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

found guilty, and the count, unable to prove
bis innocence; wHS speedily udijudg ged to death.
The empress, however, IN consideration -Of
former valuable services, eOHmuted the sea.
tence 70 one Of banishment for life, gTaciOusly
allowing the criminal . week or two to make
the necessary aTTangements. Z
The young count returned home to do 20 In
bitterness Of heart, conscious e he was Of
nothing but chivalTic devotion 10 her who thus
believed his eowardly aecuseEa Ida too BE-.
gan cheerlully TO prepare to accompany him,
when Suddenly thought ofhOFr0r struck her.
Il came back to her memory like q dream, and
yet she remembered but two well that the
physician had said she would die-die as soon
IS she ceased to drink the waters Of the Ar
senic Spring. She sent for him in alarm, but
he only mournfully confirmed his verdict.
The young bar0OeSs's check blanched with
terror, as though she heard the dread sentence
for the first time. She fancied she had fam.
iliariZed herSelf to the thought which she
was now required to face-but found herself
mistaken. She Tcc0iled with horror from the
dread spectre, whose chill breath she already
felt on her warm cheek.
Surely, surely" she cried, there must
be some meTelnedy-some Substituta-some an.
tidotc. Ah, doctor, can nothing save met"
The physician turned away his head-he
could give no hope-no chemical combine
ton then discovered could supply the place
Of the wonderOus beverage from natures own
laboratory.
The baroness made one other effort TO save
herself; 1t vas by using her all powerful in.
huencc on her husband, to induce him 20 far
to humble himself to the empeess, a. to sue
for any change in his sentcnce, no matter what,
which would permit his remaining n the
country. Ida plead ~ reason for his reluctance
to leave Hungary, her most true conviction
that she could not live away from Il. But the
answer Of the empress was stern and brief
Criminals were not permitted 70 choose
their punishmentS." ~.
Ida perceived that her last hope was gone.
Look which way she would there was death
awaiting her. Even IL fortune had permitted
her still to remain near the fatal spring, death
was surely claiming her, % many . fearful
spasm about her heart had already admonish.
ed her. If she forgook IT, to follow her hus.
band, the same doom awaited her yet more
speedily, and, hateful thought before then,
probably, return Of the hideOus dis6Rura.
ton, to be free from which she chose, as she
had chosen. She did not even now repent
that choice, and she nerved herself now to &c.
cept the lot she had deliberately selected. II
had come a little sooner than she expected,
that was all The uncertainty was gone, and
with the agitation Of hops -altefustInR with
despair, which had shaken her bsine to its
centre; dignified cOmposure was peSceptible
In her manner, as in her spirits. "a VII.
She calmly and efficiently assisted her hus.
band in completing his arrangemsntN pack.
Ing up with her own hands most Of his Der.
sonal effects, remembering 10 add those trifCs
SO essential to . mans comfort when away
from home. which only thoughtful Affection
can suggest, and not forgetting many fond,
tender little token, or dear melnento, whose
meaning was known only to them two. At
last all was ready, and the husband and wife
sat together on the last evening they should
ever spend In that beloved home.
Never before had Ida so yielded to the ten.
derness Of her nature-never before hadNven
her husband seen the whole unveiled passion
ate love other heart-(For II % seldom modest
woman allows this) )--but for this once he should
see without reserve how infinitely deeT be
was to her; and never, never had be seemed
so dear, and never, even a. Q bride, had he
seemed to love her SO fondly. Did any dim,
prophetic feeling forewarn him Of the ap.
preaching doom
The usual hour for parting came, but as he
"GS 'S"'s"A uSsI AO0 0Se~buCW WcE uubUNIu 10
say playfully.
You will not fail to take me with you to.
morrow"
"Of course not-a stranga thought, my
love-"
You promise ?"
Aye, swear It IL you doubt" returned the
count carelcssly, as ne left tile apartment.
AS soon as he had gone, the baroness rang
for her maid. tl
I" Did you procure the water from the spring
% desireds" she asked.
"Yes, madam" replied the girl, and leav.
ing the room, she speedily returned bringing
goblet on salvcr.
"Place It on the table, and-g00d night
shall not want you any more, my poor Rirl!''
The girl withdrew, then, Ida proceeded 10
array herself in thcNimple white robe in which,
at her fathers death bed, she had given her
hand to him, whose slightest wish, from that
time to this, had been deafeF to her than her
life. Then, placing herself on her couch; she
raised the brimming goblet TO her lips, and
murmuring. "At least have had two years
9Of perfect joy" she drained the fatal draught
to the bottom.
On tho morrow, Notwithstanding the hustle
and confusion in the castle, OccasiOned by the
preparation for the journey, the baroness slept
late, and her maid reported that she could not
wake her. The count went in to her him.
self; what wonder that gazing on All the
wealth Of beauty, and on thosS cheeks still
dyed with brilliant red, he could not believe
that he looked on death But she was dead
The penalty had been paid.
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