The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-11-02
DAILY CREsCEN T.



lanes and fields, but in London bringing only sad
ness He passed through the dull, close West-end
streets, where the heated air was never stirred ny
one fresh evening breeze, and not shade OF tne
glorious sunset was visible save one faint golden
sparkle on church tower near. Tristan saw
neither gloom nor light His eyes were blinded
his heart was pressed down--with misery.
He found himself crossing the green sward to-
wards The serpentne river 1t glittered in the sun
light, like beacon; and his eyes were opened
now. He saw it; he would have rushed towards
il with the speed of hunted deer flying to distant
sheter-but he dared not Il seemed as if every
passer-by cried out to him: Man, whittier goest
thouH The answer to that question belonged not
to time, but to eternity.
Tristan felt as if every eye were directed to
him in this mute inquiry-which, look where ne
would, he could not escape. There was not a lad
who went whistling past nor milliner-glrl, trip
ping lightly with her burden, that did not seem IN
this mans disordered fancy to be accusing spirit,
knowing his purpose and taunting him with 1t. 10
elude this, be went long way round-and reached
the bridge just when the sun had set. He tried to
lounge upon it as he saw other people do watching
the cocknev- Waltonians who pursued their harm
less amusements in the twilight. His eyes rested
on each tiny float and his wandering thoughts
followed the line down, down, to the deep bed OF
the river. What was there He could not answer
that-he hardly tried. All that he felt was, that 1t
must BE- place of stiffness and GOODNESS and silence;
he sought nothing more Even the bueness which
the still bright sky cast within it was painful; he
wanted it daFk-all dark. He could not enter the
portals Of that home while ray OF light rested on
on them-whe one worldly sound broke above
Them There was yet near him murmur OF ooylsh
talk and laughter, and a robin sang in one OF the
distant trees He would wait-wait until night,
and the stars should be the only witnesses OF the
great change.
Tristan sat down underneath the parapet of the
bridge A man passed by, and looked at him,
IL -, ftorrar rhnro n
he took out of his pocketa biscuit and pretended TO
eat Then woman crossed, leading a sickly child,
who gaZed wistfully at the food. Tristan gave his
morsel to the famished boy
Now the world owes me no more than it would
fain beslow-a crust of bread y thought he; and
he felt a savage pride in the reflection.
Colder and darker came on the highland IRIS
tan waited still. A dreaminess, torpor seemed to
cramp his energies, making them unequal even to
that last effort of all. mist was over his eyes;
yet he still through its gathering folds the dark
waving ghostly trees-the stars overhead and the
calm ripping waves below.
AS. uncertain STILL he seemed TO lean over the
parapet, he felt it give way. A shudder-an I'M
conscious and vain effort TO spring back-and the
waters had drawn him in. The terrible refuge
which he sought had of itself opened its doors to
receive him-and there was no retreat.
As in dreams, we sometimes feel ourselves plung-
ing deeper and deeper into an abyss which we
know to be fathOmless and yet experience no terror
no pain-so Tristan sank He seemed TO feel the
cool dark waters above him, around him, folding
him in an embrace which he knew. was that OF
death-and yet the parting ofsoul and body brought
no agony. He thought it would have been terri
BILE pang-but it felt only like the loosening of a
burden-the putting off of a robe. He would not
believe in the reality of the immortal change.
Tristan felt himself rising up-up to the surface
Of the river. Afaint idea haunted him that 1t was
always so with the drowning; whom the wave
Il. r. nrsW-1v1
chance of life before it swallows them in forever
He might have one more sight of the real world,
before entering into the land Of shadows, on whose
verge he stood. He could not reconcile to himself
the truth that he had already passed through the
eternal gate-foF he had yet powers Of thought and
sense. He heard the murmur of the little waves,
and saw the stars shining through the waters.
He reached the surface-resolved 10 make one
struggle and raise himself from that dark abyss.
But there was no need. As easily as a winged
thought, Tristan felt himself disengaged from the
waters and floating above them with the lghtness
of bird Then he knew that the mysterious
change had indeed passed over him-that he was
no longer a living man, but spirit.
And there, waited poweressly to and fro by the
eddies of the river, with a motion that awtully
stimulated life, lay the thing that had been Tristan
The soul shuddered it looked upon that dead
form-it knew then what was the guilt of murder.
Ave, although this had been Its own mortal dwell
ing-place which it had destroyed or wished TO de-
strov-still il was murder How dared he to make
stiff and helpless the hand which might have aided
a human brother-whch had responded to many
a friendly clasp? How dared he to darken with
that terrible glazed stare the orbs into which, but
three hours ago, beloved and most loving eyes had
looked, seeing there a reflected image-knowing
well that that image dwelt in his eyes so it dwelt
in his heart and blest in that knowledge ITO cast
among the dark weeds the bright hair where her
fingers had right to stray--the lips which hers
had a right to press Oh! it was sin, deadly
sin-and he-the spirit of the dead Tristan-felt il
to be so now. Parted from its mortality-from
that chain which, by the might of the senses
had dragged it down from all higher impulses-the
soul knew wherein it had erred. Yet something
Of the selshness of its earthly nature encountered
it STILL :.
thought he-for the spirit of Tristan was Tristan
still &c ever sought for good therein, and found
none NV friends tempted me with kindness and
left me TO starve; my very flesh and blood set thei
faces against me; doubted love itself-and had
not cause And now, what soul is there living
that thinks of the this night thrust into the land
of nothingness Would knew! !"
And with that desire came the knowledge of all
the power that is possessed by disembodied spirit
The shadow hoated on the wings of the night over
the sleeping city, and found itself at the entrance Of
house to which Tristan had crept not twelve hours
befOre-a blot of insignificant misery its stately
scorn. So deemed he then; and rejoicing pride
thrilled through the spirit now, as, defying oil
human power, all bars Of pomp and ceremony
he passed into the innermost chamber. The mar
he sought sat there, with his wife by his side.
Tristan had never seen that face but when if.
lines were made harsh by the pressure Of worldly
cares. He could hardly believe it was the samc
that now wore pleasant, kindly smile, or that the
voice which now chatted about the lively domestic
nothings was the very tone that sounded so cautious
and so severe among the array of ledgers and check
books in little dark office. Yet there they were
the cold man Of business and his fashionable wife
looking contented homelike, affectionate, talking
together after the day was done. Even among tn
dazzling spendors Of that luxurious abode shon'
the little glowwom lamp Of domestic love.
The lady was taking out her watch. My dear
I think we have had talk enough for tonight
Only, before we go to bed, just want to know
about that poor young man who came as we were
| going out to dinner Tristan, was il not Z"
Yes; the wild scapegrace of fellow-so proud
there is no doing anything for him. And yet woul
help him if could, for his dead fathers sake"