An Heiress from Redhorse by Ambrose Bierce
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dreadful sight !

" died in a fit," said the scientist, bending his knee and placing his hand upon_the heart . while in_that position he happened to glance under the bed ." good god ! " he added; " how did this thing get in here ? "

he reached under the bed, pulled out the snake, and flung it, still coiled, to_the center of_the room, whence, with a harsh, shuffling sound, it slid across the polished floor till stopped by_the wall, where it lay without motion . it_was a stuffed snake; its eyes were two shoe buttons .

from "Tales of Soldiers and Civilians," by Ambrose Bierce . copyright, 1891, by E .L .G .Steele .

Edgar Allan Poe

the oblong box

some_years_ago, I engaged passage from Charleston, S .C, to_the city of New_York, in_the fine packet- ship " independence," captain hardy . we were to sail on_the fifteenth of_the month ( June), weather permitting; and on_the fourteenth, I went on board to arrange some matters in my stateroom .

I_found that we were to_have a great_many passengers, including a more than usual number of ladies . on_the list were several of_my acquaintances, and among other names, i_was rejoiced to_see that of Mr Cornelius Wyatt, a young artist, for whom I entertained feelings of warm friendship . he had_been with me a fellow- student at C---- university, where we were very_much together . he had the ordinary temperament of genius, and was a compound of misanthropy, sensibility, and enthusiasm . to_these qualities he united the warmest and truest heart which ever beat in a human bosom .

I observed that his name was carded upon three state-rooms; and, upon again referring to_the list of passengers, I_found that he had engaged passage for himself, wife, and two sisters-- his own . the state-rooms were sufficiently roomy, and each had two berths, one above the other . these berths, to_be_sure, were so exceedingly narrow as to_be insufficient for more than one person; still, I_could_not comprehend why there were three staterooms for_these four persons . i_was, just at_that epoch, in one of_those moody frames of mind which make a man abnormally inquisitive about trifles: and I confess, with shame, that I busied myself in a variety of ill- bred and preposterous conjectures about this_matter of_the supernumerary stateroom . it_was no business of_mine, to_be_sure, but with none the less pertinacity did I occupy myself in attempts to resolve the enigma . at last I reached a conclusion which wrought in me great wonder why I had_not arrived at it before ." it_is a servant of_course," I_said; " what a fool I_am, not sooner to_have thought of so obvious a solution ! " and then I again repaired to_the list-- but here I_saw distinctly that no servant was to_come with_the party, although, in_fact, it had_been the original design to bring one-- for_the words " and servant" had_been first written and then over- scored ."Oh, extra baggage, to_be_sure," I now said to myself--" something he wishes not to_be put in_the hold-- something to_be kept under his own eye--ah, I_have it--a painting or so-- and this_is what he has_been bargaining about with Nicolino, the Italian Jew ." this idea satisfied me, and I dismissed my curiosity for_the nonce .

Wyatt's two sisters I_knew very_well, and most amiable and clever girls they were . his wife he had newly married, and I had never yet seen her . he had often talked about her in my presence, however, and in_his usual style of enthusiasm . he described her as of surpassing beauty, wit, and accomplishment . i_was, therefore, quite anxious to_make her acquaintance .

on_the day in_which I visited the ship ( the fourteenth), Wyatt and party were also to visit it-- so the captain informed me-- and I waited on board an hour longer than I had designed, in hope of being presented to_the bride, but then an apology came ." Mrs W . was a little indisposed, and would decline coming on board until to- morrow, at_the hour of sailing ."

the morrow having arrived, i_was going from my hotel to_the wharf, when captain hardy met me and said that, "owing to circumstances" (a stupid but convenient phrase), " he rather thought the ' independence' would_not sail for a day_or_two, and_that when all was ready, he_would send up and let me know ." this i_thought strange, for there_was a stiff southerly breeze; but as " the

circumstances" were_not forthcoming, although I pumped for_them with much perseverance, I had nothing to_do but to return home and digest my impatience at leisure .

