Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-06-17
The Victim.
A True Story.
By a MEDICAL STUDENT.
(Gonezuded.)

(COncluded.) IL
To me she was nothing, less than
nothing; and though, from long habit,
I had almost brought myself to meet
with Indifference the objects which
are found on the dissecting-table, /
could not gaze on one so young, so
very fair, without feeling the springs
Of pity dissolve within me; and tears,
fast and many, fell on those lips; |
refrained n pt from kissing, not with
standing M Mortality had set its seal up
on them; as yet
Before decays ehaci1g fingers
Had sweptIhe lines where beauty lingcrs. -
lie yes were closed beneath the
long lashes. I lifted one lid; the orb
beneath was large and blue -but
soul was wanting there So great
was the impression her beauty made
upon me, that, stepping into the next
room, l took my mate erials, and made
a drawing of the placid and u4con-
scious form SO hushed and still. |
look upon it at this moment, and
fancy recalls the deep and unacc3unt-
able emotions that shook me as I
took it. 1t must have been ah in
stinctive -. But to proceed, |
saw but one figure in my sleep 1.-The
lovely, but unburied dead. ] aEoke
what could it be that felt SO moist
and cold against my face?-Ehere
was I?-what light vas glimmfring
through the windows?--it was the
break of day. Worn with fatigue, !
had fallen asleep over my drawings
while the candle had burnt out in
the socket, and my head was resting
on the inanimate breast, which had
been deprived too soon Of exis tence
to know the pure joy of pillow ing a
fellow-heart it loved. / arose. and
retired to a sleepless couch. LIP the
evening, while over my modicuh Of
coffee, in came St. Clair. Hf ap-
peared haggard and wild, whilst every
now and then his eye would gazb on
vacancy, and closing, seem to shut
out some unpleasant thought, thai
haunted him in ideal reality.
well, st, Clair, what has deth hined
you?'
Death said he, solemnly. The
sole remaining relative to whom Ma
ture has given any claim on my afec.
tons, is nomore. Il sudden dispatch
called me down to soothe the expi
ring hours of my mothers sister
and not a soul is left me NOW or
earth to love, save Emily and my
friend. l feel most unaccouHtab
oppressed dead sense Of ILL per
vades me; but let me hope that i'll il
past.
/ sWen, think of it no more, i re
Piled, and changed the convers alton
i have procured a subject-dmale
beautiful and young; but | feel more
inclined to let it rest and rot amidst
its fellow-clods of clay, than bare 81
fair a bosom to the knife. It Is wei
that the living hold a preoccupanc.
of my heart, or such beauteouP form
This note has just been .ldft 70
YOU, Sir, from MIR. Smith, who re
quests an immediate answer salt
my servant, entering. ! read alou'
its contents -
Though unknown to you, sbve b,
name and the mention of another,
call upon you, as the friend of on
who was my friend, to assist me il
unravelling this horrid mystery. o.
Tuesday, at two, my dearest Emil,
went ont, with the intention of re
! turning at four. Since that hour,
have be en unable to obtain thd slight
i est information respecting her.
! have called in your absence for 81
Clair vice; he was unexpectedly out
Surely / have not mistaken him
| he canh bot have filed up the meas
ure Of inankind's deceit, and abuse
| the tru5t reposed in him! let m
pray ydu, for the love of Heaven
to give me the least clue you ar
,Epossess$d of that may lead to he
discovety.
/ Il klow not what ] have writer
but YOU can understand its meaning
Yours. &c.
! 'JoHN SAITH.
II Starting from his seat with the al
Iof a maniac, st. Clair abstfactedl