Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1894-01-05

Of it, and Valette saw, with horror and
regret, the misery they had suffered
that he might be furnished with the
means of extravaganza.
"Had l imagined" he exclaimed,
"that my unsatisfactory pleasures
would have cost so dear, l would long
since have retired from Paris. / shall
return to my estate Immediately, that
my children may learn to relish its
tranquil pleasures. "
NJ Valette no sooner returned to
Paris than he communicated his reso-
luton to his wife. Nine. Valette, hav
ing accomplished the principal object
of her residence in Paris-the educa-
tion of her family assented with
pleasure to return, and in little more
than year they found themselves
again in the chateau of their an
cestors.
About eight years after their return
from Paris, the family mansion de-
manding repairs, they found it neces-
sary to remove for some time to Mar
seilles, where they resided in the
house of M. Danville, the father of
Nine. Valette.
Time had effaced the impression of
his dream from the mind of Valette
Sitting one night after supper i'll the
midst of his family, loud and sud
den knocking was heard at the gate;
but when the servant went to open it,
he found nobody without. After
short interval the same loud knocking
was again heard, and one of Valette's
sons accompanied the servant to the
gate to see who demanded admittance
at so unreasonable IN hour. To their
astonishment no one WAS to be seen
there. A third time the knocking was
repeated, still louder and louder, and
sudden thought darted across the
mind of Valette.
81 will go to the gate myself, said
he; 81 believe l know who it is that
knocks
His presentiment was too truly re-
allied AS he opened the gate LIE
Brun appeared, and whispered to him
that next night at the same time-for
it was now the twelfth hour-he must
prepare himself to leave the world.
Then, waving his hand as if to bid
sdieu, lie Brun disappeared.
M. Valette returned, ghastly as the
phantom he had seen, to the family
circle; and, upon their anxious and
urgent inquiries rs to the cause of his
uneasiness, related for the first time
the incident of the dream and the
promised warning he had just received.
sudden gloom and melancholy was
spread over the faces of all present.
Nine Valette threw her arms round
the neck of her husband and embraced
him with tears M. Danville, how
ever, obstinatelv dsolered his incred-
ulity, and considered the whole as one
of those unaccountable illusions to
which even the strongest minds are
sometimes liable. He declared his
son-in-law must be the victim of
some delusion, and, although he could
not account for his dream, said that
this last vision must be mere imagina-
ton.
No sooner had NJ Valette retired to
his apartment than NJ. Danville en-
deavored to impress the same opinion
on the family of his son-inlaw. APP
prehensive lest the very presentiment
of the event might occasion it, or at
least be attended by disagreeable con-
sequence, he thought of device
which, as Mayor of the city. it was N
his power easily to accomplish. This
was to cause al, the clocks of Mar
seilles to be put forward one hour,
that they might strike the predicted
hour of twelve Eexs night VIXEN it
should be only eleven; SO that wheI
the time set by the ghost should be
believed by Valette to have passed
over without any event supervening,
he might be persuaded to give up the
fancies with which he was so deeply
impressed
Next day the unhappy Valette made
every effort to arrange his worldly af-
fairs, had his will executed in due
legal form, received the sacrament,
and prepared himself for the awful
event he anticipated The evening APP
preached. From large open window
which looked into beautiful garden,
he saw the sun go down, as he believed,
for the last time.
The lamps we're now lighted in the
hall, and he sat in the midst of his
family and partook of the last supper
which, he believed, he was to eat upon
earth. The clocks of Marseilles tolled
the eleventh hour.
"My dearest Marie, said he to Nine
Valette, 81 have now only one hour
to live. There is but one hour be-
twixt me and eternity"
1t approached. There was an un-
usual silence in the company. The
twelfth hour struck, when, rising up,
he exclaimed:
'Heaven have mercy on me! My
time is come"
He heard the hour distinctly rung
out by all the bells in Marseilles.
The Angel of Death, - said he, ''de
lays his coming. Could all have been
a delusion? No, it is impossible !"
''The ghost, said M. Danville, in a
tone of irony, ''has deceived you. He
is lying prophet. Are you not yet
safe? The whole thing is the illusion
of an unhealthy imagination. You
should Danish, my friend, thought
which so completely overwhelms you. +"
''Wel, reioined Valette, Goods
will be done! | shall retire to my
chamber and spend the night in CRATE
/ full prayer for SO signal deliver