The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1876-03-23

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honsion to the peaceful traveller, of
dread and anxiety to the quiet home.
In various guises | frequented So
ciety, moving nthe higher circles as
foreigner of rank and wealth. !
sat at the festive board Of merchant
princes, | chatted in the drawing
rooms of the richest mobiles of the
land. | danced in halls where pride
and beauty met. | whirled in the
giddy waltz with diamond dccked
bellies, who never dreamed their gal
liant, dark eyed partner was the dar-
ing robber chief
Once, while on a brief visit to a
pretty rural village, | rescued a beau
tiful peasant girl from drowning; and
as / bore her fainting form to the cot
tagc of her widowed mother, near at
hand, thought l had never seen II
face of such marvellous beauty and
lpveliness. Being restored to con-
seriousness and4eArningthe situation
she thanked me with such a depth of
earnestness and sincerity, and such
a look of gratitude, as thrilled me
with exquisite joy. requested per-
mission to call next day, which was
granted, and thus. began an acquain-
lance which grew to friendship and
ripencd into love. | became daily
visitor at the cottage, | found her
intelligent and educated beyond
most of her class; artless and pure as
the undcsigning infant.
ooh! how bitterly my conscience
hardened though it was-rcproved
me for the deception had practiced,
Ignorant of the deceit and craftiness
of the world, she placed implicit
trust in me, believing me the soul of
honor. All! little did she think as
we rcmabled in the leafy grove, or
sat beneath the spreading vine; as
We strolled beside the moonlight
stream, or fingered near the cottage
door, that her tall and courteous com
panion, in whom she placed such
like trust, was the bold outlaw of the
Alps.
told her had rank and wealth, |
told her of my vast estate and my
castle on the Rhine. l asked her to
be mine, and share my fortune and
my gorgeous home. She consented,
and we were married. On pretense
of taking her to my boosted palace, /
brought her to my cavern. Then, as
deception was no longer practicable,
I revealed the startling fact that her
husband was an outlaw-the famous
bandit chief-and this cave must
henceforth be her home. On hear
ing this, she gave me a look of terror
and despair never tob forgotten, and
with cry of horror threw herself at
my feet, begging me to tellher it was
not true; that Ma only testing her
love for me. But as the terrible
truth became more apparent from
the surroundings, she grew almost
wild with grief, She knelt before
me, and with her hands clasped up
on her bosom, implored me amid a
torrent of bitterest tears to forsake
this awful career, to leave this dis
nal place, and fly with her to some
far distant land, and there in future
lead a life of penitcnce and peace.
She soon became exhausted, and with
a hcart-broken cry of anguish sank
senseless on the ground.
When at length aroused she APP
pearcd more calm and tranquil, but
the sunlight of her young life was
gone forever The roses never came
back to her checks. Day by day she
slowly languishcd. She always tried
to wear a smile when | was near,
thorough grief was gnawing like a
canker at her heart. She often tried
to persuade me to abandon my evil
course, and hourly prayed my re-
form.
A year passed, and like a tender
flower pluckcd from its parent stem
she had dropped and declined, One
day assisted her to the entrance of
the cave, and as | took a seat beside
her, | observed that she looked paler
and lovelier than usual, Leaning
her head upon my breast, she said:"I
feel that ! am dying. The autumn
leaves will soon Strew nv forest grave.