Litchfield enquirer., 1858-01-28
CHAPTER I.
BY EMMA D. N. soUTHwoRTH.
THE AsrRoLoeER's PREDICTION.

Reading, few weeks since, one of De Qun- cy's papers, Three Memorable Murders" recalled tc my mind one of the most mysterious domestic dramas that ever taxed the ingenuity of man, or required the flight of time to develop
 The locality of our story lies amid one of the widest and most picturesque regions of the Old Dominion where the head waters of the Rappahannock wash the base of the Blue Ridge.
 The precise -Crossland-is 0 sublime and beautiful scene, where two forest-crowned ranges of mountains cross each other at obauc angles.
 At the ntersecting point of these ridges nes- ties hamlet, named from it's elevated position. Altamont.
 At the period at which our story opens the four estates, iu the four augles of the irregular mountain cross were owned as follows: The eastern farm, called Piedmont, was the life property of Madame Auderly, Virgiuian lady of the old school.
 The western and most valuable estate was inheritance of Hou6ra Paule an eerphaa heifess grand daughter and ward of Madaine Auderly. The northern and smallest one, called from being the deepest vale of the fonr-Hawe's Hole--was the property of old Hugh Have, wldower ofgloomy temper, parsimonous hab- its and almost fabulous wealth.
 The southern farm--named from the eytray- agance of the elegant mansionhouse, elaborate out-hulld.ngs and highly ornamented grounds, which had absorbed the means of the late own er !" Farquir's Folly,"-was the heavily mort- gagged patrimony of Godfrey Farquier Delanie, the grandson of Hugh Have, and now the young aspiraht for legal houors at the Unlversi- ty of Virginia.
 But little benefit to the heir was to be hop ed from the inheritance of his fathers burtbell- ed property In the first place, old Hugh Have had bought up in his own name all the claims against the estate of Farquiers Folly doubtless to prevent foreclosure and to save the property for his grandson.
 But unhappiIy, Godfrey mortally offended the despotic old man, by declining an agricul- tural life, and persistipg in the study of pro fession--a course that had resulted in his own disinheritance.
 To make this punishment more bitter to his grandson, the old man had taken into favor his nephew, Dr. Henry Have, whom he had established ner Farquier's Folly.
 At this time, the disinherited heir, having finished term at the University, had come down to spend part of his vacation in his na- tive place
 It was upon the Sa turday evening of his ar- rival that he found the little hotel, and indeed, the whole village of Altamont, in great state of excitement, from the fact that the celebrated helress, Miss Honora Paule, had just stopped there; and passed through on her way home Those who had been so happy as to catch glimpse of her face, vied with each other in praise of her many charms, while those who had not, listened with eagerness, and looked forward to indemnifying themselves by seeing her at church the next morning. The next day, Godfrey Dulanie attended church. where he saw and fell in love with the most beautiful and intellectual-looking girl he had ever beheld. From the cheapness aud simplicity of her attire, he supposed her to be som. poor dependent of Madame Auderlys' in whose pew she sat. Godfrey was complete ly captivated, and he resolved at once to woo, and if possible to win this lovely being for his wife, poor girl, though she was. He was glad she was poor, because she could be more easily won. But on accompanying Mr. Wllloughby, the clergyman, and his brother-in-law, Ernest Heine home after church, what was his aston ishment and dismay at being introduced to the supposed "poor girl, whom he found to be none other than the celebrated Miss Honora Paul. the greatest heiress and belle, as well as the best and noblest girl, in the state of Vir- ginia. She greeted him cordially, and in few minutes the company were busily engaged in conversation. The topic of capital punishment having been started, Godfrey turned to Hono- ra:
 "I take an especial personal interest in hay ing capital punishment abolished-Miss Paule 1 do you believe in astrOlogy 2n "Sir. why did you ask me if l belisre in as- trology F'