American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1844-12-21

evidently opened, she was led in, and it was
again closed then, and not till then, was the
bandage withdrawn from her eyes.
Having regained the use of her sight, she be-
gan to look eagerly around her. but the stran-
ger, without taking off his mask, drew her
quickly to the bedside, and pointing to te-
male who lay thereon, babe her render her the
necessary assistance. This unfortunate being
was evidently in a state of extreme suffering
''The hour of Natures sorrow" pressed heavily
upon her, and she lay on her side and groaned
! pteously; no human being STOOL near to allevl-
ate the pangs she endured; and as if to add as
much as possible 10 their poignancy, mask
closely covered her face, and thus as it were
thrown back upon her the burthcn of the long
deep groans, which seemed to be forced upon
her in spite of her evident effort to restrain
them.
The woman's first idea was, it appeared, to
relieve her patient from this extraordinary and
cruel encumbrance; but the man, as soon as he
perceived her benevolent intention grasped her
hand, and muttered in low but stern voice,
at must not be removed" She felt that no
remonstrance would avail with the awful and
mysterious being into whose power she had
been strangely thrown, and proceeded to do
what she could for the relief of the poor crea-
ture who lay PROSTATE before her, insensible
apparently to every thing but the agony she
endured,
Nature struggled long; it seemed as if the
| infant, that is about to be Struggled INTO lie,
| dreaded to enter world where so strange, SO
stern a reception awaited 1t; until at length the
delicate frame of the future mother could no
longer endure the mortal anguish, and she
| tainted.
lnstnctively, and if not forgetful, at least
/ l. 4 ia, oFt l,n
stranger, the woman, without stopping to con-
slider the risk she might incur by thus Drawing
him, tore the mask from the face Of the insen-
sible sufferer and disclosed to her astonished
gaze one of the loveest faces she had ever be-
held
"Woman'' exclaimed the man, in tone OF
suppressed rage, "did not command you?"
"Brute!" retorted she, "would you destroy
two at once?-would you murder both mother
and child? See, her strength has failed; her
pulse is gone; she may be dead in five minutes,
if she is slihed by this horrid mask"
"Dead' muttered the man, in low deep
voice of uncomfortable anguish; dead. oh, no.
any thing but that
The woman was too much engrossed by her
needful care of the patient, to heed his words;
and he perceiving that she had succeeded in re-
storing the fainting form to animation, return
ed to the occupation which seemed to have
shared his attention with the business OF keep
ing watchful eye upon the proceedings OF the
woman, VIZ, that of heaping log after log up
on an already blazing fire in an adjoining room.
This seemed the more extraordinary as the
Spring was far advanced, and the tightly-cos-
ed doors and windows rendered the atmosphere
of the room more than sufficiently warm with
out such unreasonable aid. The door between
the two rooms opened just opposite the bed;
and as he paced up and down between it and
the Fireplace, he on each turn added to the inn
mense pile, spite of the woman's more than
once venturing to suggest to him that the room
was already oppressively hot
At length the struggle ceased, and the voice
of a living child greeted the new y-made moth
er's ear but no muttered sound of thanksgiv-
ing breathed in joyful contrast to the feeble
wall of the infant; no beloved voice babe her
remember no more her anguish, for Joy that
man was born into the world" The strange
being did indeed spring forward as the woman
announced to him (hoping thereby perhaps to
soften the asperity of his apparently demonia-
cal temperament that a noble boy, straight i'll
limb and perfect in proportion, lived to bless his
parents; but it was not to bestow fathers
blessing on his frst-born; it was not to imprint
fathers kiss upon the miniature features; no,
it was not the warm pressure OF paternal atfec-
ton; but rather the savage grasp OF tend,
with which he seized the newborn infant, even
before the woman had time to cover the little
quivering frame with a single garment, and
with rapid strides advanced with it to the fire,
which has been already alluded to. The un-
fortunate mother seemed partly aware OF the
mans horrid purpose, even before her attend
ant, engrossed with the necessary cares for her
| l,,I III
the most piteous accents besousht him to re-
place the child beside her; a name evidently
trembled on her lips; but even in that awful
moment caution prevailed, and no word which
could betray him escaped her. She pleaded,
however, in vain the mysterious wretch, for
such he truly seemed, stopped indeed, appar-
emily in spite of himself, at every new entrea-
ty, but his purpose as it appeared, remained
unaltered, for he replied in the same hoarse
voice: at must be done-you kno,o it must be
done!''
"Gracious Heaven! and by your hands?"
"Are;they not fttest for such deed" replied
he, in tone of intense bitterness.
"No! no! mol" almost screamed the mlsera-
BILE mother; cit shall not be; Heaven and earth
alike forbid it. Oh! do you take it from HIM"
continued she, addressing the woman; ''you
who have been rudely dragged to this house OF
guilt and misery; forgive me,'' (and here her
eye turned to the masked figure, while as be-
fore a name trembled on her lips, though still
she did not utter it, 81 know it was for my
sake: but even this woman, who has no reason
to feel grateful to either of us, she am sure
will add her prayer to mine"
"Take it them" said the man, almost fling
ing the infant into the woman's arms, without
giving her time to recover her powers OF
speech benumbed as she was with horror, SUI
fcently to make any answer, Sand let it be
doSe quickly"
"What2" demanded she.
"Destroy it, and that instantly, in that fire;
and let not trace of it remain!''