Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-07-01

Zintha's brother. They know each other
in the old country"
81 will ask Frederika about her. Will
you come again tomorrow ?''
eyes, l will wait until then. But it will
seem very long until get tidings from my
Zintha r'
| I felt panied to keep the honest fellow
from hearing from Frederika's lips the as
surance for which his heart longed; but the
thought of Frederika's face as she had fled
away, made me certain that had best send
him away until had first talked with her.
After he had gone, went to Frederika' s
upon the edge of chair. Her face, no
longer white, but looking as though the
blood was ready to burst from her crimson
cheeks, was full of anxious expectation, and
I her eyes looked as though they belonged to
some animal at bay.
She clasped her hands and exclaimed,
with wild vehemence:
"Don't tell him am here! He has come
for her Oh, what shall I tell him ?''
'The truth, Frederika,'' said, trying to
Ispeak lightly. SIT isn't anything SO hard,
is it, to tell young man where to find his
sweetheart ?''
30, if L could tell him-if 1 could only
send him to her! But that can only be when
the sea gives up it's dead % and her voice
rose into a wild scream, which made the
blood curdle in my veins.
"Calm yourself, Frederika. It is sad
thing to tell him if his promised wife has
been buried at sea, butyou are not RESPONSE
BILE for it,
"That is all you know about it r' she be-
gan with savage earnestness. Then, with
a sudden furtive look at me she said: sBut
of course he cannot blame me unless had
killed her."
| But here she broke down and threw her.
3self upon the bed, sobbing and moaning as
though her heart would break.
"Hadn't you best send for the priest,
ima'a ?" whispered Katy in my ear. She
}had, unperceived, followed on after me,
thinking, she said afterwards, that was
lputting myself in danger by going near
Frederika. II don't like to tell tales on
her, but she runs on that way all the night,
and it's myself thinks she needs to confess
to the priest.''
'1s she Catholic, Katy ?''
Eyes, ma am, that she is. But she's a
mighty bad one, Notwithstanding she tells
her beads by the hour. She never goes to
confession
s'Then 60 at once for your own priest,
Katy" l whispered.
'tNot for the world, till the master comes.
She might 60 crazy and kill you dead at her
feet and sure it's best to have her alone
entirely the while. She'll get over the turn
all the sooner if no one is with her. I've
seen her worse than this"
Convinced that Katy's advice was sensi-
| BILE, went down stairs again. But my
peace of mind had been exercised for the
day, and as to that. for many days. For
! Frodnrilro nay1fr vi mod apd ha1 fn ha
carried from the house in strait: jacket.
/ Fortunately she did no harm to any Of us
in her frenzy. But we all sympathised SO
deepay in her affliction that it cast shadow
over our hitherto sunny household.
Zintha's betrothed husband came again
for news of her, and was much troubled by
what told him.
81 should think my Zintha had come to
some harm through Frederika," he said, af-
ter few moments thought, Shut she was
SO good and winning that no one could
have felt angry at her! And as to Frederi-
ka, though she was always a little strange
and moody, don't believe she would have
hurt chicken, far less one who had never
done her any harm" "
"Could Zintha have made her jealous by
her beauty and gentleness ?'' I asked
! Herman flushed to the roots of his curly
haxen hair.
sour families once made some talk of
marrying Frsderika to me, The said. ''But
I was in love with Zintha. So the PROPOSE
| ton fell through"
This was the key to the mystery. Fred
erika had been scorned by her handsome
young countryman, and, perhaps, finding
her rival in her power, had taken swift
revenge.
/ Poor Zintha! trusted to cross the wide
ocean with woman who knew her to be the
cause of her blighted hopes! What had
been her fate?
went with Herman to Castle Garden,
thinking to ease his mind by making en-
quiries myself
| l was met with the intelligence that they
knew nothing whatever about person Of
that name. But while talking with the
gentlemanly superintendent, group OF new
corners made their appearance from ship
which had just come into port.
Herman, looking downcast enough, had
stood beside me and had heard the dis
couraging reply to my question. He glanc-
ed up mechanically as the strangers enter
ed, and then with wild exclamation Of joy,
darted towards a young girl who formed
one Of the gronp.
"Oh, my Zintha I thought to never,
never see you more Where is it you have
been?"
81 have been near my death, Hermann
was Zintha's answer. ''But for the good
God, and for these kind people, should
now be lying white and still at the bottom
of the ocean All, have such a dreadful
thing to tell yon. Frederika pushed me
over the side Of the vessel. She meant to
drown mev'
"The wicked Frederika!'' exclaimed Herr
man, stamping his foot. 81 will take the
law on her!'
''Her sin has already found her OUT" I
said solemnly. ''She is in mad-house. l
did not tell you all she said, Herman, be-
cause thought it best to learn the truth
about Zintha, before alarming you about the
wild talks of having committed crime"
sit is now clear to me why the once kind
Frederika tried to kill me! She was not in
her right mind, and have always heard
that crazy one turns against those she has
best loved"
This explanation came from Zintha, and
as it was as satisfactory to Herman as it
was to herself, I thought it best to let them
remain undeceived as to Frederika's true
motive, or, at least, what l thought it to be.
Herman was well-to-do, and he was mar
ried to Zintha within the month. felt a
great interest in the two so nearly lost to
each other, and went with them to select
their furniture for the neat home they were
to dwell in, and where they have lived hap
PLY ever since.
Poor Frederika regained her senses, but
she was in dying condition. She sent for
me to come to her, and made full confess
sion.
As had expected, love and jealously had
driven her to it, and not being naturally a
wicked girl, the thought of what she had
done in that moment of passionate impulse
had so preyed upon her mind as to craze
her.
I shall never forget the look Of peace
which came to her when told her of Zintha' 8
almost miraculous rescue at the hands OF
some sailors who had been obliged to aban-
don their sinking ship, and whose boat had
CHANGED to be drifting near the spot where
she had been pushed overheard.
ssGod has been good to me. sinner. l
can die in peace" she said. "These hands
are no longer stained with blood"
s.The dynamite of civilization is what
ex- Governor Long, of Massachusetts,, calls
- Il