Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-12-17
VOLUME vI.:::::::::::NUMBER IS.

ng, she uttered the words, Your father
your poor old father 2 he smiled with,
an expression of mysterious and supernat-
lral confidence that froze her blood, and
her ear he softly whispered, /
1 have no father he is dead--long dead
buried him the night Dig my mothers
grave Poor old man = he added with
sigh, 1t was the better for him. he would
have lived only TO weep, and perish per-
haps with hunger. But | viii tell you,
lnes-and let il be a secret wondered
what made our provisions decrease 50,
till what was yesterday sufficient for four
Is not to-day sufficient for one. / watch.
ed and at last discovered--it must be
secret--an old goblin, who daily visited
this house. 1t came in the likeness OF an
old man in rags, with a long white beard,
and it devoured every thing on the table,
while the children stood hungry BY But
struck at cursed til chased it in
the name of the All-powerful. and it is
gone. Oh it was a fell devouring goblin
but it will hurt US no more, and we shall
have enough, said the wretched man, in.
voluntarily returning to his habitual asso.
Citations, enough for TO morrow Y
Zines, overcome by horror at this obvi-
Gus proof of insanity, neither interrupted
nor opposed him she attempted only to
soothe him, internally praying against the
probable disturbance of her own intellects.
Welberg saw her look of distrust, and
with the quick jealousy of partial insani-
ty, said, if you do not credit me in that,
still less, suppose, will you in the account
of that dreadful visitation with which
have lately been familiar 'Oh, my be-
loved ? said Ines, who recognized in these
words the source of fear that had lately,
from some extraordinary circumstances
in her husbands conduct, taken possess
sion of her soul, and made the fear even
offamine trihing in comparrison-'I dread
lest | understand you too well. The an
guish Of want and of famine | could have
borne, ay, and seen you bear but the bor-
rid words you have lately uttered, the hor-
rid thoughts that escape you ia your sleep
when | think on these and guess at
you need not guess said Weberg, inter-
rupting her, 4 will tell you all > and as he
spoke, his countenance changed from its
expression Of wildness to enc of perfect
sanity and calm confdence-his features
relaxed, his eyes became steady, and his
tone firm. Every night since our late
distress, have wandered out in search OF
some relief and duplicated every passing
stranger latterly have met every night
the enemy of man, who''-sOh, cease, my
love, to indulge those horrible thoughts
they are the result Of your disturbed IN.
happy state of mind. lines, listen TO me
see that figure as plainly as | see yours,
Il hear his voice as distinctly as you
hear mine this moment. Want and mis-.
cry are not naturally fertile in the produc.
ton ofimagination--they grasp at realities
too closely. No man, who wants MEL
conceives that banquet is set before him
and that the tempter invites him to ST
down and cat at his ease. No, no, Ines
the Evil One, or some devoted agent o
| his in human form, besets me every night
land how shall longer resist the snare
| know not. And iuwhat form does he
appear!' said Ines, hoping to turn the
channel Of his gloomy thoughts, while she
appeared to follow their direction. 'ln
that of middle aged man, of a serious
and staid demeanor, and with nothing re,
markable in his aspect, except the light oil
two burning eyes, whose lustre is almost
intolerable. He fixes them on me some.
times, and | feel as if there was fascination
in their glare. Every night he besets me
and few like me could have resisted his
seductioas. He has offered, and proved
to me that it is in his power to bestdw, al
that human cupidity could thirst for, or
condition that-I cannot utter. /
is SO full of horror and impieiy, that ever
TO listen TO it is scarce less crime than tt
comply with it :
"Ines, still incredulous, yet imagining
that to soothe his delirium was perhaps
the best way 10 overcome it, demanded
what that condition was. Though the
were alone, Welberg would communists
it only in a whisper: and Ines, fortItiet
as she was By reason hitherto undlsturpeC
and a cool and steady temper. could no
but recoliect some vague reports she ha
heard in her early youth, before she Quite
Spain, Of being permitted to wande
through it, with power to tempt men unde
extreme calamity with similar offers
which had been invariably rejected eve
in the last cxtremities of despair and dis
solution. She was not superstitious; BIT
| her memory now taking part with her bus
bands representation of what had BETA
/ |. n him, she shuddered at the possibility {
being exposed to SIMILAR temptation; an
she endeavored to fortify his mind an
conscience by arguments equally appro
pirate, whether he was the victim of a di:
lurbed imagination, or The real object {
this fearful persecution. She reminde
him that if, even in Spain, where the abon
nations Of Anti christ prevailed, and til
triumph of the mother Of witchcrafts an
spiritual seduction was complete. the feal
| full offer he alluded to was rejected wit
such unu1itigated adherence, the renar
citation of one who had embraced the pun
doctrines ofthe Gospel should be EXPIRE;
| sed with tcnfold energy of feeling an
holy defiance. You, said the heroic VIC
man, you first taught me that the doc
trines of Salvation are to be found aloa
in the Holy Scriptures believed yol
and welded you in that belief. We az
united less in the body than in the soul
for in the body neither of Us viii soiour
much longer. You pointed out to me n
the legends Of fabulous saints, bat th
lives of primitive apostles and martyrs {
the church. There | read no tales
.noluntary humility Of self.in1icted-