Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-11-20

bOdt-t0r IL was mounted WIN q SWIVEL at
stern and bow--slowly issued forth into the
bay.
Southwark" said tie Captain, to the
ocean,"
This time there was no reply, and the men
bent to their oars.*
Several DAYS after the scenes Just related,
and when all the inmates of HarSton honSe
were buried in sleep, Arthur HetherIhgtoh
was suddenly awakened by loud scream,
which issued from the apartment Of Eleanor.
Hastily throwing on his dressing gown, anu
taking his sword in his hand he mounted to
the young lady's chamber.
Mrs. Hairston, whose apartment was next
TO that of her daughter had already entered
the chamber and when young Hetherington
reached the door, he deserted his miStreSSSSit-
ting up in bed, her frame agitated by strong
Mysteries,
Il was considerable time before any intel
ligihle explanation of her fright could be en-
tracted from her ; and when, after she had
grown calmer, the anXions listers were made to
understand, her agitation was considered The
result simply of an unpleasant dream.
Miss Hairston's relation was briefly as tol-
lows She had retired as usual, and had been
sleeping for some hours, when suddenly she
heard noise at her window, the shutters OF
which had been closed on the previous mgh1
ODenng her eyes at the sound, and half rising
from her recnmbent posture she had seen the
shutter open, the window raised, and. the next
moment, man had passed his body through
the opening, and with single bound stood at
her side He had then thrown his arms around
her before she could scream, and imprinted
twenty kisses upon her lips She had then
screamed. and the intruder had relaxed his
grasp. passed through the window again with
a mocking laugh, and disappeared, just as lights
began to twinkle, and Mr.. Hetherington hast
encd up the staircase.
Mrs Hairston shook her head as her daugh-
ter finished this narration and, pointing to
the closed window, said that Eleanor must
conquer this foolish nervousness, which, on a
former occasion, had been the jest of every one.
She had not finished her hOmiy, when Miss
Hairston suddenly pointed to the tolet-table.
A folded note lay upon it, which was opened
and hastily read. 1t contained these lines
Miss Hairston has had two dreams-er master, sleep
ing and walking tells her The moment approaches
when no will his mastery in spite {" the opposition
of her solemn lover 1t s useless to tell her to beware
Hetherngton's proud lip was convulsed for
a moment with wrath. His fiery eyes burned
like consuming brands, and he clutched his
sword hilt until the blade shook in his furious
grasp. That any man should dare to thus
treat his intended bride THAT there should
be mortal living who wOnld presume Had
the intruder then stood before him. the death
of one or both of them would have ensuod,
Little was said by the young man, however.
His teeth were set close together, as if to pre-
vent his wrath from escaping and eXpending it
self in weak words. He bowed gravely to the
two ladies, and retired from the apartment
Miss Hairston shared her mothers bed for the
remainder of the night and, on the next day
nothing was said of the occurrence. The ser
wants had not been around, and the mystery
was shared by the three persons alone
VIII.
At last, the night appointed for the marriage
Of Hetherington and Eleanor arrived, and
every preparation had been completed. 1t
was to he very private, at the request OF the
bridegroom and none were to witness the cere-
mony but the household, the officiating clergy
man, and few friends of the bride
As the shades of night descended and the
hour approached when he was to receive from
her mother the hand of the beautiful and
blushing girl, the young man experienced, he
knew not why, a strange and omlnouS tOrebOd-
ing.
Having clad himself completely in his spIen-
did wedding toilet, and bestowed a last glance
upon the snowy frill at his bosom, his lace cuffs
and elaborately powdered hair, to which his
body-servant had Just given the finishing touch
Hetherington sat down at the window opening
toward she ocean, and leaning his head upon
his hand gave himself up to reflection, which
settled down into a mood of unwontcd gloom.
1t seemed to him that some terrible crisis Of
his life was approaching dark and
threatening cloud, veined with lurid lightning
flashes. drew toward him, from the gloomy
horizon, its serpent-like folds, which ere long
would envelope him, and make him their vic
tim He said afterwards, that he heard hiss
ing voices in the air, ike the voices of those
terrible creatures of the Imagination, the IN
mqs-those human serpents which foTcteIl mis-
fortune and revel in the indications of approach
ing woe The air seemed charged with thick
and Sutforatng vapOr, and an oaor made Itself
plainly discernabe to the young man, Ike the
loathsome smell of a field of blood and death.
Are there ntimations i'll the air-in the winds
the unseen currents of the atmoSphere-of
coming fate? Wise men have said So and the
testimony of thousands corroborateS this pres
ence of something-some shadow of an invisi-
BILE obiect-an object of horror and despair.
The young man tried in vain to shake off
the influence which had mastered bin he
rose, walked up and down the apartment; turn
ed toward the window again, and looked forth.
AS he did so, faint red light gljmmered for
"A moment in one Of the rHShy cOycs, then d.S-
appeared, 1t seemed Ike his litc, and he turn
ed again from the window AS he did So his
eyes fell upon the poaiard which he had so
strangely gained possession of-the ponard of
the secrect receptacle
The drops of blood upon the blade seemed
to hnl and hiss as he whZed : and the antinue