Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-10-05


the gaze Of the mysterious stranger fas-
tened upon her, as if he would dive into
the very abyss of her soul she addressed
him:
Who, and what are you, that you so
fearlessly plunge into guilt, which If not
detected sT the searching eye of mans |
justice, will be punished with tenfold |
force by the unerring hand of Heaven p
The stranger only laughed response,
which was echoed by many Others in va
rieus parts of tbs rayne, still more hell |
ish. The girl casta fearful look around !
her, and her blood curd|ed with horror,
when she recognized the dreadful valley |
of the Wild Hunter. She. knew tbs |
place TOO we'll from the many stories she |
bad heard related by the superstitious
Doors Of the mountains. A true knowl-
edge of her perilous situation came with
full force upon her, and she muttered
prayer to Heaven.
who am I?'s at length replied Zami-
! ell, clinching the maiden fercely by the
hand | am the kite | told thee Of
where is thy dove! am thy curse;
my own curse; the cursed OF Heaven! [
am mass of enbalmed flesh that movetH
1 upon the face of the earth, stunning the
abodes of the living to hold communion
with the ghosts of the dead ( am all
corrupt-yet incorruptible; blCnder of
the scythe Of Time and the arrow of
Death. Ny life is a curse, and its span
the age Of the hoar rocks Of the ocean
wander over the earth in search of
death, bot it blasts me not; and while
the angel of Heavens wrath lash6s me,
an everlasting hell Is l,nawing upon my
heart. Behold land he threw open his
dark MANTLE displaying to the shrinking
girl the cavity Of his bosom filed with
never consuming but ever gnawing flame.
ave shrink thou well mayest; this is
: the hell Of damnation 7
Here his uttsrance was choked by. q
wild shrek and the most horrible con-
tortions, Of his countenace, as if suffer-
ing extreme agony. He fell with his
face to the earth, and called aloud 70,
: E4i,srszz a- ~
1 valley answered his loud waiiings with
j their horrd laugh.
Mercy !! screamed the miserable wretch,
o torture me not; crush me into atoms
IL but torture me not! Suddenly rising
q me clenched his poignard and brand
C ishng it in the air, cried out: Blanca
d thy moment IS at hand; would max,
d my curse deeper that this vital fire ma,
r the sooner consume me. | hate thee fo
thy beauty, and this night | will fsas
n upon thy life blood ...
le Spare men shrieksd the shuoderin
&c girl, as she raised hsr hand to ward O.
II the moditated blow, take not the life {
=, enc who never harmed thee, or any liz
> ingsbcing. | am innocent of crime, ane
lg Heaven be my witpess, [ never wishe
er thee harm .#".
RS 1T is thy beauty-thy spo.lsss viz
ic fit victim; else, why have not dippe
ne this instrument of. death into the life
a tide of thousands of thy race p ..-
ne He raised the weapon again, but SUI
n denly letting it fall, as if thought hs
ny struck him, he continued:
t! No, | will not take thy life, for to d
a. prive thee of that would make thee ha
lat DIV. | would have thee miserable
lte curse to thyself and the accursed of Hea
ty en-. Swear, Blanca swear to renoun'
lat thy God and Christ, the false Messiah
Sh Swear, by the majesty of the eternal on
ed to unite thy fate with mine, and to
Ire the betrothed of none else
'se The maiden, almost senseless, shral
OF to the earth with horror and fear h
'ed hands were benumbed by the convulsi
the grasp of the fend, and a cold sweat r
ay, down like ice drops frem her pale bre
'on At first she turned away shudderir
ose vet with scorn, from the impiops derna
int, Of her prosecutor, and casting look
vo- mild resignation towards Heaven, viii
one seemed to say: in thee, Heavenly Faith
lin place my destiny she attempted to
rth treat the mercy OF the hunter; but
was fixed his eyes greediIy upon her, pla
ang the glittering poignard at her throat Z
IL, to again yelled out swear! Terrified
The the prospect of cruel death, the unh
the py girl exclaimed: Il swear and
r. senseless on the earth.