Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1846-05-11
A1iG.eWaMeoue.
PAUL rLrs AND rnEpACKuAN.

ot NurNay. lie was sober, grave man Of iacltutn
hnmof md ol u sly sarcastic VII, He was e seen IN
The snge where he lived, he used To his
work IN the 6t,s ntao early hour IN the morning-io
winter always hente II was light, and seldom returned al
the same season MI II Was dark again lie ofen. indeed
wheh the weather was st0ny, would stay IL hc forest
all night. and sleep in rude hui that he had raised 10
take his meals Ia. 10 retire 10 when II very
llefe. with gand hog fire aud bundle al lem ur bed
he n"od emnln very concnedly with his great rough
dug hr days together Ills Wife. CA such occasions,
eaine nov aud then 10 bring him ha provisions aud
change ol linen. Sa Paul Elks lived sometimes for
monlhs together IN the woods aud often almost without
seeing s0ge individual beside his wife these
slonal visits; iar he sometimes all empov.
ed IN hlng and sqnallng ihase tall pines that 10
he seht 10 England aud Other iufUiln countries. At
alhrr times he was busy burning charcoal or IRA.
curing pitch +, burning end OF the pine tees On
these occasions, though Paul Elks found 10 bn
ii lew words vet his words felt 10 be- very plthy
and full ct malie when they did come; and he Jf"ppeJ
ont hose quaint cutting sayings ever aud annn. which.
while they n,ade his fellow >uotkmen smile. gave them
great npnlon oi Panl's sense. Close Ms his disposition
wss feeaaued. yet he very much liked hecause he
"as always rudy 10 nnt end Ia qunrres hy the ft
culans light he could manage 10 put tho OF quarrel
nohy half d. aeu ii his soIid quiet worlds aud was
observed that whenever he could be Of any any
body when anyhnly was IN trouble he could help them
there WAS satisfaction IA his serious manner, aud
pleasure In his eyes, lhn did any euod see. Il
was sald other people let he pood Intentions evcpoate
IN TALK but Paul i,ks was the To seek when real aid
al advice needed
The TACT WAS. that Paul WA better known amongst
Tie people IN the forest than he IN the village where
he lived In his own house. haasscr. Paul was very
KIND nunhy fellow. lie delighted To SIT In The e,ens
my by his me aad with child each knee, aud
analhe standing between his legs and lnfh eli nhed
up into bis char listening 10 all that his win bad 10 tell
oi The village uens HIS eldest lad about years old.
he nsed 10 take with him good deal into the wouds,
where be had n lule axe iar him. and delighted
10 listen 10 his praiile while he hlmse hen ing
IN spemo silence, aud STE him learn his like
a reht expert little woodman.
lhe worst OF II was, that Paul had very lutte 10 tell
IN return for all his Nllos neNs and when she had fin
iehfd telling variety oi thugs, she would say. "And
now Paul; what hest ih0u Ia tell me}" Paul Ind sc-
dom any hing mnfe 10 tell Than Thai he had ellfd
| ny hees, aud What SOFT ol weather he had had. Al
other times he would. seeing hs ulos curiosity put on
an air Of mystery, and pretend that did do 10 tell
all thai mau knew. On This his wife would remind
him ha' she told him every thing. and that II did not
heeome him Ia be less communicative. "Ihai.p said
hah lis the very Thing; hun leest everything, and
everything that told thee would probably out III
doors pretty soon after wus gone.o Nay nay Paul"
hls vic "onId say, III is only 10 me, Paul, that thou
,haold's tell things 81 experimentation should be no
secrets between man and wife,
ilefeupnn Paul would saw Nith a smile that he real-
" did believe her 10 be one al The prudent women
living but that all women had the chaTa Of be>
nr able to keep secret, aud therefore 1t best for
man mol TO tempt ihem with the trust OF any thng % in
pofianee. Often and often did this subject up;
and tamrtmes his wife only yIudlcalrd the charac
ter ii her sex ia this Respect with great vchemenee. bot
would appeal to her female uei9 hars rlcsnpny ut her
correctness Paul however, would only smile and shake
his head.
Al length it really did appear that Paul Ind some Sc
cfe that weighed him. aud thai he did actually guard
from The knowledge Of his wife. Sober and s1ld his
department was ordinarily, II was now lrarinlly mel
anel0ly Oiteu Wien he came HUME he would sit him
down IN his chair, aad gaze Straight before hin IN
dream. 10 his wites auXi0us inquiries he returned
answers quite aWny from the question:; he SEEMED 10
have ios his appetite he would get up and steel oil 10
bed silently, Instead OF sitting as he used To do with the
chlden; aud YET ~ The night his vile heard hin sigh
ny and groanng IN dreadful way. To all inquiries
aud entreatles 10 let her kn0w what allied him. he
turned only shake Of the head aud very ueiu look
Beiime III the morning ho would creep out III his bed
throw On his clothes, aud III 10 the woods without
waiting Tor his breakfast. When he back several
days alter, his dependency seemed still greater, aud his
trouble became incessant aud 10 any other would
have been actually oyerpowefing. At length. even Paul
began 10 give way. When his wife had been proles
Ing that he might coniide IN her securely IN his
own heart that whatever that hung him should
never pass from her; Paul sighed deeply, shook his head
Two nr lhrre times, and sad, NAY wife, II s much
as my lie is worth 10 tell anybudy what troubles me;
say more hce say more 1t cannot be, So let
bear my burden as ! can"
/ Rn the more his wife that there was really
something very awful on her husbands mind. the
AS as naturalbeeamc her restless anxiety and i'm
WHluhllF 10 made acquainted win w. one vowed
that lei her only share his anxiety. aud she would pledge
her lie that she would never reveal the matter Ia any
! living creature.
"Nell," said Paul. "If thnn wilt know what has
! happened. II must be so but remer bef-i PM my
life in thy hands. The fact Isl have killed pack
mahlf'
''klled paekmani" exclaimed his wife with horror,
paul Paul, what should Induce Thee do such h0r
nhle deedP
.W hat indeed, > said Paul. 'bat The contents of his
pack and tie instIgHilon nf The devil. Bul tell
thee more, than That saw the packnan crossing The
forest, heavily laden, aud looked cautiously about him
he If his pack confirmed something very val>
liable, and the thought into my head,
han up with ny axe. and knocked him dawn. Bul
so stru' k with The horrd nature of my act |
immediately, that instead OF even looking into the pack.
| Instantly buried pack and packnan iog,lher.-and
there they ar Bul If The very telling thee Of His thing
50 affects thee, how wilt thou be able okeep the
secret? | consider that now have put my neck into
The mouse, aud shall look from this hour upon my sell
as a dead man"
"Neye need Thee lear me, Paul" sad his wife, but
Paul shook his head sorrowhy 9asped her hand very
hardly and set out Tor the forest.
Scarcely had he disappeared the next hill than
all his worst fears were realized His wife,
by her terror aud grief, FASTENED into the cottage
Ia cobide IN ihe hUsom Of her most intimate and faithful
iTlfnd the dreadful secret She exnrted of lnv-
oabe faith from her endiod her hat what she was
about confle her, involved The life al her husband
aud the safety ruin of them all Her friend protested
that noIhng should the non,entons secret from her
bosom when entrusted it by her friend. Pau's
wife related his confession, again demanding and again
being assured OF her fidelity; but tremendous WAS the
communication, that scarcely was Pants wife gone,
.tl