Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1838-03-20
RUTLAND, TUESDAY. MARCH 20. 1888.

through the door and disappeared m n Instant from
sight. The hiding places around were searched
IN vain by those who had 30 kindly sheltered him
aud II vas at lergjh concluded that he had fed
IRON the neighborhood of the house They ne.
tired to rest filled Wih feattul lofobodlngs ~ re-
gard to the fate Of lhe poor wretch whose story
hsd been go abruptly broken "a. They lclt or
n"ehncoble ave creeping over hem wh,e feacc.
ting upon The DARK scenes which his disicmprrtd
imagination had ootIuted up. aud would ia,n have
ban'sbe5 all recollection u il from their minds
had such hing been possible. How long IA, y
had remained awake N This state Of feeling Is uu-
certain but dst as lhsif senses were bcgiumrg
60 blend e,ety thipg into sort Of iodisiinctuess.
uniiHe feHh'y, and TO Weld 10 The dreamy 'uda-
ences Of fiIgue ycll which froze the very blood
~ ibeIr veins apd sent thrill through their frames
reNerhota,ed from end TO end of the long hall
which led 10 their chamber. The childfen sctcnm-
ed IN alarm, and the terror stricken servants
sprang from their slumbcrs. the cchuos If thu;
unnatural sound tung IN Their ears. A wild rush
across the floor beneath them, crash us Of fall
ing timber, and all was again still. Mr. Morton,
followed by his servants descended the steps, the
latter trembling at every joint TO enquire into the
cause OF tins strange and unusual occurrence. -
All below seemed quej, aud they observed no
sign to indicate that any thing had elapsed until
they reached the room in which the family had
set while listening to the recital Of the stranger
Here they found The door wide open aud the furni
ture IN lis immediate proximity overturned. Pro.
ceedlng to the front Of the house they beheld the
street door torn FROM its iastenings aud swinging
loosely IN the wind. A moments thought afford
ed a solution TO the whole affair, and closer IN
vesngatlon corrotorated il in every respect. The
drnnkard IN his cageTness to escape from some
Imaginary danger. had not went beyond the pre- =
clncis Of the yard but concealed himself in some
place afforded by the extensive premises Of Mr.
Morton, until the danger should be over. There
he had crouched until the moment that he had
been beard flying and yelling through the house
again alarmed. perhaps, by the horrid phanoms
which none but he rrccaimabe and imbeoile
drunkurd, parched by the burning draughts which
he daily consumes con have any conception off,
Listen to the rawlings Of such an one. then and
not till then will you know the fearful punishment
the drunkarJ endures as an Offset to his short
lived pleasures. even while among the scenes Of
time.
Tie mystery being fairy solved, they were not
l~-s y" 'vturri"- tueu siumUeTs, perfectly sat
istcd that any attempts to discover the retreat Of
the wo-berldden wretch would prove fruitless. as
the night dark and the wind blew IN wild and
Gtfn bssts, prec!ud.ng the possibility Of their
hearing his retreaing footsteps or Distinguishing
his meanings above its melancholy wailings.
The dismal events Of the preceding story were
just beginning to fade from The recollection Of Mr.
Morton and his family when he was Summoned to
au inquest over the body Of stranger who had
been found drowned in pond on tie skirs of the
town, near where he then happened TO be- aud
aot more than mile from his own RESIDENCE
lilo prpppoIpI baeftiv d, 10 apIi
with hir companions commenced such an exanina
ton Of the body as its purified and decayed state
would adlal. He had, it was evident, lain not
much short Of a month IN The stagnant water, and
was consequently Much dsfgured aud distorted.
but 10 spite Of these things Mr. Morton in mo-
ment recognized in this beng the wretched stran-
ger whom he had invited to his residence, and
whose tale had much affected him. When
found his head sunk deeply in the mud and
his limbs partially visible above the water, POSI-
ton which warranted the presumption that while
wandering 10 The darkness on ground unknown 10
him he had by mls-sicp precipIlated himself into
q yawnlng grave. A letter was found in ole
pocket book IL his coat, bearing the seal coat
Of arms Of one of Europe's noblest houses, which
Mr. Morton had often heard mentioned by bis pa
rents, and the sous of which were raised in the
very city 10 which his father born. Enough
could be decphered Of lis contents to satisfy hem
that 1t had been written by the elder brother Of
the deceased before hs return home from his bu.
suess expedition, which had been mentioned by
The latter who had assumed the name Of Edmius-
ton while rec,,ing h,s story 10 NJ Morton.
This is q brief history Of the life and death OIL
one who might have been bright ornament 10
society. bad he not yielded to the syren voice Of
wee dressed 10 the garb Of hcentous pleasure. -
lle slipped the nectar. but knew not that It Wa
the 'lfc blood Of the willy serpent. The moral
'Aough brief il an instructive one. "B1rue d
Mc Jo,ri.'
Impressive discourses we're delivered ast Sab.