Middletown transcript., 1871-01-28

VAN and deluslve hope. Last night |
was fclcitating myself upon The change
that had taken place, which as proved
was but precursor Of dissolution"
"Shc must have stirred during TIE
night" observed the nurse, though her
movement was so gentle as to be scarcely
perceptiblc. Poor lady her hands firm
ly clasped round tho locket."
The liaron Esclwicke was utterly pros-
tratcd with grief when this touching in
stance Of his lady's love was made known
to him. lie broodcd over it night and
day lie saw in her action the wish that
she had not the power to utter in words; !;
aud determining il should not bo violated
he gave directions that she should be
placed in her coffin without disturbing
the locl;et in her hand.
It will readily be imagined iha, so af-
fccting n circumstance could not escape
comments and as. in these cases, m par
ticuars are omitted, the value Of the
trinkct, which was set round with very
fine hrilliants. found place in the story.
The husband Of tho i'll tatcl laiy deter
mined upon paying tho greatest respect
to the remains Of his beloved wife, llc
caused her body to be conveyed 10 Co.
lognc. where i, was to be Inferred with
great pomp.
The principal Church Of the town is
the Cathedral of st Peter, which is one
Of the finest monuments Of hermnn archi-
lecture The interior is divided into four
rows Of massive aud lofty pillars. aud is
somewhat larger than that of the Slras-
hourg Cathedral, In the Church of 81
Peter is the famous altar-piece Of the cru.
cifxion Of that Saint, with his head
downward, by the erea, master. Ruhens,
who presented it to the Church in which
he was baptized.
The fount in which Rubeus was lap-
tizcd still exists in this church, aul here
i, was that the obseluies Of the Lady
>hrocdcr wcro performed according to the
custom Of that age, when death inspired
feeling. Of picty aud confidence rather
.han If terror Tie body Of the deceased
was dressed in white silk, covered with
flowers \ corouct WINS placed on her
head. aud her thin, white iiGgcrs verc
adorned with the same rings she had worn
during her lifetime She was put in n
coffin lined with looking glass. and laid
in little chap.l built in vault beneath
the chair Several Of her ancestors had
preceded her thither Her name. title.
together with the date Of her birth aud
death. wera engraved on the plate in tie
iii Of the soiliu The inscription eonelud
ed with these solacing words t.. She IL
not deal, Int sleereth
Baron Esrwieke followed her to her
last home The enormous bell. weighing
ten tons. placed in the steeple of the en-
lheiral, had made the great city rosonnl
with its funeral kncl Pale and lifeless
the Lady Shredder reposod in her coffin.
the desout monks had chantea her re-
anem. and the immense clock which is
only wonpl up once a year, and which
points out the hours al the day. ani the
course of the stars was the solo objsei
that moved under the solitary and silent
vault Tie monotaanus noise Of its pen.
duum resDnnaed above the mute tembs
and images of sainta liseolored by time
Il was the close Of the evening Of lay
in the month Of December. the weather
bcius eheerless aud gloomy, that lleintz
Wherart, sexton Of the Church Of st Pc
ter. returned home after this splendid tn
neral but he could not rest. His mihl
was absorbed with but one iden he searn-
ed 10 possess himself of the jewels which
had glitteral SO temp'lngly before his
asarieiaus eyes. Nhefaft hal always
been esteemed rlain-aealing, honest sort
Of fellow, ON who was incapable If com.
hitting theft lie was charitable,
well-mcaning man enough, but he could
not comprehend or appreciate the senii-
mcnts which ordained those love tokens
10 lie in impossible immosahllity on u
hallowed breast In his opinion it was
silly waste Of treasure, and he argued
that no harm could come Of his appropri.
atinr it: and he therefore determined
upon returning TO the church for the pnr-
pose of opening the coffin, that ho might
possess himself of the jewels.
Upon his entering the saercd caiiice on
his guilty crrand. he tremblea like mn as
pen-leaf. The hand in which he held his
lantern was agiiatel BY SO violent ami
eonvulsiso n movement. that he was more
than once afraid the light would 90 out
and leave him in utter darkness; but the
nature of his Office had given him famil-
iari,y with the building, every obscure
corner Of which he was very well ae-
with. He was not, however,
icad to a sense of sacrsdncss. If tho
sight of n temple inspires every pions man
with respectful fear, what must not he
felt al that time Of the night by one who
comes TO trouble its solitude with the in
tention Of committing an odious sacrilege?
As he took his way along the gloomy
aisles. the tombs,once on the walls glared
as it were rcproaehfully upon him one by
one, and his perturbation was increased by
tho dart Of a bat close TO his face. A
marvellous tales returned to his
momory as he passed into tho Lady
snpulchre. lie revived his
heart as best he could, laid down his lamp
on niche In the wall, and proceeded
with his Instruments to take of the lid of