Phenix Gazette

CONRAD AND JULIA.
A LEGEND OF HARTZ FOREST.

In the western department of
—on the
south side of the tremendous forest of Hartz lived Conrad, a student of the University of Gottingen. Like all frail mortals, he had been captivated by the lovely Julia, daughter of an ancient family, who could count fourteen quarters
in their armorial bearings, and had a score
or two of poor relations, whose company was
only desirable when they recited to the old
Count, anecdotes of his ancestors. The Count
was a man of erudition in his own magnificent
opinion, yet a fool in the opinion of all those
who eat at his table. The Countess was a woman, and weighed 20 stone; and Julia, their only child, was a second Venus, and only 17.—
Her person was perfectly beautiful; her complexion inclined to the brunette; but the warm
and youthful bloom of an Hebe, was diffused
over her lovely countenance: her dark raven
hair was parted in front like the hair of a Madonna, and fell in hyacinthine ringlets over her
shoulders; and though somewhat inclining to
the enbonpoint, she nevertheless had all that lux-
uriant elegance of shape the poet characterizes,
as being "Fine by degrees, and beautifully less."
At times, a certain air of tenderness would beam
from her fine, dark and expressive eyes, which
could not fail to attract the attention of the observer, and excited in the bosom something akin to love. Whoever approached her, seemed to inhale the soft contagion; but then she
would immediately destroy the illusion, by the
gaiety and sprightliness of her conversation.—
She seemed as if born for a brief existence, to
love and be beloved.
For Conrad, who was as fair as nature's fairest mould, to behold such excellence without adoring it, would be deemed apathy in the extreme, and contrary to his warm and metaphysical ideas. He loved—and though death had
inevitably been the consequence, from some part
of the family, with fourteen quarters, yet this
very danger served only to heighten the fond
hallucination. He was now compelled to return to the University; but before his departure
he was resolved to make a disclosure of his passion to Julia, let what would be the consequence, and he did so. It was but the act of a
moment, for they loved secretly and unknown;
and hearts that beat alone for each other, needed little ceremony in the disclosure of a passion,
ardent from its concealment, and pure from the
young and spotless souls that fanned it into existence. The confession was registered, and a
kiss was the pledge of their faith.
Conrad, before his departure, waited in the
Hartz Forest, to take a last farewell of Julia,
with all the turbulent and eager feelings of an
anxious lover. He had not been there many
minutes, when he perceived a figure approach
him. Imagining it was Julia, an exclamation
of joy escaped him; but what was his horror to
perceive a shrivelled, hideous and pallid countenance, half concealed by the cloak it wore—
"Who art thou?" exclaimed Conrad, attempting to draw his sword, but his hand remains
powerless on the hilt of the unsheathed blade.
"Thy friend," was the brief and hollow reply.
"For what purpose?" "Seek not to wed Julia."
"Wherefore?" "Wed her, and thou wilt learn
—forsake her and be happy—she is betrothed!"
"Ha!" exclaimed Conrad overcome by conflicting passions, "What mean you by that?" He
turned round, but the phantom had vanished.—
"Am I awake?" he cried
"Sure I beheld a
form this moment."
The castle clock struck
twelve; its resounding din reverberated in awful echoes upon the mournful midnight breeze,
& intricate recesses of the adjacent forest. Conrad beheld Julia hastening towards him, and the
unnatural warning was forgotten.
They beheld each other for a moment, sobbing in fond embrace,
while the fair silk that screened her lovely bosom, hove in undulating softness and delirium.
They sat them down, and talked over days of
bliss to come, over which fond hope threw her
fairy colored hand; and warmed by the present
she spoke of lover's vows, while heart pressed
heart, and lip pressed lip, in many a soft and
burning glance.
Sometimes she reproached him for his too
ardent affection, but it was so gentle, that it
"It was the hour when lover's vows,
Seemed in every whispered word."
only desired him still to be false and perjured.