I_did_not receive the expected message from_the captain for nearly a week . it came at_length, however, and I immediately went on board . the ship was crowded with passengers, and every thing was in_the bustle attendant upon making sail .Wyatt's party arrived in about ten minutes after myself . there were the two sisters, the bride, and_the artist-- the latter in one of_his customary fits of moody misanthropy . i_was too well used to_these, however, to_pay them any special attention . he_did_not even introduce me to_his wife;-- this courtesy devolving, per force, upon his sister Marian-- a very sweet and intelligent girl, who, in a few hurried words, made us acquainted .

Mrs Wyatt had_been closely veiled; and when she raised her veil, in acknowledging my bow, I confess that i_was very profoundly astonished .I should_have_been much more so, however, had_not long experience advised me not to trust, with too implicit areliance, the enthusiastic descriptions of_my friend, the artist, when indulging in comments upon_the loveliness of woman . when beauty was_the theme, I well knew with what facility he soared into_the regions of_the purely ideal .

the truth is, I_could_not help regarding Mrs Wyatt as a decidedly plain- looking woman . if_not positively ugly, she was not, i_think, very far from_it . she was dressed, however, in exquisite taste-- and then I had no_doubt that she had captivated my friend's heart by_the more enduring graces of_the intellect and soul . she said very few words, and passed at once into her state- room with Mr W .

my old inquisitiveness now returned . there_was no servant-- that was a settled point .I looked, therefore, for_the extra baggage . after some delay, a cart arrived at_the wharf, with an oblong pine box, which_was every thing that seemed to_be expected . immediately upon its arrival we_made sail, and in a short time were safely over the bar and standing out to sea .

the box in_question was, as I_say, oblong . it_was about six feet in length by two and a half in breadth; I observed it attentively, and like to_be precise . now this shape was peculiar; and no sooner had I seen it, than i_took credit to myself for_the accuracy of_my guessing .I had reached the conclusion, it_will_be remembered, that_the extra baggage of_my friend, the artist, would prove to_be pictures, or at_least a picture; for I_knew he had_been for several weeks in conference with Nicolino:-- and now here was a box, which, from its shape, could possibly contain nothing in_the_world but a copy of Leonardo's " last supper;" and a copy of_this very " last supper," done by Rubini the younger, at Florence, I had known, for some_time, to_be in_the possession of Nicolino . this point, therefore, I considered as sufficiently settled .I chuckled excessively when i_thought of_my acumen . it was_the first time I had ever known Wyatt to_keep from me any of_his artistical secrets; but here he evidently intended to steal a march upon me, and smuggle a fine picture to New_York, under my very nose; expecting me to_know nothing of_the matter .I resolved to quiz him well, now and hereafter .

one_thing, however, annoyed me not a little . the box did_not go into_the extra stateroom . it_was deposited in Wyatt's own; and there, too, it remained, occupying very nearly the whole of_the floor-- no_doubt to_the exceeding discomfort of_the artist and_his wife;-- this the more especially as_the tar or paint with_which it_was lettered in sprawling capitals, emitted a strong, disagreeable, and, to my fancy, a peculiarly disgusting odor . on_the lid were painted the words--" Mrs Adelaide Curtis, Albany, New_York . charge of Cornelius Wyatt, Esq . this side up . to_be handled with care ."

now, i_was aware that Mrs Adelaide Curtis, of Albany, was_the artist's wife's mother,-- but then I looked upon_the whole address as a mystification, intended especially for_myself . I_made up my mind, of_course, that_the box and contents would never get farther north than_the studio of_my misanthropic friend, in Chambers street, New_York .

for_the first three or four days we had fine weather, although the wind was dead ahead; having chopped round to_the northward, immediately upon our losing sight of_the coast . the passengers were, consequently, in high spirits and disposed to_be social . I_must except, however, Wyatt and_his sisters, who behaved stiffly, and, I_could_not help thinking, uncourteously to_the rest of_the party .Wyatt's conduct I_did_not so_much regard . he_was gloomy, even beyond his usual habit-- in_fact he_was morose-- but in him i_was prepared for eccentricity . for_the sisters, however, I_could make no excuse . they secluded themselves in their staterooms during the greater part of_the passage, and absolutely refused, although I repeatedly urged them, to hold communication with any person on board .

