The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-01-26

| away
Redlaw threw some more upon the ground. lie
| flung his body on it Immediately, if to hide /
| from him, lest the sight of it should tempt him Il
| reclaim it and not until he saw him seated by
his lamp. with his face hidden in his hands, begaI
furtively to pick it up. When he had done so, he
| crept near the fire, and, sitting down in grea
chair before it, took from his breast broker
scraps of food, and fell to munching and to star
| ing at the blaze, and now and then to glancing a
his shillings, which he kept clenched up in bunch
| in one hand.
And this" said Redlaw, gazing on him with
increasing repugnance and fear, g is the only one
| companion have left on earth -
How long it was before he was aroused from his
| contemplation of this creature, whom he dreaded
knew not But the stiffness of the room was
broken by the boy (whom he had seen listening,
starting up, and running towards the door.
Here's the woman coming!'' he exclaimed.
The Chemist stopped him on his way, at the mo-
ment when she knocked.
g Let me go to her, will you - said the boy
" Not now" returned the Chemist. Stay here.
Nobody must pass in or out of the room, now.
Who s that9"
is |, SIR cried Milly. PRAY, sir, let me
in"
/" No! not for the world, - he said
" Mr.. Redlaw, Mr.. Redlaw, pray sir let me in. -
'What is the matter % he said holding the boy.
1.-The miserable man you saw is worse, and
nothing can say will wake him from his terrible
infatlatlon. Williams father has turned childish
in moment. William himself is changed. The
shock has been too sudden for him; | cannot I'M
derstand him he is not like himself. Oh, Mr..
Redlaw. pray advise me, help me -
No no, nO.'' he answered.
" Mr.. Redlaw. Dear sir. George has been
muttering, in his doze, about the man you saw
there, who, he fears, will kill HIMSELF
" Better he should do it, than come near me :"
l.. Al.
that he was your friend once, long ago; that he Is
the ruined father of student here-my mind mis-
gives me of young gentleman who has been i'll.
What is to be done! How is he to be followed !!
How is he TO be saved9 Mr.. Redlaw, pray, oh pray,
advise me Help mel
All this time he held the boy, who was half-mad
to pass him. and let her in.
Phantoms Punshers of impious thoughts :"
cried Redlaw, gazing round in anguish Look
upon me From the darkness of my mind, let the
ginmering of contriton, that know is there, shine
up, and show my misery! In the material world,
as have long taught, nothing can be spared no
step or atom in the wOndrous structure could be
lost, without blank being made in the great uni
verse. know, now, that it is the same with good
and evil, happiness and sorrow. in the memories of
Pity me! Relieve mel
There was no response but s. Help me, help me-
let me in" and the boys struggling to get to her
Shadow of myself! Spirit of my darker hours ~
cried Redlaw, in distraction, "Come back, and
haunt me day and night, but take this gift away !.
Or, if it must still rest with me, deprive Inc of the
dreadful power of giving it to Others Undo what
have done. Leave me henighted, but restore the
day to those whom have cursed. AS have spared
this woman from the FIRST and, as l never will go
forth again, but will die here, with hand tend
me, save the creatures who is proof against me
hear me-"
The only reply still was the boy struggling to get
to her, while he held him back and the cry, in
+ IL l.
your friend once, how shall he be followed1 How
shall he be saved They are all changed, there is
no one else TO help; pray, let me in!''
CHAPTER III The Gift Reversed.
Night was still heavy in the sky. On open plains,
from hlltops, and from the decks of solitary ships
at sea, distant iow-lying line, that promised by
and by to change to light, was visible in the dim
horizon but IFS promise was remote and doubtful
and the moon was striving with the night-clouds
busily.
The shadows upon Redlaw's mind succeeded
thick and fast to one another, and Obscured its light
as the nigbt-clouds lowered between the moon and
the earth, and kept the latter yelled in darkness
FIttul and uncertain the shadows which the
nlght-clouds cast, were their cOnceaments from
him, and imperfect revelations TO him and, like
the night-clOuds still, if the clear light broke forth
for moment, it was only that they might sweep
over it and make darkness deeper than before
Without, there was profound and solemn hush
upon the ancient pile of building, and its butresses
and angles made dark shapes of mystery upon the
ground, which now seemed to retire into the smooth
white snow, and now seemed to come out of it. as
the moons path was more or less beset. Within,
the Chemists room was ndstinct and murkV, by
the light OF the expiring lamp; ghOstly silence
had succeeded to the knocking and the voice out
side nothing was audible but, now and then,
low sound among the whtened ashes of the fire, as
of its yielding up its last BREATH Before it, on the
ha la fa II, nc bair
Chemist sat, as he had there since the calling at
his door had ceased-like man turned to stone.
AT such time, the Christmas music he had
heard before, began to play. He listened to it at
first, as he had listened in the churchyard !; but
playing still and being borne towards
him on the night air, in a low, sweet melancholy
stran-hc arose, and stood stretching his hands
about him, as if there were some friend approach
ing within his reach, on whom his desolate touch
might rest, yet do no harm. As he did this, his
face became less fixed and wondering; gentle
trembling came upon him; and at last his eyes
filled with tears, and he put his hands before him
and bowed down his head.
His memory OF sorrow, wrong, and trouble, had
not come back to him he knew that it was not
restored he had no passing belief hope that it
was But some dumb stir within him made him
capable, again, of being moved by what was hid
den afar of, M the music If it were only that it
told him sorrowfully the value of what he had lost
he thanked Heaven for it with fervent gratitude.
As the last chord died upon his ear, he raised his
head to listen to its lingering vibration. Beyond
the boy, so far that his figure lay at his feet the
Phantom stood, mmovable and silent, with its eyes
upon him.
CHASTITY it was, as it had ever been, but not so
cruel and relentless in its aspect-or he thought or
hoped so, as he looked upon it, trembling II was
not alone, but in its shadowy hand it held another
hand.
And whose was that! Was the form that stood
beside If indeed Mlv's or but her shade and mic |
ure9 The quiet head bent little, her
manner was. and her eyes We're looking down, as
f in pity, on the sleeping child radiant light !
ell on her face, but did not touch the Phantom
or though close beside her, it was dark and color
ess ever.
Spectre - said the Chemist, newly troubled as
ne looked, " have not been stubborn or presump-
uous In respect of her. Oh, do not bring her here
Spare me that
This is bu. a shadow said the Phantom
: when the morning shines, seek out the reality
whose image present before you.'
IS 10, H. IL J,l1,