The Mt. Sterling advocate., 1914-08-26


the events OF the future. not in them
selves. but in their results. | shudder
at the thought OF any. even the most
trivial Incident. which may operate
upon this intolerable agitation OF soul.
l have indeed no adherence Of danger
except in its absolute effect-in terror.
In this unnerved, In this pitiable condi-
ton, feel that the period Will sooner
or later arrive when I must abandon
life and reason together In some strug-
gle with the grim phantasm-fear."
learned. moreover. at intervals
and through broken and equivocal
hints, that he was enchained by certain
superstitious impressions in regard to
the dwelling which he tenanted and
whence. for many years. he had never
ventured forth.
He admitted. however, although
with hesitation. that much of the pc
culiar gloom which thus afflicted him
could be traced to a more natural and
far more palpable origin. to the severe
and long continued illness-indeed. to
the evidently approaching dissolution
Of a tenderly beloved sister. his sole
companion for long years. his last and
only relative on earth Her decease."
he said with a bitterness which ! can
never forget. would leave him-him
the hopeless and the frail-the last of
the ancient race Of the Ushers." While
he spoke the Lady Madeline-for so
she was called, passed slowly through
a remote portion Of the apartment. and
without having noticed my presence.
disappeared. | regarded her with an
utter astonishment not unmingled with
dread. and yet found it impossible
to account for such feelings. A sensa
ton Of stupor oppressed me. as my
eyes followed her retreating steps.
The disease Of the Lady Madeline had
long baffled the skill of her physicians.
A settled apathy. a gradual wasting
away of the person and frequent al
though transient affections of a par.
tally cataleptical character, were the
unusual diagnoses Hitherto she had
steadily borne up against the pressure
of her malady, and had not betaken
herself finally to bed: but Oh the clos
ing in of the evening of my arrival
at the house. she succumbed (as her
brother told me at night with mex
pressible agitationl to the prostrating
power of the destroyer. and | learned
that the glimpse | had obtained of her
person would thus probably be the last
l should Obtain-that the lady. at least
while living. would be seen by ME no
more.
For several days ensuing her name
was unmentiOned by either Usher or
myself and during this period ] was
busted in earnest eudeavorS to allevi-
ate the melancholy of my friend. We
painted and read together. or | listen
ed as If in Il dream to the wild imprO-
vizations to his speaking guitar.
shall ever bear about me a memory
of the many solemn hours | thus spent
alone with the master of the house Of
Usher Yet | should fail in any at
tempt to convey an idea of the exact
character of the studies or of the oc-
| cupations in which he involved me or
led me the way. An excited and high
ly distempered ideality threw sui
| phurous luster over all
One of the phantasmagoric concep-
tions of my friend, partaking not so
rigidly of the spirit of abstraction, may
be shadOwed forth. although feebly. in
words A small picture presented the
interior of an immensely long and rec
| tangular vault or tunnel. with low
walls, smooth. white and without in.
terruption or device. Certain acces.
sorry points of the design served well
to convey the idea that this excavation
lay at an exceeding depth below the
surface of the earth No outlet was
observed in any portion of its vast ex-
tent. and no torch or other artificial
source of light was discernibe. Yet Il
food of intense rays rolled throughout
and bathed the whole in ghastly and
inappropriate splendor.
The words of his wild fantasias GfoI
he not infrequently accompanied him
self on the guitar with improvisationsI
were the result of that intense col
lectedneSs and concentration to which
have previously alluded as Observa
BILE only in particular moments Of the
highest artificial excitement. The
words of one of these rhapsodes
have easily remembered. was per
haps the more forciby impressed with
it AS he gave it, because in the under
or mystic current nf its meaning | fan
cied that / perceived and for the first
time. ful, consriuuSuesS on the part
Of Usher ~ rlt lettering ot his lofty
reason "I, "a G,r throne. The verses
which H"r ,Il'itlrd The Haunted
Palace. .".n c"io nearly if NOT accn
ratni, Fh"-
| In ;.,- .'.r .. 81 uur valleys
| f., -Yat au e." - ic'riuted
| Oncr 70 e D.. ''l -tllely palace
| Rao rr. p.Y.-r-rearcd its head.
IN tU,. .iulr ia Thoughts dominion
| II stout O. ~
| Never scrap" spread pinion
over fabric nIlf So falr