The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-02-12
MSBURG, PA, FRIDAY, FEB 12. 1869.

| ROD, anu Inpn InuTuereu 3 DelOTe Il
could think, was again In the thickest
OF the bushes, leaving the corpse, to-
gether with the horses and carriage, to
their fate. The all-powerful instinct
of self-preservation was alone awake in
me; every other feeling was dead.--In
my distraction rushed through brake
and brler; where the bushes were the
thickest, and the underwood the most
entaDgled, thither rushed. "Whoev.
er finds thee" cried to myself, twill
kill thee, thou Cain thou fratricide |"
Exhausted, sank down upon a rock
in the depth Of the wood. the sun had
risen without my having noticed it. A
new life breathed through all nature.
The awful Walpurgis-night lay behind
me with my crimes; but its offspring
danced like devils in my path. saw
my weeping Fanny with her orphaned
children-I saw the disconsolate fami-
ly of my unfortunate brother-I
saw the scaffold, the last procession,
tho place Of execution.
Life became an intolerable burden TO
me. "Oh, that l had let myself be
thro tiled by the count, Thought to
myself, "for 1 deserved 1t! l was then
false 10 my Fanny and to the vows
which had thousand times sworn to
her.-Or had only turned about when
the town was burning behind me, l
might have kissed my wife and chill
dren once more, and then flung myself
into the flames. l might then have
been spared the murder of my BROTH
er.n
/ trembled at life because trembled
at new crimes, which seemed to await
me at every step. So much was l sha-
ken by what had occurred, that 1 felt
that to the sinner every breath he draws
may bring sin. thought Of suicide
but for that wanted means. So de-
termined to give myself up to justice
and confess all my guilt. Thus hoped
although indeed under the bitterest
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES more to press to
my heart my Fanny, my Leopold, my
Augustus, to inplore their forgiveness,
and tn on depart into eternity accom-
panied by their tears. 1 might yet
make many domestic arrangemens,and
give my Fanny hints and counscls con-
cerning various things.
These thoughts gave me some salts
faction. l became more quiet. i had
given uplife, and now the furies of con-
science ceased to rage within me, since
they had obtained what they wished.
got up and proceeded l knew not
whittier. In my distraction and anguish
/ had forgotten the country through
which l had passed. The woods lay
thick and dark around me. l longed
for the light of the confagration, which
should guide me to my judges. But it
was no matter every step, every road,
would lead me to them at last.
After having walked some time,I got
out of the forest. came upon wild
road and struck instantly into it, caring
not whittier it might lead.
THE TEMpTER.
i SOON heard the neighing of horses
before me. was startled the
love of life awoke in me anew.
thought of fleeing back in the wood.
had been very wicked was crimi
nal of the worst kind ; but 1 nigh
hope still to be happy, could save my
self this time. For never was com
plete villain although the most thought
| Co ! I'm
ting all my resolutions, and already in
imagination was in remote solitude
where under a strange name, unknown
to the world, l could live with my wifi
and children. Occupied with thes'
thoughts, had still gone forward. Al
> the road opened, saw right before me
horses standing, a carriage upset with {
broken wheel, and to my horror, or t.
my delight, standing near-the well
known Red-coat.
When he saw me he grinned, aftel
his usual fashion. "Welcome here !!
said he. "Did / not toll you that VIC
should find each other again ?-l have
been waiting all night my coachmar
has gone back to town for help, and ha;
not returned"
"IIis help is wanted morethan here, ,
said "the whole town is on fire."
, ~ thought So" returned, "for saw
the light in the sky. But what do you
want in the woods? What are you
seeking here? Why are you not help
ing to extinguish the fire?"
81 have quite other fires to extin
guish," said l.
81 thought so; didn't l tell you so !"
"Oh, save me! / have become
wretched criminal, a faithleSs husband
murderer, an incendiary, highway
robber, and a fratricide, all since thu
moment you left me,--all within thre'
hours. And yet, l swear to you, i an
= not wicked man.
The Red-coat stamped on the grount
with his club foot rs / said this, appar
. emily in high displeasure. But his fea
lures remained hard and stern. tit
, made me no answer. then related L
him the unprecedented history of th'
night. He kept quiet.
"Do You not know who l am ant
what want of you ?"
"My soul my soul ~ shrieked i
"for now, indeed, l begin TO believ
that you are the person whom in jest
l took you to be in Prague"
"And that person WAS -"
: "Satan.n
"Then fall down and worship me !!
: beloved he, in horrible voice.
u 1 fell upon my knees before him lik
u a crazy man, raised my clasped hands
y and cried-"Save me!-Save my viii
$ and children from destruction
I They are innocent. Carry us to som
" desert, where we may have bread an
: water and cave to live in. We sha
- ha no banny there aa in Daralige. Dl