The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-09-29
WASHINGTON D. G, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 49, 1859


we not rather remain as we are, dear brother
and sister, than tempt fortune as husband and
wife Think"
"No, no, Lizzie" cried he, passionately; g
will not think-I will not recede-my wife,
Lizzie, my wife, and then am saved, forever
"Ah, Oscar, when came from the country
and entered your room, where you were tossing
with the brain-burning fever, put nv lips to
yours, and kissed you, and you murmured q
name-eh, so softly, SO fondly, SO passionately,
Oscar-a name that began with l., but was
not Lizzie. l have never heard you use my
name so fondly, SO tenderly, SO passionately,
Oscar"
Her gentleness was like an arrow to his soul.
Let me have your hand, Lizzie-put it in
mine--there. Now know that you will not curse
me. Oh, Lizzie, darling, am indeed unworthy
to claim you. My illness was timely dearest
little while longer, and should have had to
cut my throat for very shame at my ingratitude.
l have had a dream-a wild, mad, thrice-ac-
cursed nightmare of dream-dear Lizzie; but
it is over now. / am awake, and / shall never
dream again, until can pillow my head here,
and dream of and for you, my love-"
Poor Lizzie--who shall wonder that for a
moment she faltered? But it was only for a
moment. you shall dream again, Oscar-of
me if you will, and the dream will be bright
enough, that warrant"
"You can forgive me- Oh, Lizzie, i do not
deserve such love-"
" / have nothing to forgive-perhaps | also
have dreamed, Oscar, who knows Now 1 am
tired--we will talk no more of it. You must
get into the stage this afternoon, and pay poor
Mrs. Prynn a visit. She will be very glad to
see you, and to have news of me-the good
soul--and the country air will do you good.
This day week come to me, here, at this hour,
and you shall have your bride, Oscar-no, not
word more-I am tired-go now and remem-
ber-this day one week. Co."
will you not kiss me before go, dearest
Lizzie (? There is blessing to me in the touch
of your lips, as great a one as Jacob found in
the hands of his father Isaac"
She bent over and kissed him on the lips and
on the forehead, and, as he was about to RISE
she bent her head once more, and touched her
lips almost convulsively to his. z Go now I"
said she, quickly. He did not know that those
kisses were for the last time, but she knew it.
and felt it. Was she not strong, this woman
Was she not great, noble? Am not right in
calling her definitely, My Heroine? Yet who
of us all, dear readers, who of us all, who have
moved at ali in life, but has met with some one
woman, equally great, equally strong, noble,
heroic, with Lizzie? Let US thank God for
know that there is heaven above us by the
pure stars that shine out to us from its bosom
Two or three days afterwards, DR.. Larsh,
who seemed to be our Lizzie's con6dant, came
to her, and announced that he was ready to pay
that visit with her.
Did you see her." asked Lizzie
"Aye-she is in bed. gave her hint or
two, and the poor child, who was in bad enough
way before, has had a dozen nervous chills
since then, suppose. Pity you couldn't take
her in hand for while" added he, feeling her
pulse.
"Can / not2" asked she, with smile.
Come; know the cure; it is wrong to with
hold it."
So DR.. Larsh carefully packed her away in
a coach, and rode off with her, to pay Z" that
visit"
Four or FIVE hours afterwards he brought her
back, looking extremely faint and weak and
weary, yet smiling bravely withal. Larsh always
ayerred that there was genuine and palpable
lures of the saints, when She rerurrreu
visit However that may be, her ssintliness
was not contagious. Mrs. - declared that
the Doctor behaved most outrageonsly on that
afternoon. He scolded everybody, high and
low, insisted on seeing Lizzie put to bed right
away, cuffed a servant girl, told Mrs. - she
was nothing but an old granny and aveuched
that Mr.. Oscar Erik Malmstedt was nothing
more nor less than lousy beggar, not worth
his sati" These heresies and rudenesses, while
they shocked Mrs. -, failed of their usual
effect in making Lizzie smile, and that seemed
to aggravate him terribly She lay in bed,
weak, faint, white--and it was loug before the
reaction came about. Then, for the first and
last time in her life, Lizzie had violent fit of
Mysteries.
Mrs. - proposed to run for the hartshorn
Z" Run for the DEVIL" growled DR.. Larsh;
" why don't you say run for catnip tea? No
send me up the brandy bottle, and then, madam
added he lowering his voice, go to your room,
and pray God that, as he has spared this might,
so he may continue to spare to US sinful mortas
one of His most beloved and most exalted
angels " with which words, ne incontinenty
thrust her out of the room, and bolted the door
behind her.
The night slipped by, and Lizzie's nervous
ness subsidized into a low sobbing weakness, out
of which she could still smile her thanks TO
him. Then, seating himself beside her, and
every now and then administering stimulants, he
took her hand in his, and chafed it gently while
he talked. That night Lizzie learned to wonder,
indeed, at this man, who, with all his rudeness
and bitterness, yet retained such true and
hearty and tender soul, for he showed her the
depths of his heart, and let her seewhat despiir
and desolation ruled there. 1t was a sad story,
which he pictured as Rembrandt would have
done-how he loved and trusted, and how a
friend came and stole his pearl, even from his
grasp-stoe it, and cast it out TO the swine.
sand what became of herr" asked Lizzie.
" She did not die SOP"
"Oh, no; / found her before that, and read
to her chapter or two-about Christ in the
temple, you know, when they would have stoned
the poor devil-and really believe she got to
understand it, and see the grand, mysterious
beauty of it, before the end came. And then,
] made her coffin, and dug her grave, and
buried her with my own hands, Lizzie. / will
show you where she rests, some time, when you
are strong enough"
You did not kill him. Seek vengeance -
"No-there was not time. She did that"
"She killed him?"
Yes-she was too pure for him. Her purity,
as it were, stuck in his throat and strangled
him. He got to drinking soon after that, and
let him alone. He was a handsome fellow,
but his corpse was hideous one
His eorpse?"
ayes; he jumped into the river in fit OF
delirium tremens, and his body was not recov-
| cred for thirty-six hours. was demonstrator
of anatomy when they brought him into the
theatre, and dissected him. think that the
| first lecture / gave the class over his body was
the best one / ever delivered. Poug You
would have dug his grave, too, and wept ,ver
it, and planted roses at its head. OF cotrse.
But you and are different, you know, Lizzie.
| You are all right, now-your pulse is beautiful.
I am going to send the little girl in to fanyou
to sleep-and you must lie abed all day TO- nor-
row, or until come. Good night"
When Oscar returned, Lizzie was as well
again as when he had left her, and her smile
was brighter than ever. Lsrsh was in her
| room when he came, and she babe him eke