COLUMBIA
DEMOCRAT,
AND BLOOMS BURG GENERAL ADVERTISER
LEVI L. TATE, EMTOB.
TERMS: $2 00 IN ADVANCE
"TO HOLD AND TllIM THE TORCH OP TRUTH AND WAVE IT O'ER THE DARKENED EARTH."
VOL. 18. NO. 42.
BLOOMSBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY, PENN'A,, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1864.
Sdcct )pocttQ. I 3ntctcstini) Skctcl).
TIME.
folU Tilde It like a river gliding
,Any uway I
Ami In In gluoiny billow hiding,
jnys lirlplit na ilay ;
An J with lis riftlcM current wearing
Maii'i licart to clay I
And Hfu'sJiPBt lini;s, Hku bti! weeds bearing,
Away awuy t
And llfo lsHko n itew.ilroji amillug,
For our .Hurt Hour!
Willi fair nd glittering how beguiling
Vet .un and nhowrr
O'er lt fmll o-sencc. each prevailing,
Shorten It stay
Tremuloiu, rentllcM, and exhaling,
AVny-iWay I
HJcfcrrcir articles
a romancer lima.
Many years ngo a young Englishman,
a medical student natilcd Astley, went to
liimi. The love of adventuro was strong
upon him, and all he met with in his own
country was too tamo to satisly it. Proud
of tho profession for which ho was study
ing, one. trusting to it fob subsistence,
strong and healthy in body and 111 mind,
he left England with a bold heart, and
this was tho life ho led and what camo of
it.
At a time when tlio difficulty of procur
ing subjects for anatomical study was very
great, and when to procuro them honestly
was impossible, as tho prejudice against
dipscction was so strong that no 0U0 was
willing to submit the body of any one con
nected with him tocxaminatipn. It is well
known that there wero men who made it
their husiucssto obtain, at no small rit-k,
bodies, generally those ot the newly-buried,
which they sold to surgeons, medical
students, or indeed to auy otte who stood
in need of the ghastly coiiini ulity.
This class, kiiowu as "I. oily siiatekers"
and 'Ti'furrci'tion nii'ii," lias died out,
niui-o there is happily now liitlc prejudice
against what lias been triiiitipluiuly prov
ed to bo a necessary bratieh of scientific
study ; but at. the tiino of our sketch thur
biduous work vvjs a thriving and profitable
one.
Richard A-t'cy. in cninmoti with the
rest of the profusion, availed himself of I
their service'', anil mam- time., in rim
black iiiu.il his door wa- op, to those who dL'albl? ,rilDC0 from wbio1' 1,0 1,ai1 witb 80
did not knock, hut who ..vn o.nd a,l mucu I'ulty recovered her,
, - -1
waited for, and who, entering silently,
stealiliily deposited a deal burden upon
ihc t.ible prepared lor it- reception. Old
and young, women and children, till in
turn lay upon that erim t.'ib'e, untl Astley s
skillful instruments cm tli ir w iy to se
cret? that were destined to hem Ot the liv-
tSS" U is nHrc thought by many leading
Now Yorkers, that tho recnt attempt to
burn Nw York city , was tho woik of men
whodc-iro to be politically revenged Upon
this great Democratic strong-hold.
Jui) 11: Taney, was born twelve years
befire th" American Constitution was
adopted. IIo could have faid of it as
(jraltin mice s.ii.l of the Irish iia'ion,that
he hid IcaUed over il ot-idle and follow
r,d it hearM' Oiltimlmx S'lilestn n.
EWT There arc faid to be in the United
Stat lil'ty ilmisind heathen. Id l gods
are worshipped in two hu.ithcn Temple-'
in San c'r.iueiseo The Chmcc have
large co'onies feat cred -ill over Cali'oriii.t
anil the w irk of their ei a igcliziiinn is a
inviting o'li to Chri-t-ans ol every sect.
is.f A spunky w fv at Il'troit IimI .
