Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-08-25
WHOLE NO. 2,4SS.

ing, my friend, but with kindnes
and affection for those who low
you, and not with hatred for you
enemies.
"Your affectionate and afflicted
father,
ALPHoNsE FRANKENsTEIN.
GENEVA, May 18th, IT,"
CIerval, who had watched my
countenance as / read this letter
was surprised to observe the dispaii
that succeeded to the joy / ut first
expressed on receiving news from
my friends. | threw the letter on
the table, and covered my face with
my hands.
"My dear Frankenstein" OK.
claimed Henry, when he perceived
me weep with bitterness, 'are you
always to be unhappy? Ny dear
friend, what has happened?"
/ mOtioned him to take up the
letter, while walked up and down
the room in the EXTREMIST agitation
Tears also gushed FROM the eyes oi
Clerval, as he read the account of
my misfortune.
II can offer no consolation, my
friend" said he; "your disaster is
irreparable. What do you intent to
do 2"
"To go instantly to Geneva come
with me, Henry. to order the hors-
es."
During our walk, Clerval endeav-
ored to raise my spirits. lie did
not do this by common topics of
consolation. Those maxims of
the Stoics, that death was no evil
and that the mind of man ought to
be superior to despair on the etcr-
nal absence of beloved object,
ought not to be urged. Even Cato
wept over the dead body of his
brother. s4af
Clerval spoke thus as we hurried
through the streets; the words
impressed themselves on my mind,
and | remembered them AFTERWARDS
in my solitude. But now, as sorn
as the horses arrived, / hurried into
a cabriolet, and bid farewell to my
friend. 37 ili.lfW4t NTEfE M
My journey was very melancholy.
AT first wished to hurry on, for
longed to console and sympathize
with my loved and sOrrowing
friends but when / drew near my
native town, / slackened my pro-
gress. Icould hardly sustain the
multitude. of feelings that crowded
into my mind. / passed through
scenes familiar to my youth, but
which j had not seen for nearly six
years. How altered everything
might be during that time One
sudden and desolating change had
taken place but a thousand little
circumstances might have by de-
grees worked other alterations,
which, although they were done
more TRANQUILITY, might not be the
less decisive. Fear overcame me
/ dared not advance, dreading a
thousand nameless evils that made
me tremble, although was unable
to define them. 4 lalibt So
remained two days at Lausanne,
in this painful state of mind. 4
contemplated the lake; the waters
were placid all around was calm
and the snowy mountains, "the pal
aces of nature" were not changed.
By degrees the calm and heavenly
scene restored me, and i continued
my journey toward Geneva.
The road ran by the side of the
lake, which became narrower as |
approached my native town. i
discovered more distinctly the black
sides of Jura, and the bright
summit of Mont Blanc; 1 wept like
a child "Dear mountains ?my own
beautiful lake how do you welcome
your wanderer Your SUBMITS are
clear; the sky and lake. are blue and
placid. Is this to prOgnostieate
peace, or to mock at my happi-
ness ?''
Ifear, my friend, that l shall rem
der myself tedious by dwelling on
these preliminary circumstances
but they were days of comparative
happiness, and ! think OF them
with pleasure. My country, my
beloved country who but a native
caii tell the delight L took in again
beholding thy Streams, thy noun
tains, and, more than all, thy love
ly lake. "a.
Yet, as drew nearer home, grief
and fear again overcame me. Night
also closed around; and when l
could hardly see the dark noun
tains, felt, still more gloonlily.
The picture appeared II vast and
dim scene OF evil, and 1 foresaw
obscurely that l was destined to be-
come the most wretched of human
beings. Alas! i prophesied truly,
and failed only in one single cir
cumstance,-that,i in all the misery
imagined and dreaded, did not
the hundreth part OF the
that | was destined TO en-
dure. 50
1t was completely dark when
in the envirOus OF Geneva
the gates of the town were already
shut and / was obliged to pass the
night at Secheron, Village half a
league to the east of the city. The
sky WAS serene and, as Iwas una
BILE to rest, resolved TO visit the
spot where MY poor William had
been murdered. AS | could not
pass through the town l was OBJ
liged to cr0ss the lake in a boat to
arrive at Plainpala;s. uuring this
short voyage Isaw the lightnings
playing on the summit OF Mont
Blanc in the most beautiful figures.
The storm appeared to approach
and, ON landing, | ascen-
ded a low hill, that | might observe
its progress. 10 advanced the
heavens were clouded, and / soon
felt the rain coming slowly in large
drops, but its violence quickly In
creased. e--
Iguitted myiseat and walked on,
although the darkness and storm
increased every minute, and the
thunder burst with a terrific crash
over my head. 1t was echoed from
the Juras and the Alps Of
Savoy; vivid flashes of lightning
daZzled my eyes, illuminating the
lake, making it appear like vast
sheet Of fire; then for an instant
everything seemed Of "A pitchy dark
ness, until the eye recovered itself
from the preceding flash. The
storm, AS is often the case in Swift
erland, appeared at once in various
parts of the heavens. The most
violent storm hung exactly north Of
the town, over that part Qt The lake |
which lies between the prOnOptory
Of Belrive and the village OF Copet,
Storm enlightened Jura
with faint flashes and another dar-
kened aud sometimes disclosed the
Male, q peaked mountain to the
east of the lake.
While watched the storm, so
hpaiitiflll vet terrific / wandered on