The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-08-20

"'How think you, Elizabeth? 2 said her IA
ther is he not as like our poor Amadeus as
one egg is to another?
81 do not see the likeness, my dear father,
replied Elizabeth, looking timidly at me, and
then casting down her beautiful eyes, and
blushing.
81 accepted the old mans offer with joy,
and took up my dwelling in the other turret
of the church tower. My occupation was to
keep the clock wound up, to play the evening
hymn on the balcony Of the tower, and to
strike the hours upon the great bell with a
heavy hammer.
81 soon felt the good effect of repose, and
Of the happy, tranquil life | now led my sqir-
its improved, and | began to forget the curse
which hung over me--to forget, in short, that
was the unlucky Thirteenth. Old Kran-
helms liking for me increased rapidly, and, in
less than three months, | was Elizabeth's &C
cepted lover
''Time flew on; the wedding-day was fix
ed, and the bridal-chamber prepared.
cit was on Friday evening, exactly eight
days ago, that went out with Elizabeth, and
walked down to the port to look at large
Swedish ship that had just arrived. The pas
Immediately attracted our earnest attention.
''This was TALL lean, raw-boned woman,
apparently about forty years of age, who held
in her hand long smooth staff, which she
waved about her, nodding her head, and NUT
tering, as she went, in some strange, unintel-
ligible dialect.
''Her dress consisted Of huge black fun
cloak, and cape Of the same color fringeo
with red. Her whole manner and appearance
were SO strange, that crowd assembled rounC
her as soon as she set foot on shore.
"'HalIo! comrade,' cried one Of the sailors
of the vessel that had brought her, to boat
man who was passing. Halo! comrade, dc
you want a job? Here's a witch to take tC
Hiddensee.'
eve asked the sailor what he meant anC
he told us that this strange woman was {
Lapland witch, who every year, in the dog
days, made a journey to the Island Of Hid
densee, to gather an herb which onl y grew
there, and was essential in her incantations
Meantime, the witch was calling for {
boat, but no one understood her language, OF
else they did not choose to come. My unfor
tunate propensity to all that is supernatural
or fantastic impelled me- with irresistible force
towards her.
Gin vain Elizabeth held me back. push
ed my way through the crowd, until VIC
found ourselves close to the Lapland woman
who measured us from head to foot with hel
bright and glittering eyes. Slipping tiorir
into her hand, | gave her to understand, as
well as / could that we wished to have oul
fortunes told.
''She took my hand, and, after examining
it, made sign that she either could or would
tell me nothing. She then took the hand Of
Elizabeth, who hung upon my arm, trembling
like an aspen leaf, and, gazing intently upon
it, nuttered a few words in broken Swedish
did not understand them, but Elizabeth did
and, starting back, drew me hastily out of the
crowd.
'''What did she say? inquired I, as soon
as We were clear of the throng
elizabeth seemed much agitated, and had
evidently to make strong effort before she
could reply.
g Nothing answered she at last; nothing
at least, worth repeating. And yet It's strange;
it tallies exactly with prediction made tc
my mother when | was an infant, that should
one day be in peril from the number Thir-
teen. This strange woman cautioned me
against the same number, and babe me be-
ware of you, for that you were the Thirteenth
''Had the earth opened under my feet, Oh
the lightning from heaven fallen on my head,
could not have felt a greater shock than
was communicated to me by these words
know not what L said i'll reply, or how l felt
her arm tremble upon mine as we walked
along, and by furtive glance at her face saw
that she was pale as death.
hot,
walk back to the tower on reaching which
she shut herself up in her room. | pleaded a
severe headache and wished to lie down and,
begging the old man to strike the hours fol-
me, retired to my chamber
at would be impossible to give an idea OF
the agony of mind [ suffered during that eve
ming. [ thought at times | was going mad,
and there were moments when felt disposed
to put an end to my existance by leap from
the tower window Again, then, this curse
that hung over me was in full force. Again
had that fatal number raised itself before me
like an iron wall, interposed between me and
all earthly happiness. Wearied out at length
by the storm within me, l fell asleep.
'sAs may be supposed, was followed in
my troubled slumbers by recollection of my
misery Each hour that struck awoke me
out of the most hideous dreams to a scarce
less hideous reality.
'.When midnight came, and the hammer
changed upon the great bell, strange fancy
took possession of my mind that it would this
night strike Thirteen, and at the Thirteenth
stroke of the clock, the tower, the city and
the whole world, would crumble into atoms.
'tAgain fell asleep and dreamt. | thought
that my head was changed into mighty
bronze bell, and that hung in the tower and
heard the clock beside me strike Thirteen
Then came the old schooinaster, who yet,
at the same time, had the features Of Eliza
beths father; and, as he drew near me, saw
that the hammer he held in his hand was nc
hammer, but a large silver bound Bible. In
my despair made frightful efforts to cry out
and to tell him that was no bell but man,
and that he should not strike me; but my
voice refused service and my tongue Glove
to my palate. The grey haired old man came
UP to me, and struck Thirteen times on my
forehead till my brains gushed out at my
eyes.
s.By day-break the next morning I was two
leagues from Stralsund, having left few hur-
ried, ill-written lines in my room, pleading |
know not what urgent family affairs and a
dislike Tor leave taking, as an excuse 1or my
sudden departure. Over fields and meadows,
through rivers and forests, on [ went, as
though hell were at my heels, flying from my
destiny.
But the further I got from Stralsund, the
more did 1 regret all l left there-Iny beauti-
full and afentionate mistress her kind heart
ed father, the peaceful happy life 1 had led
on the top of the old tower. The vow | had
made to fly from the haunts Of men, land seek
in some desert the repo8e which my evil
fate denied me among my tellows-that vow
became daily more difficult to keep.
'.And yet went on, dreading to depart
from my determination, lest I should encoun-
ter some of those bitter receptions and cruel
that had hitherto been my
lot in life Shame, too, at the manner IN
which had left the tower, withheld me- or
else think l should already be on my way
back to Stralsund. But nowI have met you,
! xrr,1l Nxrfl a