Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-07-09
r.srel'egk = 3 (wRrrrKN FoR THE STAR
THE NIGHT BEFORE THE MORNfNe

THE NIGHT BEFORE THE MORNING!
i-.r - A}rHRILLINa SKETCH y Q4TEf |
Sitting here, in the quiet Of the dungeon, .
condemned telon, looking through the barred
window on the far-of prospect-how far from
me.-on the distant hills, crinsoned with the
sisPing light Of the setting sun, a shadow comes
between me and all that is holy and hopeful ID
nature A shadow that slowly takes the form
-ef something that ence was human, and blasts
=, me @ith its fixed, staring, desolsting gaze, It
is not that have passed through hours Of pro
trscted torture, waiting for the doom know
to be inevitable; not that daily and almost
hourly nave been forced to bear the scrutiny
OF PeeriDg and wondering eyes, looking at me
through the grating of my cell as they would
a. some Gagged monster. 1t is not for this tn at
my hair has turned prematurcIy gray, and I,
Who, three months ago, entered these prison
doors bearing my chains like man, am now a
snaItoTed wreck, 80 weak. so poNerless, that n
child could overthrow lue. Oh no. it is some.
thing beyond and above these causes 1t has
been the daily cOmpaniOnship of the Shadow
looking at me by day and by night, now from
the tartbest corner of the cell, now standing at
the foot OF my bed, denounciBg me with its
eyes, with looks more eloquent than the words
OF those who IN that room where sat the learned
Judge and jury, brought down destruction and
wrath upon my head. This is the last day that
ls allotted to me upon earth. Tomorrow. when
my dungeon doors arc thrown open, and the
sympathy, to lead me to the scaffoid, shall
have passed the Valley of the Shadow, and,
standing on the plank which separates me from
the Eternal, shall see, tossing around me.
moving with craving curiosity, the heads Of
the thousands who will have assembled to see'
the murderer die Tomorrow shall be oon-
signed to the hands of the hangman Time
Was when the thought would have appalled,
me, and desolation as of death would havo
come over me. But 1 have learned to look, il
not calmly, at least resignedly upon the event
And yet, |" hllst writing this, dreamy thought
presents itself, will 1t be there with its merci-
less look, marshalling the way that 1t wouId
nave me- go! |Oh if they could only keep, 1t
away Perhaps some good man. whose life has
been holy and blessed, may exercise 1t; will
speak to them about it when they come in. = Il
Let me see. Once again let me recall all the
circumstances connected with the event. Once
again, before all is over let me recall the calm
and quiet of my life, before he, with his arts
aud wlies, led her away from the path of love
= that We had trOd together. Oh Mabel Mabel
L was rude, and rough of speech, know; too
rude and rough for her perhaps; for was she
NOT seemingly all that was true and faithful
as she was beautiful and confding, Before /
pass away from among the living, let me bring
her before me again, as ON that summer eve
ming, Just two years ago-two years ago to-
morrow stood with her hand in mine,
speaking to her the fulness of my love; let me
bring back again the timid, shy young face,
shaded by mass Of curls, hanging droopingly
upon her snowy shoulders, the 1.-the form
dressed with girlish simplicity; the dark eyes
radiant with the consciousness ofloYe possessed:
and 1t may be, that tomorrow, when the hour
comes, her sanity face driving away the
shadow, and the eyes, may give a promise Of /
better things hereafter, was never meek
mi nded; but when L saw him-I mean the mi
VITO lived before the shadow was, I have never
spoken his name since that day, when the
judgment overlook him; when saw him come
into the quiet village in which We lived, felt.
know not why, that that man and were
enemies. When saw him come into the vii
lage with his insolent face and city airs, felt
as assured that where our paths crossed, there
would De deluge Of blood, as if an angel from |
heaven had descended and told me - Even
before, in his black heart the plot of treason
had been hatched, felt that it had been bet
ter for the man himself and better for those
who loved hun, had the proud horse which he
gaIiy rode into the village on that Sunday
morning. been startled on the road before be
had reached IT. and had borne him away swift
ly-bOrne him back to the home that he had
lett, with his mother, and sisters waiting for
sIeturl- L can reesllect " Hit was time
ago, but the recollection of that day is fixed
upon my memory-I can recOllect the Quiet
morning. the pathway leading to tho church.
the people passing along tho road on the way
to their devotions; the little children playing
among the flowers and on the road side and
above ali, / can recollect how beautiful Mabel
looked, as she came down to the gate where /
was waiting for her. We passed on 1t was
; just before reached the porch of the church.
that noticed him riding into the village from
the road that led to the distant city. Before
he had reached the church yard gate he had
dismounted and was engaged in conversation
with some friend, whom he had met on the
ground, As we passed, he asked who was the
prettiest girl in the village I did not hear
"A hnt h,id fall f,lI T.
face of Mabel. She was looking away at the |
time, but noticed il, and ss he looked INV eve
met his, AMI eOu vi see all the hideousnC ss Of
his soul marked like q chart upon his face / |
do not know the reason, neyer had known il, |
but Sc L locked at him and met his gaze the |
color foIsook his cheek, he turned Iivid and |
looked away. There must have been murder |
IN the looh When the service CONNIE enced he |
entered the church, and remained until the |
end Al the dopr met hun again, with the |
same bold lOOk; but when he saw tn a L noticed
him, he turned away again. -.- Z"
The day went by; month had passed ayay 1
and still WAS his hated face seen in the village
4 avoided him. for / feared il we met there
would be trouble. One night, as I was sitting
with Mabel in the little back parlor we heard
knock at the door, and the man accompanied |
by friend entered. II was tho first time he
had met her, and as he took his seat by Ma
bsls side, could mark the devilish feer with
which he entered into conversation with her
had turned away in order to avoid an intro
duction. L was looking through the window
into the darkness without. 1t may have been
fancy, it may have been something else. il may
have been the event that was TO happen, taking
unto itself the presentment Of reality in the
present but whatever was the reason, as sure
a. am writing these words as sure as that
tG-mcrrow shall be let into the great secret
SO certain was 1t that out amid the darkness
in the gloom Of the giant trees that stood SEN
tinel before the house, saw the outline of his
form, dimly shadowed, standing motionless.
with eyes that shone and burned into my very |
brain That was the FIRST time that the SHADOW
fell upon my sight; but il never leaves me now.
i turned away from the window with d sudden
cry They hsd=st ieast ne had-been speak
ing in a low tome for some time, and as She
turned her face towards where / was standing,
startled by my exclamation. / noticed that her
cheeks were crimson with blushes. / was not
maddened; Twas not surprised; felt at the
moment species Of insane joy at the prospect
that Was opened before me. The leer on his