The Litchfield County post., 1827-11-15


| ming, in cordial solitude, undisturt,d by any
third person. Plans for their future life, Sell
| ner's flute, and JOsepha's harp, filed up those
hours, which only appeared too short for the
lovers; and the sweet harmony of their tones
was to them "a fair prelude Of their future
days. One evening, they had enjoyed them
selves SO long with their music. that Josepha
began to complain of the headach. She had
concealed an indisp0sitiou which she had ex-
Perlenced in the morning from her anxious
consort. and unimpOrtaut attack OF ft-
yer was, by the excitement Of the music. and
the exerton of the mind, the more Increased
as she had, from her youth, suffered much
from weak nerves. She now concealed it no
longer from her husband, but anxiulsly sent.
SelIner after a physician. He came. treated
the matter as Il trihe, and promised that sht
would be much better in the mO:1iag. But
after an extremely restless night, during
which she was constantly d.'li:io"s the ply
stefan found poor JOsepha in Il state which
had all the symptoms of strong nervon. f'-
yer. He employed all the prnper means, has
Josepha's illness got daily worse. ~
On the niath day, Josepha herself felt
that her weak nerves would no longer sustain
| the maIady; indeed, this the physician had al
ready mentioned to Selincr before. She
knew. herself, that Ter last hour WAS come,
and with tranquil resignation she awaited her
fate.
"Dear Edward said she to her husband.
as she drew him for the last time to her
breast, with deep regret do leave this
fair earth, in which / have found thee, and
found true happiness in thy love; but now
may no longer be happy in thine arms, yet
shall Josepha's love hover DER thee, as thy
good angel until we meet again on high"
Having said this, she sunk back. and fell a
sleep forever 1t was nine o'clock in the
evening. What Sellner suffered was mex
pressible; he struggled long for life; the
shock had destroyed his health and when,
! after few weeks illness, he recovered, there
was no more the strength of youth in his
limbs; he sank into a hollow melancholy, s.
evidently faded away. A deep sadness took
| place of his dispair, and silent sorrow hal
lowed the memory Of his beloved He had
Josepha's chamber left in the same state IN
which it was before her death. On work
table lay her needle work, and in the corner
was her harp, silent and untouched. Every
evening did Sellner go on pilgrimage to this
sanctuary of his love. took his flute. leaned,
as in the time past of his happiness, on the
window, and breathed in mournflll tones his
regret lot the DciOVeQ SnaOe:
Once he stood thus, lost in fancy. in Jose
| phas chamber. A clear moonlight waited
| to him its gentle breezes through the open
window, and from neighbouring castle tow
err. the Waterman called the hour of nine
the harp woke its tones again, as If swept by
the breath of spirit. Strangely supplied, he
let his flute be still, and with it ceased the echo
of the harp. He sang now with deep emo
| ton Josephas favOrite air; and louder and
| stronger did the strings resound the melody,
| while their tones chorded in perfect union
He sank with joyous emotion on the earth,
| and spread his arms to embrace the beloved
shade. Suddenly he felt himself breathed
on, as if by the warm breath of spring, and
a pale and glimmering light flew over him
Strongly inspired he called out
81 know the beloved shade of my saintcd
Josepha Thou didst promise to hover DER
me with thy love, and that promise thou hast
fulfilled. l feel thy breath-thy kisses on my
lips; feel myself embraced by thy glory"
With deeper bliss,he sezcd, anew the flute;
and the harp sounded again. but yet lower g.
lower, until its whispers Dissolved in distant Il
! iudIstinct sounds!
SelIner's whole faculties were powerfully
excited by the apparition of this evening; he
tLTc" HIiLIScI TcStttSSS HIS UcuS ia IlIS
feverish dreams the whispers of the harp yet
called on him again. He awOke late, and har-
rowed with the phantasies of the night, he
felt his whole being wondrously affected {;
and voice was alive in him, which was the
anticipation of a speedy dissolution, and
which indicated the victory of the soul over
the body. With infinite desire he awaited
the evening and passed it in Josepha's cham
Der.
He had already luled himself into sweet
dream by means of his flute, when it struck
nine-and scarcely had the last stroke of the
clock echoed, when the harp began to sound
softly, until atlength it vibrated in full cord,
As his flute ceased the spirit-tones ceased with
it; the pale and glimmering light few over
! him again. and in his bliss he could only utter
the words, -
"Josepha! Josepha take me to thy faith
full breastP
For the present, the harp took leave with
light and trembling tones. till its whispers a
gain were lost in low and trembling sounds
Strangely affected by the occurrence of the
evening. Sellner as before tottered back to
his chamber His faithful servant was alar-
med by the appearance of his master, and
hastened, Notwithstanding his orders to the
contrary, to the physician, who was at the
same time, an old friend of SelIner's. He
found him attacked Of a fever Of the same
symptoms as Josepha had. but of a far stron-
! ger kind. The fever increased considerably.
| fhrouphout the night during which he con-