(,fam,lj j r" live eari ago and vowid sin
wuutdn t .-peak 10 lc r hu-band until Ik
apolojjiz, il. TheJ have liv d together all
I he titie, lnit no won! w.is spoken unlil a
few daf aii when they l,iifide."
laf Mr- W.Hiuui I1. Sic rm'iti. wife ol
the (iii. -itil hfl (.'ii'cin il'i on '"ridny for
S;nl" U d Lillian i.whete he i- to -pent'
iln Mnii.r, Miperii.t Miding the edit -ation
if h r children, who am iterates, ol th
(Jjili ic itiMitut'coi "I that ch'-ii.
Cr U'lllaid r?a..Uluuy and Thoma
11 ilfurd are eindidi'e !'or tlm Delu
w.ne Ui.iliil Sia'i! S' liutoirli'p. The
D. tiioc ais, will, ol conrs". elee their can
didatiyi' they euiitrul both Iralichoi of lb'.
Ji"ei-la.t re.
friif It is stated by N-w York papers
thai tint State really gave a majority f'r
MeUielluu and Seymour, as enough I)jm
ocra io proxies have beon received, since
tho election, to change tho restlti In
kfimi- nn'irnins n hiir'i as 'J00 have come to not .eem nos-iblo that liehl in iho closed
hand Of course they were just too late 1 eyesi and color in ihu pale lips and checks '
to be couuted. ' could make it lovelier. The fair hair had
fallen b.ick, and gavu no shade to tlio
while brow, and tin long fair la-he lay in
a thick fringe upon the inlet tinted uuder-
l.ds.
Sho was very tall and slender, and her
bauds ono of which hung down as she ,
Ini'g and per
tly shaped. As A-ticy lilted the UatiU
to lay it upoo her breast, he thought how '
Kir The Dutch Cap cinal, of James beautiful it tuuat once have been, since.
river, which has been tn long iu progress, now, when there was n t the faititsst roso
is five hundred and fifty feet iu leugth, tint to relievo the deathly pallor of it, it
a ghastly dream that ho had entered tho
room and found that some unknown hand
had anticipated him in the work of dij-1
section,
Tho horror was upon him after lis woke
to know it was a dream, and opening the
door ho luokod in upon the tablo. No
change there of any kind. Tho long
sheeted figure lay in tho half light of dawn
as ho had seen it in tho lamp light, very
straight and still.
It was not until nearly noon that Astley
raised tho covering to look onco again
upon tho beautiful dead faoe, and when
ue uiu to uc saw with wonder, not un
mixed with terror, that a ohango had
cotno upon it. IIo could not toll what it
might bo i the deathly pallor was thoro
still, but in some way the f.ice was not the
same. Ho looked iuto it long and cur
iously. Surely a change had passed over
the eyes, for though they Were still fast
shut, they looked now as though closed in
sleup rather than iu death. Ho lifted an
eyelid tenderly with bis finger; there was
not death in the eye ; unfoioucness, trance,
there might bo, but not death
Hu was certain.now that sho was not
dead, though he could find no life in her
pules. For hours, bo ttrovc to call back
the spirit, until at length color returned,
and warmth, and life, and she lay before
him sleeping tranquilly like a child. IIo
had placed her on his bed, and now sat by
h-r side wilh a throbbing i cart to await
her awakening.
She rdept so long, and in tho waning
liht looked so pale that ho feared she
was, again about to fall into tho strange
In h'lB ter
ror of that he crictl out for her to awake,
aud the sound of bis ory awoko her wilh
a i-tart.
