The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-01-02
WHOLE NO. 200.

been waiting there, when the door swung noise
leSsly open, and Regina reentered the room her
hair in disorder, and a dressing gown hastily
thrown on. | turned wonderingly 10 meet her I
saw then that her fair face was blue.pale, and
that she trembled with a nervousness had never
seen her betray before
My dear sister, What Is the matter ~ asked
| leading her to an easy chair into which she i'm
mediately sank
81 do not know Perhaps a dream Perhaps
something real. Listen went to my chamber
attended by Miss Wallraven only and no dress
ing maid. Miss Wallraven assisted me to disrobe;
bat every few minutes with q corrugated brow
and straining eye, she paused to listen or to watch
Finally she concluded her task and when was
In bed she drew the curtains, and was about to
leave me- Suddenly she turned back and advised
me to bolt the door behind her and then left the
room. did not get up to bolt the door, because
should have had to get up second time TO open
1t, but fell asleep, wondering what negro might
| be on tie point Of death, or What other trouble
had called the Messrs. Waraven 90 abruptly
from the house. Well | had no sooner fallen
into deep sleep, than awakened as by the shock
Of gelvanio battery Just in time to see the most
diebofc1i looking old bag that ever nightmars
created stopping over me, gazing into my opened
eyes with grin Of hellish mslignity that seemed
to freeze all the blood In my veins, ! started vio-
| lently forward and she vanished. ! was instantly
bathed in a cold sweat. thought this might be
a dream, aud resolutely composed myself to sleep
| again-only to be started out Of my sleep again
by another and more violent electric shock, and
10 see again the same eyes Of demoniac hatred
gazing into NINE to make another instructive
bound and see the terrible night-haunter vanish
as before IL was impossible now TO sleep, or
think Of sleep. | hastily threw on my dressing
| gown, slipped my feet into slippers, and came
down here to await the gentlemen. | have heard
Of nightmare, but this Is the first time ever was
attacked with u, aud IL was very natural that my
excited Imagination should then creaeS the illu-
sion Of the old bag, after your telling me Of what
you saw or fancied you in that chamber the
first night you slept there There feel
| truly humilated at these tremors, which | cannot
S1nt7al~-- Ferdinandl there SIZE Is nom ~ ,e',.
| This last sentence was spoken in tone Of dis
covery and announcement, as one might use upon
| hnding out an Imaginary phantom to be ugly
| old woman. turned and saw, standing within the
door in the full light Of candle she held above her
head the bag Of my nightvision. She was themost
loathsome specimen of humanity had ever seen,
as she stood there some seconds examining us with
the same leer Of insult and malignty that formed
the most disgusting feature in her disgusting self.
She was very tall, though half bent--her giant
form Of skeleton-like leanness-her haggsrd and
CHASTITY face, dark, spotted, and begrimed with
dirt-her garments, scant ragged and exces-
sivey filthy, as to defy description reached In torn
and fringe-like shreds only little below her
knees, exposing bare legs and feet, deformed,
Scared, and begrimed-while from the whole alb
horred heap came the most offensive effluvia.
There she STOOD chuckling with q fendish leer
at the very loathing she excited-repaying the ex-
IRENE of disgust with the extreme of hatred Re-
gina was no longer terrified, but had walked off
to the far end Of the saloon, TO escape the sight
and smell of the leprous-like creature.
aWhat do you want % | asked, retreating as
| she advanced
"Hik.hik.hik-hikp she answered, with her
low, wicked laugh, passing me, and going towards
Regina.
@Leave the room ~ said l. intercepting her.
She did not heed me, but went on.
thought then that 1 could easily have put her
out, but the intolerable nauseau Of her near
neighborhood kept me at bay.
"Will you leave the room ~ again asked
eyes, when have kissed my pretty neioe,n
she replied, nodding her head ut me with u de-
: mon grin.
Isssppsd quickly 0p.s Regina, with The intea.
| ton of leading her from tho room and from the
revolving presence of what now supposed to be
some gibbering and maign lunaiic.
q drew Regimes arm within my own, and We
. | were coming down the length Of the room, my
sister, with an expression Of unutterable disgust
amounting to pain, contracting her beautiful fea-
lures We passed to one side, in order to avoid
meeting the bag; but she knew our purpose,
crossed the room, and intercepted us
. "Out Of our wayi OF with yourself Instant
ly p exclaimed !, angrily
ayes when have kissed my pretty niece ~
"Be gone~ said !, turning of to the other
side.
"Yes will, when kiss my pretty niece p
she persisted
] did not wish to hurt the poor creature l
could not have brought myself to touch the filthy
creature. took up parasol that lay upon the
table, and, placing one end of II against her chest,
bore her gently off She left, and, retreating,
planted herself within the doorway. clmc on
with my.wespoD, half laughing at the Quixotic
figure cut charging upon q mad old negro wo-
man with parasol, and placed the end of it, as
before, against her chest, saying
"Come BE good Let us pass That's q
| good soul %
| But suddenly she raised her talon hand, clutch
ed my weapon, threw il behind her, and, elevating
the streaming tallow candle with the other gazed
| upon Regina with countenance full of curiosity,
hatred, and expected triumph. My sister drew
her arm from mine, and retreated.
"IIik-hik-hik my pretty niece; you are very
fair and very proud but pride goeth before fall,
and naughty temper before destruction
con with yourself this momen. p said !, losing
patience, or shall be tempted to contaminate
myself and put you out ~ @~ ~'~
81 dare you to touch nae % she said
al shall certainly do so II you do not move in
one minute
"Yesi in minute, but let me kiss my fair,
pretty niece first p
| You are mad Your niece il probably Ia
one OF the quarters That lady is Mrs Wall
raven ~
al know IL My nephew Wolfgang's wifep
| still thought her crazy; nevertheless, an Icy
pang shot through my heart
Il - -
@Nell! Old Nell Yellow Nelll Slave
| Nelli Hugh Wallraven's sister-in-law! Wolf
gang Wsllravens own aunt-his mothers own
sister! Regina Wallravens near relative! Yes
fair lady! proud as fair you are the wife Of
mulatto-and a sLAvR!w
| turned to look on Regina to behold body
petri6ed as 1t were to stonei-from whence the
light of reason bad fed Instantly and forever
"Come let me embrace my niece p and, laugh
| ing hideously, she advanced towards my sister.
Regina turned, stepped haughtily upon foot
stool, thence upon chair, finally upon the centre
table, and seated herself upon pile of books with
en- cir OF conscious majesty and dominion.
"Order out the guards To prison with the
traitors! To the rack to the rack with the bel
dame! Ourself will preside at the question %
hurled away the bag, and went to my sister.
| "Regipa my sister p
| any Lord Chancellor, let his Grace Of Gray
eyes be Immediately arrested upon our own
charge OF high treasonp
"Rcgina my dear sister %
"I.et there be no delay Summon the council!
Our life and crown Is no longer safe Traitors
lurk In our very bed-chamher, assassins hide in
the very shadow Of our thronei Already one OF
| the ladies Of our bsd-chamber--o beloved Re-
| gina Fsirfeld-lies dead before us The shaft
that pierced her heart was aimed at our own sa-
cred personw
my Godi My Godp
| Usr0 thu raakt N Tho racL With tha haIJarna