Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1852-09-09


left the house, alone; but he never returned.
Whittier he had gone, none could say; nor
could any trace of him be ever discovered.
1t was supposed he must have missed his
footing, and fell in the Granddaughter, near
which his house was situated; and that his
body had been swept away by the waves
into the ocean.
Such an occurrence was calculated to
produce great sensation in the place where
it happened, and Vesalc, recalled three
weeks after by the illness of his wife, found
the disappearance of Don Alver the theme
of every tongue. The altered appearance
of Isabella was attributed, by Vcsale, to
grief for the mysterious absence Of Don
Alver, and the conviction took from him all
pity for her suiierings.
1t chanced to be the festival of Sante Isa-
bella, and, to do honor to her patron saint,
and to celebrate the return of her husband,
Isabella put on her wedding-dress, and seat
ing herself by an open easement that over
looked the Alver gardens, she watched for
his coming. But whilst her eyes were
vainly fixed upon the path by which she
expected him to appear, hand was laid
upon her shoulder, and turning around, she
beheld Vesale standing by her side.
II have ordered the supper to be laid in
my study" said he, and, taking her hand,
he led her away to the room in question,
dismissed the attendant and closed the door.
Everything wore a festive air, yet the re-
past was cherries. PercGiving that she
tasted nothing, Vesale poured few drops
from vial OF elixir, in a cup OF Malaga
wine and presented it to her.
Drink this, he said; lit is sovereign
cure for the complaint you are suffering
from
pledge me in this draught," she re-
piled, filling up goblet from the same
flask, and handing it to him, land it will
bring quicker healing to me. Let us
drink to our absent friend, Andre"
Vesale accepted the Offering, and they
emptied their goblets together.
Talking OF our absent FRIEND" said he,
and suddenly fixing his eyes upon her, "you
have not spoken 10 me of Don Alver de
Soils. Are all hopes of hearing of him
relinquishcd? He was braggart and a
libertine, and bcasted that no woman ever
resisted his seductions-that no husband
ever suspected the INJURY he was prepar-
ing for him."
Then, grasping his wife by the hand, he
led her up to door at the farther end Of the
room, and throwing it wide open, revealed
to her view a skeleton suspended within,
holding in one of his bony hands one of her
embroidered gloves.
"BeLo'd," said he, pointing to the ghast-
ly spectacle, 1.-The gallant and beautiful Don
Alver de Sollis--the object Of your guilty
love. Contemplate him well; and if the
sight can render your moments happier
for you are about to die too-the wine
have given to YOU was poisoned"
When the last dreadful sentence, and its
still more dreadful illus'r ltion, burs'e upor
her affrighted senses, she became paralyzeC
with an excess ofemotion, the scream which
had arisen to her throat died there in {
strangling murmer, and sinking back, she
fell as one dead upon the arms Of Nesale
She was not dead, however; he had no
poisoned her; that crime he had hesitateC
10 commit, yet he was not less the murder.
er. Convulsion followed convulsion, and il
supreme moment, the hour that proceeded
her death, her husband who had never quit
ted her, beheld one of those phenomena
which sometimes attend the dying. Awak
ening from torpid slumber, consciousness:
and memory once more resumed their sway
and with calm courage she never possess
ed in the flash of life
ANDRE" said she, fixing her eyes oil
her husband, Il am dying by your hand
but am innocent. | never wronged yol
in thought or deed Don Alver persued mt
with his love and threats, but repuse'
him. Inever loved but you. feared am
honored as much as l loved you; but | dar
ed not tell you of his pursuit. Oh! Andre
believe my words; the dying deal not il
falsehood. Should be thus calm, if wer
guilty."
Vesale, sinking upon her knees, solemn
protested his faith in the innocence Of hi
wife, and, with choking sobs, adjured he
to believe that he only feigned to give he
poison-that he could not nerve his hand (
take away her life; but the terror Of deaf
and not death itself, was upon her; am
while he yet spoke, Isabella murmered-
Thanks be to Heaven for this.' an
; drawing his hand towards her, laid it upo
her heart, and as she did so, it ceased t
: beat!