Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-08-18
The Manuscript of the Coffin

.eu to thunderstorm that had raced so v;o ientiy during the night as to render sleen i'm possible lie felt sadness unusual to him and which not even the brightness, of A 6n, May morning could dispel
 francols was the last of a noble race tragedy, alike inexplicable and startlino bal clouded the close of his fathers life Th, facts, as reported, were briefly these: Cbara lois Machelli, the father of Francois anc baron Gaston de Folk had been friends from childhood, Their estates joined. On the sam, day they had eSpoused two sisters. Helen and Blanche. This seemed only to render thei lamles more intimate, although never were two men more different. Gaston was A mar oi no rellglon, while Charaiois was almost o monastc strlctness. The same diversity ex. 'sted Tn thelr wives; Blanche, who was all purity and innocence in itself, was married to the gay lbertlne; while Heen whose heart peat only for pleasure, was united to the seri. ous and punctilious formalist. These very differences of character, seemed, however. tc cement their union, just as the various pris. matte colors combine to form light Thei, chateaux being the only residences of that de- scnptlon for many miles, rendered them al. most totally dependent upon each other for that mutual intercourse which gives life its truest Zest
 Much of their time was spent in roaming together among the rural scenery of the Loire This happy state was suddenly destroyed bv the tragic event already alluded to Tbe Count and Countess Machelli had passed the day with the Baron and Baroness de Foix when, in the midst of dinner and while an' gagged Tn the pleasantest conversation the baron de FOX. who had that day copously n- dulged h wine, became suddenly mad and se'ziiig khlie that was lying on the table be- fore him, stabbed himself to the beart. This iiad so great an effect upon his wife, that after the iuherai, she retired to a convent, where she soon died of a broken heart. The sisters never met alter the obsequies, and strange to say, even on her death bed Sister Agatha, as the baroness was called, declined to receive q visit rom her volatile sister, the Countess Ma cheih A deep gloom spread also over the Macheills, and It was noticed particularly. that although they resided in the sane chateaux thelr love seemed to have been buried in the colin of the unfortunate madman. who had ln moment of drunken excitement. rushed unsummoned, into the presence of his Maker.
 DIX mouths alter this melancholy event. hi, friend, Count Machelli, died of fever. and a lew weeks subsequently, Francois was born be- ing posthcmous child. His mother married agaln, and went to reside in Paris with her husband, leaving Francois in the care of the Abbey Fieury, an ecclesiastc of great pietv and learning. The young Count de Macbellj was Tn hs nineteenth year, an |, owing to his studlous and secluded life, of calm and se- rious nature. He once a year paid visit to his mother, who had, however, only once re. visited the chateau. There was conseouentlv little sympathy between them.
 While the young count was sitting in tbi, more than accustomed melancholy. the cure oj hls village was announced He was a yepera. ble man, and had been the spiritual adviser of his father. The young noble rose, and greet ing him with tillal reverence, placed chair for him.
 The cure sat down, and after looking at Francois in deep sadness, said, "Mv son, we had asevere thunderstorm last night.n
 Ills young companion could scarce repress a smile at- -tnlS gratutous mention of an event that was loud enough to almost wake the dead as he replied, " heard 1t, Father Bernard that awful crash towards the termination o the tempest, and which seemed to break di rectly over my head, struck awe into my soul trust it has done no damage to the yillage n, it's good people,
 Not to the cottages,' returned the cure !" but It has destroyed part of the church."
 Ut IS fortunate, good father, that it happened not at mass time.''
 " 1t has, also,' resumrd the cure. laid bare part deeply interesting to you, my son,'
 What mean you?" anxiously inquired the young man.
 The lightning struck your family vault and laid bare the gloomy recesses of the tomb,"
 Francois bowed his head in reverence
 " What IS also remarkable" continued the cure "the effigy of the unhappy Count de Folx,' here the good priest crossed himself was Shlvered to atoms, doubtless, in that ap. palng thunder burst"
 Strange, indeed" murmured the vouno count
 ' want you, my son, to accompany me to see the collins removed into the church while the vault is being repared."
 q" It Is a homage I owe the dead,o was the counts response, as he inwardy accounted for the unusual gloom of soul he had experienced in the morning.
 ln a few minutes they were on their way to their church, where they found group of yil- lagerS gathered around the ancestral vanlt of the Machells.
 strange spectacle presented itself. The lightning had laid one side of the tomb ouite bare. while the cofins appeared uniniured A feeling of awe prevented the count from in. qunng which of them contained the body of his father. Upon his arrival the laborers com. menctd removing them into the church. Tn raising coffin, one of the men stumbled-tbe shock threw it upon the ground and the lid fell ntt nXF Fns1r1f tha , curiosity which ever prompts the human mind to scTutlnlze the forbidden, the young count advanced and looked into the coffin. A skele ton, with the remains of amouldy, worm eaten shroud hanging around it, met his sight.
 Whose bones are those?" inquired the count. in a low voice, of the cure.
 :" My son, they are your fathers" was the startling response.
 thrill of solemn emotion passed through the young mans frame. Inslinctively uncov- erng bis head, he knealt by the side of the cottln, and lowing down, remained in prayer. As though one thought had passed. like an eiectric shock, through the breasts of the crowd. all pared thelr heads and stood in a state of de'out silence The scene was striking. This was 'ne counts hrst look upon the author of his being 'loit prayer the young man arose ana too much affected by the solemn nature ot the surprise to remain, returned to the cbataan leaving the good cure to perform the mons duty. p'ou'
 Retiring to his study, he remained for cor,o time mnslng over the remarkable events of tbe morning-it seemed almost more than mer, coincidence that the same flash of lightDing had shattered his family vault and shivered the stone etfigy of Gaston de Folk. This was ren. dered stli more strange by the fact that hi. fathers coffin, which had been the last deposi- ted, should be the only one broken by the mov. ing.
 He felt as though he was on the threshold of some astounding discovery or dreaded mis- fortune In this state of mind, half dream, half thought, now made up of the past and now of the future, he remained for some time At length, feeling that the excitement of the scene he had passed through had created an in- tolerable thirst, lie descended to the ball and ordered some refreshments. After drinking two or three goblets of Burgundy, he took more cheerful view of the event, and dwet upon it with poetica interest. While he was thus ep oappd the cure entered the room