Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-08-25
FRANKENSTEIN
Oh
THE MODERN PRoMETHEUs.
BY MRS. M. w. SHELLEY.
CHAPTER v.

Via l. A-AN y
ClervaI then put the following
letter into my hands =
"TO v. FRANKENsTEIN
"MY DEAR CoUsIN,-I cannot
describe to you the uneasiness we
have felt concerning your health.
We cannot help imagining that
YOUR friend Clerval cOnceals the eX.
tent of your disorder for it is now
several months since we have seen
your handwriting; and all this
time you have been obliged to die
tate your letters to Henry. Surely,
Victor, you must have been exceed
ingIy i'll; and this makes us all
very Wretched, as much SO nearly
as after the death of your dear
mother. My uncle was almost per-
suaded that you were indeed dan
gerousIy i'll, and could hardly be
restrained from undertaking a jour
new to Ingolstadt. Clerval always
writes that you are getting better /;
I eagerly hope that you will con-
firm this intelligence soon in your
own handwriting for, indeed, Vic
lOT, We are an HOi AhA2SA ""AS
this account. Relieve us from this
fear, and we shall be the happlest
creatures in the world. Your ia
theirs health is now so vigorous
that he appears ten years younger
since last winter. Ernest also is so
much improved that you would
hardly know him he is now near
ly sixteen. and has lost that sickly
appearance which he had some
years ago he is grown robust and
active.
"My uncle and / conversed long
time last night about what profes-
sion Ernest should follow. His con-
slant illness when young has de-
prived him of the habits OF appllca-
ton, and now that he enjoys good
health, he is continually i'll the open
air, climbing the hills, or rowing in
the lake. | therefore proposed that
he should be ii farmer, which you
know, cousin, is favorite scheme
of mine. a farmers is a very
healthy, happy life; and the least
hurtful, or rather the most benefi-
cial, profession of any. My uncle
had an idea of his being educated
as an advocate, that Through his
interest he might become d judge.
But, beside that he is not at all
fitted for such an occupation, 1T is
certainly more creditatle to culti-
vate the earth for the sustenance OF
man, than to be the cOntidant, and
sometimes the accOmplice, of his
vices, which is the profession OF a
lawyer. | said the emplOyments OF
a prosperous farmer, If they We're
not of a more honorable, they were
at least Il happier species OF occupa-
ton than that of judge, whose
misfortune ii was always to meddie
with the dark side OF human nature.
My uncle smiled and said that |
ought to be an advocate myself,
which put an end TO the eonVersa-
ton on that subject.
"And now | must tell you Il little
story that will please and perhaps
amuse you. Do you not remember
Justine Moritz? Probably you do
not; | will relate her history, there
fore, in a few words. Madame
MOritz, her mother, was Il widow
with four children, of whom Justine
was the third. This girl had always
been the faVOrite with her father;
but, through a strange perVerSlty,
her mother could not endure her,
and, after the death of NJ. MOritZ,
treated her very ill. My aunt OBJ
served this, and, when Justine was
twelve years of age, prevailed on
her mother to allow her TO live at
L, fNl is1c
tions of our country have produced
simpler and happier manners than
those which prevail i'll the great
mOnarchieS that surroundit. Hence
there is less distinction between the
several classes of its inhabitants
and the lower orders being neither
so poor nor so despised, their man
ners are more refined and moral.
\ servant in Geneva does not mean
the same thing as servant In
France or England. Justine, thus
received in our family, learned the
duties of IL servant, IL condition
which, in our fortunate country,
does not include the idea of igno-
rance, and Il sacrifice Of the dignity
of human being.
AIltI VIII l. HhNC bftAC
say you will remember the heroine
of my little tale; for Justine was
great favOrite of yours, and L recOl-
lect you once remarked, that il you
were in an i'll humor, one glance
from Justine could diSsipate it, for
the same reason that AriOstO gives
concerning the beauty of Angelica
she looked so frank hearted and
happy. My aunt conceived great
attachment for her, by which she
was induced to give her an educa-
ton superior to that which she had
ut first intended. This benefit was
fully repaid Justine was the most
grateful little creature in the world;
do not mean that she made any
professions, | never heard one pass
her lips !; but you could see by her
eyes that she almost adored her
protectress. Although her DISPOSE
ton was gay, and in many respects
incOnsiderate, yet she paid the
greatest attention to every gesture
OF my aunt. She thought her the
model of all excellence and endeav-
ored to initiate her phraseology and
manners, so that even now she often
reminds me OF her.
"When my dearest aunt died,
every one was too much occupied
to notice poor Justine, who had
attended her during her illness
with the mOst anxious affection.
Poor Justine was very i'll: but other
trials were reserved for her.
zone by one, her brothers and
sister died and her mother, with
the exception of her neglected
daughter, was left childless. The
conscience of the woman was troub-
led she began to think that the
deaths of her iayorites was judg-
nent fFom Heaven to ehastise se,sher
partiality. She was Roman Gath
olic, and ! believe her eonfessor con-