Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-11-24

She flung herself down by her lover, cry
ing, Henry, dearest Henry, are you mncl
lie seemed to have tainted bat he soor
recovered, and looking up exclaimed, brok
enly, 'Oh, Fanny, have you come ! Now
1t Will not be so hard to die
Dear Henry, don't talk so. hope you
are not badly hurt.'
Fanny, / am mortally hurt. Selim
broke through the bridge, and threw me,
cutting my head here in the temple-tben
10 extricating himself he fell on me with
all bis weight. l afterwards got strength
to crawl out Of the dust on to this grass.
and to call you twice but, Fanny. Fanny,
l ka'1o | am dying-my breast seems ali
crushed in, and my lungs seem filling with
blood
'Oh then, let me run or shout aloud for
help =
No, dearest he whispered, only take me
in your arms, aud let me die on your bosom
under the stars-alone with you, have
strength even to die
Then Fanny, bewldered, broken.h hearted
but strangely calm, raised Henry's head
and pilowed it on her breast. Those thick
curls she had seen so little while ago. oil
bright with dew, were now dark and heavy
with blood trickling from a severe wound
in the temple. Oh, then, Fanny was no
longer shy or charyof her tenderness. She
passionately kissed the lips, the eyes, the
brow, the already cold hands of her lover
She lavished on him all the endear ring names
the fond protesIations ber difident, girlish
heart had been storing up for the use of
the wife, through years of trial. sorrow, and
ever deepening affection. Then she wept
and prayed, and folded that poor wounded
head against her breast, as though to
staunch the blood, which only flowed the
faster for the warmth it stained all her
bosom, and turned those pale blush roses
to deepest crimson. Henry, who seemed
again to have been insensible, suddenly op-
ened his eyes, and whispered
My blood will spoil that beautiful blue
dress
'Oh, my love my soul = cried Fanny,
would to God it flowed from my own heartl
Would to God l could die for you or with
YOU, for cannot, will not, stay in this dark
world when you are gone, Henry for my
love is in your love-
My dearest, do not grieve so bitterly
something tells me, even now, that we shall
not be long parted d-ouly be patient, love,
for q little while
After lying quite silent for some moments,
looking upward, he exclaimed, almost in his
usual voice
Ny spirit is passing, Fanny-Heaven is
ready now--all stars seem to have rushed
together, and formed one great central
brightness-world of light, to which rise
Then, reaching up his arms, and winding
them about her neck, he murmured, Kiss
me once more, my Fanny, my dear, only
love, my wife once more-good night |"
AS he breathed these words; stream Of
blood, looking so fearfulIy black in The dim
starlight, poured from his lips, his arm
dropped, aud Henry Lester was dead
Then Fanny fell forward upon his breast
and sent forth shrek after shrek, so fear-
ful and piercing that every slumberer in her
home was reused, and guided by the voice
of her long pent-up agony, came to look
upon the ptcous sight Of her awful bercave-
ment.
In that pleasant parlor where an hour
before had set the betrothed lovers, ia life
aud love, in loves most blessed hope and
most unutterable joy, was now extended
the form of one, ghastly, bleeding, dead
while over it hung the pale, distracted face
of her who kept all night her watch OF
speechless, fearless, uuimaginablc sorrow.
Fanny Austin could not follow her lover
to the grave. After her last lingering look
upon bis face, as he lay in bis coffin, she for
the first time fuinted. She was borne to
her room, where she remained insensibe
for some hours. That night she said to her
mother, who watched at her side
Where have they laid Henry =
Iu the southwest corner of the grave
yard, under the large elm tree was the
reply. All the succeeding day, Fanny's grief
was bitter and despairing, but at night she
was calmer, and earnestly desired to be left
alone. Early the next morning, her mother
went to her chamber and was surprised to
find her looking very much her former
self, and speaking almost cheerfully but
towards night she relapsed into passion
ate fits of weeping, a most desolate and
hopeless greevng. Again with sleep SEEM
ed 10 come peace, anu even eAhLdtlOh Vi
spirit, which endured only for the morning
hours-and so it continued throughout--and
so it continued throughout the week. The
poor child gave her mother beautiful ex.
planation Of this mystery. Every night
she said my Henry comes TO me in vision.
He folds me 10 his arms, and lays his head
on my hot forehead, and looks SO pitifully
into my eyes he wipes aways nay tears and
comforts me, OH so divinelyl He looks
as be always did on earth-ony yet more
beautiful. / was so proud of his beauty,
mother, that / did not think it possible he
could grow more beautiful even in Heaven;
but be seems SO in my dream. Hegiyes me
strength and JOY to sustain me till We meet
again but am so weak that before the
long day is through, it leaves me- Yet he
never fails to come to me or draw me to
him-I scarce know which. / seem in a
state like that of the apostle, when he knew
not whether he was in the body or out l
only know am with him, and am content.
A strange rumor spread through the
neighborhood, aud finally reached the fami-
ly Of Fanny, that some belated travellers,
had seen, in the midst Of the night, a
shape of shining white, gliding about the
grave Of Henry Lester. But no one among
bis friends was so superstitious as TO heed