The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-10-12

ened at its unutterable glory. ! ceased,
and his low voice whispered-'Katrine--
Heavenl"
The lids closed over those earnest eyes,
peacefully as a child lies down to dreams,
and the golden head grew cold upon my
bosom. was alone with my deadl'
MY mother paused. and clasped me
wildly to her heart, then releasing me,
she continued:
Hanne, | know in those early days your
father loved me, as he could tove. Not with
the worship of the dead, but he was proud
Of me, and strove to make me happy. He
suffered much. The wife whose head
rested on his bosom, slept in her dreams
upon another's heart, mixed in with grave
mould. When be clasped his arms about
her, ever between their folding and her
slender waist, were those:nold arms of the
dead. ! pitied him, ,>bueny very scui was
sick unto death;1 could not feign a love
my heart could never feel 1t was two
years, Hanne, before you was born. He
had learned of late, to seek his happiness
other where. l did not trouble myself to
inquire the nature of his pursuits, for ]
was grateful to be left alone When you
were put into my arms, l rained tears Of
blessing over you, thanking God that my
heart could love still.
'As l lay in silence with my eyes shut,
holding you on my heart, heard him
say: e
Perhaps this child will win her love to
me. God grant: we may be happierP
1T was vain hope, Hanne, was cold
or to him than ever. We both loved you.
l would hold you in my arms hour
after hour, raving madly over the dead
who should have been your father. One
night asI held you thus, my husband en-
tered.
'Katrine,' said he, 1 shall die tonight,
die by my own hand. have lost my al
at the gaming table wither your GOODNESS
has driven me. I am sorry for your sake,
for the sake ofour innocent child, but oh
you deserve little else, woman, who could
sell yourself for station, when your very
being was another'sl
Il knew his reproaches were just, and
sat still, inSefant silence, holding you tc
my heart. For five minutes he stood ST.
lently looking on us, Then bespoke again
with so(tened tone:
'Katrine forgive me- Perhaps you die
not know your own heart until it was toe
late, Let not our parting be in anger
| have done you many wrongs, but l have
suffered terribly. God will Judge me, anc
he is mcrciful Katrine, kiss me once
more before die. Once, let me hold yol
to my heart. You are my wife. You
hatred cannot be so remorseless as to re
fuse me this, my last request!'
'Hanne, knew not what demon Eulec
me, but sprang up from my seat, helt
you aloft from my arms, and cried:'
Go! do not touch me! loathe you,
hate you'll But for you my. darling woult
not have died, Before your coming,
was happy. Col You cannot suffer as
have suffered, ever since your hateful lip
called me wife!'
I'll en- holding you still, 1 sank down up
on the floor, weak, helpless, in position
of sobbing. lean remember nothing dis
tinetly, but | have faint, indistinct mem
ory of kiss of fire upon my forehead--o
seeing your baby face covered with pas
sionate caresses, and of being reused from
the darkness of my long faint by the re
; port of pistol. Your father was dead
Hanne, do not quite hate me. | have low
ed you, suffered for you, lived in you
!. life. Ifmy crime was great, the punish
ment of my lifelong remorse is terrible
+, tclasped her bowed figure in my arms
and pressed my lips again and again to he
flushed brow shuddering the while at tn
thought that terrible as had been mine, bu
for the story and its warning. Oh, hoV
much dearer my heart acknowledged he
;; in the utter hopelessness of her fearful sor
row, than she had ever been,in what ha
! supposed, the cold perfectness of charac
ter.
1 mn = L A. IL M