The Irish standard., 1915-05-08

could be traced to a more natural and
far more palpable origin, to the severe
and long continued Unrestricted, to
the evidently approaching dissolution
Of tenderly beloved sister. his sole
for long years, his last and
only relative on earth. "Her deceuse,"
he said with 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
regarded her with an
utter establishment not unmingled with
dread, and yet found it impossible
to account for such feelings. A sensa-
ton of stupor oppressed me, us my
eyes followed her retreating steps.
The disease Of the Lady Madeline had
long bafaed the skill Of her physicians.
A settled apathy, gradual wasting
away Of the person and frequent al
though transient affections of par
italy 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 l learned
that the glimpse 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 l was
busted In earnest endeavors to allevi-
ate the melancholy Of my friend. We
painted and read together. or listen
ed as II in dream to the wild impro.
vizations to his speaking guitar.
I 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
tempt to convey an idea of the exact
character of the studies or of the oc.
equations in which he involved me o,
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 81
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 well
to convey the idea that this excavation
lay at an exceeding depth below thu
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 discernible. Yet {,
flood Of intense rays rolled Throughout,
and bathed the whole in CHASTITY ant
inappropriate splendor.
The words of his wild fantasias 60
he not infrequently accompanied him
self on the guitar with improvisations
were the result of that intense col
lectedness and concentration to which
I have previously alluded as observa
BILE only in particular moments Of til,
highest artificial excitement. Tn,
words of one of these rhapsodies
have easily remembered. was per
haps the more foscibly impressed will
it as he gave 1t, because in the undel
or mystic current Of its meaning fan
cied that perceived, and for the frs
time, full consciousness on the par
Of Usher Of the tottering Of his lofty
reason upon her throne The verses
which were entitled 1.-THE Haunted
Palace" ran very nearly If not accu
rately thus:
In the greenest Of our valleys
By good angels tenanted
Once a fair and stately palace
ktAOlduI pdldC6-TeAT0O lIS Qe60.
In the monarch Thoughts dominion
It stood there.
Never seraph spread q pinion
Over fabric half 80 fair.
II.
Banners yellow. glorious, golden
On it's r6of did float and flow
tThis. all this was in the olden
Time long ago..
And every gentle air that dallied
In that sweet day
Along the ramparts plumed and pallid
A winged odor went away.
Wanderers in that happy valley
Through two luminous windows saw
Spirits moving unsteady
To a lute's well tuned law
Round about throne. where sitting
PorphyrogeneD.
In state his glory well BETTING.
The ruler Of the realm was seen.
Nv.
And all with pearl and ruby glowing
Was the fair palace door,
Through which came flowing, flowing
flowing
And sparkling evermore
A troop Of Echoes. whose sweet duty
Was but to sing
In voices Of SURPRISING beauty
The wit and wisdom Of their king
But evil things in robes Of sorrow
Assailed the monarch's high estate
(Ah. let us mourn, for never morrow
Shall dawn upon him. desolate!),
And round about his home the glory
That blushed and bloomed
q Il i'm