The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-01-08

I had Just laid the first stone of my
fortune in the shape of hundred dol
| lars deposited in bank, when an over
| whelming blow destroyed the whole
edifce of my hopes.
I received a letter announcing the
death of Aurelia from her father. She
had been dead three weeks when the
news reached me. My friend, the pain
ter. was present. He saw me turn pale,
and cover my face with my hands.
ssWhat is it p" he asked kindly.
| ssShe is dead y replied, in shaken
voice.
He knew my history, and needed no
further explanation.
I threw myself on sofa and wept
convulsively. When ] had exhausted
the first violence of my grief, my friend
| approached me, and, in tone of grave
sympathy, asked me of what I was
| thinking.
"Of death - replied.
"Of suicide ?" said he.
Imade no answer.
Do you not possess her portrait ?"
raid he.
eyes, daub of my own, but which
reminds me at least wildly of the orig
inal. I have also daguerreotype, but
daguerreotypes have always q cold,
CHASTITY look
"You should paint her,"
Paint her ?"
Yes, paint her as an angel of heaven !;
realize your memory of her beauty on
canvas. Leave monument! of your
love and talent behind you. Then die
if you please. +"
The artists suggestion pleased me.
No youth is in a violent hurry to die,
| E/,,. n -
! friends idea, and gloomy sort of am
bition seized me to make this work q
work of art worthy of its model. Nay,
I even dreamed of posthumous fame !;
of going down the stream of American
art-history as the man who painted
real angel, and then pursued its proto-
| type into the world of angels.
commenced my task that very day,
and labored as long as the light allowed,
without cessatiop My master aided
me by his connsels and when the
work was complete he laid his hand af-
fectionately on my shoulder and said,
&c Truly, you are greater master"
| We had the picture framed and sent
to the exhibition at the Academy. On
questionable. IAN Angel. was de-
ci6edly the attraction of the exhibition.
The same afternoon an offer to pur-
chase it for large sum arrived from
one of the richest merchants in New
York. ] sat with the letter in my hand
trying to read it by the waning light in
my studio, when heard the door open
and somebody enter. Supposing it to
be the painter, I did not look round.
Presently raised my eyes, and be-
held to my horror shadowy figure in
white, with face of unearthiy pallor.
The face was Aurelia'sl
/ confess that fear seized me. MY
shattered nerves, my recent over -exer-
ton, my fast and vigils, had increased
my nervous sensibility to an alarming
| degree. I tried to reason with myself.
and account for the vision on grounds
of mental delusion, when was startled
out of all reasoning by the figure saying
in low but distinct tone:
Frederick, do you not know meT
Yes, know you" was my solemn
answer
"And you still love me. -
j "Now and forever!''
s.Then why do you not embrace me?''
said the figure, gliding nearer.
"Can ghosts embrace p cried, ris-
ing dubiously. and gazing more 'assur-
edly at the pale phantom.
Try r said the ghost.
And 1 did try; but it was no spectre
it was living, breathing angel I folded
in my arms.
What is the mean ing of this? j
thouRht you dead !'
"And I believed you buried. They
told me so at home { have had q
tever IN consequence; see how pale and
thin am -
But I am alive SO are your
That is evident" !"
| Sc What ao1111 lo~,a e. ~ ,,.,r
motive for such conduct and such false
hood ?"
An insane wish to marry me to his
partner, Mr.. Smithson.' p
His partner ?''
, Yes; ne has caught partner with
money, as mamma says, and she thanks
heaven she will not have to pay the
rent of the Office ent of her own income
any longer" +
"But how did you know I wai
:" Dead men do not paint pictures.
Then You know ?''
Eyes. I have seen-Oh you fiat.
terer 20
Flatterer? ? not at all. But look al
this-an offer of seven hundred dollars
for the picture. An hour ago would
not have sold it for seventy thousand.
But now-suppoge we take the seven
; hundred dollars and run away at once p
It is not necessary; my father gives
his consent-and here he is. y
Old Garford entered.
Well, sir, " said he, t' congratulate
you on your success. We shall be
happy to see you at Two Hundred and
Twenty-second street this evening, il
you are not otherwise engaged.
Shortly afterward was married. Ar
socn as Aurelia and were alone Ia the
carriage that bore us from the church,
said to her, smiling, Ny dear little
ghost, I sincerely trust you will haunt
me TO my dying day |"
will try said Anrelia, looking
full atme with beautiful and fathomlesi
eyes, to be your ghostly comforter a.
long as live"
s. 1T is my opinion that ghost is very
much improved by having body at
tached TO it.
s MoNT BLANC is no longer the mon
arch of the European mountains. Itl
height is only 15, 7S4 feet, while that OF
Mont Elburz, on the northern or Eu