AN AWFUL WARNING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 96, 18 December 1912, Page 8

AN AWFUL WARNING.

The following instructive apologiu is taken from St. John Lucas’s tale ol “The Unfortunate Saint” in October’s-. Blackwood.’ Its appearance in yom columns (writes a correspondent of th Wellington ‘Post’) may perhaps sava jomo soul alive.

The miracle-working saint, Alexan lor “halted by the well in the middle ,f the little market place; and, whi.sl ic was resting there, two women came :o draw water, one old, the other in he prime of life. He spoke to both if them, but only the old woman re ■.ponded to his .salutation. The young ,roman seemed to he quite unconscious jf his presence. After a while h< spoke to her again, and the old woman explained that she had been deal and dumb from birth, and that one, ol the villagers, being enthralled by hej great beauty, had lately married her. Alexander was full of joy at finding i subject for his art so soon; and .[most before the old woman had unshed speaking, he had cured the deafness of the young woman, and she began to talk like a little child. The rid woman was amazed, and tried to worship Alexander, but Alexander prevented her, and went on his way, promising to return in a week to set' if the cure was complete. He spent the week in earnest conversation with a dropsical saint at EI-Gebi, and then returned to the village. As he entered the gate, he heard sounds of lamentation, and presently he saw r, uneral procession, which escorted tin body of a young man to the cemetery. He was about to restore tlie young man’s life, when it occurred to him co ask his name. The chief mourner answered him, and added that the young man had committed suicide. Alexander asked the reason for this rash and dreadful act, and the chief mourner beat bis heart.

“ ‘it was our wont,’ lie said, ‘to call him the Happiest on Earth; and of a truth ho merited the title, for he married a wife who was beautiful and deaf and dumb, hut on an evil day she met a sorcerer who gave hoi' speech and hearing, and since that time she has talked and stormed and railed without ceasing. Wherefore we hear to an untimely grave the body of him who was called the Happiest on Earth.’ ” For the sake of what little is left to

mo of domestic peace I withhold my civic name, and subscribe myself merely—A SUFFERER.