Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-06-02

her. by saying, "Hush, Emily; Tomorrow
| shall hcaryou, do as desire: am YOU
friend, and viii not desert YOU" An(
gently extricating his hand from hers, to
gether we left the scene of suffering and
sorrow.
One week from this time Felix and hi:
bride had returned, principally that the
final examination was about to take place
when the candidates for the medical grad
uasion should pass. With his Characters
tic assiduity lie began to prepare himself
for the trial, and in private as well as pub
lie spared no opportunity to obtain all ne
cessary qualifications. One evening Q
group of US, among whom was Felix, had
assembled in the dissecting-room;it was the
last practical lesson wewcre to receive be
fore the day of trial The porter of the
class had procured, as he said, "a fine sub
ject," and we only awaited the arrival oi
the Professor before it was Produced
Felix-who was the pupil appointed to
demonstrate on that evening-was busyin
preparing his instruments for operation
Never can the scene be efaced from my
memory. Custom had banished all feel
ing of sympathy, and the laugh and gibe
went merrily around. Atlength the Pro-
fcssor arrived. The body was placed up
on the table, and each student, with his
knife in hand, stood ready to assist.
"Mr. D." said the Professor, 'arc
you ready to proceed ?"
81 am, sir" replied D.; and, reno-
wing the oil-cloth which had been careful
ly thrown over the subject, he was about
to plunge his knife into the body, when he
uttered wild, unearthly shrek, and fell
senseless on the floor.
"What can this mean ?" said the Profes-
sor: "raise him." Qnck as Lightning we
did SO, and, applying some remedies, res
tored him once more to reason.
Take me hence-take me hence" he
fcebly uttered. "Touch her not--she is
mine. Emily!-poor Emily do not mu-
tilate ethat breast on which have thousand
times rcposed! Take me hence-I am
dying!" and he sunk exhausted into our
arms, and was borne from the room. A
carriage having been procured, ] attended
him home, and saw him committed to the
care Of his young and aacctionatc wife, but
he sunk from her presence as from the
glance of basahsk. "Lcave me-" lac
said to her, ''for few moments; | have
some instructions to give to my friend
here, l shall send for you shortly" She
fondly kissed his pallied brow, and with the
tears streaming from her eyes, unwillingly
obeyed him.
As soon as we were alone, "Crimc,
said he, "you perceive, cannot be conceal.
cd. You have twice behcld my strange
conduct; will now no longer deny the
cause of it. The young female whose body
this evening was to have served for oui
operations, is one of my victims. She il
was, on that evening when you were first
a witness to my wlldncss, sought charity
al my hand From the hour that had
betrayed her up to that night, L had lost
all trace of her; and although | have since
been unliring in my search, yet have | beer
unsuccessful. Save the body, besecch
you, from the knife; let it rest in peace; il
is the only atonement | now can nuke
Promise me this ere reason leaves me, foi
| feel that madness is weaving her spell a
bout my brain"
Compose YOURSELF said 'sincc you
have erred, repentance yet may bring you
peace
"Neyer. never! Peace only is forme
in the grave. Fly, my dear R.! fol
the love OF heaven, secure the body from
desecration, and consign it to the dust
that done, return and tell me all. Emily!
poor blighted blossom curses, curses OF
your seducer" and he frantically tore his
hair and wept.
Finding that neither consolation or ad-
vice was Of avail, | left him, and, having
procured coffin at the nearest underta-
ker's, had the corpse placed within it,
But, Judge of my astonishment, when ]
recognized the features to be those of the
young girl whom, with the doctor, | had
fortnight before visited. My curiosity
was aroused, and Immediately repaired
to the wretched hovel, where from the old
woman | learned thatpoor Emily had two
days before been by death released from
hersufferings. As an outcast from society,
an 'untortuadte acoman," as the delicate
phrascology ofthe word terms it, she had
been buried without friend to weep a
tear upon her ashes, and now from the
grave had the body been torn to supply
the dissecting room. On the following
morning | saw it again committed to the
dust.
OF Felix what shall | sayl Alas, his
prediction was truly and fearlully fulfill
ed Madness did indeed claim him for
Its victim. He yet lives. saw him last
summer the inmate of a mad-house. He
did not remember me. The walls were
scrawled over with the name Of EMILY
a name which the keeper told me was the
only sound that ever passed his lips
Poor Felix! how dearly hast thou expia-
ted thy error! How true are the words OF
the poet
"Though the betrayer deems himself secure,
Yet Gods revenge though slow, is ever sure"