The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-08-26


lest prospects Of his future success and emi
ncnce. Whilst in his medical classes, h
had formed TN intimacy in family t
which accident had given him an inlrodnc
ton. A powerful attraction induced hin
10 spend his evenings in the bosom of this
family, which was that Of respectable
merchant and banker. lie had become
deeply attached to the daughter Of th,
merchant, and he had every reason to be
Iieve that his passion was returned. She
was beautiful young girl, and the graces
| IF her person did not surpass the beauties
Of her mind. Amiabe and accomplished
she was formed to charm, and in the ar.
Edent eyes Of the young student, she seem
ed more than earthly.
II was long perhaps before any absolute
declaration had revealed to each other The
feeling Of their hearts, and, by thousand
| little incidents, their affection was incrcas.
ed and strengthened until it became tl
each The absorbing passion Of The soul
The history Of their love bad in it nothing
which removed it from the usual course in
which attachment is developed. II will
suffice 10 know, that they lived in the in-
efiable consciousness Of mutual affection
and that their minds tinged With The deep
romantic feeling SO common amongst the
youth Of Germany, considered the vows
that had passed between them as link
ing Of their destincs, sacred and indissou-
bic. II was not +. however, an easr task TO
overcome her scruples Of the financial
father as TO tho prospects Of his future son
in.law, and though The reputation Of the
,ouhg student was spotless, tie calcnla.
ting banker required more than the incli
nations Of his daughter, and the amiable
properties Of her admirer, to induce bin IL
consent TO their union. Money was a
necessary possession in the eyes Of the
worldly-minded man, who shook bis head
when they talked 10 loyo and mutual hap
piness. How the old man became at
length sofiened into an appreciation Of the
match did mol clearly appear; but certain
il is, that, after the student had passed hi.
examination and obtained his degree, q
day was appointed for the betrothing with
bis full consent. 1t mny be imagined
wth what feelings the young physician
looked forward - an event which was in
bis eyes the most important in his whole
life.
The great fair Of Lcipsic occurred q
short time before the auspicious d,y which
was TO unite these two happy beings, and
the physician FASTENED to buy bridal dress
from out Of the vast magazines Of manu-
features which arc there collected. He Sc
oeted one which was equally rich and en-
gaging, being a white satin, fcstooncd
with worked flowers Of the most brilliant
cplors. His present was received with I
smile Of appreciation, which repaid him ter
fold for the labor he had undertaken, aHc
the promise 10 wear il on her bctrclhmcn'
rendered his JOY supreme. The ceremony
was performed with every circumstance
,ba, could heightcn the prospects Of The
parties concerned. Their parents were
there -consentng. and friends surrounded
them whose smiles added their cheerful in.
Innenco. The bride wore the dress which
her lover had procured for her, and in his
ewes she had never been so attractive
The vows were at length pronounced, and
the contracts signed. The marriage-day
was fixed for the following week. After
The ceremonya sllmptuous feast was pre-.
pared, in The midst of which a feeling OF
indisposiion compelled the young bride
suddenly 10 seek her chamber. She threw
herself on the bed, and d-such are The insc.
curitics of a fleoting existence--rose from
it no more. A virulent fever attacked her
delicate frame, and carried her unresist-
ingly and rcmorselessly tothe tomb. The
feelings Of an impnssioned youth, thus rob
bed Of her who was so shortly to have be-
come his wife. may be more imagined than
described. To say that he wept and raw
ed, and tore his hair, would perhaps little
express the deep intensity Of his anguish.
Only one request he made: il was, that
she should be buried in the dress which
she wore at their beirotha. He followed
her to the grave, aud oyerpowered by his
feelings, threw himself upon the coffin as
il was about to be covered up, and, with a
trenzcd vehemence, insisted upon hasing
one more look before the grave was closed
forever. The coffin lid was taken off, and he
razed upon the clammv features Of the de-
cayng corpse until his head grew dizzy
and he was drawn senseless from the
grave.
II was not only to The bereaved lover
tha, the view Of the dead body of his mis-
tress had been of moment; the grave-dig
ger had perceived with emotion the mag
nificent habliments which adorned the
corpse, and his cnpidity was excited. IN
the dead hour Of night, he despoiled the
BODY, and presented TO his own daughter
tho fowcred satin lroclS which had formed
the bridal dress OF the deceased young lady.
It was long after these events that she
wore this Identical dress at tho m,sked
ball at the Colosseum. The girl herself
was ignorant of the mode by which her
father had gained possession Of it, though
the richness ofhis gift had in some meas
nrc excited her surprise.
She therefore adorned herself ia the
spoils of the grave in perfect unconscious,
ness Of the unhalIowed violence that had
hcen committed, /, is needless To add,
that il was this dress which had caused the
Young mans sudden horror which | have
described II was garment so peculiar
as scarcely TO allow doubt as to its iden.
,i,v; and when it sudjenly flashed before
hi, oveS ha thought he saw his departed