The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1840-10-30
Leaves from a Lawyers Port Folio,
THE VICTIM.
Jasr, look TO h!m--Tsll not of cy."--snYLock,
CoNCLUDED.l

THE VICTIM.
(CoNcLUpEp.]
The note was hurriedy directed, and sealed
with black seal. knew Mary had been failing
all day, and told them to summon me from the
Jail if she grew worse trembled as broke the
wax. My worse fears were realised She had
died scarcely half an hour before. The note
fell poweress from my hands. ! staggered against
the wall But a wild figure fitting by Inc sudden
ly recalled me TO myself
| had left Howard just within the cell, seemingly
buried in convulsive glief. But the ears of men
in such situation are proverbialy ncute in all that
smothered EXPLANATIONS on perusing the note had
caught his ear. He read every thing at once in
the face of the compassionate jailor who now
stood in the doorway; but he did not utter an ex-
clamation, All the agony he had suffered at once
was concetrated into that one moment, but it only
ncrved him TO despair as calm as it twas terrible.
He did not even gasp for breath; but that instant
catching sight of the egress of visiter through
the outer entrance, he dashed furiously by the as
,onished turnkey in the doorway of his cell, eros
sed the hall with the speed of lightning, and was
already darkening the outer portal when the under
turnkey perceving his design, felled him to the
earth with the huge bar of the gateway. A rush
a stunning sound, heavy fall upon the pavement
told the whole bloody tragedy, and the next mo-
nj fad md IN
his room. Would to God! our belief had been cor
rect, and that moment had been his last.
They buried her. She lies in her quiet grave
in that old church yard and even now often pause
there and think of her early fate. Hers was a
shor. and melancholy existence; but she has long
been in better and happier world
Slowly and almost imporccpliblc did Howard
awake to the consciousness Of his sullcrings. The
wound he had received, though not so dangerous
rs we at first imagined, threw him almost instantly
into high fever and becoming delirious, no never
awokc to knowledge of the events transpiring
around him until his sweet wife had been some
days inferred. 1t seemed indeed rs iflate, wcaried
with expressing him, had kindly thrown veil o.
yer his consciousness of suffering during this dread
ful period When ut last he came to his senses,
after the first hurried enquiries were satisfied, he
made no aluson TO the los of hi, wife. His spirit
seemed broken within hiH For hours he would
lie wilhou, speaking Il word with hii face turned
idly to the wall, seemingly nsensioe to all around
him. lie never, or rarely convc;sed Often would
he press my hand in silence and sigh heavily; but
he neither alluded to tho past nor talked Of the
future.
And day by day he grew more emaciated. 1t
was not hi, wound, for that had long since been
almost hcald But his zest for life was gone; hope
was dead within him; and he was slowly but sure
ly passing down to the tomb
II have so often pic :ured deathbed in these hatsy
leaves that am tempted to omit the closing scene
Of this melancholy drama. But know not how
i, is, there is to mo something cannot resist in the
spectacle ola parting spirit. Perhaps i, is because
there is no deception thore. Then indeed the bo-
som is laid bare, tho most secret character be-
come known, and tho lips that are already blue
and cold speak only tho tremuous words of truth.
am impeed, too, as ifby an irresistible influence
to transcrhe the now faded leaf contains this pRIs-
ON DEATH-BED. Bear with Inc then while
lay before you the mourniul close of rho tragedy
Tuesday, Feb. "a, lsO-----IIoward has been
failing for some days. bu, last night he was seized
with relaps into his old fever. and is now dcliri
Gus. lie is scarcely expected to survive over the
night. Poor leow-how my heart aches for him
as write. What a life has his becn Nothing
but woe, misery, and living martyrdom. DEATH
which is so dreadful 10 others will be blessing to
him.
Wednesday, Feb. 25.-IToward is still in the
greatest danger. The physician says the agony OF
his mind has brought on the relaps, and that hi
silence betokens how deeply he still feels the loss Of
his wife. He shakes his head when talk of recov.
cry. Well-i,is perhaps better he should die
What now is there left for him on earth. Oh, how
terrible has the maledction Of R---been full.
filed. May the curses of Heaven light upon-bu,
Twill not invoke the judgment of the Almighty
on the oppressor. leave him to his Maker,
-"vengeunce is mine, will repay, saith the
Lord"
Thursday, Feb. 26.--Iloward is worse. When
not derious he lies in stupor. have not heard
him speak sane word for more than two days
They say however, tina, once or twice in the night
and during my absence he has enquired for me.
But oh! the terrible things he says in his de-
lirium. How that old honry villain, the cause Of
all this run would quake and turn pale if he could
but listen one moment at the bedside of hi, VIC
tim. Such touching reproaches, such hear,-ren-
ding exclamation such words of iremuous afIec.
ton for his absent Mary. "Why don't she come,
why don't she GOMEZ" is the constant question
of his disordered fancy. At times too, he mag-
ines that she is beside him, and the hardest heart
mets at his pathetic reproaches on her absence.
Then he will suddenly fancy she has deserted him