Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-02-01

follows
BY the time the heroic husband had
reached the summit of the mountain, his
mental exaltation was dissipated by the
fresh air of the morning and the salutary
exercise of long walk his mind became
calmer,. turned to wiser reflection, and the
sight of the abyss, instead of proving at
tractive, made him remember Talleyrand's
philosophical axiom, 'be suspicious OF
first impulse"
Sasp,cioa seized him, and reflection gave
him counsel, Why kill himself, if ne could
obtain his object without recourse to that
extremity9 Was 1t not absurd to give up
life at thirty years of age for sentimental
exaggeration or cowardly weakness P
Would it not be better for him 10 pass him.,
self off for dead, and then commences anew
career, and seek his fortunes in distant
countriess His purse, which he had acci-
Gentally taken with him, contained sixty
louis. With plenty of audicity and few
scruples of conscience, that sum was sufi-
cient to enable him to start out in fresh ad-
ventures and speculations; and in leaving
his native country he preceded only a few
days The result which his numerous credi
tors would have obtained. His decision
was taken. He coatented himself with
playing comedy instead of a drama. The
"properhes' and decorations" of the scene
were simply arranged-the hat near the
brink of the preclpice-~the memorandum
book--the few eloquent farewell words
and then instead precipitating himself,n-
to the abyss at his feet, he simply threw
down it an old log of a tree, which, plow-
ing up the earth, ,aad tearing aside the bush
es, left indubitable traces of his body's rap
id descent Two young shepherds at dis
tance, seeing man so near the precipice,
and then dark body go swiftly down its
side, believed, in their fright, that it was
the human being who had really taken that
route, and they afterwards declared posi-
lively that they saw the suicide committed.
Yigilant, watchful, and in good health,
OUT defanct hero traversed the Pyrenees,
crossed Spain, reached Cadiz, and sailed
for America.
Seven or eight years after this fabulous
event, the baron and the baroness were at
their seat in Frenche Compte, and they
we've suddenly surprised one evening by
the appearance of an unexpected guest.--a
living ghost-the first husband.
The baroness fainted--it was the least
she could do. She was taken to her apart
ment, and the ghost opened an explanation
with his martial successor. The gentleman
had changed his plan of suicide just as he
was about to put it iato execution that'was
no crime He had travelled and not writ
ten; it was from motives of delicacy, as he
did not wish to write until be made for.
tune. He had rot succeeded in his enter
prise; conjugal happiness would have to
console him for mIsiortunes. He returned
to claim his wife; it was his ineontestible
right. He found his wife another mans
wife but this second marriage was null and
void.
The baron was about to answer this rap
idly delivered discourse, when he was in
formed that his wife--their wife-wished
to see hlm.
60 said the first husband, permit you
to say farewell; but be so kind as to have
me served with something to eat; am ve-
ry hungry" @
A servant received the barons orders,
conducted the ghost to pavilion 10 the
park, spread collation. before him, and left
him alone. In an hour the baron appear
ed, pistol IN each hand.
"A duel" exclaimed the ghost bah
nay position Is also too advantageous. Ire
fuse positively"
s'Nothing was said concerning duel,
monsieur replied the baron coldly. "My
position is also too advantageous. You
have forgotten that you are dead that no
one will miss you; that the only servant
who knows of your presence here is Gevo-
ted to me; ; that we are ia solitary spot;
that am armed, aud that can kill you
w,th ,mpuaity. That is what am about
to do" r..
'No monsieur; no you will not kill me-
said the ghost, quietly crossing his arms
and setting himself more comfortably in his
arm chair. eff 1t had been your design
and determination to kill me, you would
have begun by doing it without using so
many worthless words. Confess frankly
that you have better proposition to make
me-"
"Well, monsieur, since you speak of ar
ranging this affair, so be it am rich
you are not
A CLEAN of satisfaction passed over the
ghosts features. He listened to his hosts
proposal with evident pleasure, and showed
himself obstinate only about the sum total
OF the arrangement. To expatriatc himself
a second time and forever, toreturn to cha
os and never again return TO life, he asked
a fortune that would allow him to live as
agreeable as dead man could, and he fix
ed the sum at 100, 900 ecus.
"Will you cheaper your happiness ?"
said he to the baron. "Would you insult
your wife bv estimating her at more mod
crate price'"
The bargain was concluded, and the de-
funct husband kept his word-the more ca
silly. that he made good use of his time in
America.
&G- A young man in California, whose
friends at home had neglected TO write to
him for long time, adopted the expedicnt
! of sending letters to various business men
in the neighborhood, inquiring the prices OF
land and stock, what he could buy hand
some farm Of 200 or 800 acres for, &C., in.
timating that he has large sums to invest
By return mail he received no less than
seven letters, all anxiously inquiring after
his health, when he was coming, &C., and
has received three or four every mail since,
including some very warm ones from an
old and very cold sweetheart.
A5. A lady who was visiting one of the
churches in New York, commenced singing
the hymn which was given out, when the
sexton crept softly TO her and told her that
in that church the choir done all the sing