Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-03-12

mODed In ell haste, and as soon as the hand Of
the trembling, tCaFEuI bride bad bosa ioinedin
wedIOek 70 that Of her husband; the hoFse,
already Gaddled and bgidlsd by the baFon,S
orders, summoned his master by his impatient
whiDnying not to hesitate hetwesn love and
duty, and the old man, adding his paternal
blessing 70 that Of the priest, bade The bride
groom God speed on his journey. A few
broken words and bursting sObs from the
young wife-a few deep muFmered whispers
Of comfort and hope from the bridegroom, and
the silence Of absence fell on the old pile, sue
ceeding drrarily to the hustle of the arrival
the wedding and the departure.
That night, after bestOwing on his daugh-
ter such tender, anxious words of counsel, as
only dying parent can breathe on the dear
orphan he 10 about leaving, the old baron died.
The desOlate Ids wandered about the empty
castle in loneliness Of heart, yearTing for the
living and the dead. Her situation was too
painful for her unstrung frame to endure
Her strength, greatly taxed by long watching
over her father, yielded now to the grief she
felt at his loss, aud her anxiety for the fate Of
her husband. A dangerous illnesss brought
her to the brink of the grave, and when, after
many weeks Of danger, she began slowly to
recover, the principal charm of her beauty had
had gone. Nor was that all instead Of the
shell-tInted purity of complexion which had
formerly been SO remarkable, the skin had
become sallow, stained and blotched.
1t certainly MAS n confirmation of the truth
Of the old adsge, that beauty is only skin deep
for the change ives marvellous. In spite Of
her fine figure and regular features, the lovely
Ida Of few weeks ago, would with difficulty
have been recognized. This one hideouS dis.
tgurement obliterated all her charms.
The young baroness was filed with dismsy
and alarm. Her young husbandl how should
she meet him, cruelty transformed as she was
How must she shrink from the eyes which
hitherto 1t had been her delight to meet -.
HOW endure to see that eye change-to see
t-.horror--disgust take the
place Of admiration which she was accustomed
to see expressed on that dear face She felt
that she could not bear it. Such change
would break her heart-shc must die Of love,
modification and grief She pictured to her.
self with morbid vividness the first recOil Of
surprise and aversion, and death seemed to
her preferable to encountering il.
She sent for her physician, and commanded
him at any risk, or at any sacrifice on her
part, TO find Some remedy for the affection,
and offered princcly rewards in case Of sue.
cess. The doctor essayed his utmost skill,
and numerous and ingenious were his devices;
but his efforts were in vain.
Meanwhile letters came from the young
husband, announcing that peace was about 10
I've concluded, and that in a month more he
should be- at home to claim his bride, from
whom fate had SO cruelty separated him, even
on their bridal day. ,-.----
The baroness and the doctor were in despair.
Ida besought him more prcssingly than ever
to cure her-while the good man was forced
in humbleness Of heart to own the impotency
Of his drugs. At last, one day, after painful
interview with the unhappy lady, who i'm.
plOred him in touching terms to come 10 her
aid, he said reluctantly:
"There is, my dear young lady, q remedy
yet untried, but it il of such . dangerous, or
rather fatal nature, that have not yet dared
to name it."
Ida seized his hand in breathless eagerness;
such earnest inquiry was expressed in her
looks, that he could not choose but answer it.
There are, as al the world knows, in this
country, AZ well ~ Bohemia, certain arsenic
springs, the effects Of whose waters on the
skin are of wondrous virtue Those who quaff
them receive, as their certain reward, q COM
plexion Of singular purity and delicacy; but
the boon is dearly purchased, for the price is
death; death, slowly, but surely, claiming the
victim as lOhg as the daily draught is contin-
ued-deatI. swift and fearful, a. soon az the
fatal cup is withdrawn. Such," continued
the physician, is this wonderful rpmtdy,
which owes Its efficacy or wondrous power, to
the fact that the water is charged with the
deadly poison, arsenic. II II q secret not
known to many, that there is on your lady
ships own estate one Of these springs, and
pray you have nothing to do with II, No
good will come Of it"
Az no finished speaking Ida rose, and clasp.
ing her hands exclaimed, fcrvently:
"Thank Heaven, am saved my prayers
are answered! On, doctor. the conditions are
hard, but can Ihcbitates Ipray you lead me
to this Spring"
The physician reluctantly obeyed; they
crossed the pleasure grounds and entered
deep wood, within whose dim recesses, in a
dark, secluded nook. spring gushed forth
mysteriously from nook and hickled into
rocky basin, which it appeared to have worn
for itself in tho heart Of huge stone. The
water was Of q peculiar whitish color, and no
living creature was to be seen in the little
stream which flowed away-nO plant grew
very near its margin.
0uS Auo CuEeTty uueu tue kOUiet MIC uuU
brought with tho water, and was carrying It
to her lips, when the physician graSPed her
arm.
Rash girl, what are you doing 2" he cried;
"half what your goblet holds would cause
your certain death" and taking the glass hom
her hands, he poured away thres.G6wgths q
its contents, and presenting the rsmalnass -
his patient charged her never 10 exceed that
allowance II she valued her life. Ida dFank.
It was h:r first sip from the fountain Ofdeaah.
She had her reward the waters Of the aF.
senic spring acted as though by magic. The
disHguring stains and blemishes disappeared
from her face, leaving the skin pure and smooth
IS marble, while color almost OnnatuFally
brilliant tinted her cheeks and lips. Her beau
u was restored in more than its former splen.
dor, and when her enraptured husband clasp.
cd her in bis arms, she raised her eyes swim
ming in joyful tears 70 heaven, and whisper
ed to herself softly, Surely God will forgive
me for What have dOne!"
Two years Of bliEsiul love few by. The
cessation Of hostllities enabled the young c0u-
pie to taate the Joys Of domestic hIS in ell
their delicious sweetness. The count busted
himself with his people, and with the improve
ment Of his own and his wile's estates, which
were contiguous, and Ida lived Joyous and
happy n her husbands devoted slsCction. on.
IL reminded nOVy and then 0f the dread trial