"If disobedience has such wondrous charms,"
cried she, "may I be still commanding thee, and
thou still disobeying." At length the hour of
one chimed "heavily the onward flight of time"
and gave them notice for a sad and painful
separation. "Farewell," exclaimed young Conrad, "there'll come a time when we shall not
be parted." Her soft heart sighed a responsive
echo to the enlivening idea. Oft did they bid
adieu, and as oft returned unto each other's
arms—again they parted—met—kissed—and
sighed again. Young Conrad tore himself
away, and left a dear memento on her rosy lips,
and left her panting and sighing with mighty
love.
It happened about nine months after Conrad's departure, one evening as he was strolling
in a melancholy mood through the gloomy
cloisters of the University, that he was accosted by a figure wrapped in a large cloak, who
whispered in his ear the name of her he prized
more than his existence. Conrad startled at
the sound, and inquired concerning her. The
stranger motioned him to follow him into a
recess formed by some pillars. Conrad hesitated for he imagined he discovered in the appearance of his visitor, certain signs of former companionship, when he parted from Julia in
the forest. But his eager desire to hear of Julia overcame all. He then learned with horror
and astonishment, that she was at the point of
death. "Lead me instantly to her," exclaimed
Conrad, with a cry of agony. "On one condition, and I will; on any condition, but be brief."
"You must first attend me to administer to a
woman in travail" "Agreed!" Conrad instantly
packed up a few medicines, followed his mysterious guide. They rode without intermission until the evening of the next day, when
they arrived at the base of a mountain, situated
near the Hartz Forest. After ranging the precipice for the space of half an hour, they at
length arrived on the margin of a lake, whose
waters rushed through a cavern of gloomy and
terrific aspect. Conrad turned to his guide as
if inquiring what next, and laid his hand on his
pistols, for the mysterious actions of the guide
aroused suspicions of his real intentions But
all his apprehensions were soon allayed; for the
stranger, suddenly springing on Conrad, bore
him with more than mortal gripe, into the deep
bosom of the lake
They sunk for the space of a few seconds,
then Conrad, recovering the effect of the unexpected immersion, found himself in a hall
of considerable magnitude: and on a couch in
the middle of the apartment, reclined a female
seemingly in a profound sleep, though her face
veiled so impenetrably that she herself must
have been unable to recognize any one. It appeared that she had just been delivered of a female child; and it was also evident, that she
could exist but a very short time, for on their
entrance she awoke in strong convulsions. Conrad was about to inquire the meaning of all this but the stranger commanded silence; by a significant gesture, and motioned him to prepare certain draughts, which he administered himself, concealing the face of the lady; but the
moral suffering of the patient seemed to increase the more.
"Who, and what can he be?" thought Conrad, eyeing the stranger who stood on the other side of the couch: "'tis certain he is the same
being who accosted me in the forest, and interdicted my love with Julia. Can he be a spirit?
Then why make use of mortal means to cure
this lady? But I forget—their power avails
them not in such a case. If he is mortal and
has injured her, my sword or pistols." Here he
was interrupted in his thoughts, by a look from
the figure, whose eyes seen partially through
an opening of the cloak, seemed to glare like
balls of fire, which almost transfixed him to the
spot, and ere he could recover himself, his name
tremulously pronounced by the dying female,
shot like a shaft through his very soul. Conrad!
Conrad! where art thou? Oh! how I have been
deceived." The stranger motioned him to retire: "And leave this helpless creature here?"
inquired Conrad. The being nodded assent.
"Never!" exclaimed Conrad: and drew forth
his pistols. The stranger yelled a laugh, till
the roof of the vast hall resounded like distant
thunder. "Lead me to Julia," exclaimed Conrad. The figure laughed louder. "To Julia!
"There! look there!" thundered the phantom, &
he uncovered the body of the expiring lady.—
"Feast thy eyes on the charms of thy dying
mistress, behold!" Conrad screamed aloud, and
fell senseless on the body of Julia!
When he recovered, says the Legend, he
found himself at the foot of the mountain, and
Julia and the infant beside him. He learnt
that she had been deceived by the Demon of
the Forest, in Conrad's likeness, and had thus
given him a power over her being, which no
earthly means could dissolve, save death.—The
consequences have been seen. She implored
his forgiveness, and expiated the crime with her
death, and Conrad wandered forth a solitary wanderer on the face of the earth.