Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-02-05


. rInvgorating as the wind from the mmn-
tains was the sound of those rythmeticnl
measured words, But their true signi6-
cahce was concealed from Hertha, and they
seemed TO have reference to others rather
than to herself @ .a1Ia q.
2 Again she was seated in her little nook
in the bosom of the granite mountain: she
heard the monotonous song of the spinners
all around her, The cup.like leaves stood
as before round her cell, and offered her
the dew-drops which they had collected in
their holows. She again found everything
precisely as It was before, only she herself
was no longer the same. She had lost the
| freshness Of her youth 4 her former cheerful
hope. She sat silently with but one wish,
aud that was to die. Days, weeks, months,
! years went on, but death came not. The
cloudy sky hung gray and leaden above her
head, and hard and cold the granite noun
tain inclosed her. like prison. Heftha
felt her limbs becoming stiffened, but the
fire within her heart neither grew chill nor
dim 1t burned resilessly and cousuminglv.
| Sometimes lIertha was strengthened by the
words of Nornor, which seemed to sound
through Infinite space above her head /;
sometimes her heart died within her under
The depression Of her monotonons existence,
and she could not help sighing. What wilt
thou, oh thon restless fame of life ! There
are moments when thou burnest brightly
! but long weary times when thou merely
I burneSt and torturest me, revealing the dark
ness within aud around me Die out, poor
spark die ont Let it be night, and ST.
/ lent-for ever ? '
my, live Live, and enjoy life as we
| do J exclaimed voices at no great distance;
and Hcrtha again heheld the brilliant cloud
and the girls with their garands of roses.
You see said they, we are still near
you. We are at home in all countries, and
everywhere are we alike-free and alike
happy. BE as we are =
1 Away = replied Hertha. Away, you
! lie ! see that your cheeks are painted
and your flowers are artificial see be.
meath yOHr gay demeanor secret unrest
Poor sisters you are afraid of old age aud
death OF them am not afraid | feel a
something great within my suffering aud
longing heart which do not perceive in
you. Aud rather than live happily, ac
cording to your happiness, | will die unhOp-
py, / weep-yon smile; and yet, poor sis
tiers ! | caniiot hut deplore YOU
With that the gay group departed init
two companies. The one laughing scornful
J ly, but from the other were heard sorrow
full, lamenting voices a1 Is.' ra
And even we were at one time as thou
art. We felt something within our hearts
we sought for light and for freedom, but so
ciety barred to us the paths which led t
light and to life aud we were led astray b,
ignuS fatui, which promised happiness ant
liberty, but which burned off those verl
wings which had lifted MS upward. W.
have fallen We know it and that it il
which makes our secret misery. Wht
counts our silent sighs We might have
been so different /! Now it is too late. lie
us drink wine and forget; for we must in
deed live
Again the two companies united into one
group. But in that same moment the rouge
grew black upon their cheeks, and fame,
; bursting forth from the earth caught thei
hu:tcring garments, and the splendid gilt
, tering cloud was changed into heap O
ashes. Hcrtha heard a wild cry of horro
and anguish. which died away by degree
into lamenting sighS, whilst stormy winC
dispersed the ashes into space IIerth;
wept over the fate of the daughters of plea
) sure And anon she turned to hear thei
dying voices hoarsely whispering in the tenn
pest: ua .H
Weep for thyself Thou are different
but thou art not better than we, and tn
fate may become still more dreadful =
: Aud it seemed to Herlha that her sou
was changed and that the upward d-striving
yearning fame within it assumed anothe
} character II had yearned to warm anC
! 10 benefit; now it would merely punish. =
} She herself was transformed into horri
ble being, which spread destruction aroun
: her. The fame in her heart extended il
self through all her limbs, and everything
} which she touched was kinded by it. lie
hand had become a flaming torch. Sh
laid it upon her fathers house, aud will
flames burst forth. She saw them grow
+ higher and higher, and spread on all sides
setting FIRE to other and yet other houses
: She heard the bells tolling the beat Of tn
, alarm-drum, the shouts and terrified erie
Of people, the grating wheels of carts ant
4 of fire engines. The noise and the tumul
: increased every moment, and it seemed I
r be whispered into her ear . H"
2 Fire ucendiary fire ? aa l.
r An uuspeakable anguish overcame hel
because il seemed to her that this was he
work All at once the thought occurred
as is sometimes the case in distreSsin
, dreams, 1t must be dream = She el
g deavored to wake, striving violently wit
the droam-spirit that held her captive 4
g length she conquered, and-awoke, -
!. .I.... THE INcENDIARY FIRE, nal.
:. A red wildly flaming glare lit up II
G sisters room which was Situated within tn
!, court, The bells tolled; the alarm-druI
!. was sounding, aud amid u horrible din
d human voices, one Shriekng above anolhe
! the cries of : Firel hrel Helpl helpl W.
4 teri throw it herel Quick! Help! Saw
/. US! seemed to ill the air Herlha faneie
r. herself still dreaming, or else delirious wit
the effect of the sleeping draught But
, glass OF water which she hastily swallowet
n and a violent blow upon the door, togetl
5 er with the words 'Herths! come outl-