The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-05-01

the hellish thing paused at the foot of a
great beech tree. The white light expand
cd into blush radiance, and lighted up
a grinning skeleton The bones fell to-
gether with an unearthly rattle, the hide
GUS light uppermost, then the earth open
ed to receive it, There was a strange, hiss
ing noise, and smell of sulphur.
I'VE stood petrified, dazed with horror.
Then suddenly, with the face of the dead,
Elaine darted forward and threw the full
light of the lantern upon the fated spot.
In little hollow, between the roots of the
tree, lay an object She picked it up; it
was q wide leather belt. She neither
spOke-not an exclamation. 1t was q hor-
ror too deep for words She gave me the
lantern, and clasped the belt tightly, sped
homeward. She paused st the threshold,
and in vuiverIng accents said; .--.
Come in, Richard /; let us see what we
have found
I'm the parlor Mrs. Legere sat reading.
She looked up with quiet smile as we en-
tered, which changed to alarm as she saw
Elaine's face.
my child, my child, are you i'll ~
mo, mother; Richard aud have been
over in the woods, and IL found this.
Let US examine it."
She threw off her wrappings. and re-
moving the books from the centre-table,
she laid the belt upon it. 1t was moldy
with age and exposure 1t was very broad
and heavy, and securely put together. /
took a strong knife and cut it open. A
stream of gold dust rushed out and made a
shining heap upon the table, and q slip of
yellow paper fell with it. All started back
In uncomfortable horror from this myste-
rious message from departed spirit.
Then, with fear blanched lips and burning
eyes, Elaine picked up the accursed pa
per. As she did so the gay flowers fell
from her breast and hair upon the gold
the offering of her bright life to the demon
of revenge. We all felt an impending
doom. We started as Elaine said, lis
ten." Then, in a tone of supernatural
compoeure, she read that decree of fate.
Every word is branded with the fires of
perdition into my soul. And she was like
the sybil at the oracle as she read. 1t was
thus:
'rr1f.ras ss... October 10, 1873.
my DEAR WIFE:-I sight of home, in
this deep wood, my villainous comrade
Richard Armstrong : has taken advantage
of me; murdered me, and ran off with my
bag of gold. OF this belt he did not know,
He left me for dead but Heaven revived
my strength that might record his treach.
cry. And may my blood call to God fol
vengeance, and His curse rest on him and
my love, Elaine. My spirit will never
rest until bring you to this spot.
ADOLPHE LBGERE"
30, Richard! Richardp moaned my
poor Elaine, in mortal agony, and reaching
out two grasping hands to me, she fell for
ward on her face. Distracted with grief
her mother and watched beside our strick
en- darling: but we knew that death claim
ed her, Her beautiful black eyes wert
wide and CLASSY and staring, and her hands
clenched and rigid. She walked from tha
swoon, only to lie with crazed moanings
till the morning af the third day dawned
i and then her soul fluttered away to joir
the throng of the invisible" ~.
| With a groan Of unutterable anguish the
wretched man bowed his head in hi,
hands.
40, merciful God" he cried. what ,
price was paid for that foul deed, so dark
1y done in that far off past! Why could i
not rest? Surely the expiation of tn,
crime fell as heavily upon the daughter o
the victim as upon the son of the murder
er." .,t.f t.-..t-ff--.. .rs ec tsr
/, Presently he grew calm.
There is little more to tell. In thre'
weeks after Elaine's death, her mothe
slept in the churchyard beside her, an(
the inexorable spirit of Adolphe Leger'
was at rest. Upon me, as should be, fel
the burden of the curse. From that day
by my own will. have been an outcast,
murderer in many lands with fire in m,
heart and the brand of Cain ON my brow
! / was fascinated to come here once NOR,
before leaving the United States forever
have strangely met you here, sir, anS
have been moved to tell you my fearfu
history. for think that even the damned
must want some sympathy"
| Human words fail in consolation in sucl
cases. l pressed his cold hand warmly il
my own, and giving him my card, sait
simply:
May God keep you, sir, and if you Cal
| ever care for friend, come to TO see me.
Then silently and reverently passing out
| I left him alone in his sorrow.