Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-05-03

hall, at the extremity of which sat al
old man and a young girl The former
whom he OWNED at once to be thu
Baron of Roche Noirc. rose at his en-
trance, and, sauting him in the some
what formal fashion of the day, pre-
sented him to his daughter Herminie-
The latter had the voluptuous beaut,
Of the flower which has unfolded unde
Il southern sun. She was pale, witt
fair hair, and eyes of the deep blue o
an Italian sky. Her figure was rid
but graceful, her hands so exquisiteb
shaped and transparent as alabaster.- =
So much the Earl saw us he bent beaort
his beirothed, and in spite Of his pro
tesssd Indifference, lie inwardly congrat.
ulated himself on his good fortune.
The Earl and Baron exchanged tn;
usual reciprocal compliments and in
quiries. Ralph was accustomed to So
cicty, and understood we'll the art o
making himself agreeable; the Baron
spite Of his seventy winters, had no
forgotten to he courtier; and Her.
m:mie had the simple grace, the di gnity
the modesty, without prudery, of i
young girl Of high birth, re!igiously
educated but without any rieidity-
The conversation soon became animated
and sparkling. while Ralph watched
llerminie ana now and then whispered
to himself. She is eharming! Blessings
Oh my uncle Tor finding me Il wife al
once So pretty and 50 rich. y
When supper WAS announced he Of
fered his hand TO the young girl, who
accepted it with Il blush, while the
Baron led the way to the dinning room
it WAS Il lofty apartment, furnished in
the massive style Of Louis XIV, and
upon the walls were suspended ancient
family portraits. As Ralph's eye
glanced over these it Was attracted by
one whose freshness formed Il striking
contrast to the smoky canvas<es devoted
to the defunct Barons Of Roche Noire.
it represented ii young girl OF dazzling.
but foreign beauty, such as is on y found
under southern skies. a more brilliant
daughter OF Spain never danced the Lo-
lcro i'll the rerfunled gardens of the AL
hambra. The eyes of Ralph were fixed
immovably on the canvass; the first
glance had told him that it was his
long lost unknown Of the fancy ball.
"Come, my dear Earl" said the
Baron, '.let US be seated"
Ralph started and obeyed, then
turned his eyes from the poltrait to
Herminie. In contrast with glowing
beauty she appeared to him utterly in
sipid. He made some remark about
the picture The Baron did not reply,
but cloud passed over his face and
Herminie turned pale, and sat silent
with downcast eyes.-A chill snaa4eet to
thrown, over these three persons, just
now talking sojoyously. Brief remarks
were made occasionally, in Il constrained
tone and the supper ended almost in
silence. At its close the Earl made
the fatigue Of his journey an excuse for
retiring early. As the servant was
conducting him TO his apartment they
passed again through the dinning hall.
"Whosc portrait is this?' he asked,
pointing to the picture of the lady
The servant hesitateI.
Speak said the Earl, impcriously.
1T is tic portrait Of Mademoisclle
Fulmen. said the old man, trcm bling.
WHO Is sEe?'
The elder sister of MademoiselIe
uerminie. -
But size is dressed in Spanish cos
tune
Yes her mother was Spanish lady"
And Fulmeu,' where is she now
''Shc is dead.' said the old m1n, sol
cmnly, '.She lies at the lett Of the altar
in the chapel Of the castle,'
!; :; :; !: = ::
Fatigue had no power that night to
bring sep to Ralrh's eyelids. 1t WAS
in vain that lie extinguiShcd the candles,
and buried his head under the blankets;
the image of Fulmen still pursued him
Now it was Fulmcn, radiant with beauty,
as she was represented in the picture,
and as he had seen her at the fancy ball;
again, it WIS Fnlmen. pale and cold, ex-
tended III her coffin, under the pavement
oi'the chapel. Then he remembered his
oath, to love her us we'll dead as living,
and cold sweat bithcd his brow. AT
that moment light at the opposite ex-
tremity of the apartmcnt attracted his at
tentiun; il door whose existence he had
not suspected, turned noiseleSsIy on its
hinges, the candles relightel themselves
spontaneously, and figure, draped in a
winding sheet, entered the room and APP
preached his bed. 1t advanced slowly:
the most acute ear could have detected
n" sound OF footsteps. Brave as he was
the Earl tiemhiel at the apparition.-
When the figure WAS within few feet
Of the bed the winding sheet was thrown
back, and revealed Il young girl dressed
in Spanish costume.
''Fulmen! hemurmured; s.the picture
has dcccndeI from its frame!'
1t WAS indeed Fulmen, just as she was
painted, save that the lips were pale, the
eyes mourntul, the whole expression un
speakably sad.
''Fulmcn!' repeated the Earl, with a
tone OF terror, in which was mingled Il
sort OF ieverish joy.
ber your oath? They have told you that
[ am dead.
The teeth Of Ralph chattered; but tho
voice was so pure, 50 mcodiouS, that il
aided him to shake off the torpor which
was creeping over him.
{" 10 you are not dead, he exclaimed
with an effort.
Il Have been dead a year." replied
Fulmcr, sadly. They buried me in ths
chapel. You can read my epitaph OF
the marble slab the third from the higl
altar"
Ralph could not detach his eyes from
this singular creature, whose marvelou
beauty counteracted, in some degree, th'
terror which the apparition would 9th
exwise have caused.
sAlas!' resumed tx spectre, DRAWN.