lie had prepared a speech that was to
calm and rc-assurw ber when he wnki
bewildered to find herself so stiaogcl
clothed aud lodged ; but she no more
needed calming aud reassuring than an
I liouoh be w.is not hard-hearted, it was irfant 100 J0U"B ,0 Uow ils n,n,l)cr fr(w
not unnatural thai it. lime ho should gtow a"? olbor woiuan- S1, lookel1 rou"d
, i. .1 n,., r i.;, ' with a wondering gaze that was almost
O U I1IUIU lll.lilJOIUli U 'J kHls Cllil Ut 1117 I ,
"subjects" a, to lel nothing but a rao. i"fatitino, ahd her eye resting upon As.Je
mentarv pity as he put aside the cluster ' sl,e sat UP ln tbc bcd and askcd Lira in bis
in eurU of mf.uicv. or uneov, red the luce owu 'jr oa- " was evioeat
of man Mr,.,k down it, the i-iorv of his lbat S,,e liad 1,0 CollicoHoD of illness.and
, neithor antiety nor curioutv as to her
years. i . . . -
Onr, ni.tlit ji i,i;iTtrr iiitrlit hfnro. the present po.ltlotl,
id ll 'V took uuu ulu tuu oifu nna uiuuuw iu
Uealthy vuit was paid, aim Aslley
his lamp to examine the new i-uhject
yeither bitoiig mnn nor tender child this
time, but a young ai.d bountiful woman.
The dead taco was' fii lovely ibat il did
Cffir Tim Newark J'a liter says it
barns tipmi inquiry at the office in that,
city of the Morris and K-se.v Railroad,
that the atoiy which originated wilh thc(
N. Y. Herald that (ipii. McCu:i,r,AN bad
been appointed hng.neer-.u-Ch.ol of that, ((u al)1(Jmril
road,i.l. a .alary of S-J...O0O per an- ' h
uiiui, is without louudatiou
sixty feet wide at tho bottom, and ono
hundred and twonty-five at tho top, It
will havo fifteen feet of water at low tide.
It goes through a etrSfuin of unctions clay
in which wgetab'o matter oxiste, hall con
vertcrced into ceil.
Bones for Manu.'C.
was so exquisite, one wore one garment,
a long flannel shroud, very straitly made
through which scanty drapery the outline
of her slender li.nbs was distinctly visible,
and below which llcr delicate feet were
seen, bare to the ankle.
Astley was troubled as he bad never
been before. Tho idea of treating this
A very valuable manuio may bo pre-j beautiful corpse as ho had done all others
pared from bones, dissolved In diluted ' brought to him in liko manner was rcptil
Bulbpurio acid. Take a light Wooden-j sivo to him, and ho recoiled from it as
hooped cask, and set it under cover, or from tho thought of sacrilege. Rut could
shelter it with boards. Put in eight gal-j be rid himsoli of the lovely incubus? It
Ions of water ; then pour in, a little at a , was possible thut tho men who had brought
time, to prevent too great heat, two and a it might bo bribed to take it back again,
half to three gallons of sulphuric aoid (oil ' and if they should refuse but be was in
jif At..i.t1 trlill'll 111 HU lift hniKrlii fur a few nnnnhln rjf distinct unon tho fubieel, and
viiii"i, " 11 j a i .
cents per pouud of tho manufacturer or
druggist. Now put in, and punch down
with a slick, all the bones tbo liquid will
eovor, or even moro. Lcavo them to soak
for several week, ftiriiug them well, and
punching them down every two or threo
days, adding moro boiies as thoro U room.
After six to eight weeks, take out tho un
dissolved pieces, and mix tho liquid with a
large quantity of dry much or loam to dry
off, This will roako a better articlo.choap.
cr and stronger than whioh tho markets
affords, if tho aoid and bono can bo had
at a modcrato ooat.
Oaro should bt taken, in preparing it,
not to get any of the fluid on tho flesh or
clothes, as it will mako ttor'bs arid' destroy
tho clothing. Somo wcttldyo and a buok-
ct of water should be near al hand' to wash
off with, in cue ofaocidonl;
could only determino that in auy caso'tho
beautiful tldnk beforo him should bo treat
ed with reverence and respect. lie gent
ly covered it from head to foot with a long
whito olotb, and locking tho door of com-
munication between his Bedroom ana the
room in which it lay, thfcttr himself upon
his bed without undressing, for tho night
was nearly gone.
