alady that was epidemic in that part of the country. She
heard footsteps approaching, but did not disturb herself, as she
supposed it was her husband. After some time she suddenly threw
off the covering from her face, and there to her astonished eyes
stood the young Mexican, intensely looking down upon her with
deep concern. At that moment the husband arrived, and the young
man told him of a weed growing in that locality that he said
would cure the eye malady. When the leaves of this plant were
crushed there oozed a yellowish milk; with about a half-dozen
applications of this milk to the sore eyes they were healed.

After that the young caballero would ride up and down, Mexican
fashion, in front of the house, drawing rein whenever he could
get a glimpse of the lady or a word with her. This never failed
to annoy her, and also to strike a sudden, sharp terror into
her heart. Always his appearance was most unexpected, and
always accompanied by the rapt, passionate, dark gaze. Though he
was a most clean-souled young man.

Afterward, when the baby was born, one of the child's eyes was
marked by the color and fire of the dashing Spaniard's eyes,
while its other eye was a calmish blue-gray eye. This was all
the more remarkable as neither of the parents of the child had
such eyes. Was it a case of maternal impression?

Upon investigation I found that the grandparents of the baby's
mother had just such eyes as the baby. The grandfather's were
big, dark, flashing eyes, and the grandmother's the mild,
blue-gray eyes. So 'bang!' went the theory of mental impression,
and in its place came the physical law of reversion."

I do not wish to be misunderstood as claiming that a mother's
condition during pregnancy has no effect on the child, and that she
need therefore take no precautions and pay no particular attention to
her health and her feelings. This is not so. But what I do want to
convey is this: That if a mother's health during pregnancy is bad, if
she is a prey to worry and anxiety, if she was subjected to great
fright or to a shock, then the child's general health may suffer. It
may be stillborn, or the mother may have a miscarriage. But it will
not produce those specific marks, deformities and monstrosities which
are commonly supposed to be the results of maternal impressions.

If I lay somewhat special stress upon the