True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-07-16
THE FINNISH BLUEBEARD.

The FINNISH BLUEBEARD.
Miss Selma Burberry, in her Summer
in Northern Europe tells the story of
the Finnish Bluebeard as follows:
'Once upon time there lived in Fin
land a very wild and wicked young man,
who, after long course of profanity and
RIGHTEOUSNESS, crowned all Of his bad
deeds by becoming a Flnn-BIuebeard.
tie married three young women almost
at once, shut them up in wicket basket,
and burned them. No one knew the
fate OF the three poor girls; they had dis
appeared. That was all. One morning
the young man was found stretched on the
threshold of his door, dead, his body COW
cred with dark blue spots. ltwas clear
he had spent the night with the Evil One,
and been overcome. They buried him,
however, with the rites Of the church.
The next morning the sacrlstan, going
early to ring the Angclus, saw, 10 his
horror, the dead body Of the young man
whom they had buried, standing erect in
"a niche in the outer porch Of the church.
He ran to The priest, who, believing
some one had raised The body from its
tomb, buried it again. But up rose the
corpse once more, came back 10 the porch
that night, and appeared in its niche the
following morning. Three times they
rebured it; three times he rose again.
At last the good man perceived that other
powers we're engaged i'll this, and he
suffered the corpse to remain unmoltsled
in i S niche. Finally, only skeleton
was there, and no one passed it without
the sign fthe cross. Years passed away,
and tile story might have been forgotten
if the skeleton in the porch did not tend
to keep its memory fresh. Perhaps il
was desire to get rid of such a monitor
10 his conscience, that led another wlt
young man TO resolve tOhave il displaced
from us niche. lusead, however. oftry
ing to do SO himself, he engaged the ser
vices of young girl, whose innocen
mind made her devoid of fear. By tn
promise of a good reward, he prevailed OF
her 10 60 one evening to the church ant
carry away the skeleton. She reached
the outer porch, advanced TO The niche
and approached the thing that had been
so long erect there. Bnt 10 instead o
extending her arms, the skeleton slrechet
out his. More horrible still, it spoke
1t told her she must be squeezed to deatl
in those dreadful arms, since she haC
dared 10 violate the repose Of the dead
Her prayers and cries moved even skel
eton to pity her, and in its hollow voice
il said, ii .a..s.E.... ... ....... ... 5.
If you will save yourslf, you may
save me also. Go, then into the church
there you will see three young girls knee
ling before the altar. They are my three
brides, whom | burned in one day. Fo
that crime | am compelled to remain here
| can neither rest in the grave, nor enle
the threshold of the molly temple. Here
l must remain forever, unless can obtair
their pardon. For fifty years | hav'
waited for this occasion Of employing
some one 10 ask them to pardon me 60,
now, and do So s,.. -
'The girl tremblngly opened the dool
of the church the whole nave was light.
edup as if for grand festival; and the
soft tones of pIalntive chant resoundet
throughoutit. AT the foot Of the altar,
three young girls were kneeling, cover(
in long white. veil, The chant was BY
them. The poor mortal girl approached
her spiritual sisters, and lrembIingly era
we'd pardon for the skeleton at the porcl
door. ., ...u.. ......... ,...'..
!No, no. chanted the three spirits, 'n'
pardon for him. h,l....tt' .-
The messenger returned with the fata
reply. -. ~ l... *.
Yet once more ask them, if not for m,
sake for yours to pardon me- said tn
skeleton, in answer, else shall you die.
'She repeated her prayer 10 the thre
spirits with this addition. .'.a ,..s
mo, no; there is no pardon for him
Yet once more try if you can prevail
said the skeleton. -,
Again she went, and falling on he
knees, cried TO the three spirits, $
i Pardon him, pardon him for the SAX
of the Saviour .A,,,,
He is pardoned, he is pardoned = re
peated each spirit.
The chant ceased the lights weu
out /; the three spirit-brides disappeared
and the skeleton moved away from il
niche, sunk down in its grave, and la
there ever AFTER .r.,. ;3.,