Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-09-30
"Friend! what mean your" looking at me

"ErlenQ !! WhaC mean you lOokluS dI LII
with terror in his countenauce.
"Far less causes" l continued, "hav'
brought the departed to interfere in the vel
fare Of the living. Should the whole earthly
happiness of man-of BROTHER
'The whole earthly happiness! Oh fee
it! How truly you have said it; my whole
earthly peace! And would the tranquility
of an afflicted family be no worthy consider
ation2"
"Certainly, if ever pure earthly affai
could entitle the disturbance of the blessed
to make use of power"
"For Gods sake, friend" he broke in
"say nothing further! have, sometimes
confess it-harbored such thought. L
seemed to me. that there could-but [ have
long since cast it aside as impious and sacre
ligious."
You see clearly, the sicilian went on
whereto this led. took pains to remov'
the conscientious scruples of the chevalier, IL
which l after while succeeded, and it wa
determined to invoke the spiritual appearance
of the dead brother, for which l required only
f""rtAAn aAyo of delay, 90 gave out 'rer'
necessary to me, to be properly prepared fol
the event. After this period had elapsed, ant
my apparatus was suitably arranged, [ took
advantage of gloomy evening, when q cold
drizzling rain was falling, and the family-ir
the now customary manner-were gathered
around me, to gain their assent to the trial
or rather to lead them, without perceiv
ing it, that they should solicit it from me
The greatest difficulty was with the young
countess Antonio, whose presence would be
so essential. But here came, very unexpect
edly to our aid, the visionary character o.
her passion, and perhaps, also, a weak glim
mer of hope that the believed dead one
might still be living, and would consequently
not appear at the invocation. Mistrust in the
thing itself-doubt of my power-were the
only difficulties which had not to contend
with. So soon as the consent Of the family
had been obtained, the third day after wa'
appointed for the trial.
Prayers, which for two nights in succession
we're continued till long after midnight; watch
ing, fasting in solitude, and mystical instruc
tions were the preparations, together with tht
employment Of some, as yet, unknown music
al instruments, which in other cases hae
found very effective.
In the solemn celebration Of these mysti
cal rites, which had succeeded beyond my
expectations, the fanatical credulity of my
auditors had excited and heated my owl
phantasy, and the illusion no little increased
by the means I had to employ upon the oc
casion to strengthen it. Finally, the anxious
y awaited hour had come. made use of al
the jugglery of which was master. 1t illet
all the ends had expected from it.
The old Marquis the young Countss, will
her mother by her side, the Chevalier, anc
several of their kinsmen were present. Yor
can easily imagine that in the long time
had passed in the house, no opportunity wa
let pass of learning every thing possible, ever
to the minutest, in regard to the deceased
Various portraits of him which | found there
enabled me to give most accurate resem
blance to the apparition, and would only
permit the answer to be given to their ques
tions by gestures and signs, lest doubts might
be awakened by the sound of the voice.
The apparition was seen clothed in the gar
ments of slave with deep wound upon his
neck You will observe (said the Sici1lan,
that in this had made him different from
the general conjecture, which was that he hao
perished in the waves. had reason to hope
that the unexpectedness of this turn would
strengthen no little the belief in the truthful
ness of the vision itself, as it seemed to me
there was less risk Of discovery, the nearer
could make it conform to a natural appear
ance.
permitted them to ask the question of the
apparition, whether he claimed as his own
anything which, while he lived upon earth
had been held dear to him. He shook hi
head thrice and raised one hand towarc
heaven.
Before vanishing from sight, he drew ring
from his finger, which after his disappearance
was found on the floor Of the room. Wher
the young Countess examined it, she discov
cred it was her bridal ring. Every one was
now convinced that Heronymo was no Longer
among the living The family, from this day
openly spoke Of his death and went into
mourning for him.
The circumstance of the ring permitted
Antonio no longer to doubt. and induced hei
to look much more favorably on Lorenzo
But the greatest hindrance which this appa
rition had caused them, was fearful illness
upon her part, which threatened to pnt for
ever an end to the desires of her friends.
When she became convalescent, she ex
pressed a desire to take the veil, which sht
was only persuaded to forego through th'
earnest remonstrance of her father confessor
in whom she placed unbounded trust. A
last, through the united endeavors of thi
man and the family, consent was extorted
from her. The last day of mourning was tt
be the day of the nuptials, which the ole
Marquis was determined to make certain by
the legal cesson Of all his estates to his son
The day came, and Lorenzo received hi
bride at the altar. Evening came on. A
sumptous feast awaited the joyful guests il
the splendidly illuminated bridal hall, while
full band Of musicians enlivened the scene
The we'll pleased old man asked all the worlc
to partake in his joy. All the avenues to th'
palace were thrown open, and every ont
was welcomed who partook in his gladness
Among this crowd
The Sicilian here restrained himself and w
held our breath in shuddering expectation.
Among this crowd, he went on, observed
a Franciscan monk near to where was sit
ting, who stood as immovabe as one Of tn,
columns of the hall of tall, meagre statur
and ashen pale countenance, his eyes fixed il
All earnest and mournful look upon the brida
pair, the joy which shone in every counte
nance around, appeared to be absent alone
from his face. His attitude remained un
changeably the same-as a statue among liv
ing figures. The strangeness of his look
which in the midst of the joy around, astonish
ed me; yet it seemed, in spite Of all the sur
roundings, to overwhelm me with sudden fear
and caused me most indeible impression
that on the countenance of this monk | recog
! nized tho Inca nlents of Ruffan (fnr ynu com