Litchfield enquirer., 1856-04-24

| 1hAo0"h sOCotiot ltAdiiy tyCo HCIt I'll
rected towards the gallery, but the curtains
were tightly drawn, and mystery still remained
mysterious. Some casual movement, however,
momentarily displaced portion of the floating
screen, and revealed to me a dark handsome
face had before noticed; and it was no less
| dark, handsome, or disconnected, then when /
soulful singing and that morose, unhappy coun-
tenance belonged to one and the same indiyid-
ual
The close of this Sabbath day was destined
to reveal to me strange fragment Of the life
of this very man.
The night fell dewy and starry, but with an
oppressiveness of atmosphere in that part of the
| country, an uncommon consequence on long-con-
| tnued rains. The ground was almost destitute
I of moisture, and the grass of that harsh, vivid
, greenr SO destructive to vision. The air was
heavy and breatEless, the very stars seemed to
blink with the universal drowsiness We were
just seated at our plainly furnished tea-table,
when there came a startling peal from the lit
tie knocker at the hall door
"A visitor" said my wife, settling her cap
"A patient" said l, rushing from the room,
just in time to upset black boy who ran vio-
lently against me- Alternately rubbing his
sides, and grinning from ear to ear at the
adventure, he informed me that "massa was
took sick in a great hurry" and then scamper-
ed oil, having first pointed out large and con-
spcuous house, quite near to my own, as the re-
sdence of the sick man. / had often noticed
it for the elaborate arrangements of its extern
sye gardens.
In few minutes was in the chamber Of
the first patient to whom had been called dur
| ing my residence in Nj. The room was
large and brilliantly lighted bouquets of deli
cate flowers were scattered over it--evidently,
illness had been totally unlocked for by the
master Of the dwelling. AS entered, the face
of my patient was hidden from me by the pill
lows in which it was buried The wife, young,
slight thing half sat, half reclined beside him,
her head bowed on her bosom, her pale hands
| tightly locked one in the other she raised her
| eyes as ] entered and on seeing me, Il sudden
CLEAN OF something which, if it were not hope,
| had aH its beauty, passing over her features.
Doctor ~ she cried wildly, advancing to
meet me, Doctor, save him, save him !"
Before had time to answer voice from
the other side of the bed uttered in low, soll-
orous, but selfposscsscd tone
at is too late
CHANGING quickly that way, saw the gray
haired minister On bis hands were great red
spots of blood the pillows, the sheets were
marked with it !; and on the white dress of the
young wife gIittered also fresh crimson stains.
- He is dying" said the old man revercntly
knceug at the bedside 4 bner, my son, my
boy, do you hear me-you are dying -
| approached the bed, and as | did so the
sick man raised his head, and | saw before me
| the beautiful, despairing face of the morning.
The dark eyes were fiercer and brighter, and
deeply sunken in their sockets, while the heavy
masses of hair and heard gave the ghastly COM
! FlcXion a still more unearthly hue. He had
ruptured blood vessel At q glance saw
/ that the case was hopeless, and that the little
| could do, were almost as well undoue. Life
| was ebbng fast--mortality verging into immor-
tally. caused his face to be bathed, and the
clotted blood washed from his nostrils and
beard--that was ALL
| Meanwhile the old man sat there on the beds
edge, clasping one of those colorlsss hands in
| his own He kissed the almost lifeless forehead,
he bent over the dying man with the anxiety
which none but father could feel at such O
moment.
"Abner, Ahner," he whispered, do you
can you hear me I If you can for Gods sake
give me some signal y
| The eyes, gradually assuming dull, dreamy
look, closed YEARLY, and opened again very
slowly
A low vail burst from the wife. The old
clergyman turned upon her quickly, and said,
with bitter imperiousness
! Be st.ll, | must spsak with him" Then
! bending again over the bed:
| a bner, have you thought of DEATH? Shall
we pray--have YOU made your peace with
Godyn -
There appeared to be sort of conrulsive eff
fort on the sick mars part to attain a sitting
posture For moment he seemed possessed
of perfect consciousness and perfect strength
God p he echoed hoarsely "how dar.
YOU name him God You, who have made
me what am you, who goaded me to sin
and all for money, money Was it so reciou:
to you that l must sell myself. body and soul
There is none--no God--no God!"
| He sank back on his pillow exhausted. Blood
burst anew from his mouth. He tried to say
more, but the words were drowned in the warm
tide that dubbed over his chest. And she, the
wife, stood there in marble calmness, and heard
that which was to blight the rest of her young
life. Her hands were clasped again, her eyes
fixed unfinchingly on the floor. She neither
moved nor spoke Looking at her, you would
have felt your very heayt melt with compassion
50 Wild so torlorniy miserable was the expires
sion of that sweet, girlish face.
"Abner, Abner, my son." was all the fathel
spoke with his blanched quivering lips
The momentary flush faded freoi the sicl
| mar,s foatureS 7 stood hv him and wiped tn,