Rut his sleep was broken, and his dreams
wore feverish, and in some way all con'
nectcd with what lay in tho next mora.
Now it seemed to him that it glided In
through tho lockod door, with hands fold
ed on its breast, and eyei still fast closed,
and stood by his bedsido and now the
dreum was that ho had opened a vein in
ono of the delicate arms, and that warm,
living blood poured fast from it , and
her Willi appetite, and woultl have risen
from the bed a parcntly unconscious thai
she woio no garment but a shroud, had
not Astley pereusded her to lie down and
deep agaiu
lie left her again sleeping, and went to
another room nrniouudly puzzled. Here
was this beautiful woman, iguorant, and
aittioht helplo s as a child, thrown upon
him for protection, as it was clear that she
did not remember anything whioh would
loud to the discovery ol her friends. It
was po'siblo that hor sonscs had left hor
altogether, never to return-; tho lovely
cieaturo might bo a harmless idiot all the
rest of her days, Her speaking English
wa3 another puzzle. bhe might bo an
England woman hor beauty was cortain
ly of tlio Saxon type or Bhe might only
havo learnt the English language j but if
so, how came that knowledge to have been
retained when all else seomed gone?
Her perplesi-ty was interrupted by tho
entrance of the oause of it. She stood at
the door wrapt round in ono of Jho bed
coverings, looking at him wilh sweet,
childish, vacant exprcssion,that was touch
ing in its bclpleestfcss. ''Imust call her
homothing," thought ho, a she slood ap
parently waiting for bira to speak, "her
namo shall bo Mary."
'Aro you better, Mary, and will you
sit in this chair I"
Sho paid no attention to tho inquiry
but took the offered scat, and begun sil
ently roeking'hertell to and fro. It had
such a ghostly effect to aco her thero by
'Now, Mary, you mint go baok to bed,
and to-morrow "
Sho did not wait for the ond of tho sen
tence, but rose at onco to do as alio was
bidden, threw down tho bo k, and lotting
fall tho coverlet that had enveloped her,
walked quietly baok to tho Inher room.
Astley fastened tho door, and felt as if
lie wero mad from ahcor bewilderment.
Sho must havo clothes tho very first thing,
and how were thoy to bo procured without
taking somo ono into his confidenco !
Even if ho know where to go for them, he
know nothing of what a woman's clothes
should be. It was evident, that some ono
must bo told of the extraordinary adven
ture, and it was equally evident that it
must be a woman in whom he confided, as
ho required practical help- of a kind no
man could give him.
The morning dawned beforo ho could
arrange any settled plan, and finally de
cided that he could not if ho would rid
himself of the ciiargo of her, thcreforo she
should remair in his house, and he would
tell all the woman who acted as his house
keeper's Who chanced to be absent at the
time, but whose return bo was expecting
that every day. He would bind her to
secrecy by the most solemn oath ho could
deviso, and if she failed tp keep it, why
at any rato ho wa3 in a terrible scrape, and
this Bcctilcd the best thing to be done.
The woman returned early in the day,
and AGtldy it onco told all, and implored
her assistance. To his great relief she
agreed at once to d all that lay in her
power for tho unhappy girl, and a few
arrangements mado, Aslley left tho bouse
for the day, determined to shake off tho
unpleasant impression which tire whole
thing had mado upon him.
Returning at night ho found Mary com
fortably clothed, aud looking less pale and
ill. His housekcener told him that she
had beeu dressed liko a child, having ap
parently no idea of asstsling herself at all.
It would be impossible to describe niin
utely how intelligence dawned, and grew
swiftly in the poor girl's mind. It was
not a gradual groth from infancy .but oanie
in fitful snatches. The greatest change
camo first, when her fatio brightened from
its sweet, blank vaeanoy of expression at
Astley's approach, and then sho began to
wait upon him liko a loving child. lib
devoted himself to her very tenderly, al
most as a mother devotes herself to her
child, and with infiuate patience taught her
to read and write. She learned also to
sew, and was not unskillful in such wo
man's craft ; but what ho taught her was
learned quickest, best.
