Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1871-01-19
MISCELLANEOUS.
LIFE IN DEATH.
A LEGEND OF THE RHINE.

AEoENo "f ihb MILNE
THE legend am about to relate dates
back to the period when the Castle of
Scharfenstein was in the possession Of
Baron Anton Eselwicke His wife the
LADY Shredder had been for a 1onr time in
tleclininq health The Raron and his
lady had been long married and their
union had been as happy as is possible in
This world The latter was still vounr sbe
had been beautiful: and during her malady
her husband had remained day and nipht
bv her bedside. Dnring the latter ncriod
OF her illness her sufferings were less acute
but her faintinc fits became more frequent
and longer Tnon recoyerjnr from one nj
those she begged her husband to bring her
the gold chain and locket inclosing his
hair which he had piven her heforo their
marriage This she hing round her neck
and solaccd her weary and paipfnl hours
by contemplating it, and by force of The
association of the ideas il excited living
again in times zone by.
One evening she heclyoned the Baron
Anton. who was sitting in her chamber tn
her side, and said
Reach me your hand, dear husband |
am growing much worse feel that I am
sinllinr and death anneare tn he boyerinty
about nv coucb If this be nothing more
than womanly timjdjtv, hear with II dear.
est. for nv sake, and give me courage by
Saving with me throughout this weary
night Of main and suffering"
"Be comforted, nv love- rep1ied the
Lord of scharfenstein, "this weakness is
common enough, Cheer up; you will be
better in the morning: in the meantime
will not stir from your side You will
talk to me in a different manner when,
YOU the refreshing slumber, shall show
YOU the glorious sunlight stealing over the
distant hills. see even now your eyes
are closing. Compose yourself therefore.
and strive To sleenn
The chamber was hushed, and the pa,
tient Law still and seemed in SO profound re-
nose that her hreatbjnc WINS scarcely ner.
cpptihle The curtains were drawn roi,nd
the bed Of the invalid and Baron Escl-
wicke, happy and full of favorable omens
in the idea that his wife had, at length,
remission of pain. took book. and fixed
as much attention on it as he possibly
could command and the hours wore slow
ly awav Eyerything within and without
continued in deem Stiffness broken only
toward morning bv the pleasant sounds Of
awaking nature which might br heard in
the silent sick chamhep of Scbar(enstein
the mathis of the feathered sonpsters the
garden below and the leaves OF the vine.
dallyipr with the morning breeze These
together with the strong, white lines which
intersccted the shutters, admonished the
Baron and the nurse of the time their pa
tient had slept The light was. therefore
admitted into the room, and then both the
watchers cast troubled looks toward the
motionless and .,an figure on the bel
" She has not stirred" murmared the
Baron. in voice a little above n vhisnrr
"she is in the same ,osition. and can not
have moved hairs breadth since we saw
her last night"
The nurse heaved deep sigh and wr,ng
her hands.
How noyfn exclaimed her mas+or
"What means thi. look of hlank desnair .,
Alas INV lord y eiacnlatea the nId
nurse, II fear the worst Nv mistress
sleens hut il il the sheen of deafh
The Baron made no answer bnt at once
hastened 10 send off one nf His retoiners
for n nbvsician The arrival of tho latter
confirmed the fears oxpressed NV the n,rsn
A feather was nlaced m the IinS of the in.
animate lady, The Baron bent, with keer,
eyes, over it, but failed to detect the slight-
est motion in the feather. This. in the
davs of which we are writing, was deemed
sufficient proof of death in All cases
Heaven be merciful," said the Baron
"The gentle spirit has passed away Vain
and delusiye honei Last night I was fe.
licitating myself upou the change that had
taken place, which has proved but pre-