The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1882-08-31
THE MANIAC CHEMIST,

VA may, 1000, ana arriving at the house
OF my friend, Richard Carver, found q
piece OF Grape tied to the knocker.
"Who is deadP' was my mental
question, as, hesitating not, opened
the door and entered the parlor, where
1 found Mr.. Carver and his wife sobbing
as though their hearts were breaking.
Mine was a silent greeting, and soon
learned the cause Of my friends distress
-Carlotta, their only child, lay shrouded
for the tomb in the room over my head.
She had died the evening preceding
my arrival, of strange disease, after
an illness of q few short hours Alive
In the morning-laughing at the break
fast table; but at night dead-her sim
less soul in the haven of eternal rest.
With slow steps I accompanied the
grief-stricken father up stairs, and we
stood by the coffin which contained the
form of his beloved Carlotta She
looked very beautiful, even in the sleep
of death-her face wore a smile as If
given in response to the beckonings of
angels. Her golden hair lay upon her
white-robed breast, crossed by her
snow-white hands. laid my hand
upon the beautiful tresses. inwardly
wishing that might become the posses
sor of one.
divining my thoughts, stopped, severed
one of the locks Of the lovely dead, and
placed it in my hand.
Mark" he said. 81 am about to ask
OF you favor" here he brushed the
years from his eyes. "Some one must
watch tonight. and wish that you per-
form that duty-you were friend to
poor Carlotta."
told him accepted the trust. He
thanked me, and covering the cold
face again. we rejoined his agonized
wife below. Time passed gloomily
enough till nightfall, when, taking sew
eral books and q lamp, / made my way
20 the chamber of death After look
ing upon the face Of Carlotta, set the
lamp upon the table and seated myself
near it.
soon found that tie books I had
brought along were uninterestinp-I
had taken them at random from the
parlor table-and that they would not
keep me awake. / laid them aside,
and picking up the lamp, began search
ing the room for others. On the top
most shelf of a clothes-press l encount-
cred a volume entitled Philosophy of
Life. Death and Immortality and
with 1t resumed my seat. Upon the
hy-leaf of the book / saw in delicate let
tiers the name Of her who was so near me
and SO still. and resolved to read the
book for her sake. Soon l was deeply
interested, and page after page my eyes
devoured.
By-and-by / heard footsteps in the
hall, and knew my sorrowing friends
were seeking their room for the pur
pose of retiring. At last I read the
last Sonfnppa nf tho old uo1,,n,o 1lo,oI
it, and fell back in the rocking chair in
sort of dozc. / was only in q semi
unconscious state, for heard the rattle
of vehicles over the stony streets, and
the loud voices of those going home
ward from the theaters. Before closing
my eyes | had turned the light low, and
objects in the room were thereby rem
dered somewhat indistinct.
l cannot say how long remained in
my lethargic sleep, when heard steps
ascending the stairs. The footsteps
were those of some one divested OF
shoes. reused myself and listened.
The steps approached.
80, tits only Mr.. or Mrs. Carver
coming to take a longing look Mt Car.
and move easily so as not to disturb
me-"
Presently the door opened and the
person entered the room By the dim
light l saw the outlines of O man. He
went over to the coffin audi began to lift
Carlotta from it.
The body was partially lifted from
the coffin, when | turned the light up
and it flashed upon the intruder. The
dead fell from his arms and he stood
erect. He was not Mr.. Carver, but a
stranger to my sig ght. He was nearly
as tall as I, and his arms told me that
he had the strength OF the Nemean
lion. His hair was brushed behind his
ears, and his eyes-oh, those dark,
flashing Orbs--told me that I faced a
madman. l trembled rs the truth
flashed upon my brain. I was alone
and unarmed with the dead and the in
sane, and in afl probability 1 would
have to fight the latter for the former.
In vain ] tried to look those eyes
down-they continued TO glare into
mine. Then I thought l might calm
the madman by words.
This Is beautiful night, my friend"
/ began, trying to carry his thoughts
away from the dead.
"Yes; the stars shine like her eyes
did once" and he pointed to poor Car
lotta.
was at a loss how to proceed. The
next moment he strode forward and
cried
But she is dead. They killed her
because they hated her. She shall be
mine though, for all that. 1 POSSESS a
liquid that can bring the dead to. life.
The liquid was sent to me from the
spirit land beyond the gravo;r the
angels--those who hurled Satan over
the battlements of Heaven--brougbt it
to me a, thousand years ago. I will re-
store life to my Carlotta, and then the
angels of Heaven nor tho fiends of
hades cannot tear her from me. defy
them" ~
He again turned to the coffin ana laid
his hands upon the dead.
"IIet them bury her." I said. softly
as 1 could, Then she will come and
live with you forever. will watch and
coo that M oOa harms her 0aDayt fo