Mrs Wyatt herself was far more agreeable . that_is_to_say, she was chatty; and to_be chatty is no slight recommendation at sea . she became excessively intimate with most of_the ladies; and, to my profound astonishment, evinced no equivocal disposition to coquet with_the men . she amused us all very_much . I_say " amused"-- and scarcely know how to explain myself . the truth is, I soon found that Mrs W . was far oftener laughed at than with . the gentlemen said little about her; but the ladies, in a little while, pronounced her "a good-hearted thing, rather indifferent looking, totally uneducated, and decidedly vulgar ." the great wonder was, how Wyatt had_been entrapped into such a match . wealth was_the general solution-- but this I_knew to_be no solution at all; for Wyatt had told me that she neither brought him a dollar nor had any expectations from any source whatever ." he had married," he_said, " for love, and for love only; and_his bride was far more than worthy of_his love ." when i_thought of_these expressions, on_the_part of_my friend, I confess that I_felt indescribably puzzled . could it be possible that he_was taking leave of_his senses ? what else could i_think ? he, so refined, so intellectual, so fastidious, with so exquisite a perception of_the faulty, and so keen an appreciation of_the beautiful ! to_be_sure, the lady seemed especially fond of him-- particularly so in_his absence-- when she made herself ridiculous by frequent quotations of what had_been said by her " beloved husband, Mr Wyatt ." the word " husband" seemed forever-- to use one of her own delicate expressions-- forever " on_the tip of her tongue ." in_the meantime, it_was observed by all on board, that he avoided her in_the most pointed manner, and, for_the most part, shut himself up alone in_his state- room, where, in_fact, he_might_have_been said to live altogether, leaving his wife at full liberty to amuse herself as she thought best, in_the public society of_the main cabin .

my conclusion, from what I_saw and heard, was, that, the artist, by some unaccountable freak of fate, or perhaps in some fit of enthusiastic and fanciful passion, had_been induced to unite himself with a person altogether beneath him, and_that the natural result, entire and speedy disgust, had ensued .I pitied him from_the bottom of_my heart-- but could_not, for_that reason, quite forgive his incommunicativeness in_the matter of_the " last supper ." for_this I resolved to_have my revenge .

one day he_came upon deck, and, taking his arm as had_been my wont, I sauntered with_him backward and forward . his gloom, however ( which I considered quite natural under the circumstances), seemed entirely unabated . he_said little, and_that moodily, and with evident effort .I ventured a jest or two, and he_made asickening attempt at a smile . poor fellow ! -- as i_thought of_his wife, I wondered that he could_have heart to_put on even the semblance of mirth . at last I ventured a home thrust .I determined to commence a series of covert insinuations, or innuendoes, about_the oblong box-- just to let him perceive, gradually, that i_was not altogether the butt, or victim, of_his little bit of pleasant mystification . my first observation was by way of opening a masked battery . I_said something about_the " peculiar shape of_that box--," and, as I spoke the words, I smiled knowingly, winked, and touched him gently with my forefinger in_the ribs .

the manner in_which Wyatt received this harmless pleasantry convinced me, at once, that he_was mad . at first he stared at me as_if he_found it impossible to comprehend the witticism of_my remark; but as its point seemed slowly to_make its way into his brain, his eyes, in_the same proportion, seemed protruding from their sockets . then he grew very red-- then hideously pale-- then, as_if highly amused with what I had insinuated, he began a loud and boisterous laugh, which, to my astonishment, he kept up, with gradually increasing vigor, for ten minutes or more . in conclusion, he fell flat and heavily upon_the deck . when I ran to uplift him, to all appearance he_was dead .

I called assistance, and, with much difficulty, we brought him to

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