Middletown transcript., 1871-01-28
Srlttt stor.n.
A LEGEND OF TILE RHINE.

The legend nm about to relate. dates
back to the period when the Castle of
Scharieustein was in the possession of the
Baron Anton Eselwickc His wife the
Lady Shrordcr had been for long time
in declining health The Baron aud hi~
lady had been long married, aud their
union had been as happy as is possible in
this world. The latter was still young,
she had been beautiful; aul during her
maady her husband Lad remained day
ana night by her bedside, During the
latter period of her Illness her suilcrings
were les acute. but her fainting fits be.
came more frequent and longer pun
recovering from one of those she begged
her husbprl To bring her the gold chain
aud lucket !nrlnsing his hair. which he
had givlu her before their marriage
This she hung round her neck. aud so
laeea her wary hours by contemplating
it. and hy force Of the association Of the
ideas it excited. living again in times gone
by.
onc evening she beckoned the Baron
Anton, who was sitting in her chamber,
to her side. and said:
/" Reach me your hand. dear husband
| am growing much worse; | feel that !
am sinking and death appears to be how
ering about ny couch Ii this be nath-
ing more than wpmanly timility, bear
With it, dearest. for my sakr and give mo
courage by staying with me- throughout
this weary night Of grent pain aud suffer
ing
:. BE comfor'ea my love replied the
Lord Of sebatffn.trin, This weakness is
common enough. Cheer up. you will be
better in the morning: in the meantime
| will not stir from your bedside ioa
will talk 10 me in a different manner when
al.er refreshing slnmher. | shall show
y,su the sunlight stealing over the distant
hil,s. see even now your eyes nrc clos
ing. Compose yourself, Therefore, aud
strive 10 sleep
The e,,arnber, was hushed. and the pa
,icnt Law 8, i'll and seemed in SO profound
rcnoee that her breathing was scarcely
perceptble. The curtains were drawn
round the bed o. the invalid, and Baron
Eselwicko, happy. and full of favorable
omens in the idea that his wife had. at
length, a remission (, ON pain, took book
and fixed M much atte.,tlon on il as he
pos.ibly could command. and the hours
wore slowly away. Eyt rything within
and without continued in n"ep stiffness.
broken only toward morning l.v the pleas
ant sounds Of awakening nature, which
might be heard in the silent sick chamber
of Scharfenstein the mathis Of tho fcath-
cred songsters, the wheeling hum of inyr-
iads of bees in tho garden below, and the
leaves Of tho vines dallying with the
morning breeze. These. together with
the strong bright lines which iniersssted
the shutters. admonished the Baron and
the nurse Of the time their patient had
slept. The light was, therefore, admit
ted into the room, and then both the
watchers cast troubled looks towards the
motionlcss and wan figure upon the bed
"She has not stirred mnrmurea the
Baron in voice little above whisper,
.. she is in the same position, and can not
have moved hairs breath since we saw
her last night"
The nurse heavcd deep sigh and wrung
her hands
How now?" exclaimed her master -
" What means this look Of blankest des-
pair ?"
Alas, my lord" calculated the old
nurse. ~ fear the worst! My mistress
sleeps, but she sleeps the sleep Of DEATH
The Baron made no answer, but at once
FASTENED to send off ono Of his rctainers
for n physician. The arrival Of the latter
confirmed the fears expressed by the
nurse. A feather was placed on the lips
Of the inauimate lady. The Baron bent,
with keen eyes, over it, but failed to de-
tect the slightest motion In the feather.