Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1865-09-21

"On and on winding among boles, creep
ing beneath branches, climbing lodges, vault
ing over assures and chasms, | reached the
omen plain. at last, and halted unnerved upon
the brink of the abyss.
sThe glory of the prospect thrilled me
with exquisite pain. A mist, arched by a
delicate rainbow, rose from the tumblIng
food. and the sunny vale was visible, at in
teryals. beyond it, inclosed by blue noun
tains. and intersected by the pale, ribbon
like Susouehanna 1t was my fate to en-
dure. not to enjoy but at this moment the
cataract was forgotten in deeper torment !;
the boughs opened, the sky split with she
shock If feet and man bounded from the
wood.
"He was tall, handsome, and athletic, and
his handsome cheeks were flushed with exer-
else. He made q trumpet OF his hands, and
hallooed, long and clear
Her-a-a-lne!
sThen he whistled through his fist, till
the woods and water rang.
"Where the deuce is the dear girl j! he
said, and his eyes fell upon me.
IA terrible hatred rose in my heart against
this man. 1t was the first great passion l
had nurtured and had received no other
provocation than the empty sound of his
footballs. But antipathies are not accidental
merely they are organic; and my quick
sense took alarm even from his tread. One s
character may be defined in his gait, but |
knew from the tramp OF this person that his
nature was averse to mine. Why had he fol-
lowed my affianced across the seas p? Why
had his crashing drowned the music Of her
steps? Why had he uttered her name with
an endearment? Why had he been retained
at her side, and I sent alone and wretched
before? My wrists knotted nervously as
these accusations took shape, and my blood
became gall
al beg pardon he said CURLY, but are
you the young man we are looking for?
sssI asked through my teeth whom he de-
sgnated in the term we.
"sHeraine, of COURSE he replied give
me your hand We have followed our little
invalid-thats what we call you-over many
a league, and may make his acquaintance at
last Ralph Clendenning, at your service!
II shrank menacingly from him and count
ed the dull throbs at my heart
"'What! timid, he said, and with so old
friend | never met you, indeed, but then
| have talked of you so often that you have
grown to be quite o brother
~ saw that he was frank and winning,
and hated him the more.
"Upon nv word 2 he added, there was
none whom I had resolved in my mind to
love so well, for the sake of Heraine.
"a cry escaped me, so bitter that it seemed
howl, and I clenched my hands.
"He still followed me along the very edge
of the cliff, extending his hand. A horrible
impulse rushed upon me, and thought
darker than jealousy caught it up l hurled
myself against him. He staggered on the
brink of the abyss, and went down with
sharp, half-stifed scream
"My eyes followed the dead weight, as it
rolled from ledge to ledge, accelerated each
instant by the force of the cataract. A
world, tossed out Of gravity, and crashing
among the planets, could not have been more
awfully distinct. observation-disclosures
formless mass of fibre and bone, the mist
seemed to buoy it up, when it 1eMohed the
deepmost cascade, and as it disappeared
through the tops Of the pines, heard the
coming Of footballs.
mime was soul in torment, listening to
music in heaven. l stood, stiff and numb in
horror, staring into the gulf The roar of
the cataract was smothered to a babble.-
ne rdluUOW NlDIdIcu tI0luulOuSly " eAO
dropping harmonies. I saw the familiar
shadow as it glided to my feet. soft hand
thrilled me with its touch, and the old voice
said:
''Dear Luke, am Heraine, come back
~ could not stir. My eyes were forged
to the abyss.
"EWhy do you glare so wildly p she said
s'Come, you have been brave, and must not
fail now. Have you no kind greeting for
Heraine?
Clown in the abyss, swaying and rocking
upon tho pine bough, with the frank smile as
when l murdered him, | saw my victim in
fancy.
"iSpeak, Luke, she repeated. Il have
dear friend here; he has made the long pill
grimage with me, fondly anticipating this
meeting. You will know him to-day, and l
am sure you will love him
':Still surging upon mist, and spray, and
Dough, with the halo of the rainbow SHIN
mering above it, the noble face turned up
ward forgivingly.
"'We have planned for your happiness,
dear friend. Compared to the retreat we
have fashioned for you, Glengoyle is Babel.
But you are i'll, Luke What terrible allure
ment lies in the waterfall? Come away
from the brink Ralph Ralph
"She called in clear tones. The woods
and waters answered back.
g. He Is there / stammered down
deep-dead-do you see him ?-how he
smiles and surges on the tufts of the pines?
Thrust him oyer--in rage-even as he
gave me his hand--I slew him.
g. Merciful God!' she whispered, in hor-
ror, he was my husband
s'The rainbow dissolved; the waterfall
deluged the valley the mountains were GOV
cred with waves, the skies grew pitchy
dark; say nothing more.
MY sensations upon waking were those
of diver who has risen from the tranquil
depths to the surface. Hubhub recon-
menced; horror returned. My hair was
shaven close to my skull; my head ached
dismally; moved my hand with an effort,
and my eyelids were 80 weak that | could
not unseal them for time
~ was lying in my old chamber at Glen
goyle, and Heraine was sitting at my bed
side. Her garments were sable, her brown
hair thin, her face placid, as of yore, but
marked by deep-seated grief, and the mag
netism of will and courage was gone from it.
To the eye she was the same; to the mind,
weak and broken thing. Crime had
changed both our natures she had been
tutress and governess before, and the pas
sive, submissive creature; but sin had made
me bold, and sorrow worn her to woman.
SIS Luke she said, in the same lullaby
tone, do you know me? do you recognize
the place are you still weak :.
go Heraine, said l, sternly, do not the
wrongs we have done each other forbid this
intimacy.
$50 Luke she replied, let US not un-
cover the past. have buried your sin with
1 zz.a4 -. L.. Lao 81.