Plymouth weekly banner. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1856, 1855-11-15

in those wild dreamings which almos
maddened him.
1t had been some weeks since the Bar
on's return 10 the castle. and his son ha,
almost forgotten his presence there. whei
near the twilight of a day which had beer
one of more than usual intense and fruit
less mental toll to him. and his fran,
wns enervated by want OF exercise, anC
the powers of his mind exhausted by tha
long continued tension. that the youn,
man. who had lately been seized with III,
pha ntasy that he had talent for paint
ing, placed before him a work of one o
the great masters. and sat down to hi.
easel. But the canvas was still uncolor
ed when the suns last ray was gliding
the mountain tops. and the moon was be
ginning to silver the beautiful Rhine.
1t was beautiful landscape which lay
beneath that high turret window, and
pleasant sounds came floating on the soii
delicious breeze, through the open case.
ment. There was the tinkling Of bells,
the lowing OF cattle. and the call of the
herdsman, which, in the distance, see med
like the refrain of the milkmaid's merry
song; in the court an old piper was play
ing merry air on the fageoles. while
several young girls, with flowing tresse
and round white arms, were dancing over
the lawn; the swallows were twittering
beneath the window. the dove was coo.
ing to his mate. and now and then was
heard, in the pauses of this varied, but
harmonious song. the dash of oars and
the whistling of the boatman.
Blu: the young Count Wilhelm. in his
high turret window, saw no thing but tha t
old painting he had selected for his copy,
and the untouched canvas; he heard no.
thing but the beating of his own heart.
which told him how time was passing
away. while the purposes OF life were so
lily accomplished. What those purposes
were. the young man might not have found
it easy to explain; but the eager, avari.
cious economist of time RENE IN bcred that
whole day had passed, and nothing was
added to that already useless. unmanage-
able mass he had crammed into his brain.
A whole day! as thought cast backward
glance. he remembered that there had
been many days and weeks, and months
passed in the same manner at the organ.
With the chisel, the pencil and the pen.
and sckening sensation crept over his
soul.
The young Count was no genius; he
had an active, powerful mind, and "a any
pursuit he might have engaged in, he had
made himself respectable; but it was al
ways exhausted energies and a responding
heart that he had brought to his self-dis-
Almost 20 inaaness Tor lis III sSccess.
Slfily, sweeily as an angels -whisper
fell the tones Of the curfew on the eve
ming air.
The Wrath OF Ernheim walks through
the castle tonight pray. pray-'Lesd us
not into tenn pta tion!- uttered low, harsh
voice close 10 the ear of the Count, and
the Lady Agatha left the chamber as 81
lently as she had entered it.
Mechanically the young man bowed his
head on his folded arms. as he had been
taugh, by his aunt in mis- childhood TO do;
and, though reason had learned him years
since, TO discfedit the tales told Of a mys
terious visitant at the castle. this was the
iirst time he had failed to utter the exor-
cism taught him by the lady. 1t was
not, however, from forgetfuiness Of the
injunction. SO often repeated; for for
some reason. those old legends which had
so terrified his childhood, came with un-
usual force TO his mind.
The Wrath Of Ernheim was, it was
said, that of the first Baroness Won Ernst.
When she had come, a bride, to the cas-
tie. she was an angel Of beauty and good.
ness; but before many years had passed
away. she songht forbidden knowledge,
and the elixirs Of life which she drank.
changed that loveliness Of person to the
most terrible deformity, and that gentle
ness of soul to fiendish maiignity. Con
demned to existence, horrible as il had
become, while the name Of Von Ernst
was found on the earth, with her own
hands she walled herself up in the lowest
dungeon Of the castle. to await the ruin
of the house and her libera tion from life
but at certain seasons of the year heI
wrath walked through the castle. anc
presented itself TO the inmates; to the
young and hopeful as an angel kind ant
benificent; to the aged and the world
weary as friend, ready to execute the
purposes Of their hearts. But all whom
she gave counsel or aid, paid the same
fearful penalty for the wisdom they learn
ed. or the revenge they sought--a sudden
and awful death. and the extinction with
them of their branch and family. Bu'
fearful as il was, the desire. for present
good, and the wish for revenge had been
so strong. that it was said but one in q
generation had resisted the arts Of the
temptress. Even the Lady Agatha, it was
believed, had looked on the Wraiih oi
Ernheim, and through that agency had
wrought that terrible vengeance on heI
recreaut lover. and that it was only BY
the severest pennance that her doom was
deferred.
The young Count. it has been said
gave no credence to these tales. yet. as
he sat there. with his pencil il. his trern.
bling. fingers. and that lethargy resting or
his soul, he murmured half audibly tc
himself: Would that the fable we've true
Ito awaken the music have listened it
in my dreams. TO breathe the thoughts
which sometimes flash through my brain
to picture the beautiful visions which
pass before memo svil could befall nj
] thereafterp and half maddened By hi