The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1914-08-06

at the thought Of any, even the most
trivial incident, which may operate
upon this intolerable agitation Of soul.
I 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 unclaimed 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 more natural and
far more palpable origin, to the severe
and long continued Unrestricted, 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 I 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. I regarded her with an
utter establishment not unmingled with
dread, and yet I 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 baft1ed the skill of her physicians.
A settled apathy, 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. on the clos
ing in Of the evening of my arrival
brother told me at night with mex
pressible agitation) to the prostrating
power of the destroyer, and 1 learned
| that the glimpse I had obtained of her
person would thus probably be the last
I 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 I was
busted in earnest endeavors to allevi-
ate the melancholy of my friend. We
painted and read together, or 1 listen
ed as if in Il dream to the wild impro-
vizations to his speaking guitar.
shall ever bear about me memory
of the many solemn hours thus spent
alone with the master of the house Of
Usher. Yet I should fail in any at
| character of the studies or Of the &C.
equations 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 phantasmag oric concep-
! tions of my friend, partaking not so
rigidly of the spirit Of abstraction, may
be Swallowed 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 Access
sorry points of the design served we'll
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 it's vast ex-
tent, and no torch or other artificial
source of light was discernible Yet a
| flood of intense rays rolled throughout
and bathed the whole in CHASTITY and
| inappropriate splendor.
The words of his wild fantasies fol
he not infreQuently accompanied him.
self on the guitar with improvisations)
were the result Of that intense col
lectedness and concentration to which
1 have previously alluded as observa-
BILE only in particular moments Of the
highest artificial excitement. The
words Of one of these rhapsodies
have easily remembered. I was per
haps the more forcibly impressed with
it as he gave it, because in the under
or mystic current of it's meaning fan
cied that 1 perceived, and for the first
time, full consciousness on the part
of Usher OF the tottering of his lofty
reason upon her throne. The verses
which were entitled 'The Haunted
Palace" ran very nearly if not accu
rately thus:
In the greenest of our valleys
By good angels tenanted
Once fair and stately palace
Radiant palace-reared it's head.
| IN the monarch Thoughts dominion
It stood there.
! Never seraph spread a pinion
Over fabric half so fair.
Banners yellow, glorious, golden
On it's roof did float and flow
(This, all this. was in the olden
Time long ago.,
And every gentle air that dallied
In that sweet day ~.