Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-09-08
Remorse Of Conscience.
A TERRIBLE RETRIBUTIoN

n
to-do aubcrgiste in the town of Circassone, in
the South of France Lucille Monturne
had beauty and money, and Henri Du Barre
had wit and talent; but these latter were no
fair equivalent for the former in the eyes of
the purse proud father, who declared that no
daughter of his should marry poor man.
though he were blessed with the wisdom of a
Solomon.
Now Lucille loved Henri-at least she
told him so--but she was too prudent to clone
with him and risk disinheritancc; for after
all what was love without money ?-povcrty
coming in at the door would send it nyin,r
through the window.
Poor Henri was in despair lie really did
love Lucille, whether she did him or not
loved her madly, and he was one of those
dark, fiery natures which makes love a wild.
terrible passion.
How much money was necessary to make
him her equal in the eyes of her worldly ia,
thcr The aubcrgistc named the sum 1t
was large, and Henri sighed and felt more
despair at his heart than ever. Suddenly he
frightened up with the recollection that he
had youth and genius, and that in some large
city, Paris, perhaps, where the latter would
be appreciated he might acquire both fame
and fortune.
But would Lucille wait t?-Wcll, lucille
was willing to wait awhile-for lust then, as
she admitted to herself, she could think ofno
one she liked better than the poor artist but
every thing earthly must have limit. and the
fair coQuette thought her patience ought not
to extend beyond year
a year is very short time for man to ac
quire fame and fortune, with the latter Depend
ent on the former, but Henri was Young and
youth is sanguinc, and at all events he would
make trial hoping for great things, know
ing he could do no worse than fail
So he finished his engagements hurriedy,
declined any new ones, sold few pictures on
hand, for moderate SUN, gathered together
his scanty effects, babe his friends and Lu-
ellie adcu, and with hopeful but heavy
heart, set off for the great metropolis o.
France.
1t was long, long journey from Circas-
some to Paris, in the slow conveyanccs of the
period when Henri du Barre made it; and it
was nearly two weeks before he reached the
gay capital And then he began his strup
gies with poverty; which clung to him in
spite of his hopes, his excrtions and his pray
ers, for six weary months, when he gave up
in despair, and secretly left the city, to beg
his way OK to Circassonc, to see his Luci!l.
once more, bid her an eternal adicu. and end
life no longer of any value to its posscssor.
Henri du Barre set out from Paris foot
and alone, depending solely upon the charity
OF French peasants for food and lodging He
had six sous in his pocket when he started,
and these he invested in deadly poison,
which he carried as dernicr resort deter
mined not to suffer beyond what nature
might reasonably boar, but which it was his
hope to retain till he had again seen Lucille.
In this manner he reached and passed
throue a Lyons, foot-sorc, ragged and aisheart-
encd-an object indeed for commsseration.
Twenty leagues beyond Lyons, in posing
through long, dark, lonely wood, he met
Jew, carrying a heavy pack on his bark The
poor artist asked the Israelite for charity; his
appeal was answered with few coins, for
which he thanked the givcr, and then offered
to carry his pack.
con, no--it is nothing-it is nothing
few old clothes only v returned the Jew,
hurriedly-so hurricdly, and with such eyi-
dent uneasiness, in fact, as to awaken suspi.
cion in the mind Of the young artist that it
contained somethingof great value.
Then it was that wild, vague Underlined
desire to possess it first took possession of the
man who was now going home to die wretch
edly, but whom two thousand francs might vet
bless with life and happiness When the
mind of man takes a highly criminal bent, it
seems as if some evil demon whispers in his
ear the most plausible reason for wicked
course to happiness
Henri du Barre, who had never before
thought of harmDg human being now
glanced furtively and almost shudderingly
around him, with the dark and wicked thought
in his brain, that if this old man were dead,
ana he the possessor of his pack, he might
yet have bright and happy future. 1t was
a drcary, dismal spot in the thick wood shere
they both stood, and no human eye save
theirs was looking upon the scene. Why
should this old man be numbered with wealth,
which could not not bring to him one 1.-THE of
the JOY that it might him who coveted its
possession He could not live many years,
that old man, at the most, and he might die
any minute, and his valuable effects become
the inheritance of strangers What mattered
a few years, more or less, to him--a wander
ing and despised old jew? And why should
he, thepoor, miserable artist, hesitate between
the Jews life and his own? Were not all
living creatures bound by the inner law of
their being to act in self-defence, even to the
taking Of life when necessary to sustain their
Own? And would ne not die should the Jew
live And would he not live should the Jow
then and there die? And even should tho
secret be discovered would it be Anything