The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-07-12

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wfithed and twisted and bent like the
quivering, wounded serpent in its
death folds; her white face wore
look Of fell despair; and the bloodless
lips, though opened, we're as mute and
Silent as the voicelcss dead.
"Curse you, be still ~ muttered Mr..
Hunchback, who had become deeply
enraged.
"Mercy, mercyw she again found
tongue to cry. HFather-Dermid-"
He cut short her cry by dealing a
heavy blow with his iron hand upon
her fair temple. And as the red blood
gushed from the blue veins, the with
ing body of poor Olvie Cover fell mo-
tionless; the soft, frightened, dove
like eyes closed; and the futtering
heart ceased to beat. /
A mile OF mere away from the little
cot, where the white pebbly road took
a sudden turn around the base of the
Mealfouryonie (hill Of the cold moor,)
two men might have been seen at
little distance out on the lake, on that
leaden March day. Two fishermen
they were, and they were slowly steer
ing their boat in to the shore.
One was an old man with flowing
white locks and snowy beard, yet hale
and hearty still. The other was a man
many years younger than his compan-
!, ion, and of handsome noble mien.
The old man stood in the bow of the
boat, while the younger worked away
vigorously at the oars.
"By my life, there is Cover again."
r exclaimed the youth, resting upon bis
oars, at length, and pointing down the
road.
8 "Eh !--aye, and coming from to-
I ward my cot, Dermid," replied the old
man, u cloud suddenly gathering upon
] his brow.
y The youth-Owin Dermid it was
e gazed sternly at the advancing form OF
F, the hunchback, who, in turn, was
a staring at the boat.
: When Cover had come up within
g speaking distance of the fisherman, ht
K paused, and with a bitter oath, III
4 shook his clenched hand in threaten
~ ing manner at young Dermid.
e, "Owen Dermids" he hoarsely shout
ed, 81 told thee that my day woul
ID come. Go, now, and find my revenge
E. Go to thy fair OLIVE. Oh but twill
e. be sweet cup for thy lips to drain
r Go-gow
to And with derisive laugh he turne'
lg and few hasty strides carried hin
re beyond the ken of the two astonishet
men, up the mountain side.
k, "To Olvie! Go to OLIVE, he said,
Id gasped the old man. ooh surely
" surely the monster hath not dared t
r harm my darling child, my preciou
one."
u, ''Heavens !" murmured the youth
he working hard at the oars. ''No, no,
can not be-"
g A moment more and the boat crate
%, harshly upon the rough sands. AND
en- springing out and securing it, til
on twain hurriedly started for the fisher
an mans cot.
of Both were pale and silent. I'll
i'm terrible words of the man-monster Y,
n ringing in their ears. On, on the
,ly sped, faster, faster, On on, to Olvi
Oh J! how slow the minutes seemed
ou roll How long the sandy road the
Up were traversing! But at length the
approached the isolated cot, viii,
p seemed to have shrunk and contract,
to greatly in the cold of that pitilees da
or, "Here is the cot, but no OLIVE com
we to meet u.s." So spake the elder, l
We, voice trembling.
I'VE No, old man, she. comes not to me
to thee! Those tender eyes that arc wo
to watch for thy coming watch not
at day The loving smile that ever gree
MIR thee, greets thee not to-day! r
. in warm kiss that is ever thine from the
BILE sweet lips, is missing to-day! 3
what means that dark shadow up
9TH thy bro0P That heavy load tt
,ce weighs down thy inward breast7
nd. Dermid, without speaking; rush
han into the cot. the old man follow
de- more closely.
They paused, reeoiled, and ste
es.,; aghast!
oh Was that Olvie, the fair, the beat
and full one, before them? That fol-
ten covered with blood, which slo,
d. trickled from the temple, with e
wild and staring, with white, biz
.nd face on which could be seen not
non CLEAN of reason-was it Olvie's7'
"My darlingw burst from the T
. :. lips Of Owen. "Olvie! O1vie!"
r.. Olvie interrupted him with a mar
.vos cal laugh, and retreating to the W
- Crouched down in the corner.
" s'Twas that demons work ~ O,
wilt cried fiercely. ''Curse him! CT
him his foul life shall pay the forte
And he rushed headlOno from