Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-07-12
"Ha.sa! but YOU shall not escape

Ia "a but you shall not escape
so.'" laughed Isabella. Here, before
these our -E.ends, promise that this
ring shall be yours" She continued. dis
playing one given her by an old lover,
which Mslf;a bad oi;en desired her TO
part with, provided you 60 to the
churchyaIi clone, n the dark, aud de.
clare On your homer, when you return,
that you were not in the least afraid"
Asrsd," said Martin, buttoning his
coat, for the night was chill.
And as evidence that you 60 the en-
tire distance, you can bring back with
yon the iron bar, which YOU will find
close by the gate" said Isabella.
! Thus driven bv taunts to the commits
sion Of folly, Martin took leave of the
company, foil of courage and spirit. and
set out on bis a1and =
1t Was near qusIter Of mile to the
church yard, which was approached by
a lonely, drelry path, seldom travelled
except by mournerS,
tits impossible to relate precisely what
happened to Martin on that gloomy road.
[ judge from the circumstances which
afterwards came to light, and conjecture
his adventure must have been as I am
about to relate it..
/ Slight as was his frame, and tender in
his feelings, he was not destitute of cour-
age. lido not think he was frightened bv
the signing Of the wind, and the rustling
OF the dry autumnal leaves, as many
stronger men might have been. He
marched steadily TO the church ward,
stopped moment, perhaps to gaze sadly
but not fearfully, at tie white tomb
stones cleaning iaintly in the dark and
desolate ground, for the stars shone
brightly in the clear, cold sky; then
shoulderlng the iron bar, of. which Isa-
bella had spoken, he set out to return.
He had proceeded about half way, when
IN the gfoomiest part of the road, he saw
white figure emerge from clunp of
willows and come towards him. Ii look
ed Like walking corps, in q " uinding
Sheet. which trailed upon the ground
All Martins strength of nerve was gone
n an instant. Courage gave place to
desperation, hair standing erect, and his
blood running chill with horror still he
stood his ground. The spectre drew
nearer, seeming to grow whittier and lar
ger as it approached. We cannot tell
what frenzy seized upon the brain of that
unhappy youth at that moment.
The guests at the clergyman house
heard terrific screams. Drcadinc some
tragic termination to the farce, they rush
cd to the spot, one of the numaer carry
ing a lantern. They found Martin kneel-
ing on a prostrste figure, his fingers
convulsively at its throat. while
he still uttered frantic sbrieks for i..',.
HIS wild features exhibited the very ex-
tremity Of terror.
Only two OF the most courageous Young
men dared approach him. One Of them
forced Martin to relax his hoid ON the
throat of the figure, whilst the other tore
away the folds of the sheet. At that
the bearer of the lante,a came
up. Its light fell on the blood-stained,
dstored fca:ures of Isabella. Marin
uttered one more uneattbly Shrek, and
fell lifelesS upon the corpse. lie never
spoke again, but lived-sn idiot,
\ frightful confusion on Isabella S tenn
pie bore evidence that in his frenzy he
had struck the supposed spectre with the
lron bar. The blow was probably the
cause Of hes- death; although such grasp
as his hands must have given Ter throat,
might along have deprived her of breath.
He never Enew afterwards what he had
done; for never CLEAN of req IN illumiu-
ed the dsrhness,of his soul; and now the
tolling bell has told US that Heaven, in
its mercy, has finally freed the spirit from
its shackles Of clay, and given it life and
light in better world.