The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-04-03

| NE ..svi..s % the luttIre. 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. l feel that the period will sooner
or later arrive when | must aba ndon
life and reason together in some strug
gle with the grim phantasm-fear.'
learned. moreover at intervals
and through broken and equivocal
hints. TINT he waS enchhined 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 p;ilIIable origin. to the severe
and long continued Unrestricted. to
the evidently approaching dissolution
OF tenderly beloved sister. his sole
companion for long years. his last and
only relative ON earth Her decease."
lie 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 establishment not unmingled with
dread. and yet | found it impossible
to account for such feelings. sensa-
ton of stupor oppressed me. as my
eyes followed her retreating steps.
The disease of the Lady Madeline had
long baff1ed the skill of her physicians.
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 |
at the house, she Succumbed (as her |
brother told me at night with mex |
pressible agitation to the prostrating |
power of the destroyer. and | learned |
that the glimpse | had obtained Of her |
person would thus probably be the last |
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 endeavors to allevi-
ate the melancholy of my friend. We
painted and read together. or l listen
ed as if in Il dream to the wild impro-
VIA tons 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 a sui
phurous luster over all.
One of the phantasmagoric concep
tons 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 iii immensely long and rec
tangular vault or tunnel, with low
walls. smooth. white and without in
corruption or device. Certain aces
sorry points of the design served well
to convey the idea that this exca walton
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
food of intense rays rolled throughout
and bathed the whole in a CHASTITY and
splendor.
The words Of his wild fantasies (for
he not infrequently accompanied him
self on the guitar with improvisationsl
were the result of that intense col
ectedness 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 rhapsodies
have easily remembered. l 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 l perceived. and for the first
time. full consciousness on the part
Of Usher of the lettering of his lofty
reason upon her throne. The verses.
which were entitled THE Haunted
Palace" ran very nearly if not accu-
-ately thus:
In the greenest of our valleys
BY good angels tenanted
Once a fair and stately palace
Radiant palace-reared it's head.
n the monarch Thoughts dominion
1t stood there.
Never seraph spread a pinion
Over fabric half so fair.