New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-09-02

Might presume so far as to imagine that
my absence has been source of regret to you -
ssI always enjoy the society Of old friends.
heard too that you had been unwell, and am
now happy to be able to congratulate you on
your convalescence. 4=i
sConvalescence, Catherine - exclaimed Mr.
Hippsley with deep sigh. &c Alas!" thought
he, ssshe suspects not the rnonstrous phenome-
non beside her.
s'Yes, my dear sir; | never saw you looking
better
81 am afraid you derive your information
from Dr. Mansell, who treats my disease as i'm
aginary; and yet conceived that the unhappy
climax Of my misfortunes was not unknown to
him.
.Well, well,'' said Miss Thornton, smiling,
let US not talk on subject which SO evidently
d1stresses you Ii you are not quite well yet,
no one will rejoice more in your perfect recovery
than myself
{" If anything could restore mo to the pale of
| society, it would be the kind interest you ex-
press in my welfare. Oh that dare ask if
the feelings you entertain towards me are
Mr.. Hippsley paused, and Miss Thornton looked
on the floor, as though counting the colors in
the Kaleidoscope pattern carpet. ssI NAV not
am too miserable--too unfortunate and the
wretehed man hid Lis face in his handkerchief.
" Ii you aszared me Of your attachments If you
promised to make me the most blest Of mortaIs
| by becoming mine. itwould only add to misery"
| s'Then have it no longer in my power to
make you happy, Mr.. Hippsley,'' said Catherine
IN low faltering voice, as her extraordinary
| lover rose and paced the room in state of ex-
| citement bordering on frenzy.
"To make me happy" He turned and met
a tell-tale gance that needed no Interpretation,
Would you then no longer refuse to become
| mine; -
At that moment of ecstasy, months of disease
and suffering were forgotten; he drew towards
Catherine, who in compassion for this long
attached admirer, her face covered with bushes,
was about to confess that obedience to mothers
will had alone caused her former coldness Al
ready had his hand clasped hers, his arm passed
around her waist, when, by natural impulse,
Hippsley's lips came in contact with the cheek
of the fair girl-had serpent stung him had
the downy softness Of that face changed on the
instant to the leprosy of the lazar-house, the
corruption of the grave' He flung the fond
Catherine from him, exclaiming-
F. "Never, never shalt thou be mine.'
'Shaking in every limb, wildly he tore his
hair, and stamped the ground in agony of spirit.
''Mr Hppsley, am electrifed!'' said the
astounded object of his violence, who had with
| difficulty preserved herself from falling.
Sc l know it, | know it, shouted the distract
| ed phenomenon, and rushed from the room
' Wretch that am wretch that am % mur-
| INJURED Mr.. Hippsley, as he furiously drove his
stanhope towards London, sc had | even the pri-
| vilege of torpedo; could l only restrain at
will the unnatural power with which am in
vested. The electric eel, the ray, in their vol
| tac natures find the means of subsistence, of
defence, and assimilaiing with their kind, fulfill
| the appointed purposes of creation; but / must
forever remain solitary being, a man-mon-
ster-the wonder of the learned and the curious,
who will cautiously approach me, as though
were some dangerous animal, some human upas,
while living and when dead, even the grave
will be made to resign my corpse-again will
they try to awake the dormant hrain-again
may that voltaic pile become instinct with its
| wonted mysterious energies--again may the
| subtle electric fluid, coursng through the mus
cles. give forth its power, and in some museums,
amid all the abortions, the excresences, and the
monstrous of the human race, may be con-
demned to become in death as in life show and
a marvel as the electrical man."
s' Four pence, if you please, sir.'
Mr. Hippsley had come to the turnpike, ane
this demand Of that taking parsonage, the toll
gatherer, awoke him from his reverie. He drew
off his glove, and producing from his pocket 0
fourpenny piece, was about to give it to thu
man, who somewhat impatiently waited to re-
ceive it, when the phenomenon's eye rested or
the silver in actual contact with his fingers
|
agning that he might communicate an electric
shock, he dashed the coin on the ground.
| "D-n your impudence,'' said the pikeman.
SCI 'spose my hand isn't fit to be touched at
the same time administering to Hippsley's horse
a kick on the flank, which made the animal res
tive. The master returned the blow which had
been given to the beast with the butt-end of his
whip over the mans head. In this act of vio-
| ence the rens slipt from his grasp attempting
| tn rnno bp yorUn nd
equilibrium, which was farther discomposed by
| a knock on the side of the head from his assail-
| ant. Failing on the back of his horse, the ami
NAL plunged ttlriously, and in another moment
| Hippsley was on the ground, bruised and sense
less. Leaving the unfortunate gentleman to be
| conveyed to the nearest surgeon in q hackney
coach, and from thence to the residence indica-
ted by the cards and letters found on his per-
son, we will return to Miss Thornton, who was
| in deep conference with DR.. Mansell, her guar
dian
'But is it not wretched to see one, who can
be so agreeable and so gentlemanly, lost to soci-
ETY. by these unhappy whims!'' rejoined the
young lady, to whom the doctor had been rela.
ting some of Hippsley's imaginary distresses.
sit is indeed, my fair ward, and as q medica
man, thoroughly worn out by his perseverance,
in such fantasy, had for some time given hin
up; but since your happiness is concerned, W
say he referred to his former proposals, an,
when you gave him to understand that the
would no longer meet with refusal, threw him
self into state Of violent excitement, said yo
should never be his, tore his hair, stamped O.
the floor, and on your expressing astonishmen
at his conduct, declared that he knew it, an
rushed from the room. / can make nothing ou
of this, my dear girl; l should be loath to com
to the conclusion that hypochondriasis has ter
minated in confirmed madness. Wemust wait
while. Whatever his present fancy may be,
will not last long, This popularity in his eas
has thrown great obstacles in the way Of his re
} turn to Il natural and healthy state of mind
If continued possessed Of one fantastic idea til
We had time to prove that he was actually wron!
in his suppostion, really believe that the foil.
which would be made evident to him would b
his last; but no time has been allowed me fol
I experiment in any one of his Affections, as he il
; pleased to call them. Suffering from hydro
phoba to-day, to use his own phrase, he read:
on the subject, and cures himself by eating rocl
salt Fairly recovered from his late symptoms
he has lock jaw for couple Of days, and STUN
bling on the journal of some medical voyager
where it is asserted that cockroaehes have beel
used with effect in such a strait, he sends fo
} this novel remedy from the West India Docks
and what he calls conquers the disease by poul
ticing his face with these insects crushed into
paste. l can assure you he was only save
from taking decoction of the same by his ser
want substituting a cup of India soy This re
minds me that the messenger whom dispatehe
for Patrick ought to have returned. If l ca
E,,l o,,t fxn,,, folo,y ,vb;p,