m a id e n w it h me im medi a te l y a ro s e a nd , ,

going t o t he silke n h angin gs o f t he d oorw ay ,

d re w th e m asi d e an d admitted him .

“
C o min g tow a rd m e he bo w ed gr a vely an d
, ,

s aid :
“
M y b rothe r , let th e d a y bring th ee b u t
‘

good I a m o rd ered by t he E l d er B roth er t o

.

sh o w y o u s om e portion s o f th e Tem p le a n d t o
,

gi v e y o u in s tr u c tions th ere on and al so t o ,

brin g t o y o u r kn o w l edge s om e oth er m atters

o f i mportan c e to yo u rsel f W ill y ou a cc o m
.

’
pan y m e ?

C ertai nl y w i th th e gre a te s t p l e a s u re I
“ ‘ ’
, ,

re p l ied .

“
8 0 t a kin g h is co u rteou sly o ffered a rm w e ,

w e n t fo r t h i n to a g r e a t c o rrid e r r un ni ng
S p i ral ly a ro und th e o u ter e d ge o f t he m o un t a in

—in side I sh o uld j u dge H ere w e beg a n a

.
,
1 42 A WI T C H O F TH E

long d escent Th e w hol e h ad b een c u t o u t o f

.

th e s olid rock a n d was a s ligh t as if th e d ay

,

l igh t penetr a ted i t B u t I kn e w n o r a y o f

.

s unligh t ever e n tere d th ere th ro u gh th e th ic k ,

rocky ri bs o f the m o u nta i n A t l a s t we cam e.

t o a s mall er corri d or r u nn in g at righ t a ngles

t o th e gre a ter T his ended in a l arge cir c ul ar
.
,

h all a s i f o n e s too d inside o f a h emis ph ere

,
.

A s w e wen t in it w as quite d usk y b u t a t a

, ,

w ord from m y g ui d e it a ll ligh ted u p ; t hen I

s a w th at th e w h ol e p olished su rf ac e w a s a
m odel o f the h e a ve n s where th e m oti on o f th e
,

pl a nets in their orbits c o ul d b e s tud ie d .

This i s o u r h all o f o bj ec t te ach ing w here

‘
,

we can st udy th e co m bin ation o f t h e s t a rs b e

fore w e verify th e m b y th e tele sc o pes a t t h e
top of the Te mple A l l th e m otion s o f th e
.

pl anets are ex a ctly i mit a te d h ere an d w e c a n ,

better read and e x p l a in th u s t o o u r pupils fro m

-

the city th a n from b oo k s

,
.
”

A t v a rio us p l ac e s abo u t t h is h all w ere

large al cov es T hes e w ere fitted u p i n th e
.

same way w i th a pp arat u s t o ill u strate th e fl o w

,

o f t he tides a n d t he m ove me n ts o f th e w a ters

,

t o a nd from th e se a ; th e forma ti on of s t o rin s

an d t orn a d oes ; th e gro w th a nd develop men t
of a n i mals an d pl an ts ; th e sh ifti n g o f th e c e n
ters o f p o p u l a ti on He re a l so w as ill u s tr a te d
.
1 44 A WI T C H O F T HE
t e rpre t e r t o th e pries ts o f th e a n ci en t d ay s .

H e tol d m e a ll abou t th e B l a ck B ro th erh o o d .

w h o m I h a ve told y o u a bou t H e said th at .

B lac k a n d W h ite bo t h h andle th e same po w er

o n e selfish l y and th e oth er l l l l S G l fi S ll l y — lJ I I t
f
th e B lack c a n n e v er c on q u er th e W hite w hen
it c ome s t o a direc t iss u e al t h ou gh th e y m ay
,

fo r awhile by the h el p o f ig n oran ce an d fe a r

,

enslave a p or tion o f ma n kin d .

“
S o we c h a tte d a l l th e l ong a ftern oo n n u ,

til th e setting su n ap p ro a ch e d t he h ori zon .

