Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-09-01
A CHINESE ROMANCE.

LII Soinc SilllieSc TOInancSS ana tales,
we find a considerable share of wit as well
as sentiment. From one of these, Voltaire
has not disdained to borrow one of the
best stories in his Zadig." A disciple
of the sect Of Tdoutsee, or Doctors OF
Reason, while meditating among the
tombs, observed young lady seated by
one of them, eagerly employed in tanning
the structure. On approaching the spot,
and seeing her in tears, he ventured to
ask whose tomb it might be, and why she
took SO much pains in tanning it The
lady, withgreat simplicity replied-"You
see widow at the tomb of her husband
he was most dear to me, md he loved me
in return with equal tenderness. Afflicted
at the idea of parting with me, even i'm
death, his last words were these Nv
dearest wife, should you ever think OF
marrying again, 1 conjure you to wait, at
least, until the plaster of my tomb be
entirely dry; after which you have nv
sanction to take another husband. -
Now" said she, "as the materials are still
damp, and not likely soon to dry, I thought
[ would just fan it little to assist in dis
sipating the moisture"
This woman" thought the philoso-
pher, sis in monstrous hurry" and
having recently taken to himself beauti-
full wife, he hastened home to apprize her
of the adventure.
"Oh. the wretch" she exclaimed,
"what an unfeeling monster! How can
a vlrtuous woman ever think of a second
husband If, for my misfortune, [
should lose you, be assured | should re-
main single for the rest of my life."
"Fair promises, " thought the philoso-
pher, tare easilymade; but we shall see. -
He suddenly became dangerously i'll a
tender scene occurred {; the lady vowed
eternal remembrance, and repeated her
resolution to remain widow to the end
of her days. Enough" said the philo-
sopher, my eyes are now closing for
ever :" and so saying, the breath departed
from his body. The desponding widow,
with loud lamentations, embraced the
lifeless body, and held it locked in her
arms. Among the mourners who assem-,
bled on the melancholy occasion, was a
youth Of fair exterior, who said he had
come from distance to place himself as
a pupil under the deceased sage. With
great difficulty he procured sight of the
widoW-she was struck with his appear
ance. She saw him again on the follow
ing day; they dined together, supped to-
gether, and exchanged tender looks and
expressions. The youth was half-smit-
ten, the lady wholly so, and marriage
speedily agreed upon. The youth, how
ever, previously demanded three condi-
tons, one of which may suffice for our
notice: it was that the widow should forth
with turn out of the house the uns;ghtly
coffin that contained the remains of her
late husband. The lad y readily consented,
and the coffin was sent into an old shed
at the bottom of the garden.
Preparations were now made for the
marriage feast, but the bridegroom was
suddenly seized with convulsions and fell
on the floor. The bride was desired by
her domestic not to be alarmed, for that
these fits were not unusual, and that
there was cure for them-the only and
certain cure--the brain of man recently
deceased-taken in warm wine.
OH" said the lady, "my late hus-
band has been dead only few days. Get
me hatchet, and | will go myself and
open the coffin and take out the remedy"
Thus fortified, she posted away to the
bottom of tie garden, and, striking a
blow with all her might-behold. the lid
flew open, groan was heard, and to her
great horror, the dead man rising up,
very coolly said" My dear wife, lend
me your hand to get OUT"
The unhappy inamorata, finding all
her intrigues discovered, and unable to
survive her shame, hung herself to one of
the beams. The philosopher found her,
and having satisfied himself that she was
quite dead, cut her down very coolly, and
having repaired his own coffin, laid her
in it, fully determined never to take an
other wife.