Two years passed, and Mary had devel
oped so rapidly that she was much like
other women in knowlcdgo and acquire
ments, but she had no memory of any
thing before her trance. Astloy told her
tho whole story, and urged her to try and
recall something of tho tiino before, but it
was in vaiu,her iiicmory was clear gooc.
And tho present titilc was so happy that
they cared littlo for tho past. Sho was
something belonging so entirely to him,
even her life sho owed to his care, and
loved him so intensely, thero being no one
in the world whow she knew or loved bo
side, that he could not fail to bo very hap
py ; aud tho mystery of the bond between
them enhanced its charm.
They were married, and still tho lived
in tho same privaoy as boforo ; hor hus
band and his lovo sufficed for everything;
sho shrank from entering a world of which
eho know nothing. Asley's acquaintance
had long itgn decided that if he was not
mad, ho was at least eccentric enough to
mako his sooioty uudesirahle, and had
fallen off ono by one, loaving him nono but
a professional circle Ho had tbo repu
tation of being skillful, and' bis practico
was a large ono ; his spare hours were
devoted to his home, wh.ch was his heaven.
dead to Asley's door, when walking ono
day in tho streets of the city, he met an old
friend whom ho had not' seen since his de
parture from England. Tho recognition
was mutual, and Aslcy Insisted upon his
friend's returning with him to dinner.
The invitation was cordially given and
willingly accepted, and thinking to sur
prise Mr. Holt by the sudden sight of his
wifo'a loveliness, hu said nothing of his
being married, pictured to .himself what
his astonishment wduld bo when he saw
hor.
Though ho had anticipaicd some evi
dencc of surpriso, ho was quilo unprepar
ed for tho excess of emotion displayed by
Mr. Holt upon his introduction to Mrs.
Asley. Tho color left hr face for a mo
mcnt, and then returning violently, dyed
it crimson, and the words of aoknowledg
mcnt were stammered out almost unintil
ligibly. iierjdveriug his composure by a
strong effort, ho offorcd his arm to lead
Mrs. Astley to dinner, but sho quietly de
clined it, laying her hand upon hor bus
hand's During tho whole time of dinner
lr. Holt soarcely moved his eyes from
Mary's face, who did not seem at all dis
.turbed by his intense gaze, and took no
notioe of her guest boyond what hospitali
ty demanded.
Astley's suspicions were excited long
beforo the meal was ended, and his heart
took a jealous leap as he thought it possi
bio that his friend was falling in love with
ma Dcauuiui wne. no nursed toe im
pulse that had inducod him to bring Hoi
homo with him, and buisily invented ox
cutes for ridding himself of his guest as
soon as possible.
noil a agitation tnorcased to positive
illness beforo long, and rising, he aBkcd
Asucy to rceompany turn to another room.
Ho was scarocly able to walk, and Astley
took him by the arm and asked if he wero
ill.
-in i no groaneu. "i wisn l was
dead!"
He sat down and covered his face with
his hands.
' You'll think mc a fool; Astley ,hnt tho
likeness of your wife to mine has overcomo
toration. ''Will you come with mo to tho
grave, that wo may be very suro ! '
No, no, no," Holt moaned ; tho fury
was passing away, and giving plaoe to a
dull aorrqw. "I can bear no moro. It is
as certain, moro certain than death, that
your wilo is mine. God help us."
Which of tho men was most to bo piticdj
There were somo moments of horrible
silence, in which each heard Ihe boattng of
hu heart like li heavy drutii. Holt spokt
again
'A-k Edith to oomo here. Surely sho
oanuot have forgotten mo."
"Mary I call her Mary, It will only
distress her. I cive vou mv word of hon-
w
or alio has no momdry of anything beforo
the tranco."
