The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-06-05
The Bride of the GuiIIostne.

The Bride of the GuiIIoffne.
AN INCIDENT OF THE REIGN OF TERROR.
On stormy night, in the tempssfuous times of
tue french revolution, young German was return
ing TO ms lodgings at late hour, across the old
part Of Paris. The lightning eIeaned and ths loud
caps Of thunder ratiled through the harrow. loftv
streets But should first tell you something about
this German '---'''s
Gottiried Wolfgang was young man of good
famlly He had studied for some time Al Csottincan-
but, being of visionary and enthusiastic cbalac,
ter, he had wandered into those wild and specuIa-
tive doctrines which have so often hewiIderj Ger
man students His secluded life, his intense an
plcaiion, and the singular nature Of his s,ugIies
had an effect on both mind and body. His health
was impaired and Imagination diseased He had
been induging in faneifu speeuIarions on spiritual
essences until, like Swedenborg he had an ideal
world OF his own around him. He took up no.
ton, do not know from what cause, that there
was an evil Influence hanging over him.-an evil
genius, or spirit. seeking ensnare him and ensure
his perdtion. Such an idea working on his mel
aneholy temperament. produced the most gloomy
lady that was preying upon him, and determined
that tne best cure was change of scene. He was
sent, therefore, to finish his studies amid the spen-
dora and gayefies of Paris.
Wolfgang arrived al Paris at the breaking ont of
the revolution. That glorious popular entR,,sisan
al hrst caught his ardent mind and he was capriva.
ted by the grand philosophical and sublime theories
OF the day. But the scenes OF blood which followed
society and the world, and made him more
Than ever recluse. He shut himself up in a
solitary apartment in the Pays Latin the quarter
OF Students There, in gloomy street not faf from
the monastie walls OF the Sarbonne he pursued his
favorlts speeulations. Sometimes he srant hnlsn
together in the great libraries of Paris those enta
combs of departed authors, Tumaginr amonn fheir
hordes of dusty and obsolete works in quest Of food
for hi unhealthy appetite. He was, in a manner
literary ghoul, feeding in the charnel hoss of de-
cayed literature.
Wolfgang, shough solitary and reeluse, was Of an
ardent temperaments but for tims il operated
merely upon his imagination. He was too shy and
Ignorant of the world 10 make any advances 10 The
| fair; but he was passionate admiref or fenaIe
beauty, and in his lonely chamber would of,en Lose
himself in rsvery on forms and faces which he had
seen, and his fancy would seek images of love-
illness far surprising the reality.
While his mind was in this excited and subl;
mated state, he had dream which produced an
extraordinary effect upon him. II was of a female
face of transcendent beauty So strong was the
1t made, that he dreamed of it again and
again. 1t haunted lis thoughts by day, his sIum-
bers by night. In fine, he became passionateIv
enamored of this shadow of dream This lasted
so long that 1t became one of those fixed IDEAS
which haunt the minds Of melancholy men, and are
at times mistaken for madness.
Such was Gothred Wolfgang and such his sta.
tion at the time mentioned. He was returning
home one stormy night through some, e,of the old
and gloomy streets of the Marias the ancient part
OF Paris. The loud claps of thunder ratified among
the high houses of the narrow str, ets He csr,s
to the Place de Greve the square wbere nuhI;c
executions were then performed. The Ii1htnino
quIvered above the pinnaces of the ancient
Hotel de Vile, and shed Pickering CLEANS over
the open space in front. As Wolfgang was cross-
ing the square he shrunk back with horror a. 6nd-
ing himself close by the guillotine. II was the
height of the Reign of Terror, when this dreadful
instrument of death stood ever ready and its scaC
fold was continually running with the blood of the
peoples enemies. 1t had that very day been
EMPLOYED in the work of death ana ,har-
it Stood in grim array amid sile At and sIeenipr,
city, waiting for fresh victims.
Wolfgang's heart sickened within him. ..d l.. !.
was turning, shuddering, from the bo,r;hl- sns;rs
when he beheld shadowy form cove,;no ss;,
WERE at the foot Of the steps Of the scafTold
succession of vivid flashes nf l;gh,r;n,, ra.sI.5s
more distinctly. II was a 6e,1ale 6ss,,.s .isS-1
in black She was seated ~ .. e. s a. 4, ,
steps of the scaffold. leanino forvsrd hs- fss IA
in her lap and her long djsbev.IIsd ,rsssss
ing to the Ground streamino xy,h ~ 80. ..:t;s
which fell in to,rsnts Tisr. ..a .a.n .t. ~hicn
awful in that solitary monnn,sn, ~ -" Ths
female had the appea,ance n hem, .t,a. T. ne
mon otder U ~ 80, - ,,k .iS w ss son,,
of v;ss;,das - ~, :. .ne INES osihg lua
had oncs r;Ilo,,a5 -. da... : ~, neau' wHich
isss pshaHs H. - -. ~ ~ "o~ ssonueieo mousse
the dreadful ave had rens,ersd s.ae,a - ...s
sat here be.y, hroLa,, ~ a. ,S - -: 80 ny
from which Iii ,hst ,..s ~. ~ ~. Ia
launched int ,a,arn;.,, ~ ~ ~ "ei HoU oes"
IL .nt N II I.Il
e anu auuIesseu her IN .he accents
., Siynipa.ny TU9 IT Iaiseu her heaa ana gazed
tI1lIy,. ~Iy ~ Hli' uae VIVA, ms sstohisnment AZ
r yreno'ulng, py me plignt eafs OF the hg htning.
he very idee "h'cn ,au haunteo MN IN ms dreams.
II was pale and dlsconsolate, but ravishingiy
oeauuui-oh so oeauhtui!
trembling win violent and conflicting emotions,
Wollgang again aceosted her, he spoke someihing
OF her being exposed at such hour Of the night,
a and of I'm fsnNt-