The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-10-23

The stranger advanced and seated himself at the
end Of one of the benches. Those who occu-
pied It moved as far from him as they could
The landlord alone had the courage 10 go up TO
him.
"Mr. Senator cried he, ''where have you
been? For these three years search has been
made for you to no purpose"
",rhree years repeated Beerlein, staring at
the landlord
This house." continued the other, sis no
| longer yours Your widow, your wife, would
say-sold il to me in the second year, as you did
not come back, and now lives in small town in
| the neighborhood."
sand my grandmother % asked Beerlein
"She died few weeks after your disappear
ancen
sand my children 2"
dead too. A disease which made great ha-
voc In our good city carried them off,"
| AT these answers, the head of the unfortunate
senator dropped lower and lower; no tone Of
horror or of grief escaped him but his whole
frame denoted heart eaking and unutterable
| anguish. He left the room a, quietly as he had
entered it. The landlord followed him, stopped
him on the stairs, and asked in loud and sharp
voice, "But where have you been all the time
neighbor %
"Ask me not" replied the wretched man
God has been pleased to try me in wonderful
way. feel that shall die.n
W III tHtsc WOTuS ne Itli INTO u ueep SWOOn
Care was taken TO convey him TO his wife, and
one may conceive the fright and JOY of Cathe-
ne when she saw her long lost husband return
She received him in her widows weeds, which
she put of Immediately, but only TO resume them
in few weeks, and this time with sufficient oc-
cason, for Mr.. Sebaldus Beerlein departed this
life, as he had foretold, with pious resignation
but before he died he communicated 10 the cler
gyman who attended him the extraordinary cir
cumstances of his absence and this document
is still preserved by the family. II is attested
and signed by several witnesses living at the
time, who were well acquainted with the sena-
Tor before his disappearance, and who saw him
return, and the seal of the city authorities was
affixed to il. The narrative was, in substance,
as follows:
On Trinity Sunday, in the year l749, relates
the senator, between eight and nine in the eve
ming, was sitting quietly, and occupied with
the most pleasing thoughts about my family,
| which was collected around me- when dis
tincty heard rap at the door. took no notice
oft, concluding that Ahlevert, my servant who
was close TO the door, would see who was there,
or that the person who had knocked would come
| in, when he found his signal dsregarded. In
stead Of that, however, the knocking was thrice
repeated, and very loud. l was surprised that
not creature in the room seemed 10 hear il all
quietly kept their seats All at once it was as
if voice said to me, "Rise, take thy hat and
cane and CO."
| strove to silence this extraordinary inward
injunction, but was seized with such an anxiety,
oppression, and faintness of heart as if | had
been ever SO i'll. The painful sensation becam.
at last so unbearable that was forced to take up
my hat and stick and go to the door.
| When was in the passage, there found
man who eyed me with steadfast look, and
again the words sounded in my ears, Come,
| follow me-"
knew not the man. neither did know what
| he wanted with me: but felt that from the mo-
ment had crossed the threshold of my room he
had power over me, and followed him.
| We descended the back-stairs and went thro'
a assage in the next house, Of the existence of
which had never before been aware. twas
vaulted, and as tar as can recollect, casks and
| empty chests were piled against its dark walls.
II became lower and lower, SO that at last was
obliged to advance STOPPING after my guide, who
| went just before me. We came TO dark water,
which took to be covered canal: the water
looked black and unnatural. A couple of crazy
planks which served for bridge, swayed much
as was passing over them; but my guide
moved light as feather and without the slight
est noise, over this dangerous crossing.
We got at last into the open air, and saw
the starry armament above US. The evening
red still glowed in the west and recolect that
on looking back, / distinctly saw the steeple of
| Jul Pilncipdl CHuiCH everything else Seeueu W
be enveoped, as 1t were, in mist. We now
came to plain, extending farther than the eve
could reach, and which appeared absolutely
strange TO me. Not tree, not hut, not road
was to be seen. The ground was covered with
dried or singed grass, as if vast fire lately ragged
there.
made this remark to my guide, asking at the
same time whittier he was leading me- With
out answering, he sgni6ed by silent gesture,
that we must proceed. Accordingly, without
exchanging word, we pursued our course to-
gether over the dead level of the heath. The |
last tinge OF the evening red disappeared |
fog shrouded the face Of heaven, so that earth |
and sky seemed to be covered with one uniform
lead -coored veil. | cannot describe to YOU the |
awful and soul depressing effect of this solitude.
How grateful to my ear would have been the
slightest sound OF life! we heard not even our
own footballs on the soft ground. From time TO
time cool breeze blew over the plain but it re-
freshed me not, for it waited with it an ntoera-
bic smell of mould.
Having proceeded in this manner for about
halt an hour, perceived house standing quiet
alone upon the plain, and the windows Of which |
were brilliantly lighted up. 1t was in that sort
of sly lie in which palaces are built; pillars sup
ported the roof, and the edifce was decorated |
with magnificent flights of steps, rich coats Of
arms, and gilt statues. My companion beck
oned me TO enter. | represented to him that
knew not either the house or its owner
'Thou wilt learn TO know him." he replied
"but beware of putting single question either
10 him or to those about him concerning what
thou shalt there see. Silent as thou earnest
must thou go again, and impress upon thy me-
mory what thou seest"
With these words he opened the door Of
large magnificent saloon, along the sides of
which saw by the light of thousand tapers, a
large company sitting in full dress. !, hen en-
rka
company consisted of gentlemen of quality, and
ladies of extraordinary beauty but knew none