Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1841-12-20

door as though they had seen spectre. The
stranger advanced and seated himself at the end
of the benches. Those who occupied 4, moved
ms far from him ms they could. The landlord a.
lone had the courage to 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
three years!' repeated Boerlein, staring at the
landlord.
This house, continued the other, is no longer
yours. Your widow-your wife, | would say
beg your pardon, am talking 10 you as il you
were dead sold it to me in the second year, as
you did not come hnck, and now lives in small
town in the neighborhood.
'Aud my grandmo,her' he'd Beerlein.
'She died few weeks after your disappearance
And my children?
'Dend 100 disease which made great hav
oc in our good city last year carried them off,
At these answers, the head Of the unfortunate
senator dropped lower aud lower; no tone Of
horror or of grief escaped him but his whole
frame denoted heart breaking and unutcrabe all
guish He left the quietly us lie had en-
tered it,. The landlord followed him, stopped
him on the stairs. and asked him in n loud and
sharp voice,
But where have you been all this time neigh
bor?
ASK me moi, replied the wretched man God
has been pleased to try me in wonderful way
| feel that shall die
Care was taken to convey him to his wife, and
one may conceive the frgh; and joy OF Catherine
when she saw her long lost husband return. She
received him in her widows weeds, Which she
put oft Immediately, but only 10 resume them in
n few weeks, and this time with sufficient occa
sion, Tor Mr.. SebalJus Beerein departed this life,
as he had foretod, with pious resignation but
before he died he communicated to the clergy
man who attended him, the extraordinary circum-
stance OF his Absence and this document is still
preserved by the family 1t is attesed and sgn-
ed by several witnesses living ut the time, who
were well acquainted with the senator before his
disappearance, and who saw him return, and the
seal Of the city authorities was affixed to it. This
narrative was, in substance, as follows:
On Trinity Sunday, in the year l749, relates the
SENATOR between eight and nine in the evening, |
was sitting quietly, and occupied with the most
pleasing thoughts about my family, which was
collected around me, when | suddenly heard
rap ut the door. took no notice of ii, conclud
ing that Ahlevert my servant, who was close to
the door, would see who there or that the
person who had Knocked would come in, when
he found his Signal disregarded Instead of that,
however, the knocking was thrice repeated, and
very loud. | was surprised that not a creature in
the room seemed to hear it all quietly kept their
seats. All at once it WINS MS If a voice said to me,
Rise, lake thy hat and cane and CO.
slrove to silence this extraordinary inward
injunction, but was seized with such an anxiety,
oppression, and talntuess of heart as if had been
ever SO i'll. This painful sensation becnne at last
SO unbearable, that was forced to take up my
hat and stick and 10 20 to the door
When | was in The passage, there found n
man who eyed me with seadiast look, and again
the words sounded in my ears, Come, follow
me-
knew not the man, neither did know whit
he wanted of me; hut | felt that from the mo
ment had crossed the threshold of my room he
haln nd |
We descended the back stairs and went
through passage in the next house the existence
of which had never before been aware. Ii was
vnuled, and us far rs | can recollect, casks and
empty chests were piled against lis dark walls.
IL became lower and lower, 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 md unnatural. couple Of crazy
planks, which served for bridge, swayed much
as was passing over them; bur my guide NOV
ed as light feather and with the slightest
noise, over it's dangerous crossing.
We got at last into the open mir, | saw the star
ny armament above us. The evening red still
gowed in The west, and recollect that, on look
ing back, distinctly SOW the steeple of our prn-
cipal church every thing else seemed TO he en-
veloped as it were in mist-We now came IL n
plain extending father than The eye could reach,
and which appeared absolutely strange 10 me.
Not a tree, not hut, not road was TO be seen.
The ground was covered with dried or singeG
grass as if IL vast fire had lately ragged there.
made this remark to my guide, asking n, the
same time whittier he was leading me.-Wiiliout
answering, he s;gniied, by silent gesture, thut
we must proceed. Accordingly without exchan-
ging word we pursued our course together over
the dead level of the heath. The last tinge of
the evening red disappeared; fog shronded the
face of heaven, so that the earth aud sky seemed
10 be covered with one uniform ead-colored veil.
l cannot describe to you the awful and soul-de-
pressing effect of this solitude How grateful 10
my eur would have been The slightest sound of life
we heurd not even our own footballs on the soft
ground From time to time cool breeze blew
over The plain, but il refreshed me not, for il wa-
ed with it an ntoerable smell OF mould
Having proceeded in this manner for about half
an hour perceived house standing quite alone
upon The plain, and Tie windows of which were
brilliantly lighted up. II was in that sort Of sly IL
in which palaces are built pillars supported the
roof, and The edIfice was decorated with mugnif-
cent flights Of steps, rich coats Of arms, and gilt
sIatutes.-My companion beckoned me TO enter
represented 10 him that knew not either the
house or its owner.
Thou wilt learn TO know him. he replied
but beware of putting II single question either TO
him or 10 those about him concerning what thou
Shalt there see. Silent ms thou earnest must thou
60 again, and impress upon thy memory what
thou seest.'
With these words he opened the door OF a
large magnificent saloon, along the sides of which
saw hy the light o. thousand mpers, large
company sitting IN hdl dress. When entered,
every eye was turned upon me.-The company
consisted Of gentlemen of quality, aud ladies' Of
extraordinary beauty hut knew none OF them.
They were faces which had never seen in all my
life. My companion, who stopped in n respectful
attitude nj The door, moIoned Inc to approach the
company. did so, though felt abashed, and
they replied TO my salulation with u formal but
not unlrendly oheisance; for every one seemed
10 be wholly occupied with himself or his neigh
Dor, and to take no further notice of me. | hal
time ioi observation, and soon remarked thar
all these women had red cords around their necks,
which we're whine as nabas,er and that the gen