The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-05-11

"A useless wreck. You have blasted
my hopes, and blighted my every
prospect in life. Do You feel no re-
morsc-no sting of conscjcncc-when
you behold me as now ana ruined
man-and compare me with what I
once was? Look at my wasted form,
think of the wretched existence to
which I am doomed, and then answer
me, do you never regret your cruel
work? Oh, I loved you once, and
how did you requite me? Alicia, you
doomed me to suffer the tormcnts of
the damned"
His voice had become low, tender.
heart-rending in its passionate melan-
choly, and the great tears trickled
slowly down his wasted cheeks. I
almost wept myself as listened to
him. Hc was weak and harmless
enough nova child need not have
feared him. I could hardly bclicye
the evidence of my own senses. Was
this feeble, weeping, imbecilo crca-
turc at my side the raving demon,
whose discordant shrieks still ring in
my ear-the same whose eye, the
moment before, had gittcred with
the fire Of insanity-who had made
my blood curdlc with horrible raw
ings-who had held the knife to my
throat? And now what q mighty
change! If the true Alicia could
have been present, and deserved pun
ishment, in witnessing this interview
she would assuredly have been re-
warded according to her merits. AS
he sat there, nRmbling incohcrcntly
and idly, nervonsly playing with his
poor emaciated hands, 1 could but
revolve i'll my mind what terrible
crime or awful calamity had produced
such shocking results. But I was
too much excited in mind to indulge
in calm speculation. Tho creature
was harmless enough now-shorn of
its tcrrors-but dreaded and did not
know when to expect another display
of tragic genius. My mind was con
stantly on the alert for the remainder
of the ride. The moments seemed
interminable. Would we never stop?
Was tho train going to the end of the
world? 1t seemed so, truly; for to
my feverish impatiencc, ages had
already clapscd-ages of horror
since had sat there, in the presence
of that poor insane wretch Fiend l
had almost said, for his mission for
that day, at least, seemed to bc spc-
cial appointment from some evil
source to torment me. And yet no.
body would come. / sat there, cold
and shivcring, for the terrible pitch
of excitement to which the events /
have cndeavored to describe had
wrought up my mind, had left it in n
pitiablc state Of pathy and nervous
ness. Did [ not heartily wish l was
back IN c.? And did not exc
crate the luck which had brought me
away? I would never take solitary
journey again as long as the world
stood. No, not for the gold of cor
mus or of Ind" On that point, my
mind was settled. How long we sat
there-hc by this time having re-
lapsed into deep revcry, and afraid
to disturb the awful silcncc-I do not
know. Twill never know. Perhaps
only moments-perhaps hours. j
should say years, if / Judged by my
sensations. An interrupt IN came ut
last. The door swung noisily open,
giving entrance to an old, white
haired man. 1t was the conductor.
Never was n man hailed with moro
dclight-nevcr did an aloring lover
greet the mistress of his heart with
such feelings of intense pleasure!
CHE must not leave the coach again."
/ thought; and, to prevent such
catastrophe, l overwhelmed tho old
gentleman with questions. To this
day, I'll vouch for it, he remembers
mo as the most loquaciCus of created
beings You may depend I would
have talked on until doomsdny, with
out one moments intcrmission, in
preference to being left alone again
with that mailman. Perhaps you may
think it q slight thing-you who arc
quietly reading this sketch, and hare
alcre,' tried ito be entertained with
n lively tcte-a-tetc in railway car by
lunatic-having in the background,
by way of an agreeable excitement,
rs hnd, the delcctablc prospect of
having your throat cut, or being, on
theslightest provocation, hurled head
long from the train. Ii any one
covets such an experience, or fancies
it may be enjoyable in it's tendency,
l trust they may never he put to the
test of stern reality. For my own
part, if l had ever speculated on the
matter in former times land 1 am sure
] never had, the incidents of this
ride entirely satisfied NV crriocitv