T hen he ac c om pa nie d m e t o my o w n ch am b er ,

a nd as we p a rted h e s ai d : ,
T a ke a n early ‘

r es t fo r you will b e c al le d at th e h o u r of th e
,

f ull moon Be rea dy an d fear n o t

.
,
.
’

Th us h e left m e once more i n th e h a nds o f

my fair h ostesses H a v in g su p ped t hey g av e
.
,

m e a sm all c onfe c tion o f ple a s an t t aste a n d

fragran c e On ea ti n g i t I fel t s trength en e d
.

and w onderfully reinvigorated ready t o face -

th e w orld i f n eed w ere W ith th is cam e a l s o

.

a fe el ing o f res tf u l h arm on y T hey signed to.

me t o rest and l ying d o w n I alm os t im m e

, , ,

d ia t e l y fell al s e e p .
 N IN E T EEN T H CE N T URY . 1 45

C HA P T E R XI X .

DO k no w ho w l ong I sl e pt b u t I
n ot ,
’

w as awaken ed b y a li gh t t ouch Loo k .

i ng u p I s a w both m v a t ten d a nts

s tan din g by th e sid e o f my co uch R ising at .

o n ce ,
I a ppareled m ysel f and when I was ,

re a d v th ey th re w over me a n o u ter garmen t o f

wh ite an d fi tte d u p on the head a li g h t head

,

d res s o f some white materi a l Th us e qu i p pe d .

,

we s tep p ed o u t in to the m a i n c orridor an d

m oved u p th ey goin g o n e upo n ea c h sid e u n
, ,

til we c a me to a noth er p a ssage way where m y ,

co mp anio n o f th e pre v io us day waited my c o m

ing H ere they left m e and I wen t forward
'

,
.

with my guid e fo r a sh ort d is tance wh en we ,

c a me t o a c losed d oor H ere a ch al le nge an d a

.

reply open ed th e w ay and we en te red an a nte

roo m A t t h e farth er s ide of this room from
.

th e en tr a n c e I per c eived a n other d oor which , ,

at o u r ap p ro a ch slid back noiseles s l y revealin g

, ,

fo rty fo ur pers ons seated in th e for m o f a n

-

el li p se facing th e en tr a nce with o n e v a can t

, ,

c hair The a rran ge m en t o f the seatin g w as a

ce n tr a l ch a ir a nd fo u r ro w
.

s t wo o n ea c h side
, ,

o f el e v en e ac h T h e o u te r ro w s w ere elev a ted

.
1 46 A WI T C H O F T HE
a b ov e th e i n n er A l l this I perceiv ed b y th e
.

flood o f b rillian t m oonlig ht po u rin g i n from

an open in g overh e ad whi c h from th e e ffe ct
, , ,

m ust h ave con tained op ti c al me c h an i sm o f

som e k i n d My guid e c o nd u c ted m e t o a s m all
.

dis c o f gl as s inl aid up on t h e fl oor a nd bidd i n g ,

m e stan d upon it h e m ad e a sign o f s a l utati on

,

t o him w ho occupie d the c en tral s e at a nd th en ,

c ross ed o ver t o th e v a c a n t sea t A t a sign al .

fro m th e E l d er B roth er th ey al l sto od u p ,

.

“
T h e n in a s tead y s o n oro u s voi c e ea c h
, , ,

w ord well c h osen t o m ean th e ex act t ho ugh t

-

ex pre s s ed he a ddressed m e th u s
,

“
M y b rother y o u h av e b e e n s u m m o n e d
‘
,

h i th er t o c onsecrat e y o u r p resen t i n carn ation

to the cause s o dear t o us an d t o y o u fo r t his ,
.

is o u r cu sto m Th at w hi c h is — n o t t ha t wh ich
'

app e a rs — is k n o w n t o u s o f o l d as a bril li a n t
and tireless s tuden t an d a mos t po tent w i l l
, .

H is l o v al t y t o o u r order h as nev er been for a

m o me n t ques tioned I n wh atever form o r
.

clime h e m ay exis t we k n o w h i m fo r a b rother

,
.

La y yo u r righ t h a n d u p on th e hil t o f th e
ph ysic a l s ymb ol o f p o wer yo u r left h and u p on
,

yo u r h eart ; repeat y o u r n a me an d s ay o n a fter

me . H e p a u sed A s w ord of fl am e c a me h il t
’
.

to w a rd m e o u t o f t he m oonligh t p resentin g ,

i ts el f t o my h a n d F ol lo w ing h is i nstru c tion

.
,
1 48 A WI T C H O F T HE
and came t o m e in s ta n tl y Leis u rely I m ad e .

my t oilet a nd th en w e sat t o geth er un til m y

,

guide c a me fo r me w hen bidding th e m a n

, ,

affe ction at e fare w ell I c a me w i th him t o t he

,

o u te r en tr a nce H ere h e t o o said t he p arti n g

.
, ,

More th a n broth er t o me it is n o t likely ,

I s hal l see th ee any m ore d urin g th is in ca rn a

ti on Thy w ork lies o u tside o f th e T emple
.
,

th a t ex piatio n m ay th e more readily be a ecom

p l is he d .S ay fare w el l a n d cl os e th i n
,
e eyes .

