The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-09-03
CHAPTER III.

That evening there was flush upon
Bertha's cheek, lending to the eye an un-
natural lustre. She was excted-gay be-
yond her won't. Many guests were as
sembled at the Hail. Beauty and wealth,
the gifted and the proud filled the brilliant
ly-lighted apartments; but Iarest Of all
was she. the cynosure Of all eyes,, as she
gracefully trod the mazes Of the dance,
and received the homage Of all hearts,
The parents only watched with anxiety
the heightened color and the strange bril-
liancy OF the eye. Many alterward recall
led the kind and gentle words which she
had uttered on that fatal night, and loved
to think of her as she then was; she who,
like the sun, had put on her brightest robes
at her departing. .-
The hours few by; one after another
the guests who were not inmates of the
house, took their leave; the lights were ex-
tinguished. and silence reigned throughout
the spacious mansion. When all was
still. the door of Bertha's apartment was
softly opened by her mother. who noise
lessly approached her bedside. to see if
all was well with her child. She was in
deep slumber; the same flush was upon her
check, and slight degree of restlessness
was observable; but by no means sufficient
to excite alarm; and impressipg kiss upon
her brow. without awakening her, she
crept back to her own room. An hour
had scarcely passed away, however, and
she was just sinking into quiet sleep.
while every other eye beneath that roof
was sealed in slumber, when all were
aroused by shrek that echoed from room
to room, and filled every heart with dread.
Some, springing from their beds. believed
that some horrible dream had visited them;
others declared that it was not within the
house; but while they reasoned. as yet
half unconscious, again and again it came
upon the ear; so strange, so unearthly
was the sound, that it had scarcely died
away, before the doors in every direction
were opened, and the great hall was filled
with anxious and nquirng faces. "What
is it!'' were questions asked on every side,
but none could answer There was a
moments breathless pause, and every fac
ulty was strained to listen; again came
upon the ear that horrible cry, and the
parents simultaneously exclaimed
"My child!"
"Our Bertha!" and rushed to her apart.
ment. from whence the sound proceeded.
But oh! what pen shall dare pourtray the
scene that met the eye Of the frantic moth.
er, the heart-broken father. the bewildered
and teror-stricken group of guests and
servants that ,hronged to witness the aw.
fll spectacle There stood the beautiful
girl who few hours before had attracted
every eve, and was The idolizsd of every
heart, 'the observed of all observers" her
hands clenched willy her eyes dilated.
blood.shot. almost starting from their SOCK
cts; her beautiful hair disheveled and
streaming over her shoulders; her face pale
as her night-robe. and the white foam pour
ing from her mouth.
i "Father--mother!' she shrieked, as
they appeared at the door, 81 am mad
mad! Do not come TO me-away-away!''I
She clung with desperate and frantic
grasp to chair which was near her. while
she glared upon them with the awful gaze
Of the victim of hydrophobia, and with
another heart.rendng shrek. sunk ex-
hausted and iosming upon the floor. ~
Il was too much for the agoniszed pa.
rents. n 't...
! s.Great God!" exclaimed the father,
.was il this-this, that have foreseenp'
while the poor mother fell senselsss into