The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1869-02-06
A STRANGE STORY,

1
of Lucca. They stopped the low britzka
| in which they travelled, and leaving
servant to make arrangements for their
lodging linked arms and strolled up the
road toward the banks of the Lima.
The moon was check cred at that moment
with the poised leaf Of Il tree top, and as
it passed from her face she arose and
stood alone in the steel blue of the un-
cloudcd hearens-a luminous and trem-
ulous plate Of gold. And you know how
| beautiful must have been the night-a
June night in Italy, with moon at the
| full {!
A lady, with servant following her
at a little distance, passed the travellers
on the bridge of the Lima She dropped
her veil and went by in silence. But
the Frey herr felt the arm Of his friend
| tremble within his own.
ado you know her, then p asked
Won Lei=ten.
"By the thrill of my veins, we have
met before" said Clay ''but whether
this unvoluntary sensation was pleasurable
or painful, l have not yet decided
There are none | care to meet-none
who can be here" He added the last
few words after moments pause, and
sadly.
They walked on in silence to the base
of the mountain, busy each with such
coloring as the moonlight threw on their
thoughts but niethcr Of them were
happy.
Clay was humane, and lover of na-
| ture-a poet, that is to say-and, in
world so beautiful, could never be prey
to disgust; but he was satisfied with the
| cn nf
forever overfowing, had filled many a cup
with love, but with strange tenacity he
turned back forever to the first He was
weary of the beginnings Of love-weary Of
its probations and changes. lie had
passed the period of life when inconstan-
cy was tempting. He longed now for an
affection that would continue into another
world-holy and pure enough to pass a
gate guarded by angels. Aud his first
loye-recklessly as he had thrown it away
was now the thirst of his existence
Itwas two o'clock at nj ght The moon
lay broad on the southern balconies of
the hotel, and every easement was open
to its luminous and fragrant stiffness.
Clay and the Frcyherr, Won Leisten,
each IN his apartment, were awake, un-
willing to lose the luxury of the night.
root walking, with her eyes fixed on the
moon.
AS Clay leaned his head on his hand
and looked outward, toward the skye, his |
heart began to be troubled There was |
APPOINT in the path of the moons rays
where his spirit turned back There was |
an infiunce abroad in the dissolving moon
light around him which resistlessly awake |
,,ol 81 IL IL l.
past. He could not single out the emo
ton. He knew not whether it was fear
or hope, pain or pleasure. He called I
through the open window, to Won Leis-
ton.
The Ereyherr, like himself, and like
all who had outlived..the effervescence of
life, was enamored Of the night 4 mo-
ment of unfathomable moonlight was
dearer to him than hours disenchanted
with the sun. He, too, had been look
ing outward and upward, but with no
trouble a. his heart
s'The night is inconceivably sweet"
he said, as he entered, ssand your voice
called in my thought and sense from the
intoxication of revcl. What would
you, my friend ?'
81 am restless, Won Leisten. There
Is some one near us whose chances cross
mine on the moonlight and agitate and
perplex me. Yet there was but one on
earth deep enough in the life-blood Of
being to move me thus, even were she
here And she is not herev'
His voice trembled and softened, and
the last word was scarce audible on his
closing lips, for the Frayherr had passed
his hands over him while he spoke, and
he had fallen into the trance of the spirit
world
Clay and Won Leisten had retired
from the active passions of life together,
and had met and mingled at that mo-
ment of void and thirst when each sup
piled the want of the other. The Frey
herr was German noble, of character
poetic, and of singular ac-
quirement in the mystic fields of knowl-
edge. Too wealthy to need labor. and
too proud to submit the thoughts of
his attainments to the criticism or Judge
ment of the world, he lavished on his
own life, and on those linked to him in
friendship, the powers he had acquired.
and the prodical overthrow of his daily I
thought and feeling. Clay was his su- {
perior, perhaps, in genius, and necessity
had driven him to develope the type Of
his inner soul and leave its impress ON
the time but he was far inferior to
Won Leisten in the power of will. and he
lay in his CONTROL Ike child in its moth
er's. Four years they had passed to-
gether-much of it in the secluded castle
of Won Leisten, busted with the occult
StudIes tn which fbn Eravbo..