T hi s I d id a nd ins tan tly O penin g th em again

, ,
.

I fo u nd mysel f w ith y o u .
”

H er h usband ha d listen ed with th e grea tes t

interes t and w as ab o u t t o spea k w he n cl o se
, ,

t o th e m s to od a lith e strong m a n cl a d i n a n
, ,

cien t ro bes o f a mi sty gr a y B o win g h e said .

,
*

“
The E lder B roth er sen d s y o u the se At .
”

th e s ame tim e h e p resen t e d a p acke t o f papers t o

E lsie a nd disappe a red a s q uietly as he h a d c om e
,
.

t inging fo r li g h ts on ex a m ination th ey ,

fo u n d these p apers t o b e a c ompl ete an d per

fec t title d u ly a u th enti cated by th e p roper
,

au th orities t o E l sie of w h at ha s sin c e proved

,

t o be o n e o f th e ri c h e s t gol d min es in Mexi co .

T h e y retur n ed t o C hi c ago in th e earl y spri n g ,

w here th ey settl e d p erm a ne n t l y d ee ming i t th e ,

be st c e n ter o f th eir wor k .

 N INE T EE N T H C EN T URY . 1 49

T h ere is b u t little m ore t o b e told Mr . .

C l e n ha m h a s proved himsel f a most capable

'

b u siness m anage r Thei r inco m e is u sed fo r

.

th e benefi t o f those w ho n ee d W h ile m un i .

fi ce n t i n th eir d on ati on th ey a re al ways s o l ic

,

i t o u s th at t here b e n o was te a nd th at th e ,

u tm os t service p ossibl e m ay b e re n de red with

th e means u sed S ch ools hospital s and the
.
,
'
nee d y o nes o f e arth h ave fel t the s trong im
p ul s e o f t heir h elpi n g han d s T hey h ave n o
.

d es ire fo r n otorie ty W hile a lar g e c irc l e o f

.

friends k n o w o f their kin dness and genero s ity ,

t he e x p e rien ces here i n re c orded are n o t kn o w n .

N o r wo ul d they be t o l d n o w exce p t th a t th e
B rotherh o o d h ave s u gges ted it Th e y a l so
.

p erm i tte d th e act ors t o w ithh ol d th e i r i d e n

ti ty an d t h e writ e r o n l v is permi tte d t o o ffe r
,

t h i s n arr a tive to th e p u bli c o n a n in v i olable

pro m i s e o f s e cre cy as t o th eir p res en t n am e s
o r a d d ress.

TH E EN D .
 N E Y U B O O ' S
F OR T H OSE I N SE A R C H OF LIGH T .

FUT UR E R ULE RS OF A ME RI C A ,
WP . . PH E L ON ,
M D . . 25 c ent s .

PH Y SI C S AN D MET A PH Y S I C S,
M rs . M M . . F R E L ON ,
C . S D
. . 15 c ents .

H E R MET I C T E A C H I NGS ,
WP . . F E E L ON ,
M . 25 c en t s .

C H RI ST OS ,
By J . D BU . C ' ,
M . l' .
( 30 c en t s .

C AN A MAN LOS E H I S S OU L,
By E . J BLOOD . . I O ce n t s .

MY ST I C S E NS E OF T H E S C RI PT U R E S ,
C o mp il e d f r o m M a d ame G u y o n b y M rs .

M M P H E L ON 50 c en t s
. . . .

Or d er s fo r t he ab o ve name d b o o k s o r fo r a n y ,

o t her b o o k o r ma gaz i ne d es i re d p r o mp t l y fi ll e d o n ,

rece i p t o f p r i ce .

H ER MET I C PUBLI SH IN G C C .
,

61 9 J ack son Bou l ev ard, C H I C A GO, I LL .