The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-06-29

know it to- morrow
AS The night wore away, the tension of nerve
and brain gradually relaxed the heavy tide of sor
row surged and beat less ferceiy at her heart, the
sense of sure coming misery grew dulIer; suspense
and fear lost part of their poignancy,' and with
fervent prayer to Him without whom sparrow
faleth to the ground, she lay down upon the bed,
and sunk into deep but unrefreshing slumber.
Toward morning she dreamed that radiant form,
clothed in shining robes, and with face Of angel
ic beauty, came to her bedside and gazed an in
stant lovingly upon her. That she thought with
in herself, oh. could return to the blessed heav-
en- of rest with that pure spirit. for am weary of
life;' but the angel, if such it were, waved her
hand with smile,and Immediately passed through
the door to Angelique's room.
When Constance awoke it was with dim,
dreamy consciousness of hearing her name called;
but the morning light was only beginning to tnge
the eastern horizon, and with sigh that she must
soon break to Angelique the hated conditions of
ber freedom, she was turning again to her pillow;
when she heard her name family but distinctly
spoken from the next room. Hastily throwing on
her dressing-gown she opened the door and en-
tered. There upon snowy couch,on which the
first rays of the dawn were kindling faint flush.
lay the quadroon girl. white and still, as an ex-
quisite marble statue. So white, so still, that
a change that short night had wrought. The
sweet face was deathly pale except a small
roseate spot upon either cheek; the forehead was
wan. and deeply sunkan at the temples the deli
cate features rigid aud sharply defined; but those
eyes alwaysso strangely brilliant. now shone with
dazzling intensity that absolutely appalled, Con-
stance as she gazed, and suggested at once the
idea of insanity.
Shespoke in strong quick voice. Dearest could
not die without seeing you once morey dared not
10 summon you when was suffering pain. But
it is overnow and the debts paid, almost paid, Con-
stance She sunk her voice to a whisper, and as
Constance bent over to listen, her eye caught an
empty vial lying en- the bed. The truth flashed
upon her mind.
oh Angelique! my Beloved she shrieked
in her uncomfortable agony; Why why have you
done this? you should not have been sacrificed.
would have married him. promised it-rowed
to him last night. To save you Angelique,I would
have welded him. though he were ten thousand
demons instead of onel' -
Il knew it, answered the dying girl, 4 heard
all that passed between you last night. Forgive
The only deception ever practised upon you.-
Would not life with that man be worse 10 yon than
death, and is notdeaih to sweeter than life! Last
night my mother came; she stood by my bed
there and beckoned me, and wept that could
not go. Then the stars came in, all in one shin
ing train. and smiled and shook their long golden
locks, aud by their CLEAN 1saw this vial. Then
the bottom. Oh it was blessed draught And
there by the gold, and hyaclnth and azure of the
East, she is waiting for me-See and she pon-
ted to the window.
Constance turned, but saw nothing save the
Frightening glories of the Orient, before which
floated soft fleecy cloud and then che knew.
that wrought to fienzy by the sudden dashing of
hopes which her refusal of Balfour had excited the
oyerchnrged brain had at last given way, and An
gelique the beautiful. the good, the beloved, was
dying maniac and by her own hand.
For several moments all was still in the cham
ber; then pang, short but severe, convulsed her
| frame. 1t passed and she slowly Enclosed her
eyes, now dim with the coming death shadow, and
T6Steu ttl0ul upon SOLSlduC6 duSuiSutu COuuIc-
nance. with bewildered look Of inquiry; and Con-
stance saw that with ebbing life the delirium had
passed away.
I am glad you are come she said, in her own
soft fute-like tones, for feel strangely. be-
| lieye am dying. Oh l had dreadful, dreadful
dream 1 thought your father sold me TO Mr.
Balfour, and that, but it is all over now, and
am going TO be free! At last-at last 1t must
be 80 blessed to be in heaven-and free! Oh
Constance, my dearest, my more than sister, in
the midst of all your love and bounty, there was
ever chain on my spirit that chafed and festered
and which all your love could not unbnd. Rejoice
with me for it is breaking-it is almost gone.'
Constance could not weep. The fountain O
tears seemed boiling in her brain, but it would no
overflow She cuuld only bend over and pres'
kiss after kiss upon the damp forehead, already
growing icy beneath another and unseen pres
sure, the kiss of Death.
'Oh Constance how have longed for this hour
And you will not weep for me, neither quite for
get me. Once more and then there were
few struggles for breath, few and brief as if th
joyful spirit would give its beautiful home lovin
farewell, and then all was STILL and Angelique wa
free!
Free ere yet the shadowy Terror
Darkening on her path before,
Grew stern aud hideous real,
For her brain madden Ger,
Till she cursed the wondrous beauty,
Fatal beauty that she bore
She Is free-thanks mighty Father.
She is safe forever morel'
Half an hour afterward Susan entered the room
and found Constance sitting by the bedside, sti
holding the pallid hands in her own, and her eye.
burning with unnatural lustre, fixed upon the fac
l of the dead. Her screams soon brought the Who'll
t household to the chamber. Mr.. Herbert and Ba
8 four entered together in great trepidatioh. Con
stance turned toward them, and with the sam
freezing repose of manner pointed TO the bed.
: See, father said she, beckoning him to or
!. pronch; see how she loved me and yet Ange
n lique, was thy love greater than mine! Would