The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1853-06-09

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tortured, breaking heart. We conversed. -
| cannot tell you what we said! know ev-
cry WORD! know every sob and tear. But
never, never can tell what occurred-Em-
ma! Emma!
! Suddenly convulsive thrill shook her
frail form, again her eyes Frightened as she
gave one more earnest glance at my face!
pressed her TO my bosom. She spoke in slow,
measured but clear accents her last words
4 always love your
] Her grasp slackened! fled from life
less corpse! My dearest friends were with.
IN moments walk! | had not seen them
for years! did not see them thea and shall
never see them again! | fled. All night
long | ran aud walked, and ran again. In
the morning mounted conveyance, and
reached Cincinnati. resumed my occupa-
ton. shall never leave it. Such a night
as this always w1krs up these memories
DO not mention what have told you tits
the first time the tale has crossed my lips it
is so painful it will never bc uttered by me
again, Good night!
lie darted of in agony; sought my home
/ but my sleep was troubled with sad dreams
of love and deception.
( Some weeks after the conversation we
have narrated, we attended an inquest, for
tho purpose Of reporting the proceedings
| Our acquaintance, the watchmln, was the
| principal witness. We remarked that he
was singularly agtuted-it was not diliicu Il
to observe beneath u manly effort to main
tain external compOsure, that an excitement
existed that was moving the inmost reces5es
OF his nature. When next we saw him we
mentioned our impression of his mental suf-
fcrng on that occasion, when he explained
THE cause as follows:
You may judge that my saiferings after
Emmq's death we're intense. As night by
night paced the empty streets during the
lnclemcnt season Of winter, every crcum-
stance ofmy li(es misfOrtunes would present
itselfunceasingly tomy shrinking soul One
night the gloom deepened yet darker on my
tortured mind. | know that suicide is cow
nrdice, that it is mean lying from sorrows
and tortures, which brave MN will face,
ns the scathed and lc ln esS tree that stands
unmoved amid the crashing tempest, or |
would have rushed to the river and sought
oblivion beneath its friendly wave. The
temptation, at times, grew powerful; Il sweet
verse Of MJntgOmsry's sounded in my ear
like the wooingof death, which sought ME as
a willing recipient of its cold and icy en-
brace
There is calm for those who weep,
re't for weary pilgrims found;
They softly liz, ani swe"tly sleep
Low in the gronnl.
| did not, however, forget my duty. | ncv-
er, in my worst paroXsms, ceased to rcmcm-
bcr that the property, safety, and even the
life of some tellow-ctizen might at any mo-.
ment depend upon my vigilance. The oc-
cupation in which am engaged is called an
humble one. do not believe so. All who
labor occupy prouder position than mobiles
who eat what society bestows, but return
nothing for the favol.
observed, in Il narrow and retired street
which passed through, that door was stan
ding partly open. As was my duty. pro-
ceeded to investigate the cause. knocked
and called. No one replied | entered
small but gaulily furnished paror On the
table were strewn vile books anl obscene
pictures. 1t was a house of assgnation.
raped loudly with my club on the stairs, but
could obtaia no reply. could not tell WHY
but felt strange reluctance to ascend
those stairs. 1t was not fear. Unfortunate
ly, in this city, where bowie.knives and ps-
tolls are carried in secret on the persons of
the respectable and g3nteei, as well as the gam
bier and the bully, had seen too many aw-
ful occurrences to be afraid. But shrunk
and tremblcd as mounted. At each step |
felt an increased repugnancc to proceed.
was inclined to 90 out and summon the as
sistlnce of another watchman, but as any
approach to cowariice amongst us is always
IL subject for derision, | would not yield to
th, IA.ira -kNhnn I hnI rn,nhnI ha In al
ing, was compelled by the violence of my
emotions, to stop before | entered a cham
Der, the doc. of which stood half open before
me, within which the light of my lantern
showed the showy curtains Of bed
was in u state of horror! My heart pal
plated with such violence that it was al
most impossible to breathe! Heavy drops
Of sweat fellrom my forehcad-a mist dim
med my eyes--my head swami feared |
should lose my consciousness! Why did
feel thus? could not tell! The want of
apparent cause only made my agony the deep
per, from its mysterousness.
At length, in some measure, | assumed
selt-control, and prepared to enter shout
ed aloud, however, before doing 50. No an
swer was returned, but the hollow reverber-
alton of my own voice had an effect so start
ling, that n thrill rushed through my frame
which froze my blood and deprived my limbs
orstrcngth! again stood irresolute. The
scene was overpowering. | seemed the only
thing that had life in that hOrrid house of
crime and infamy, No living thing struck
familiar sound in the deserted street. In
some of the rooms the windows clattered, at
times, as the fitlul gusts shook their case
mentS nd the WiuI. which rushed with
violence and then died away in whispers only
to return with renewed strength, moaned
and sobbed and whistlcd as if dark and foul
spirits were tolling their horrid secrets to the
gale.
With violent effort flung of my pusil-
lanimty. | stepped into the room, and set
ting my lantern upon the table, approached
the bed. Above the sheet appeared u hu
man face; it was that of man. The eyes
were open, and glared upon me with fixed
and stony stare. The countenance was
wan and ivid, and the white teeth were en-
posed between the half-opened lips, which
bore purple hue. The man was dead!-
But what made my heart stand still-my
hair rise-my knees knock against each
other-my brain burn, as lightning scorch-
ed it! | took step forward and gazed one
dreadful instant-then, with shrek. |
could not repress, fell to the floor uncon-
scious My over-wrought spirit sought the
repose of u temporary death! The dead
man was the wretch who had made my life
one long, lingering curse. 1t was Emma's
husband
At length recovered, and sezng the
lirht examined the bed The face bore an