But when be saw tho passion in Holt's
face ho judged it best for his feiko that Eho
should come. Since he chosoto hear from
her own mouth what ho had refuseed to
believe from bis friend's, he should do so.
Sho camo quickly at tho sound of the
loved voice, and glided into tho room,
looking liko an angel of peace between two
evil Spirits. She stopped short as sho
caught sight of Astley's faoe all drawn and
set with tho effort to suppress his emotion
and then threw her arms around his neck
with a cry of love and terror.
But lie unwound her arms, and for the
first time drew back from her embrace.
'Mary, my lovo," Holt's eyes flashed
fire at the tender words and tones, "tell
mo, toll Mr. Holt if you remember any
thing in your life beforo you awoke from
your trance in this house ?"
"I do not tell,'1 sho aaid, I remember
nothing, I have 6aid so many times."
'Swear it, said Holt.
bus-
the lamplight, robed in tlio long whito
drapery, with her beautiful faeo still pale
though no longer deathly, rocking herself
in sileuce, that Astloy felt a sensation very
like fear through him. no must do some
thing for be could not bear this, IIo took
up a book, the first that oamo to baud
it was an England one and offered it to
her, asking if sho would like to read.
Sho took it with a childlike smile, and I
me,
"Are you married, then V said Astley.
"I did not know. '
"I was married eight years ago. I mar
ried an English girl with your wifo's hair
and eyes ; her height) too, and with her
sweet voice. I brougct her over here di
rectly after our marriage, and we lived
the happiest life in the world for two yrs.
and then she died."
Astley was eilent. Ho could think of
no words of consolation that would not bo
a mookery to a man Who had lot such
a wife as Mary.
"Died," Holt continued, after a pause,
'while I was away from her. I had gone
a three day's journey, leaving hor in per
fect health, and I rctliraed td find that she
had died suddenly immediately after my
departure, and was already buried."
"How long ago V asked Astley, hoarse,
ly. A horriblo light was broaking in npon
him.
"Six years. I loft Lima tho following
dav. 1 never even visited hor crave, but
returned to England at pnee; and now,
after theso years I find my wife so liko her
in every foature and every look, that my
old wound is torn open afresh, and tho
intolerable anguish has mado me cry out
in this way.
Astley started up and laid his hands
upon his friends shoulder with a grasp like
a vice. His voico was harsh and dry, and
his eyes were bloodshot and staring.
"Holt, for God's sako let us do nothing
rashly I Come witli mo to your wife's
gravo, and let us bo very aure."
Holt looked up nnd saw all in Astley's
face.
"Speak," ho shouted ; she is ray wife !
Tell mo how you met her j speak quickly
Two moro yoars pnsed, years of tho ' while I can hoar you, for there is the sound
most perfect happiness. Mary differed I of a oataraot in my oars that deafans mo !'
now in nothing from other women, savo And ho fell in a awoon at Astloy 's feet,
for that blank cxistenco of moro thai Ha might havo died in it for all Astley
twonty years, Hor memory of that timo ( could do to revive hiifl. Ho stood blindly
never returned. She lived entirely with-1 staring at tho palo faee, but wasinoapahlo
"I swear it," she said, "by my
band Richard Astley."
Poor Holt 1 he threw himself at her feet
clasping ber knees, and crying pasiibh-
ately :
"Oh, Edith I havo you forgotten mc,
your husband, David Holt! Ob, my dar
ting, yotl must remember mc, and how
happy we were for that short two years I"
Rut sho broke from his, grasp, and
threw horsolf into Atley's arms, orying
out :
"Send him away ! What does ho moan ?
Send hiiii away," Sho was palo and
trembling with terror.
