The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1857-10-06

foy it but the form of him whom this lot
drafting bones once was would rise be-
fEc me, and my purpose would be des-
tpyed. You are the only person whose
sympathy | have,ever sought and heartily
q thank you for it. Will you tell your
lame %
l"Ccrtainly-I should have told you be-
fire. Its Philip Dclcroix."
TIc stood for moment like one petrl-
fad his fhce assumed an ashen hue and
Lis framequivered and shook. He leaned
against the mantel for support, and before
Il could offer him any assistance he ex-
Gained:
ut is Judgment from Heaven! my cup
il indeed flll-it cannot be-.
His strength seemed to have returned.
fir he started up and gazed steadfastly
Tito my face. Then, as if assured, he
goaned N the anguish of his spirit, and
sud
"Explsnation would be useless now,
and l wish to be alone. Will you come
to-morrov, and if am not at home will
YOU open this closet? believe me, it is for
your good"
Bewiltbred by what I had seen and
beard, I could do no less that promise. He
rung for aservant to show me to the street,
and said d. l passed from the room:
"Remehber in that closet"
I reach my house, and threw myself
upon my led. My thoughts were mixed
up in an iincxtricable whirl. What was
the strange interest that this mysteri-
Gus Liemd BIN took in me? what did it por-
tend-andhis skeleton friend, too; what
had I to find in that closet? I.could set
tie nothing definate in my mind. Wea-
ried with tnavailing thought fell into
troubled sRep which lasted through the
day, and bssed on sleepless couch all
night. | hid indeed fallen into a strange
mystery u awoke early after slight
sleep, and paced my apartment until the
sun arose. Then | sailed out towards
the house pf Liemann, for my suspense
was like dagger in my breast. The SER
want did ndt think that his master had
arisen, but be admitted me to his cham
Der. AS tile servant closed the door be-
hind him glanced at the couch sud saw
that it had bot been occupied. Isat down
for moment and then walked to the COR
ner of the NJ antle. / hesitated for an in
slant and then pressed the spring. The
Panel flew and the closet was revealed
My head SWAN with dizziness, and I al
most tainted. Recovering in a moment |
opened my closed eyes and looked again.
There stretched out at the feet of his skel-
eton lay Gustave Licmann, his face turned
upward, and the damp of death gathered
on his brow. A knife lying on the floor
showed the manner of his death, and he
graspcd folded paper in his hand. I
know not how | summoned sufficient res
olution to unclose the rigid grasp of death
and take the paper, but when | did so I
saw that it was directed to myself. I'm
mindful Of the place, or the terrible spec
tacle before me | sat down to obtain a
knowledge of the mystery in which I was
so strangely involved. The manuscript
read as follows:
Eat Length the moment has arrived when
am compelled to make confession ofmy
crimes and give up my il-gotten wealth
to its rightful owner. You. Philip Del
croix, are my cousin! Yes-the poor mass
of miserable clay which now lies at your
feet is all that remains of Wilhelm Strauss,
known to you as Gustave Liemann. Can
you pardon the crimes of one who has al
ready suffered the torrents of second
hell, and who is willing the reparation
which lies in Ills power? believing that
you can and viii, one pang at least is spar
ed in my last n oments. You have con-
jectured how murdered our uncle, and
the base artiice that l used to obtain his
wealth. Alas! you have yet to learn the
sequel. You cAn imagine that the stings
ofconscionce tori ented me, | was restless
and unhappy being, the prey of every row.
ing fancy of tile brain. | was suddenly
seized with an Intense desire to possess
the skeleton Of the murdered uncle. 1t
amounted to kind of insanity, and day
and night | was followed by the desire. l
was compelled to crafty it. l caused the
coffin to be taken from the tomb and with
my own hands opened the lid. | found
therein the CHASTITY phantom which has
since Inell tillllOSt uflFcu lile lldu. WAS
not myself was controlled and urged
OH by some invisible power. | was forced
to look many times a day upon my skel-
eton friend ,.as l bitterly said to you, and
the poisoned arrows of remorse and con-
science worked deeper and deeper. I left
my home-I came to Antwerp-but the
mighty power that controlled me compell-
ed me to take the skeleton. Five horrible
years have passed in this manne. | saw
you, the same spirit drove me to make your
acquaintance. The agony of lifetime
seemed concentrated in that awful moment
when first discovered your identity. Par
don me Philip, if you can, and pray for
me. The will which your uncle made for
you is in the drawer of the large book