Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-08-21

bowels of the earth. At length, an end
being put to this mysterious descent, he
! found breath to inquire of his compan-
ion, who was still beside him, where
am /? Where are you taking me? he
exclaimed. TO hell y replied the stran-
ger, and Immediately interminable ech-
oes repeated the fearful sound, TO hell!
| To hell.'
"At length a light appeared. which
soon increased to blaze; but instead
eff the cries and groans and lamentinss
the terrified traveller expected, nothing
met his ear but sounds of music, mirth
and jollity, aLd he found himself at the
entrance of superb building, far ex-
ceeding any he had seen constructed by
human hands. Within, too. what a
scene. No amusement, no employment
or pursuit of man upon the earth, but
was here carried on with vehemence
that excited his utter amaZement. There
the young and lovely still swan through
the mazes of the giddy dance. There the
painting steed still bore his brutal rider
through the excitement of the goaded
race. There, over the midnight bowl,
the Incorporate still 2rawled out the
wanton song or maudlin blaSphemy.
The gambler piled forever his endless
! game, aud the slaves of Mammon toiied
through the eternity ut their bitter task,
while all the magnificence of earth
paled before that which now met his
view. lie soon perceived that he was
among former acquaintances whom he
knew to be dead, and each, he observed,
was pursuing the object, whatever twas,
that had formerly engrossed him; when
finding himself relieved of the presence
of his conductor, he ventured TO address
his former friend, Mrs. D., whom he
saw sitting, as had been her wont on
earth, absorbed at loo. requesting her
to rest from the game and Introduce
him to the pleasures of the place, which
appeared to him to be very unlike what
he had expected, and, indeed, very
agreeable one.
"But with cry of agony, she an
swered that there was no rest in hell;
that they must ever toll or at those very
pleasures, and innumerable voices cch-
oed through the interminablc vaults;
There is no rest ia hell whilst,
throwing up their vests, each disclosed
in his bosom an ever burning name.
These, they said, were the pleasures OF
| hell their choice on earth was now
their inevitable doom. In the midst Of
the horror this scene inspired, his con-
ductor returned and, at his earnest en-
treaty, restored him again to earth;
but, rs he quilted him, ho said: Re
member, in year and day we meet
againn At tn is crisis of his dream the
sleeper awoke ieverish aud i'll; and
whether fr ON the effects of the dream
or of his preceding orgies, lie was so
unwell as to be obliged TO keep his bed
for several days, during which period
he had time for many serious reflections,
which terminated in resolution TO
abandon the club and his llcentlous
companions altogether.
"He was no sooner we'll, however,
than they hocked round him, bent on
recovering so valuable member of
their society; and having wrnng from
him confession of the cause Of his de-
fection, which, as may be supposed, APP
peared to them eminently ridiculous,
they soon contrived to make him asham-
ed of his good resolutions. lie joined
them again, resumed his former course
of life, and when the annual SatuTnalia
came round, found himself with his
glass In his hand, at the table, when the
President rising to make his accustomed
speech, began by saying: Gentlemen,
this being leap year, it Is year and
day since our last anniversary etc.,
etc. The words struck upon the young
mans ear like a knell; but ashamed to
expose his weakness to the ieers Of his
companions, he sat out the feast, ply
ing himself with wine even more liber-
ally than usual, in order to drown bis
intrusive thoughts, till in the gloom Of
a winters morning he mounted his
horse to ride home. Some hours after
the horse was found with his saddle and
bride on, quietly waiting by the road
side, about half way between the city
and Mr.. Archibald's house, while few
yards of lay the corpse Of his rider"