Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-02-11

For the first time he now steadily
looked at his companion.
She had thrown aside her hat and
shawl. Her Eair, escaping from its fast
ening, lay in disorder over her shoulders.
The face-the eyes--Ernst dropped his
brush. He was terror-s.ricken.
Ernst again took up the brush he fixed
his eyes boldly on the sitter; he sat to
work; iie grew more and more excited !;
touch after touch was laid on; no poiat
was omitted. His labor was SO intense
that he felt his breath shortening and his
pulse throbbing as he proceeded.
The hour has EXPIRED must leave
yon," said the girl, and she rose to depart.
Stay, stay in Heavens name, stay
one instant. The eyes-the eyes-I must
have another glance
She turned her head she fixed her gaze
intentiy on Ernst for at least minute !:
then waving her hand to prevent his fol-
lowing her, she slowly walked away.
Ernst continued at the picture the en-
tire day, without the slightest intermis-
sion, and when evening came he laid it
aside, finished. He went to bed, but he
could not sleep. To use his own express
sion, those eyes were burnt into him
How would this adventure end2 Would
she he at the Louvre the next day r.
Would ne ever dare address herr Vas
his visitor reilly the same person he had
beheld so often there9 She was and she
was rot. What could it mean
Ernst passed the night, his brain teem-
ing with tumultuous thoughts, and his
heart beating with violence all the time.
The morning dawned and found him fever
I'll I'D L.
dressed himself. His first impulse was to
inspect the portrait. He went to his
easel; he looked on the canvas. His
teeth chartered his knees knocked vi
olently together.
At that instant, the woman who had
charge of the room entered with his break
fast and the morning journal.
Ernst swallowed a cup OF coffee. Taking
up the Journal. the first paragraph which
met his eyes was the following:
MELANCHOLY OcoURRENoE- Yester-
day, as Mademoiselle de Launy, only
daughter of the Comte de Launy, was pro
ceedin5 in her carriage to the Louvre,
which she was in che habit of visiting
daily, the horses took fright near the cor
ner of the rue de RiuoH and the rue Casti
glione As the postilion endeavored to
curb them, one OF the reins broke, and the
horses becoming uDmsnageable ran furi-
ously down the street, upsetting the car
riage with great violence, by which Mad
emoseille de Lsuny was thrown ont upon
the pavement and her skull fractured She
was taken up senseless, and Immediately
conveyed to the residence of the Comte,
where every means that medical skill could
suggest were resorted TO, but in vain. She
continued inseusible, ard after the lapse OF
one hour, lite was extinct"
Ernst read no more, although the para
graph contained particulars of the beauty
of the deceased, her accomplishment her
virtues: he threw down the journal. Did
shivering seize him? Was he maddened
with excitement, or struck with horror |?
Quite the contrary. He was perfectly
calm and tranquil. His own convictions
were sustained and carried out: he felt q
serious pleasure that a sign had been made
to him.
The following day returned. l found
Ernst, as | have said, more cheerful than
usual. Never before had seen him so
free from gloomy thoughts and fsncies.
To be sure, he was not gay or animated,
but he never appeared more rational. His
favorite author was Schiller. He felt SYM
patty with anything from his pen. AS
we sat together the morning in which be
gave me the account l have now detailed,
he repeated from Schiller's dying words,
Now is life so clear! So Do ch is made
clear and plain !! Think you" he contin-
ued, laying his hand upon the table, " that
this base matter is more enduring than
sprit2 | can now answer Schiler's ques-
ton: