The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-09-14

| iIke, UUu Vi al e4TetueIy BeutIe anu re-
firing disposition her love for him had
evidently . slight mixture Of fear in it.
They had no family, and had lived here
rather more than q year, when the crash
came. The Merwyns were giving an eve-
ming party; we were there, and Mr.. and
Mrs. B., among others. During the
evening, Mrs. B. was solicited to seat
herself at the piano. have never heard
q voice like hers of the stage. Quiet as
she was at all other times, when she sang
she seemed q different creature, and ap.
peared to be breathing forth her whole
soul in flood Of passionate feeling. All
her songs were Of this character she
never chose anything softly plaintive, or
TRANQUILITY tender. On this occasion her
voice was thrilling, even more richly and
wildly than usual, in the midst Of the
most profound silence, when loud and
angry tones became audible in the hall,
in apparent dispute with the servants.
The singing abruptly ceased, and the
voice outside exclaimed:
know he is here, aud will see him.
In another instant the door was push
ed violently open, and . coarse but hand
some woman, her features inflamed with
passion, entered, and marched straight up
to Mr.. B..
How now, my husband p she cried.
What are you doing here!'
You are mad, woman = he returned,
in calm voice, though his face turnei
deadly pale. Il have never seen you be-
FORE
'Ha! screamed she. You will have
difficulty in proving me mad; but can
prove you villain in any court in Eng
land. Where is she you now pretend to
call your wife?'
That lady, who had hitherto remained
seated at the piano, pale and trembling.
now rose, went up to Mr.. B, and
putting her hand into his with timid,
touching confidence. said:
Il am his wife. What do you want
with my husband?'
Your husband 7 Shrieked the virago /;
and she broke forth into torrent OF abu-
sive and apprObrious epithets.
Everybody else in the room had till now
been struck dumb by this scene. But
Mr.. B., whose countenance had betokened
alterations of rage and fear, now turned
to his host.
Mr.. Merwyn,' he said, do you allow
your guests to be thus insulted!'
No, indeed replied that gentleman ;
and advancing to the infuriated female,
he bade her leave the house. If you do
not do so quietly he added, I shall sum.
mon those who will remove you by force.
The woman raised her hand threaten
ingly, as If she meant to defy him, but,
after q moment. seemed to change her
mind, and scOwliDg round on all the COM
pany, retreated AZ far as the door. Ar
rived there, she turned and said,
'Igo; but you will hear Of me again,
and then departed.
You may imagine, after such scene,
it was difficult to make show Of return
ing to the former tone Of light and easy
conversation. Mr. B. almost imme-
diatcly regained his wonted self-posses
sion, but his wife was quite overcome
and about half an hour afterwards he
gave her his arm, and taking leave of MIR
Merwyn and everybody, as though moth
ing had occurred, he led her from the
room, and, as we supposed, they went
home. The next morning tragic occur
renee was revealed. Mrs. BIS dead
body was found lying at the foot Of the
cliff, beneath this house. Mr.. B. anG
/. the womon we had seen the night before
had both disappeared, and no trace o
either was ever discovered. A note, il
the handwriting of the unfortunate de
ceased, addressed to Mr.. Merwyn, was
found on her dressing.tablc. In this note
she said she prayed God to pardon her
for seeking to avert a life Of shame by I
voluntary DEATH and it was generally
believed that she had really died by heE
; own deed, having discovered that the vii
lainy imputed to him she called her hus
band was but too true. This occurred
about three years ago, and the house ha:
stood empty ever since, until you took It
The ignorant people about here believe
there is an evil doom upon it; and thu
story, as related by them, was widely
spread, and had the result Of frightening
all would-be tenants. Iwonder you ncvel
J received any warning notice
Il am not sure we should have beer
, strong-minded enough to disregard it, i
we had done so,' returned. 1t haI
rather depressing effect on ones spirits
to be living in a house where so many
, sad events have taken place How do yol
, feel, Emilys'
'Ob, l wish they had warned u.s. sh'
said: I hope they do not believe We ar,
, in league with the Count
THE Count remarked, seems to IN,
to have rather undeservedly received
, bad name. We don't hear Of any trait IL
him at all Of diabolic4 nature, unless i
! DO his going to and fro. and walking vi
; and down on the earth And now thi
! practice, as far as is known here, he Ina
abandoned
True returned Herbert Audley, bu
you would 6nd it difficult to convince tn
. poor people here that he is not at the bot
! tom Of oil this mischief They say tn,
) house was built with unhallowed gold
and therefore nothing prospers that COM
into it,
Dear Tom, said Emily, turning to me
couldn't you give notice to leave imme
/ diatelyv
Il have taken the house for a year,
J SAID, but il you don't like 1t that neeC
not Oblige Us to stay in it so long. W.
. will 60 whenever you like
! Mrs. Audley and her daughter seemed
i. to think this the most natural thing to do
} but young Mr.. Audley appeared quit
distressed Of the idea.
You are surely not in earnest. he said
There iS not another house IN the neigh
bOFhoOd at liberty that would suit you
; but there Is no reason why we should
stay 10 this ncighbOrhOOd rather than any
other said Emily.
Mr.. Audley looked as il he could hav'
named . reason, but he did tat leas
not the reason. lie said there was NJ
part of Wales. or Of England either, which
was 50 beautiful iH his opinion, that i
was the most healthy place in the world
and that he should be sorry If he haC
been the means, by what he had said, o
depriving Aberport Of such agreeable
neighbors. He should feel he had done
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