Gazette and sentinel., 1861-03-09

Would you value your old violin
case I" be would say when any n re.
monstrated with him on the subject.
''The strings broken-nay, the instru-
ment destroyed-of what value is that
which was but termed for its protection.
For my part, when my SOUL has taken
fight, | care not what you do with CON-
pilation Of flesh and boues which now
contains it.n And upon this principle
he seemed to act involuntarily.
One night-oh ! how well | remem-
Der it-a cold, black evening in mid
winter-I sat alone beside my fire, all
sorbed in meditation. The book | had
been reading lay beside me, upon the
table, and my candle burned low III the
socket, for it was nearly one O'Clock,
although | had not yet retired. Sud
denly ] was aroused by a loud ringing
of my doorc-Bell, and Il sound of sand
thrown against my window from with
out, and lighting another taper, deScen-
ded end opened the door.
There, uprn the steps, stood Robert
Redlaw, and four other students, all the
worse for liquor, aud all in boisterous
spirits. "Let us in, old fellow" cried
Robert, ave want to tell you of our
lark. By George! we've made a night
of it, such punch as we've been having
at Tom BIS, while you have been
moping over your musty books. You
must go with us the next time"
There was no use of remonstranc",
and one by one, my unexpected visitors
mounted the stairs and took their places
around my Preside.
81 say, Bob frightened us all a while
ago" began one Of them after a tenn
porary silence.
"How p ] asked,
"How |" laughed Bob, "why with
this" And without another word or
preface, he drew a folded 'kerchief from
his pocket, and unfolding it, exhibited
q human hand
Bob, where did this come from :" |
asked involuntarily, drawing back a
step or two.
"He took it from a grave which the
rain had washed open," answered a tall
young fellow, turning away with a
shudderg "Cut it off with his knife as
cody as he might a bit of wood, al
though rll swear a sigh or grOan, or
scream, or all of them together, came
from the body when lie first laid his fin
ger upon it.' u
"Bah !" laughed Robert Redlaw, your
ventriloquist tricks can never impose
upon me. | took the little hand in spite
of them, and shall keep it. A pretty
creature it must have belonged to.
Look at the almond-shaped nails, Grey
stock
"A woman's hand" I said, "and, oh,
Bob, there is a wedding-ring upon the
finger" a--
$50 there is" said the boy, leaning
across the table, $50 there is. Strange
that | did not notice it before. Come,
gentlemen, Greystock, is in a serious
mood-let US leave him." And wrap
ping his strange prize nce more in the
kerchief, my wild friend and his com
rades departed.
spent tn night in restless dreams,
in ali Of which that pale little hand
which had been laid before me, played
aconspicuous part, and arose at day
light, unrefreshed and dispirited. While
] was putting the finishing touches to
my toilet. some one raped at my door,
and on my calling "come in" opened it
and entered. 1t was Bob. "How do
you do, my dear fellow p he said, II
hope you feel better than | do. For my
part, | never passed so restless a night.
Some one in the house, or next door,
kept a continual moaning, and the
strange part of it was, when | arose to
listen, fearing some one was i'll OF dying,
the sound ceased, until | once more
placed my head upon the pillow, when
they were resumed more loudly than be-
fore. At n time | thought the other
fellows were trying to brighten me
about the hand, but there was no
chance for that. You remember my
little pet hand. Greystock. lhave bot
tied it in spirits, in a private cupboard,
where my laundreSs, who once tainted
at the sight Of a skeleton, will never be
alarmtd by it."
He spoke merily, but there was m
thing about him different from his usual
manner, l though, as we went out to
breakfast together. 1t was a foggy
morning, and the streets were very
dreary. There were but few people a.
broad, but as we turned a corner. we
came face to face with a woman, whose
head was bent upon her bosom, and WHO
was moaning bitterly. She Wore no
bonnet, and was dressed in white, but
ALa .n,,d a,,h rnin hnI Irnnnhnd and Inh