Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-07-06


Sac has strange maiady,' said
he, 'the seat of which her physicians
cannot determine. She suffers
from the most inexplicable nervous
symptoms. Sometimes they declare
h i'll of heart disease, sometimes
OF a liver complaint, again of a
spinal trouble. Az present they
attribute Il TO the stomach-that
great motor ana regulator of the
body-this prOtean disease Of a
thousand forms, a thousand modes
of attack. tbs why we are here.
|, myself, think 1t her nerves. In
any case, it is very sad.'
Tnis reminded me of bis Ow1
Jerking bead.
1T may he hereditary says I;
'YOur own nerves are a little dis
turbed, are they not?'
Mines? he answered, TRANQUILITY.
Not at all; have always possessed
the cAlmest nerves. Then, sud
deuly, as if bethinking himself:
'F1r this touching his hand, lis
not nerves, but the result of a
shock, a terrible shock that | Suf.
fered once. Fancy IL, SIT; this
child of mine has been buried alivtr
could find nothing to say; I
was dumb with surprise.
Yes he continued, 'buried alive;
but hear the story; 1t Is not long.
For some time past Julietle had
seemed affected with a diSordered
action Of the heart. We were final.
L. certain that the trouble was
organic, and feared the worst. One
day 1t came; she was brought In
lifeless-dead. She had fallen
dead while walking in the garden.
PLY came IN haste, but moth
ing could be done, She was gone.
For t@O days aud two nights l
watched beside her myself, and
with my own hands placed her in
her cOf1in, which followed to the
cemetery and saw placed in the
family vault. This was in the
country, in tue province Of LOr
raine.
1T had been my wish, too, that
she should be buried in her jewels,
bracelets, necklace and rings, all
presents that l had given her, and
IN her first ball dress. You can
imagine, sir, the state of my heart
OF returning home. She was all
that had left; my wife had been
dead for many years. l returned,
IN truth, half mad, shut myself
alone ia my room aud fell into my
chair dazed, unable to move, mere.
ly a miserable, breathing wreck.
IS Jon my old valet, Prosper, who
had helped me place Juliette IN
her coffin AMI lay her away for
her last sleep, came 10 nOiselessly
to see ii be could not induce me TO
eat. | shook my head, answered
nothing. He persisted.
Monsieur is wrong; this will
make him i'll. Will monsieur al.
low me, then, to put him TO bed''
"NO no. l answered. Tst me
alone
'Hp yelled and withdrew.
'lIOw many hours passed l do
not know. What a night What
a night 1t was very cold; my fire
of logs had long since burned out
IN the great fireplace; and the wind,
a wintry blast, charged with an
icy frost, hOwled and screamed
about the house aud strained at my
windows with a curiOusly sinister
sound.
Long hours, say, rolled by. |
sat still where | had fallen, pros.
trated, overwhelmed; my eyes wide
open, but my body strengthless,
dead; my soul drowned in despair.
Suddenly the great bell gave
loud peal.
Il gave su ,h leap that my chair
cracked under me. The slow,
solemn soupd rang through the
empty house. | looked at the
clock.
1t was two In the morning.
Who could be coming at such an
houri
Twice again the bell pulled
sharply. The servants would never
hear it. / took up q candle and
made my way to the door. I was
about to demand: