Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-04-15

anu on ttll9 n ulHck tuftEtu lhhAiAheb Nho AAttts
He wore long black coat and it came over his
feet. Except this sort of n couch there was no
other furniture in the room, but this was clearly
not from the poverty of the inhabitant- In the
window seats there were flowers, which at such
q time of the year must have been very expen-
sive, and the room was agreeably warmed by an
elegant looking stove in the middle, 1t wus
lighted up by u handsome lamp which stood Oh
the stove Mr.. Marchams dress also was made
of very good material. He was man Of about
ffy-fve, and his features we're regular aud
handsome
81 am much obliged to you for 50 early a com'
pliance with my request, lielsbam, he said. lie
made sign 10 the young lady who brought in
chair for me aud placed it near the foot of the
couch. She seemed to wish to stay, but he said
something to ber in language did not under
stand. aud she bent over, kissed his forehead,
and left the room.
al am going on long journey, Mr.. lielsham,"
he said, with smile.
Of course understood bim, and replied that
it was journey we shall all have to take, and l
was about to add what his words naturally
prompted when he said;
"Stay, sir, if you please. Accept my apology
for interruplng you but moments are valuable
Just now. / am not abont to trouble you for
any of the attentions which you are in the habit
of rendering upon occasions of this kind, and
which you render, | am sure, from the most
conscientious motives. But baye heard ofyou
az n thoroughly honest and honorable man, and
| therefore ventured to send for you, not that
might hear anything from YOU, but that you
might herr something from me, of which will
ak you TO he the depository"
I answered that would gladly be Of any
service, but that might hope that when had
heard him, might be allowed to claim my own
turn to be heard for few minutes-or words to
that effect, for had not then began TO note down
what passed
lie smiled, and said that if when he had quite
done with me | felt inclined to begin with him,
he would make no objection. Meantime, us
perhaps the room was somewhat close, would
oblige him by lighting pastile. .D
"Certainly," said
He pointed to dwarf closet in the wall to my
right, aud asked me to open it. did so, and
perceived small bronze stand, about two feet
high, and handsomely ornamented with embossed
| figures.
''If you would kindly bring that forward" he
4 said.
lifted it out, it was heavy, and its exact use
did not strike me, for it was too low for lamp
stand, but supposed it might be some kind Of
pedstal. I placed il near him, and he handed
me an ivory box containing some aromatic mix
ture, which he told me tO pile in small heap
upon the bronze This did, and he gave me a
wooden match to light the pastile mixture-tbe
! wood was also romantic, and gave out pleasant
odour as | put il to the lamp
AS turned from the lamp to apply the match
to the pastle, MIR Marcham was Withdrawing
his hand from the latter, and supposed that
he had been bringing it to point 80 that it
might be more easily kindled. | touched it,
and il ignited, and burned up with a purple
glow, behind which, to my surprise, perceived
the features of figure in bronze, which he
must have placed there when he leaned from the
couch
The aroma of the pastile mixture filled the
room, at first agreeably, hut soon became some
what powerful, and I suggested whether had
not better extinguish it, as it was too potent,
thought. for an invalid.
" Do" he said, again smiling. Empty thai
upon it," handing me silver cup.
Supposing it contained water, l poured the
contents upon the fire, which shot up for mo
ment, and went out, and / perceived the odouI
of the burned wine.
MIR. Marcham said something in an under
voice, but he again spoke in a foreign language,
and the idea crossed my mind that he was O
Roman Catholic. said so.
"You have half the TRUTH he answered
(Which is good deal in these days. Now, viii
you sit down."
/ obeyed and observed that during the sub
sequent conversation, he held small ivory
figure in his hand, which confirmed me in my
DelleI as TO MS uelDR III tTFUTS VI IOpctJ
, "Mr. Hesham," be said, "the wisest ant
the best men have held that if we do our duty
, IN this life, we may fairly leave our name and
fame to chance. Posterity may do us justice
and il it refuses jnstce, we shall not miss thi
/ boon. But pardonable weakness makes u
! cling to the good opinion Of our fellow men, an'
\ if, by little provident care for our reputation
we can prevent scandals and ISLANDERS, | thinl
we have o right to do so. Feeling this, | hav
raonostad your nreaanoa here t0.nipht wis
to make an explanation to you, and that yo
4 should make some record Of what say"
q asked why he had selected me.
i "Because have taken pains to understan
n your ayocatOu, and ! find that it lies almo'
O entirely among those who are likely to misjudg
, me. You are an honest man, and you will a
h once confront the lies that may be scattered con
i. cerning me, and will contradict them on the at
!. thority of my own explanations to you"
\ told him that as yet had never heard augt
!. of him, but what was kind and generous.
"a stPoor creatures he said "They thin
Al yery much of little kindness, which ma
r. must be brute to withhold. But when the
10 come to affix new Significance to anything
l. have done, they will speak Of me in anotherwa.
t. For that, care nothing, only desire that u
10 truth should be c0mprenendeh, and have askt
Ia YOU 10 receive it from me, and bear witness her
after" ".u.
TO Let me explain that had now begun to tai
i shorthand notes Of our conversation, and ther
i'd fore set down the rest with more confidence
n / said that was ready to hear him, but
Ia would understand that l had received no con
NJ municatiou which did not report to my en-
r ployers. -, ..... r.
NJ cood name" he said. "And now, as we a
r. both Of ons religion, and are what the Christi
he world calls Pagans, we can speak freely O.
va with confidence"
il FASTENED to interrupt him, and TO disav'
bv the name he was giving me.
ay nNay," he said, you have yourself done ii
nd which the old martyrs Of the creed you ha
ne renCunced went to the sake rather than DO
ina al haven
an ali Yes, assuredly. You have just planted
IL altar to Venus, on this you have offered a
no kinded Incense, which you have extlnguish
ev with a libatiou Of wine. No better evidence
NJ Pagapism was required in Rome, and relo
I'd to have added you to the number of those "
AN have abiured the superstition u their anc'
.c- tors"
bis was confounded at being thus entrapp
me and il Was strange that In the presence Of 9
he man could not recover my self-possesHion
of Now feel wonder that my act was not imme
be ately TO throw down what he called the all
ol fling TIE image from the window, and repr
do him severely for conduct so ill-htting his cor
saa ton, But was conscious Of some over mast
ool ing influence which prevented my rising II
ng, my chair n..,, .t,o
h0 " fou are not 1901 enough ho sou ~,
duo pause, in which he ga2ed at me earnestly.
of seemed to read my thoughts, "you are moi
b,at enough TO suppose that yon handful Of bronze
= that altar. Won figure OF Venus, is what you 8
have Worshipped, or that the perfumes we n
80. burned. and which composed with druggi
~ materials. have aught beyond symbolic va
Eurn out that lamp-I warn you thai we 8