Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-10-09
THE EMBALMED HEART.

One evening poor phys clan sat in
his room in Florence, wishing that some
Christian soul would have pity upon his
meagerlY filed purse and fall i'll where
he should be forced to take the case in
charge. Not the smallest accident or
the most trifing sickness had come into
his hands in weeks, and starvation was
staring him in the face. At this moment
man wrapped in dark mantle glided
into his room, addressing me-for who
write am the haro ofmy story-by name:
81 need your assistance, DOCTOR" he
said, in an agitated whisper, ''not for
the living but for the dead. Ny sister,
who came here with me on o visit to
some relatives from our home in for
eign country, has just died, and before
interring her remains in this strange land
l desire, according to the custom of our
family, TO carry away with me her en-
balmed heart, that so much at least of
our beloved one may repose among the
ashes of our kindred. My mission is to
ask if you will assist me in this painful
duty. 1t is necessary that it be done at
night, and quietly, since we do not wish
to start the tongues of the gossips, or to
allow the servants of the house to become
aware of it. Here is the certificate OF
her death signed by her regular physi
clan, and as an earnest of my willingness
to make the visit worth your while, al
low me to lay this purse Of gold upon
your table"
Seeing the glimmer of the large,
bright pieces in the flames of my expir-
ing lamp, l could no longer hesitate.
Beside the straightforward manliness of
my visitor and his evident emotion quite
won my sympathy. followed him, and
after long walk-during the latter part
of which | consented to be led blind
folded-we stopped at the small SIDE
gate of large and stately palace Open
ing this, we assembled in the dark a
winding staircase, emerging in dimly
lighted corridor Preceding me with
noiseless footsteps, the stranger touched
the spring of a secret door, which, fly
ing back, revealed a lofty chamber
lighted by silver lamp swinging be-
tween marble columns. Here on low
couch lay the body of a beautiful young
girl.
"You will excuse my personal attend
ance, DOCTOR said my guide, turning
away his face as if to conceal his tears
'lt is more than can BEAR and | shall
wait without until your task is fin
ished p"
After brief examination of my sub
ject, who lay as if disposed for burial,
and noting with interest the fact of her
extreme youth and beauty, prepared
to make an incision in the region or
the heart. Quickly, but less skillfully
than usual, l plunged my long, sharp
knife into her breast--when, horror un.
speakable the dead girl stirred,
opened a pair of dark, imp oring eyes,
moaned once, as the blood gushed in Il
current over the bed, and then lay mo
tionless as when | had seen her first. So
completely did this circumstance unnerve
me that my hand was paralyzed. Evi-
IDENTITY the case had been one of sus-
pended animation, and the hand that
might have rescued the poor girl from
the jaws of death had but served to hurl
her into them. Dizzy and despairing,
cursing the poverty that led me to accept
thio luCal COMMISSION, uOJ udlllS " lUDh
a second time at my victim upon her
blood stained bier, | dashed my knife
upon the floor and fed. The door opened
easily, but my visitor was nowhere to be
seen. My wish now was to avoid him,
and | rushed headlong down the long
stone staircase into the courtyard into
the street, believing the stars above a
thousand watchers sat there to taunt me.
How finally reached home know not,
but when | found myself once more in
the quiet of my poor room, everything
as l had left it, books in theil
places, the cat purring, my moth.
| er's picture looking at me with a
smile from the frame above my bed,
felt as if had been wandering like Cain
with mark upon my brow during a
century of woe. Throwing myself upon
my couch, l hid my face in my pillow,
trying to shut out the look of her dying
eyes. Not until the day broke did fall
in a tortured sleep, awakening from
which toward midday with start
tried to persuade myself that the event
of the night was nothing but a dream
But there in the drawer, where l haC
! locked them on going out, were the got
nieces, silent but eloquent reminder o.