The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-06-23
CHAPTER II.
THE FIRST FATAL HALLow EVE.

THE FIRST FATAL HAI.LOw EVE
1t is All-HalIow Eve, a night long
anticipated with delight by the whole
neighborhood, and much longer still
remembered with horror by the whole
country.
1t was the occasion ofSybil Berners
mask ball and Black Hall, the Black
Valley, and the town of Blackville
were all in state of unprecedented
excitement for this was the first en-
tertainment of the kind that had ever
been given in the locality, and the
gentry of three contiguous counties had
been invited to assist at it.
The throng at Black Hall was
great, and the characters assumed by
the maskers were various and we'll
sustained. grabs
But far the most beautiful, far the
most terrible figure in the pageantry
of the evening, was that of Sybil Ber-
ners! She had chosen for her char
acter the unprecedented d part of the
impersonation of the Spirit of Fire.
1t suited well with her whole nature.
Her costume was but the outward
sign of the inward fervor.
Sybil had confided the secret of her
costume to no one but her husband,
who was himself attired as "Harold
the Saxon" while Mrs. Blondelle as
sumed the character of edith the
Fair"
Sybil had not been long in the room
before the coquetting of her husband
and Mrs. Blondelle drove her nearly
to distraction. Observing that when
ever she came near them, they were
on their guard, Sybil exchanged dis
guises with one of her guests and in
innate friends. Beatrix Pendleton.
and was thus enabled to watch her
husband and his companion without
the least restraint,
Sybil observed that a masker, rep,
resenting Death, whom nobody seem
ed to know, watched Mrs. Bloudelie
as closely as she did herself; and she
subsequently had occasion 10 remem-
Der and shudder at that fact
Seeing the watched couple seat
themselves on small sofa in one cor
ner of the room, she glided to an otto
man near them, i'll time to hear Mrs.
Blondelle- say:
"No, Lyon, your wife is not my
friend-she is my deadly enemy. She
is fiercely jealous of Your affection for
me, though it is the only happiness of
my unhappy life. And she will make
you throw me off yet
"Never no one, not even my wife,
shall ever do that. I swear it by all
my hopes Of re. r......,
Sybil glided away. She could bear
no more. ... -..t .....
Supper-time drawing near, wien all
the guests would have to unmask, Sy-
bill and Beatrix reexchanged costumes
and went down to the drawing-room
together just as the last quadrille was
completed, and the company began to
march to the supper-room.
As each couple passed into the sup
per-room, they took off their masks,
and handed them to attendants, placed
for that purpose to the right and left
of the door. Thus, when the compa-
ny filled the room every face was
shown, but '.Death" was nowhere TO
be seen.
At last the party broke up. Only
a few of the guests remained allnight.
These were shown to their rooms, and
the others having gone, rs fate would
have it. Mrs. Blondelle went into the
little reception parlor to meet Mr..
Berners, who assured her that thence
forth he could never extend to her
more than brothers affection.
"Then give me a brothers kiss" she
sighed. "That is not much to ask
and have no one TO kiss me now.
So give me a brothers kiss, and let
me CO." she pleaded plaintively.
He hesitated for a moment, and
then bending over her, lie said: "
''It is the first. and for your own
sake it must be the last, Rosa % and
he pressed his lips to hers. s
1t ,uas the last rs we'll as the first !;
for at the meeting of their lips they
were stricken asunder as by the fall
of thunderbolt ~ .-...
And Sybil, blazing with wrath, like
a spirit from the Lake of Fire, stood
between them
She looked not human-with her
whole face and form heaving, palpi-
tatlng, flashing forth the lightnings of
anger
"SYBIL !~ exclaimed her husband,
thunderstruck, appalled,.
She waved her hand towards him,
as if to implore or command silence.
II have nothing to say to you," she
muttered, in low and husky tones, as
if asher were in her throat. ''But to
YoUp she said, and, her voice rose
clear and strong as she turned and
stretched out her arm towards Rosa,
who was leaning in alright against the
wall-"To YOU, traitress, who has
come between the true husband and
his wite-in the morning you must
leave the house you have deseerated |!
for if you do not, or if ever l find your
false face here again, l will tread down.
and crush out your life with less re-
morse than ever l set heel upon spi-
der :! Twill, as / am Berners! And
now, begone, and never let me see
your form again J"
Rosa Blondelle, who had stood
spell-bound by the terrible gaze and