"Let her go," shouted Holtj '.'or by
VOLUME 281
till the next day, when, if they could but
decide, upon what was right it should bo
done For her sake, too, ho condocendei
to plead with ihc frantic man ; and seeing
that Mary had fainted in his arms,h laid
her down, aud led Holt from the room,
that tho sight of hor might hd.longor mad
den him. His rago died out from sm.
plo exhaustion, and throwing himself into
a chair he wept like a child,
Aatley roused him. ,"noH, bo a mn,,
This is an awful tragedy. 1 wish to
Heaven I had died rather than played my
part in it. Thoro aro not upon tho earth
two men so broken-hearted as you and I;
Let us accept what is inevitable, but let
us spare what anguish wcoan to that un
happy woman. Loavo mo now, arid, to
morrow I will seo you agoiH. Perhaps
by that timo I ahall have thought ol soma
thing for her.
"Holt rose passively. "You nro no
bler than I," he said, as he turned to go;
Il seemed to Astloy that his grief was
but beginning when ho tried to explain
tho wholo thing to Mary. Tho torture of
putting it into words was ao intense that
all beforo was nothing compared with it.
And when at length sho comprehended,'
and asked him if ho wished her to leave
him, even that agony seemed alight con
trasted with what he endured in telling
hor that he believed sho blight to do so.
Living as she wil, she could not com
prehend the sacrifico to duty whioh Astley
was striving to make, and her thorough
ignoraco of tho world rendered it imposs-
iblo to mako her understand what her po
sition would be if she remained where she
was. And yet this was a oasc so As
tley tried to persuade himself so extra
ordinary, so different from anything that
bad ever been in the world before, that no
law, human or divine, could apply to it,
But above all, the thought rose dominant,
that by whatever mystery of uncosoioui-
ness deprived her of memory, she wasatill
Holt's wife and not his, and with this
thought piercing him like a sharp eword,
he aaid that ho believed ahe ought to loavo
him.
of so much as holding out a hand to him.
Holt oamo to him beforo long, and ris-
in doors ; Aslcy had ono evening taken
her for a walk, and tho Unaccustomed
Bights and sounds of the streets had torn- ing up haggard and wild, repeated his du
fled her so much that he novor repealed raand that Astloy should tell him whoro
tho experimont. i he had met his wifo.
A. . ! . .. I ....!.. . I 1 I I A iwl tin flirl t nl I liim irinrnir, nnfltlnr
I ll IllUUB U 1UII1MUL! IO IliirOU HCU HIS , mw , , p,.m,.ik ,,w....Mt,
laying it upon hor kneed, began to flutter j,eautfui wjf0 to ia 0n f,jcndR ,,( roiai saying plainly out that she had boon hro't
iits leaves backward and forward, playing ' . . E jaml wa3 TCry stronc. but tho to liim by tho body-snatchers as a sub-
dly wttti mom.
"Good hoavons I" said Astloy to him- (
solfj "alio is mad, Imbeoile at rmy rato; I 1
must do tomethlng with her. prevailed, aud the idea was dismissed as
But it was impossible to think with her tl0 iLtDg wis impossible;
bsforo bl'm', and taking her ly the hand six years had passed'sinoo the eventlul
difficulties of explanation, or of dcColt, jcot ; that Bhe bad lain as dead upon his
whioh it would involve, combined with her lblo for a night, sheeted nnd shrouded
extreme aversion to the project, always like a corpse.
fioally, he woke with" a ory of horror from J ho aaid s
, night when Mary had boon brought as
''And vou dared burst io IIoU,
who was almost beside hinistlf.
"I saved her life," Bald Astley gently;
ho bad r.oftericd ia lb thought of that rea-
The oath was interrupted by Astley.
"IIolt.God knows I will try to do what
is right, and for her sake I ask you to bo
oalra." ile placed hor in a obair. where
she sat woeping for fright, and went on.
"You shall say all you can to bring the
past to her memory, and if sho oan re
member you in the faintest degree, I will
give up my claim to yours. But if sho
doei not oh, IIoU, I saved her lifo V
The struggle was an awful ono, and shook
hitn like tho wind shakes arced.
