Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1862-08-22
OLD SERIES,

uanco W "o sNs"kos' hss'ns ~ ho to-
placed the bandage, . lrssh color took the
place OF tho paiisn,'6 pallor, bfighten,ng
the ,i'ass before. Sadly he thanked the
surgeon for his assistance.
Il thank you, Doctor. Again the pain
has ceased. In lew days the wound will
bs healed. Nevertheless, b not as.onished
u you zee me here in month
BE easy on ihs, score. cir /: chase that
thought out Of your miudr exclaimed the
surgeon.
Il have an un.ning conviction that that
deadly pain will return at the end OF a
month"; said the stranger, dejectedly. BE.
sides. what 10 to happen I, me must hap
pen till We meet again
The surgeon related to bic colleagues NIL
the particular. Of this uuaecoun,able pain.
They consulted together; bot no one was
able to offer a theory. perfectly satisfactory,
explanatory Of case 80 strange.
Toward tho end Of the month, Doctor
" began to look forward. not with.
out sadness. to again seeing the stranger
bu, tim. passed on. and be did not appear.
ThereupOn, several weeks elapsed when
the surgeon received letter. dated at his
late patients place Of residence.
lie opened IL. by the Gr', glance At the
closely written pages within. ho 'aw that
the stranger had written the letter with his
own hand. and inferred from this that tho
pain which a.suredly would have peven,ed
him IRON writing. had no. returned. The
content. oi the letter were as follows:
Dear Sir,-l will not leave you longer
in doubt concerning The iearfully strange
mal.dy which I am about to carry with me
INTO the grave. will give you the origin
Of ,hi. terrible evil. For third time with
in week has this fri:btful pain returned.
I will not longer struggle with IL. AZ this
moment I am only enabled TO use zen by
placing piece OF burning sponge on the
back Of my hand over the affected part;
while this burns. feel only the smartIng
caused by the intense heat; and that !. as
nothing compared TO the former pain.
Six months ago. wa. happy man. |
li,ei without 4 care upon my income. and
was in peace and friendship with oil the
world. enjoying oil OF pleasure ,ha. man
Of lhir,y.h's finds TO enJoy.
A year ago. I narricd-,uarried for lore.
Ny choice fell upon . beautiful. aseom.
pli.hed, warm.bearted girl. the proi,ge. OF
= COUNTIES, in the nerhborhood. This por-
tionle-s maiden loved me-not from graft.
tuds alone. though through me she had DO.
come mistress OF my home and sharcr Of oil
possessed she had truly childlise love
for me. For half year each succeeding
day brought Inc more happiness than the
last. When ! went 10 the city for u day.
my wife could scarcely rect, when ! 10.
turncd. she cane out 10 meet ME mile
from home and once. when had been be.
lated. .he never elo-ed her eyes the whole
nigh, long. When | occasionally prevailed
upon her to pay visit To the countess, who
loved her tcnderly. she always returned the
same day IL seemed impossible tor her to
remain more than half day away from
home and me. Her love for me even went
81 lar that shs gave up dancing rather than
rect her hand in the clasp of another. In
4 word, my wife wasan innocent child. who
had no other thought than me.
know not what demon one day whls'
perci in my ear What IL all this he
only assumeiy Thus man, in the mid', OF
the creates, happiness, too often experiences
an insane desire u loo. ior pain.
Ny vile bad q little work table, the draw
er Of which she KEEP, invariably locked. !
had often noticed that she had never left it
open never. by chance, had forgotten to
take out the key. This thought began to
trouble me what lad she 10 conceal from
me? was certainly beside Dy-Slf. ! be-
lieyed in her innocent eountenanee, her clear
ewes, her kisses and embraces no more.
What il these were bot parts Of the decep-
| ton?
One day the countess visited US. She
came to take my vile home with her, over
whelming her with persuasiops to so and
spend the whole day with her. Our estates
Law not Tar distant IRON one another. and |
gave my wife promise to follow her soon.
Scarcely had the carriage left my court
yard. when collected together oil the keys
I could find, and with them sought to open
the closed drawer. Al length l found one.
A looker.on on would have taken me. ~ |
drew out the drawer, for one who for tho
first time in his life was about committing
theft. was thief. opening q lock to
steal from weak woman her secrets.
My hands trcmblsd as came In contact
with the different things in the drawer but
I carefully avoided creating any disorder
that might bc,ray my presence. Suddenly
nv brea., seemed as IL crushed In by iron
band, I ielt on the point Of 'udoea'ins
Under roll Of lace lay packet Of papers !;
quick ~ thought my heart Whispered they
were letters; at the drst glance any one
would have known them to be-iore-btiers'
The paeke. WAS bound together by ross.
colored ribbon. embroidered with silver.
As l touched the ribbon, I thought: is
this risht7 Is II not unworthy an honora'
bio man. thus to steai the secrets OF his
vife-seefets which belong to her maiden
hood alone ls she snswsrable to me Tor
her thoughts and feelipgs before she became