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

ieturh. Ihe quarter chimed, then the nan nour,
then three-guarters, and at last the clock struck
ten, and still he had not come back. Theobaid
was sent TO the winners over the way, to in
quire whether the Senator might not have turn
ed IN there, and met with friends who had de-
tanned him; but he came back, saying that the
vintner had assured him he had not seen his
master. Catherine joked about this sudden dis
appearance OF her husband but nobody Joined
In her mirth, especially as the venerable grand
mother assumed so serious a look. For some
days past she had felt unwe
ut IS not right for him TO go just now,n said
she; ~ am liable 70 be called from one moment
70 another; and II would grieve me much not to
see him once more.n
Catharine scoled the grandmother for this ex-
preston, and told her that she ought not to talk
in that manner. The old lady said her pray ers,
and Catherine led her TO her chamber.
The children were put to bed, too; young
Ruhberg retired, and Catherine was left by her
self. She took upsome work, and seated her
sell near the candle, resolving not to go TO bed
till her husband came in.
II struck eleven, 1t struck twelve, and not a
football was heard out of DOORS The streets
were deserted and SILENT the watchman's horn
was heard al great distance and from cur
tanned back-window of neighborng house
sounded the low nlournful tones Of women sing
ing while they watched with corpse. The
sky was overcast and here and there a few soi-
tary stars, so few, that Catherine could count
them, peered forth from between the clouds
She stood a the window, and she made sure that
every shadow which glided along either side Of
the street was her husband coming home at last;
but still he came not. When she returned TO
her work at the table, she was seized with des-
pondency and alarm. She now bethought her
that il was not Sebald's way to go out so sud
denly without saying word, and to stay out so
late. If he had changed his mind and been
obliged TO go out that evening, he would surely
have said word to that effect TO his wife, who
was sitting not far from him. Never did he go
out for single hour without acquainting her,
and desiring her to save his supper for him and
now he was away the whole night She turn
ed over in her mind his behavior during the day
uneasy as she was, she fancied that it had not
been altogether as usual; but on closer refec-
ton, she could not adduce any particular circum-
stance. The anxious wife tried to recolleet
whether any petty jar had arisen between them,
but she soon said to herself, ''How could for
get quarrel so serious as to drive husband
away from his wife Beside, it was not Sc
bald's disposition u bear such violent grudge."
GATHERINGS thoughts then turned to his cir
cumstaDces; but, as far as she knew, these were
prosperous: indeed, had they been ever so de-
ranged, the senatof, a man universally beloved
and esteemed, would have no need to abscond
by night on that account, tor he had friends and
wealthy relations Who took an interest I'm his
welfare
Amid these musings, day dawned, and Ca
Uterine extinguishsd her lamp. Weary as she
was, sleep kept aoof from her eyes. BY de-
grees the family hegan to stir, doors opened,
and the short dry cough Of the grandmother gave
notice that she wasawake. The children came,
and Catherine saidnot word to them or to the
old lady about the absence of her husband. But
she could not long conceal il. People came up
on business: the messenger of the senate want
ed him friends asked TO see him and at last
she was obliged to confess that she knew not
where her husband was. A day was suffered
to pass, and then il was publicly reported in the
city that Senator Beerlein had disappeared, and
nobody knew what had become of him. Some
now pretended that mans hat and stick had
been found on the bank Of the river; others de-
clared that report of firearms had been heard
at night in a neighboring wood, and it was whis-
pered that the corpse of the suicide had been
carried very early in the morning to the city by
charcoal burners, secretly hired for the purpose
Still more extraordinary rumors were circulated
it was alleged that Mr.. Beerlein had been con
Quoted by an escort over the frontiers, to be
punished for some crime suddenly discovered in
a neighboring country. 1t is easy to conceive
what Catherine and her family must have suf-
fered when they heard these reports. The poor
forlorn woman still believed her husband would
come back daily, hourly-but she was disap-
pointed. "A month passed away, two months
three months, and not trace of the Senator was
to be discovered Advertisements in the news
papers proved fruitless and private inquiries
indefdtigably prosecuted were equally unavail-
ing. The man was completely lost as if he
had sunk into the earth. Nobody had seen him
go out at the door, nobody had observed him in
the street; infinitely as his dress, face, and
figure were described, nowhere had such per-
son been seen in any of the neighboring places.
Three years had elapsed, and the LOST senator
had ceased to be talked of, when, late one eve
nng, likewise in the middle of summer, man
knocked at the door of Beerlein's house He
looked pale and fatigued. He was asked what
he wanted. The stranger was evidently asto-
nished at the question.
"Who are you ?" said he to the Young man
who opened the door, "What brings you into
my house 7"
"Your house, exclaimed the youth, scr,t-
nzing the interrogation from head TO foot "This
house belongs to Mr.. Van Peters, the wine
merchant, and am his clerk
Van Peters % exclaimed the stranger
" What silly oaf you must be to crack such
stupid joke As if | did not know where the
wlne-merchant lives, and where my own house
is %
With these words he pushed the young fell
low roughly aside, and assembled the well-known
staircase. He went along the passage here he
saw furniture and pictures that were strange 10
hun. He was about TO open the door of the sit
ting room, when bursts of obstreperous laughter,
the clang OF glasses, of men in loud disputation
met his ear.
"Is it possible ?" said he TO himself; Has
Catherine company and especially such noisy
company as this 2"
He opened the door gently, and was filled
with horror on seeing number of drunken faces
around public house table. The apartment,
which used to be kept so neat, so clean, so com
fortable looked dirty, and was filled with tobac-
co-smoke. The wainscot was damaged and |
here and there gone from the wall The chair
II the ,,.inla,r ,Laar IL.