The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-11-18

NO.. 10

NO. 10
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infant begged permission to gee
the corpse. She was in her coffin !;
snowdrops and croeuses were laid
upon her innocent bosom, and roses
Of that sort which, the season allowed,
oyer her person. These and other love
" symbols Of youth, Of spring time,
and Of resurrection, caught my eye
for the first moment; but in the mex,
it fell upon her face. Mighty God .
what a change! what a transfgura-
tion! Still, indeed, there was tie
same innocent sweetness still there
was something Of the same loneliness
the expression still remained; but
for the features,-all trace Of flesh
seemed to have vanished mere out
line of bony structure remained
mere pencilings and shadowipgs OF
what she once had been. This is, in
deed, I exclaimed, "dust to DUST
ashes to ashesv'
Maximilian, to the astdnishmen,
of everybody, attended the funeral.
1t was celebrated in the cathedral.
All made way for him, and at times
he seemed collected at times he
reeled like one who was drunk. He
heard as one who hears not; he saw
as one in a dream. The whole cere.
mony went on by torchlight, and
towards the close he stood like pil.
lar, motionless, torpid, frozen. But
the great burst of the choir, and the
mighty blare ascending from our
vast organ at the closing Of the
grave, recalled him to himself, and
he strode rapidly homewards. Halt
an hour after I returned, 1 was sum.
m9oped 2 g bis bedroom. He was in
bed calm % and collected. What he
said e mel remember as if it had
been Yesterday, ysas and the very tone
with which be said it, although more
than twenty years have passed since
then. He began thus: Il have not
long to live" and when he saw me
start, suddenly awakened into con
sciousness. that perhaps he had taken
poison, and meant to intimate a:
much, he continued: "You fancy
have taken poison no matter
whether I have or not: if I have
the poison is such that no antidote
will now avail; or, if they would
you we'll know that some griefs arr
Of kind which leave no opening II
any hope. What difference, there
fore, can it make whether I leave thi
earth to-day, tomorrow, or the mex
day? Be assured of this,-tha
whatever I have determined to do i
past all power of being affected by
human opposition. Occupy your
self not with any fruitless attempt
but calmly listen, to me, else / kno,
what to do Seeing suppresse'
fury in his eye, Notwithstanding
saw also some chunge stealing owe
his features as if from some subtl
poison beginning to work upon HI
frame, awe-struck I consented to Ii:
ten, and sat still. "It is we'll tia
you do so, for my time is Shor,
Here is my will, legally drawn uI
and you will see that have commi;
ted an immense property 10 your dis
cretion. Here, again, Is a paper still
more important in my eyes; it is al
so testamentary, and binds you TO du
ties which may not be SO easy to eS
ecute as the disposal Of my property
But now listen to something else
which concerns neither OF these p:
lpers. Promise ME, in the first piac.
solemnly, that whenever l die yo'
| will see me buried in the same gray
as my wife, from whose funeral W
are just returned. Promise. >
promised.-"Swear.'' II swore.-"Fi
nally, promise me that, whe1
you read this second paper which
have put into your hands, whatsoeve
you may think of it, you will sa.
nothing publish nothing to tn
world until three years shall hav
passed" IL promised" "-.And now fare
we'll for three hours. Come to m
again about ten o'clock, and take
glass Of wine in memory of oil
times" This he said laughingly
but even then dark spasm crosse'
his face. Yet, thinking that thi
might BE- VI the mere working Of men
IEtel anguish within him, I compiled
Fi|vith his desire, and retired. Feeling
however, but little at ease, I devise'
|an excuse for looking in upon hin
'I|about one hour and a half after
had left him. I knocked gently a
Ibis door there was no answer.
knocked louder still no answer.
went in. The light Of day was gone
and I could see nothing. But l wa
alarmed by the utter stiffness of tn
room. I listened earnestly, but nc
a breath could be heard. I rushe
back hastily into the hall for a lamp
! I returned; I looked in upon thi
marvel of manly beauty, and tn
first glance informed me that he ant
all his splendid endowments had de