"You tell her," said Holt, bitterly;
"perhaps aho will bclievo what you say.
At any rate sho will listen to it.
It was hard to begin the cruel task ; yet
for ber sako he undertook it,his voice lrm
bling, though bo tried with all his will to
steady it. 1
"Mary, loro, liston. You know that
.. .
you must navo lived more than twonty
yoars bofore you was brought hero that
night."
'I (Jd not Kndwj" she aaid ; "I cannot
remember."
"But it must have beon ao, for you
wero a women then."
"I cannot understand," sho repoated.
"I havo no recollection of anything be
fore.'' Astloy turned to Holt with a look of
agony, "You see how it is let us end this
torturo."
"Give ma ray wifo," said Holl,ficrcely.
" You will not take her," Astley cried,
as tbo thought of his doing so agaiust her
will struck him for tho first time.
"She is mine," said Holt. ''Go on ;
toll ho the whole story. If eho doos not
understand it,sho will believe it when you
toll it to her. Tho sneer with which tho
words spoken was a cruel one, but misery
bad made him nruol,aud lio scarcely knew
what bo said or did.
And Astley told her all in a few words.
She looked bewildered.
"It must bo true if you say so,but I can
not recollect ; and oh, Astley, I lovo only
yod."
"Sho must como with me," shouted
Holt, savagely. Tho demon had got the
better ol him, and tbo poor wretch, mad
with jealous pain, ipoko bitter and unjust
words,that mado tho terrified woman oling
moro closely to Astley for protection.
The scene must bo ended for her sako
and Astley besought Holt to loavo them
Sho rose upj cold and proud in a mo
ment, and would have left .him then, but
at the threshold her spirit failed, and sho
turned again to throw herself at his feet,
wilh tears and sobs.
Night has veiled many eights of woo,
then clouds of night havo many times been
pierced by oiies of anguish, bitter cries for
faith and patienoe,going up above the stars
to the feet of God, but never shrouded
doeper woo than this, bitter cries never
pierced the shuddering ddrknosg.
When morning dawned they were both
very calm and still. Their tears wero
shed, and their eyes were dry. He had
dcoided for tho right.though his heart was
brokon in the conflict; nnd Bhe, woman
like, had accepted the right, not because
il was so, but because ho said it was so.
"I shall die," he aaid, in a voice from
which all passion had departed. ''I can
bear no moro and livo,but I can bear even
this and die."
Who can describe that parting ! When
the sun set, it was upon Aslley broken
hearted and alono, Holt had takon away
his wife;
Seven days parsed, and Astley never
left bis dcsolato home. . He made no do
stinction of day or night, but lay down to
sleep if the stupor which from time to
timo rendered him unconscious could be
so called aff any' hour that sloop cams"
to.him.
At tho close of the seventh day he lriedi
for tho first timo to look bis fate boldly in
tbo face. "I am not dead," he said,
therefore it is clear that this grief will not
kill me." That night ho undressed" and
went to bed.
The night six yoars ago,when the shee
ted figure lay upon tho table,and he dream
ed fantastio drean.s of terror connected
with it,oamo to mind more distinctly than
it had C7cf done before, His sleep was
broken and feverish, and haunted by wild
driauis. Twice ho awoke feeling certain
that he had heard a knooking attbo door,
and twice he slopt again ho found that all
was silent. But ho awoke tho third time,
in the gray dawn and beard tho sound
again,a feeble knocking at the outer door,
whioh coaj?d suddenly. Uo rose detor
minod to asc Ttain tho causo : be unbarrod
and oponcd tho door, and thero fell for
ward noross the thrceholcd tbo dead body
of Mary".
tST Sore Throat, Cough, Gold, and
similar troubles, if suffered to progress
result in serihus pulmonary uffootlous, of
tentimes inourable. "Brown's Bronohialy
Troches" are compounded so as to reach
diaeotly the seat of tho disease and give
almost imtant relitf.