Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-07-10

he returned, speaking irritably, for
he was vexod at these interruptions.
~ have some writing to do, and wish
TO be alone.
.Do your writing to morrow. We
will keep festival tonight. 1t Is not
often we have wine to keep it on
What rich treat after our wretched
day.
Something called herfrom the room
again. In his infatuation he deter
mined not to lose q moment. He lif-
ted the handkerchief and seized the
razor, Still not in time, for her hand
was heard too soon upon the handle
Of the door Ho dashed the danger
Gus weapon back again with mutter-
cd word; IL might have been q curse;
and, taking up the bottle, shook it a.
bout, and pretended TO be looking
through IL; anything to hide his con-
fusion, coward that he was. She hap
pened to glance at him, as she sat
down the glasses and some bread, and
was startled.
Adam how strange you do look
Quite wildl Are you III or fever
ish?
~ think ] am, he groaned, relin-
gushing the bottle, aud pressing his
hands upon his temples. ~.
"Some vino and water will do you
good. Make IL, please. II Is all rea-
dy.'
"Do you give wine for fever, Marg-
aret?'
"Yes, such fover as yours, which
arises from want of support. Make
IL at once or the wator will be getting
cold
He rose mechanically, and Il Is pro-
bable that his shaking hand may
have poured moro wine into both
glasses than he intended. Mrs. Grain
gcr silently added moro water TO hers,
but he drank his, II seemed also me.
chanieally. Suddenly she burst out
laughing, Ho looked up reproving-
", her gay mood did so Jar upon his
nervee.
Adam, | can't help II. | was thin.
king, suppose tho man should como
for tho wine back again, how foolish
wo should look I
you are gay tonight
~ am so pleased at our delicious
supper. / wish Jemima was not gone
70 bod. would take her some; but
she had hard days work, and was
tired. Aad for IL TO come 80 unex-
pectedlyl wonover know whatmay
turn up.
OR nohour whatth next may bring
forth
She talked on, thankful 10 cast n
side care for ono brief moment, but
ho only ohafed nc her sitting there
with him. The cordial had warmed
him, had soothcd his broken spirit,
and he leaned back In his chair, al
most in enjoyment, but his fatal rcso-
luton abatod not one jot in It's force.
Hoping TO drive her from tho room,
he kept silence, and at last shut his
eyes and feigned sleep. II succeeded,
for she left tho room, and now the op-
portunity was come.
He rose upright In his chair, deter
mined not 70 lose IL again. Yet he
did pause for an instant or two. His
thoughts were turning to chaos; all
things Of his life seemed TO come be.
fore his sight, and yet nothing. lie
stood on the confines Of this life, on
the threshold Of eternity; one minute
moro and he would have entered on
It's mysteries forever, Etcrnitr :.
Foreueri His own actl
He made an effort to rid himself OF
tho thoughts that woro crowding on
him. He united his ncekcloth, and
II foil TO the ground. Even In that
last moment ho was conscious Of this,
and picked IL up again.
He was sick at hoart. Suspense,
dread, fear, overwhelmed him, shak.
ing him with agony, as one In con.
vulsion. Yet, with all this, thorc was
no ropenting, no turning from his
self.willed doom.
"Now or never he mutterod "if
l hesitate am lost T.
LOST
He throw aside the handkerchief.
and took up what was under IL. He
raised his hand. One convulsive
shuddor, and Adam Graihger's spirit
passed into another world.
But TO what had he hastened2 o,
horror, horror The pen cannot
write IL; words cannot utter II; living,
waking beings cannot imagine it,
Mercy, mercy, upon him and all suchl
To be dead, and yet alive; TO be in the
next world, yet awake TO what was
passing in this; surrounded by woe
unutterable, and hope gono forever
o fool, fool | he had talked about 'des-
pair Of "hope deserting him." the
| film had fallen from his eyes now
As n grain Of sand 10 the desert, a
drop of water TO the ocean, was the
duration of his mortal existence in
comparison with eternity. And he
had refused 10 encounter It's short liv-
cd trials; he had shrunk from the in
significant frowns of the race around
him, suffering, weak, finite beings
like himself, and rushed into the pres
ence Of his outraged Creator. Did
he think to gain heaven by his mad
exit? o, short-sighted mani O, aw-
iul, awful
Adam Granger had passed by his
own act from time to eternity, and
the wide 1ood-gate of retribution
were thrown back, and the waters OF
repentance came rushing on TO his
soul. Hewrithed and struggled with
tho torrent, but on, on il came, and
surrounded him. Repentance such az
we can feel; what was it TO his He
strove to tear himself in his anguish
TO curse himselffor his rash presump.
ton, to howl aloud in his sharp tor.