Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-08-27
THE UNPARDoNABLE SIN.
BY NATHANIEL HAWTHORN.

little son played at building houses with th'
shattered fragments of marble, when, on th'
hillside below them, they heard a roar O
laughter. not mirthfuI. bat slow, and solemn
even like wind shaking the boughs Of tht
forest.
"Father, what is thai!" asked the little boy
leaving his play and pressing betwixt hi.
fathers knees.
ssOh, some reveller, suppose" answered
the hme-burner; sssome merry fellow frou
the bar-room in the village, who dared no
laugh loud enough within doors lest he should
blow the roof oil the house of. So, hsrt
he 10, shaking bis jolly side at the foot o
Grayiock."
"But father" said the child, more sensitive
than the obtuse, middle-aged clown. she does
not laugh like man that is glad; SO the
noise trighiens me!''
Don't be fool, cbiId!" cried the father
gruffiy; "you will never make man, dc
believe there is too much OF your mother IL
you. have known the rustling of a leaf tc
startle her. Hark, here comes the merry
fellow now. You shall see that there is nc
harm in him.
Bertram and his little son, while they were
talking thus, sat watching the lime-kiin.-
Il was rude, round, tower-like structure
about twenty feet high. heavily built OF rough
stones, and with a hillock of earth heaped
about the large part of its circumference, &C
that the blocks and fragments of marble co'o
be drawn by cart loads and thrown in at the
top. There was an opening at the bot
tom of the tower, like an oven mouth, but
large enough to admit man in a STOPPING
posture and provided with massive iron door.
With the smoke and jets Of fame issuing
from the chinks and crevices of this iron
door, which seemed to give admi,tance into
the hili.side, it resembled nothing SO much
as the private entrance 10 the internal regions
which The sheperds Of the Delectable Noun
tains were accustomed to show to pilgrims.
There are many such lime kiins in that
tract OF country, for the purpose of burning
the white marble which composes large
part of the substance OF those hills. Some
of them, built years ago, and long deserted
with weeds growing in the vacant ground OF
the interior. which is open to the sky, and
grass and wild flowers roofing themselves in
the chinks of the stones look already like
relics OF antiquity, and may yet be overspread
with the Inches OF centuries to come. 9th
ers, where the limeburner still leeds his daily
and nightlong FIRE, afford points OF interest
to the wanderer among the bills, VINO seats
himself on log OF wood or fragment OF
marble, to hold a chat with the solitary man.
It is lonesome, and when the character Is
inclined to thought, may be an intensely
thoughtful occupation, as it proved IN the
cuse OF Ethan Brand who had mused to some
purpose, in days gone by, while the fire in
this very kiln was burning.
The man who now watched the fire was
OF different order, and troubled himself with
no thoughts save the very few that were re-
ouisite in his business At frequent intervals
he threw back the clashing weight OF the
iron door, and turning his face from the III
sufferable glare, thrust in huge logs OF oak
or stirred the immense brands with hong
pole. Within the furnace were seen the
curling and riotous flames, and the burning
marble almost moted with the intensity o1
the heat; while, without, the reflection OF the
fire quyered on the dark intr;cacy OF the
surrounding forest, and showed in the tore
ground, bright and ruddy little picture o
the hut, the spring beside its door, the ath'
letia figure of the lime, burner, and the hall
frightened child, shrinking into the protection
of his !ather's shadow. And when agaif
the iron door was closed, then re-appearee
the tender light of the half-full moon, which
rainIy strove To trace out the indistinct shapes
OF the neighboring mountains; and, in the
upper sky, there was a flttiDg congregation
of clouds, still family tinged with the rosy
sunset, though far down into the valley the
. sunshine had vanished long ago.
The little boy now crept still closer to hi
father, as footsteps were heard ascending
the hillside, and human form thrust aside
the brush ths, clustered beneath the trees.
.HaIIoa: who is it!'' cried the lime burner
vexed a, his SONS timidity, yet half injected
by il. ..Come forward and show yoursel
like a man. or I'll throw chunk of marble
at your head,
"You offer me rough welcome" said i
gloomy voice, as the unknown man ore"
nigh, "yet neither claim nor desire kinder
one, even at my own fireside~
To obtain more distinct view, Bertran
threw open the iron door, of the kitn' whenc'
Immediately issued a gush OF tefce hgh
that smote full upon the strangers face an
figure. To careless eye there was not'llns
very remarkable in his aspect, winch
was that of a man in coarse, brown
country made suit Of clothes, tall and thin
with the staff and heavy shoes of thu
wayfarer As he advanced he fixed hi
eye--which was very bright-intently upor
| the brightness of the furnace, as it he be
held, or expected to behold, some objec
worthy of note in it.
| aGood evening stranger" said the lime
| burner; "whence came you 50 late IN tn
dayl'
81 come from my SEARCH" answered th'
wayfarer, ..for, at last it is finished. +"
! Drunk or crazy!" muttered Bertram t.
himself. 81 shall have trouble with the tel
low, the quicker drive him away the bel
ter"
! The little boy all in a tremble, whisPere
to his father and begged hiH 70 shqt 70
door of his kiln. sos that t6eFe might not
so much light, for there was something i
the man'S face which he was afraid 10 loo
at, vet could not look away from him. An
indeed even the Iime-burner's dull, torpi
sense began to be impressed with an inde
scribabIe something ut that thin rugged
thoughtful visage, with the grizzeled hai
hanging wildly about it, and those deepi
sunken eyes, which CLEANED like fires at tn
entrance of mysterious caYorn but as h
closed the door. the stranger turned toward
him, and spoke in quiet, famlliar way, thd
made Bertam feel as if he were sane, ser
sible man alter all.
"Your task draws to an end, | see," sal
he. "This marble has already been burnin
three days. A few hours more will eonveI
the stone into lime."
4 "Why who are you!" cried the lims-burr
or; "you seem as well acquainted with IN
business as myself"