New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-10-18

and uncertain rays upon the objects within it. I
The height Of the apartment, and the absorbing |
complexion Of the dark oaken wainseot, here and |
there concealed by falls Of tapestry. served to |
render such an illumination extremely inef6- !
Gent But Conrad knew that this must be the |
chamber Of death, even before he was able to |
distinguish that an apparently light and youth |
full figure lay stretched upon the bed-still, mo-
tionless, impassive, as death alone can be-. Two
women, dressed in dark habilaments
nurses of the sick, now watchers over the dead
rose from their seats, and retired silently to o
distant corner of the room as Mr.. Harrenburn
and Conrad entered Where does the poor heai-t
suffer as it does in the chamber of the dead,
where lies, as in this instance, the.corpse Of .
beloved daughter A hundred objects, little
thought Of heretofore, present themselves, ard
by as sociation with the lost one, assume power
over the survivor. The casual objects Of every
day life rise up and seize place in the fancy
and memory, and become invested with deep,
passionate interest, as relics Of the departed.
There is the dress which lately so well became
her; there the little shoes in which she stepped
so lightly and gracefully there the book which
she was reading only yesterday, thesatin ribbon
still between the pages at which she had arrived
when she laid it down forever; there the cup
from which she drank but few hours back;
there the toilet, with all its little knick knacks,
and the glass which so often mirrored her sweet
face %
III In us C0nfaM N InStlnCIy6ly tIHttTpfbtcu tuc
| glances which Mr.. Harrenburn directed at the
objects around him. The bereayed father, stand
| ing motionless, regarding one thing and then
sanother with o sort Of absent attention, which.
/ under other circumstances, would have appeared
like imhecility or loss of self-com1nand, but now
was full Of deeply touching significance, which
/ reused the sympathies Of the young painter more
powerfully than the finest eloquence could have
done He seemed at first to shun the bed, as if
the object lying there were too powerful source
/ of grief to bear--seemed TO be anxious TO dis
| cover in some minor souvenirs of SORROW, pre-
paratory step, which should enable him to ap-
proach with seemly and rational composure the
mute wreck of his beloved child--the cast-shell
/ of the spirit which had been the pride and JOY,
I; the hope and comfort of his life. But presently
he succeeded in mastering this sensbility, and,
approaching the bed, motioned Conrad to follow
him. He gently drew aside the curtain which
had concealed the face of the figure that was
I lying there. Conrad started Could that be
death That hair, SO freshly black and glossy !;
those slightly parted lips, on which the light Of
fancy still seemed to play; the teeth within. SO
white and healthy looking; the small, we'll sha
pen hand and arm, SO listlessly laid along the
pillow; could these be ready for the grave Il
!, seemed so much like sleep. and SO little like
death, that Conrad, who had never looked upon
i the dead before, was amazed. When he saw
= the eyes, however. visible betwixt the partly
i opened lids, his scepticism yanished The cold
]. glazed, fixed unmeanngness of them chilled AM
. frightened him--they did really speak of III
!, tomb. gagas ssF
! NV daughter said Harrenburn, TO who's
. tone the effort of self command now comlnun
g Gated grave and cold severity. &c She died 6
!. four this afternoon, after very short Illness
- only in her twentieth year. wish to have he
:. represented exactly as she lies now. From th
= window there, in the day time, strong light
= = thrown upon this spot; so that do not think
~ will be needful to make any new disposition
= either Of the bed OF its poor burden. You
= easel and other matters shall be brought her
:, during the night. l will rouse you at five
- - the morning. and you will then, if you pleas
tee use your utmost expedition. 5....ss =
~ ! Conrad promised to do all he could to accom-
! plish the desire of the afflicted parent, and a
- ter the latter had approached the bed, leane
over it and kissed the cold lips of his child, the
a left the room to the dead and its silent watchers
~ After solemn and memorable evening, Cor
rad was shown to his bedroom and thel
dreamed through the liyelong night-snow, thi
he was riding at Hightful speed through woo'
y and wilds with Mr.. Harrenburn, hurry ing WI
breathless haste to avert some catastrophe tn
IA was about to happen somewhere to some on
~ now, that he was intently painting picture
,, ,us the corpse Of beautiful young lady-territ
n. oppressed by nervousness, and Il fretful sense
'' '.e inoapacity most injurious to the success OF
to labors-when suddenly, Q horror he beh'
at the body move, then rise. in a frighttnl and
a ao natural manner, stark upright, and with open
de lips, but rigidly clenehed teeth, utter slri
W W upon Shrek as it waved its white arms and to
its streaming hair then thathis lanilady, M,
Farrell, came up to him, rs he crouched wee
of ing and trembling by, and bade him be col
cd forted, for that they who were accustomed
M Mea watch by the dead often beheld such scene
~ sa then that Mr.. Harrenburn suddenly enter
-, 20 the room and sternly reproached him for !
= proceeding with his work, when. on looking
:. wards the bed, they perceived that the corr
ID 81 was gone, and was no where to be seen, W
~, ~, which Mr.. Harrenburn, with o wild cry, Ii
or =, his hands upon him, as if to slay him upon
er. spot. ~.
=; laid upon his shoulder; a kind voice sounded
t.1 ltl1 his ear he opened his eyes; Mr.. Harrenbu
.lu n was standing at his bedside. &c You have
aae?' ae. slept we'll, regret to find. have knocked
ei your door several times, but, receiving no rep
,' M yentured to enter. have relieved you from
y" unpleasant dream, | think
n, Conrad, somewhat embarrassed by the co
les' bined influence of the nightmare, and bel
rk. awakened suddenly by q stranger in q stral
~ a place. informed his host that he always dream
tba tlppleasantly when he slept too long, and v
70. sorry that lie had given so much trouble.
e. ssIt is some minutes past five o'clock, IS 8
ees, Mr.. Harrenburn. ssTea and coffee will
ide waiting for you by the time you are dress
ries uOu bteSS, breakfast Will restore you, anu
nile you in order for your work for really you h
ve- been dreaming in a manner which appea
ma very painful, whatever the experience mi
n of have been.' --
rge, Conrad rose, dressed, breakfasted, and
stal undoubtedly feel much more comfortable
uch light-hearted than during the night. He
shortly conducted to the chamber in whic
King had received so many powerful impression
into the preceding evening, and forthwith CONNER
Ways the task he had engaged to perform. 70!
sur was by no means young man OF a romanti
emily sentimental turn, but it is not to be wond'
COM at that his present occupation should prod,l
hight deep effect upon his mind. The form and
0 ac- lures he was now endeavoring to portray '
Iced, certainly the most beautiful he had as yet @
duceI cised his art upon--indeed, without except
Door, the most beautiful he had ever beheld,
e he melancholy spectacle Of youth cut off in the
aver, glow of life's brightest season, and when
ough rounded by everything that wealth and ed
Il an ton can contribute towards rendering exist
the brilliant and delightful, can never fail to 9!
ured deep and solemn emotion. AS the artist lab
ng be to give a faithful representation of the sw
night serene face, the raven hair, the marble
lbted head the delicately archea brow, the exquis
deed, formed nose and mouth, and thought how
him. such noble beauty seemed to suit one wht
, and fit to die-a pure, spotless, bright being
teyer had more than once to pause in his work
he wiped the tears from his eyes. Fe,
, door periences chasten the heart so powerfully
l.