Grace Valentine in The New Adam and Eve (1915)

Grace Valentine

Charles Richmond

Mathilde Baring

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Colonel Seldon loved Belle, his adopted daughter, much more than he loved his worldly sister, Mrs. Preston. Belle was the ray of sunshine who was brightening his declining years. Mrs. Preston made much of him, but the old gentlema...

Richard Garrick

The New Adam and Eve

Colonel Seldon loved Belle, his adopted daughter, much more than he loved his worldly sister, Mrs. Preston. Belle was the ray of sunshine who was brightening his declining years. Mrs. Preston made much of him, but the old gentleman was far too wise to be unaware that her interest was more in the wealth he would leave than in his own comfort and happiness. He had a genuine affection, however, for his nephew, Montague Preston, and his greatest wish was to see Belle and Montague man and wife. Preston had more ambitious plans for her son. Yet with all his love for Belle, Col. Seldon did not make his will in her favor. It was always something he planned to do the next day. When death found him, Belle had not been protected. Reared in a life of luxury, Belle found herself in a single day swept from her proud position as mistress of Col. Seldon's household, and made to feel the humiliation that only the pride and arrogance of such a woman as Mrs. Preston could heap upon her. Col. Seldon's sister became head of the house. She knew her son's fondness for Belle, and manifested her displeasure. She wished him to marry money. Her own daughter, Anna, she was willing to sacrifice by marrying her to Ashley Callum, a social waster. Social position could be gained thereby, but her daughter loved Phillip Morris. In seeking to thwart her son's love for Belle, Mrs. Preston found an unexpected ally in Belle herself. Both Belle and Montague had been reared in luxury. Belle saw that a union which brought only poverty, since Montague was entirely dependent upon his mother, could bring no happiness. So she decided upon revenge. Learning of Anna's love, Belle aided the girl to elope with Philip Morris. The news of Anna's elopement rendered Mrs. Preston seriously ill. Urged by Callum, Belle agrees to steal the box of stocks and securities Mrs. Preston has locked in her bedroom. Callum has promised to marry her as soon as they are safe from pursuit. He tells the distraught girl that the fortune is really hers by rights, since her foster father had planned to leave his wealth to her. Belle obtains the box, takes it to her room, and prepares to escape with Callum. Wishing to take something as a remembrance of Col. Seldon she goes to the library for a book he had giver her, "The New Adam and Eve," by Nathaniel Hawthorne. While waiting in her room Belle falls asleep. And then begin her experiences as the new Eve. Her astral body deserts its human envelope and wanders through the world with the astral body of Montague. They have loved in the flesh, but the conventions and limitations of civilization have prevented their union. Now as hindered spirits they see the true relations of life. Hand in hand they wander in happy companionship through a deserted city and comment on the uselessness of many things which civilization has taught us are essential. What holds Belle-Eve longest is the statue of a little child. Without knowing what influences her, her awakening maternal instinct makes her exclaim, "I wonder if we are alone in the world. This lovely little form, did it ever breathe? Or is it a shadow of something real?" Not as Eve is Belle destined to know the answer. Her time in spiritland is up. Her lesson has been learned. At dawn the first thing Belle sees is the box of securities. Transformed by her journey into the world where values have their true appraisal, Belle sees the enormity of the offense she has been saved from committing. Quickly she restores the valuable papers to their proper place. Montague also has learned his lesson. In the astral body he has found that happiness does not depend upon wealth, position or power. Waking, he determines that Belle must be his wife, no matter how much she fears poverty. To his great joy he finds her ready to listen to his suit. Yet poverty is not their lot, for Mrs. Preston never recovers from the shock occasioned by Anna's elopement. At her death they receive the fortune Col. Seldon had meant should be theirs.

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The New Adam and Eve

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