Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-08-27

has found what he sought, and therefore he
comes back again.
"Whati then you are Ethan Brand him
SELF, cried the lime burner in amusement
81 am a newcomer here, as you say. ant
they call it eighteen years since you left tht
foot OF Gray lock. But can tell you, the
good folks talk about Ethan Brand in the
village yonder, and what strange errant
took him away from his lime kiln. Well sc
you have found the UnPardonabie Sin?'
Even so," said the stranger calmly.
'If the question 10 fair one," proceeded
Bertram, "whsre might it be!''
Ethan Brand placed his finger upon hi.
own heart.
"Here," replied be.
| And then, without mirth id. his manner
bat as if moved by the recognition of the
involuntary absurdity of seeking throug hou
the world for what was closest of all things
to himself, and looking into 'every heart save
his own, for what wes hidden in no othel
breast, he broke into laugh et scorn. Il
was The same low, heavy laugh that had al
most appalled, the limebur when it herald
ed the way farer's approach.
! The solitary mouutain side was made dis
NAL By it. Laughter, when out of place
mistimed or bursting forth from disordered
state of feeling, may be the most terrible
moduiation of the human voice. The laugh
ter of one asleep, even if it be little child
the madnan's laugh, or the wild, screaming
laugh of an idiot, are sounds that we tremble
to hear, and would always willingly forget
Poets have imagined no utterance OF 6ends
or hobgoblings so fearfully appropriate as a
| laugh. And even the obtuse burner
/ felt his nerves shake as this strange man
looked inward at his own heart and burst
into laughter that rolled away in the night,
and was distinctly reyerbrated among the
hills.
! "Joe," said he to his little son. "scamper
down to the tavern in the village, aud tell
the jolly fellows there that Ethan Brand has
come back, and that he has found the Un-
pardonabie SIM
The boy darted away on bis errand, to
which Ethan Brand made no objection, nor
seemed hardly to notice it, as he sat on
log OF wood looking steadfastly at the iron
door of the kiln. When the child was out OF
sight, and the swift and light footsteps ceas-
ed 20 be heard treading first the fallen
leaves and then down on the rocky mountain
path, the lime-hurner began to regret his de-
parture. He felt that the little fellow
presence had beeB barrier between his
guest and himself, that he must now deal
heart to heart, with a man, who, on his own
confession, had committed the only crime for
which heaven could afford no mercy.
That crime, in its indisinct Dlackness
seemed to esershadew him. The lime burn
or, n vii i'm ma 10
his memory rios0us with a tl,rong of evil
shapes that assertad their Kindred with the
master sin, whatever that might be, which it
was within the scope of mans Corrupted ma
ture to conceive and cherish. They were
+ all et one family; they went to and fro be-
tween his breast and Ethan Brand 3, and car
red dark greetings from one to the other.
Then Bertram remembered the stories that
had grown traditionary in reference to this
strange man, who had come upon him like
the shadow OF night, and was making him
self at home in his old place, alter 50 long au
absence that the dead people, dead and bur-
led Tor years, would have more right to be at
home in any familiar spoI than he. Ethan
Brand 1t was said had conversed with Satan
himself in the Iurid blaze of that very kiln.
The legend had been matter OF mirIh
heretofore but looked grimly now.
! According to his tale, before Ethan depart
ed on his search ne had been accustomed to
evoke fiend from the hot furnace at the
/ lime-kiln, night after night. in order 10 con-
/ fer with him about the objectionable Sin
! the man and the 6end each laboring to frame
the image of aome model of guilt which
! could neither be atoued for, nor forgiven -
And, at the first CLEAN OF light from the
mountain. top, the 6end crept in q. The iron
door, there to ABIDE the intensest element
OF fire, until again summoned forth 20 share
in the dreadful task OF extending mans pos
sbIe guilt beyond the scope of Heavens in
finite mercy.
Whileth lime burner was struggling with
the horrors Of these thoughts, Ethan Branc
rose from the log and threw open the door o
the kiln. The actiun was IN such accord
ance with the idea in Berlram's mind, thai
he expected to see the evil one issue forth
from the raging furnace.
s'Hold, hold!" cried he, with tremulous
attemp. to laugh, for he was ashamed of his
fears, although they oyermastered him--
"Don't for mercy's sake, bring oul your devil
now!"
"Man!" sternly replied Ethan Brand
''what need have OF the devil! have lef
him far behind me on the track. 1t il
with such halfway sinners as you that ht
busies himself. Fear not because ] oper
the door. | do but act my old custom, ant
am going to trim your fire, like lime burner
as was once"
He stirred the vast Goals, thrust in more
waod, ant, bea; forward to gaze into the hoi
low prison house Of fire, regardless of tbs
fierce glow that redeemed upon his lace
The lime burner sat watching him, and hal
suspected his guest of pcrPose, II no
! to evoke fend, at least to Plu2ge aodliy In
to the flames, and thus vanish from fhe s:2ht
of man. Ethan Brand, however, drew quiet
ly back, and closed the door of the kiln.
81 have look ed,'' said he, "into many {
human heart that was seven times hotter
with sinful passoa than your furnace is viii
Gre. But found not there what I sought
No, not the objectionable Sin!''
"What was the objectionable Sinl" asket
the lime-burner, and then shrunk furthe
from his companion trembling lest his ques
ton sh ould oe answered:
s'lt is a sin that grew within my owl
! breast," replied Ethan, atanding erect will
pride That distinguishes all eRth4siasts Q
his stamp; "a sin that grew no where else
The sin of an iHtsllect that had triumphe
over the sense OF brotherhood with man an
!, reverence for God, and sacrificed everything
10 it's own mighty claims! The only slf
, that deserves recompense of immorta
agony! Freely were to do it again, woul
incur the guilt. Unshrinkingly | accep
the rstribution!''
"The mans head is turned" muttered III
, lime-burner to himself. HE may be sin