Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1859-06-28

| pure and smooth as n|||| .hfie color
almost unnaturally brilI.I ted her lips
and cheeks Her beau restored to
more than its former 81 81 and when
her husband clasped h0I ~ arms, she
raised her eyes to heaY1 whispered
softly to herself, ''SulA & will forgive
me what l have doneln
| Two yearspf blissfu| #sW by. The
cessation of hostilities ell u the Young
couple to taste the Joys N nestle life in
all their delicious swee|I The count
busted himself with his .|el and with
the improvement of his ~ sh his wife S
estates. which were. 90 n u. aud Ida
lived joyous and happy in her husbands s
devoted affection, only reminded now and
then of the dread trial through which she
passed, by the daily draught, which had
become as essential to her existence as the
air she breathed.
But now suddenly the bright star of the
young count, which had hitherto been in
the ascendant, waned. Some officers of
the army, having engaged in certain trea-
sonable measures, and being detected, were
urged by jealousy and other motives to
falsely accuse him of participation in their
plots. Trials in those days were summary
and partial things-to be accused was r.
most in amount TO being found guilty, and
the count, unable to prove his Innocence,
was speedily adjudged to death. The en-
press, however, in consideration of for
mer valuable services, commuted the SEN
tence TO one of banishment for life, gra-
ciously allowing the criminal a week or
TWO 10 make the necessary arrangements.
The young count returned home to do
SO In bitterness of heart conscious as he
was of nothing but chivalric devotion to
her who thus believed his cowardly accu-
serS. Ida, too, began cheerfully to ac-
company him, when suddenly, thought
OF horror struck her. 1t came back to her
memory like dream, and yet she remem-
bered but too well that the physician had
said she would die-diel as soon as she
ceased to drink the waters of the Arsenic
Spring. She sent for him in alarm, but
he only mournfully confirmed his verdict.
The young countess cheek blanched
with terror, as though she heard the dread
sentence Tor the first time. She fancied
she had familiarized herself to the thought
winch she was now required to face, but
found herself mistaken. She recoiled
with horror flon the dread spectre, whose
chill breath she already felt on her warm
cheek
Surely, surely" she cried, ..thele must
eessome remedy-seme subsiiLuts-.-seme-
antldote All, doctor, can nothing save
me?"
The physician turned away his head
ne could give no hope-no chemical com.
6ination could supply the place of the
wVhdfoUs beverage from nature's own
laboratory.
, The countess made no Other effort to
save herself 1t. was by using her all
powerful influence on her husband, 10 in
duce HIM so far to humble himself to the
empress, as to sue for any change in his
sentence, no matter what, would permit
his remaining in the country. Ida urged,
as reason for this reluctance to leave
hungary, her most true conviction that
she could not live away from it, But the
answer OF the Empress was stern and brief,
'Crlm:nals were not permitted to choose
their punishment
Ida perceived that her last hope was
gone. Look which way she VIC uld she
saw death awaiting her. Even if fortune
had permitted her still to remain near the
fatal spring, death was surely claiming
her, as many fearful spasm. about her
heart admonished her. If she forsook it !
to follow her husband, the same doom
awaited yet more speedily; and, hateful
thought! before then, probably, return
OF the hldeous dis6guration to be free
from which she chose, as she had chosen. |
Sne dld not even now repent that choice, |
and she nerved herself to accept the lot
she had deliberately elected. 1t had
come little sooner than she expected, |
that was all. The uncertainty was gone,
and with it the agitation of hope alterna-
ting with despair. which had Shaken her
being TO its centre! A dignitied COM
posure was perceptible in her manner, as
in her spirit.
She calmly and efficiently assisted her
husband in completing his arrangements
packing up with her own hands most of
his personal effects, remembering to add |
those miles SO essential to a mans com fort
when away from home, which only
thoughtful affection can suggest, and not
many fond, tender little token,
or dear memento, whose meaning was
known only to themselves. At last every
thing was ready, and the husband and wife
sat together alone on the last evening they
should ever spend in that beloved home.
Never before had Ida so yielded 10 the
Of her nature--never before had
even her husband seen the whole unveiled |
passionate strength of her love. For this
once he should see without reserve how
infinitely dear he was to her; and never,
never had he seemed so dear, and never,
even as bride, had he seemed to love her
SO fondly. Did any dim prohetic feeling
Iorewarn him of the approaching doom?
Poor Ida, beautiful as she appeared to
The enIaptured gaze of the count, knew
full well that the very beauty of her COM
plexion was the sure lorerunner Of her dis
solution. She kept the fatal secret from
her husband Fort short years of fan
cied Joy, she had sacrificed life which
might have been spent in usefulness
Sba falf oh xuaO Oh. -.