The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-05-04
Selett Sturg.
QUEER CASE FOR THE LAW.

0DultIlb AlpbANi i''fNNNNN
chateau of his ancestors, situated in the
enyirons of Vienna. An excellentsports-
man. and a redoubted smoker, the baron
was at the same time one of the uglest
mortals Germany ever produced, Not
withstanding this circumstance, he was
an admirer of beauty in others, and con-
oeived lively passion for Mademoiselle
de Reischberg, daughter of a neighborlng
castelan, whose antique domicile con-
stituted nearly his whole property. A
formal demand of tie lady's hand was
made by the baron; and the father, de-
lighted with the prospecto of such match,
fastened to give the suitor an assurance
OIL assent and best wishes. 1t was not
30, however, with the young lady, who,
herself endowed with very extraordinary
charms, could not endure the looks of the
baron, and had, besides, long ago given
aWav her heart to one Of her cousins, a
handsome cavalier, in contrast with whom
the baron made a very sorry figure. On
this account the assiduities of the latter,
and the commands of the father, pro-
duced no effect. Mademoiselle de Reisch-
berg conclusiVely declared that she would
never give her hand to any man so thor
oughly ugly as the Baron de Cormann.
One evening she was tempted, by new
entreaties on the partof the suitor, to re-
peat the preceding declaration even more
theoretically than before. The downcast
baron afterwards wended his way home,
He sat down by his blazing fire, called
for pipe and ale; and, betwiXt the curl
ing whiAs from his only source of conso-
lation, he exclaimed passionately 81
would give myself to the Old One him
self to be as good-looking as that COL
founded cousin!" In his energy the
baron-who, it will soon be pretty evil
dent was something OF a simpleton--
spoke aloud; indeed he almost roared
out the words After the ejaculation, he
smoked on vigorously, every blast.like
puffgiving indi alton ofthe storm within
How long he sat absorbed in this OcCupa-
ton, it is impossible for us to say; but
certain it is that when ht laid down the
pipe, and the fumes around slowly tloated
away, he saw before him, to his great
surprise, an odd-looking parsonage, but
black all over, in countenance and
clothes. "You have been heard" said
this parsonage; Sign this paper, and by
tomorrow morning you shall be beauti-
full in the eyes of all the world, though
unchanged in your ownP
Stupifed-almost out of his senses-M.
de Cormann sat staring without motion.
"Signl" repeated the figure; 81 am never
invoked in vain, and you shall find my
words to hold goodW The thought of
Mademoiselle de Reischberg crossed the
baron's brain. Great was the tempta-
ton. He took the pen, and again hesi-
tated being in state of unspeakable
confusion of mind. Then, as if deter
mined not to trust himself with reAec-
tion, he hurredly signed the paper The
stranger lifted it, bowed, and then disap.
peared.
After this proceeding, which had taken
place so rapidly that the baron had had
scarcely time for connected thought, he
sat in silent dl eamy stupor through sew
,eral long hours. With strange feelings
he retired to bed, half afraid of the past,
and half eager for the dawn, that he
might prove the realty of the promised
metamolphosis. Morning broke, and the
baron arose. He dressed himself and
perceived no change in ms appearance;
but he had no sooner descended the
staircase than the reality of a change was
made manifest Two servants stood in
waiting, and the instant that they cast
eyes on their master, they started back in
great surprise. "Gracious powers how
much my lord is improved in looks
What a noble figure! How beautiful
countenancew The baron's heart beat
thick with exultation. He went out for
further proof, bending his course to the
mansion of NJ. de Reischberg, which was
close to his own. Two men met him,
and they also started to behold him.
'"How noble is my lords fgureW cried
one. "What charming countenanCe W
cried the other; surely he is much al
tered"
These, and such like calculations, con-
tirmed the baron in his impression of the
reality of the metamorphosis; and he
proceeded, without delay, to the house of
N. de Reischberg. Here the crowning
stroke was given to his striumph. Madem-
oisele de Reischberg appeared equally
surprised and enchanted with his form
and looks. She seemingly could not con-
ceal or restrain her admiration, and the
handsome cousin appeared to be driven
out of her thoughts at once by the new
and irresistible charms of his rival |
Striking while the iron was hot, the baron |
.entreated her to reward his long devo- |
tion by consenting to be his. The lady |
hesitated-the cousin seemed to pass, for |
a last time, across her thoughts; but the
baron pressed his request and the lady
gave her consent.
In passing homeward on that happy
day, the baron received additional though
superauous proofs of the change in his
looks, from the remal ks of various per-
sons who came in his way. When be-
fore his own fire, pipe and ale were
again called for to heighten the delight
ful cast of thebaron's ruminations. Long
he smoked, gazing on the blaze; but at
length he laid the pipe. Then did
he first become sensible of startling
fact. His sable visitor of the preceding
evening was again before him. "If you
fulfill the intention you now entertain of
leading Mademoisele de Reischberg to
the altar" said the stranger solemnly,
~you lciH die on itsstepS" AS he spoke be
disappeared.
The Baron de Cormann lay for long
time in swoon after this fearful an
nouncement When he regained his
senses, and could reflect on what had
passed, great was his vexation and greater
his terrors. He could not conceal from
himself the fact that since his visitor had
been able to fulfill one promise so ef-
fectualIy, the same being could not fail
to fulfill with equal certainty the menace
just made, or at least to fOresee the fu-
ture. He saw that the fiend, if fend it |
were, had "paltered with him in double
sense" but the evil was irremediable.
Preferring life to every other considera-
tion, the baron, ere long, took decisive
resolution He wrote to the Reischbergs,
announcing his altered intentions re-
specting marriage, and, ia short, declin-