The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-08-19
MISS SAINT FELIX.
,rorv or An AUSTRALIAN CONVICT!

literary journal. gives the ioiioWins
90" ..s.. an .er ,aiuing sketches,) narrative
t.'"sas - ,,,s rmarkable persoAs transported
'. sentence Of English Courts. to Austria
m,,. s.ySr FELIX was not handsome bnt
she was very very pss shsid see hsd GOLDEN
lair and ark blue eyes, compact and elastic
n~nrr and the tiniest feet and hands. She was
not more than eighteen when che landed In
sydney ~ convics undsr sentence o. i, ,ra ;,s
tsen hundred and twenty -seven or eighteen
hundred and twenty eight and during the ad.
minfssrasion Of Str Ralph Darling. The Spe.
eiai System was now utterly defuncf. ana al
convicss were TO be treated alike, without the
ieass reference to what had been their former
condition.
In point ~ strictness this was, no doubt,
very proper and very just; but TO those VINO
renembered the ienient administration OF
deneral MAcQuarie and Sir Thomas brisbane
1t appeared harsh In the extreme
The Major and myself left sydney shortly
after the departure OF denerai MacquaIie
from the colony, and went 10 live on an estate,
which had been granted to MS, in the vicinity
OF Campbell Town. The Major sold his CON-
nfssfoa and had now nothing further " 40
with pnbiic life He was sun N inc ooh''
mission OF the Peace; but that was all
The girl Annie Saint Felix, whom nave
mentioned. was assigned to some neighbors OF
ours Jour nearest neighbors. for they lived
Al
nice people they were Captain Preston early in
life had held q commission in the Foot Guard
and inherited aconsiderabie fortune; but hay-
ing run through his money, he sold his com
mission and retired, with the proceeds, To the
wilds Of Australia and became a settler. Mrs.
Preston, who was lady of aristocratic birth
and breeding was one Of the kindest- hearted
beings In existence, and their sons and dangh-
ferx, = goodiy number Of each, ranging from
fourteen to three years of age, were, without
any exceptions, remarkably fine and well-be-
haved children The eldest was daughter.
One morning had a visit from Mrs. Pres
ton. She wanted TO ask my advice, she said,
on very delicate matter, that she scarcely
liked 10 act upon her own judgment, and Cap
tain Preston had declared himself incompe-
tent 70 assist her. On asking her what was her
dificuity the following dialogue took place
bet ween us:
"Yon are AWARE she began, shat applied
for q neediewoinan 70
yes replied "Haye you got one :"
mo; but a young girl has been assigned to
rs who can do needlework."
"Then, that IL all you require of her p
"True. But she happens ~ be a young lady
by birth, and is. moreover, highly educated
"Well, she is none the worse for those quail
fties, rs you only want her for needlework.-
What was her crime Did you ask her.
ayes, and she replied, Murder, madam My
they spared my iifen"
"Murder! Dear me. Did you question her
further 20
"No," said Mrs Preston "When she pro-
nounced the word murder, my blood ran cold,
aud trembled from head to foot. Now, what
] wish to ask you is, Would you keep girl
under your roof who had been guilty of such
q crime p
"What sort of n disposition has she :"
She Is as gentle, seemingly, rs she Is pretty
and graceful II was, indeed, her kind and
gentle manner towards the children, and her
xelI-seiected language, that induced me to say
to her, on the third day she had been with
in fact-when we were alone in
the nursery, Dear me, Annie, what could
have brought girl of your stamp and educa-
ton to this colony OF course, as soon as
she pronounced the word murder, lost all
power of speech. and have scarcely spoken to
her since. To tell you the truth, feel rather
afraid Of her.
"Pretty girls have often wicked express
sion of countenance. las she one!''
"On the contrary, and she has a voice like
that of a bird. wish you would come over,
see her, talk to her, and tell me what you think
of her. You can stay the night, YOU know"
Mrs. Preston had aroused my curiosity
When was one of the lady visiting matrons
Of the factory ut Paramatta, had disconrsed
with several women who had committed
murder in England, Ireland, or Scotland; but
they were all women OF very inferior sta |
ton in life. ! agreed to accompany my
friend, and as soon as the Major had compile |
ted tbs (unpaid) magisterial duties on the |
bench, and had returned home, we all three |
set out together; Mrs. Preston driving me in |
her gig, and the Major riding, on the right |
hand side, on horseback.
When first saw the girl l was very much !
struck with her appearance Her hair was |
brushed back of her forehead, and arranged |
IS plainly rs possible. On her head was a |
little white three-cornered cap, such as all /
maid-servants wore in those days; her dress |
was of common drugget, of q dark chocolate |
color, and around her slender waist was tied |
q gingham apron, which Mrs. Preston had !
given 10 her She was then sewing and talk |
n u In rh prn mo
around her knees. When we left the nursery, |
exclaimed to Mrs Preston:
"That a murderess! do not believe her.
"But," urged Mrs. Preston, "she says she !
is; and why should she confess to having COM
nitted 80 diabolical crime, If it be untrue Z"
While Captain Preston and the Major We're |
drinking their claret after dinner, and were |
lalking about their crops and their cattle Mrs. |
Preston and myself paid another visit to the |
nursery. BY the light of the wood fire aud |
The candle, the girl looked even prettier than |
by daylight. After Mrs. Preston had put sew |
Hral questions TO her, concerning the children |
and the work she had In hand, and had receiy- |
ed the girls replies, said
'sYOur mistress has told me that which can |
credit She tells me you Were con-
yicted tor murder"
/" II 10 quite true, madam" said the girl |
almost crimson.
Whist could have prompted girl like
you," said, "to think, even, Of taking the life
Of fellow creature p
at will tell you, madam" she sighed.
Sit down, Annie; you must be tired after
-FOUR days iabors, - said Mrs. Preston, taking
} chair near the fire, ian example which l fol-
owed)
The girl obeyed-sat down opposite to US,
Ind, gazing ste.sdfastly at the blazing logs on
The hearth, in the following words told her
story:
Ienfor) and myself were orphans and Were
living under the roof of an uncle Tiny fathers |
'idest brother,) on an island in the north Of !
Ireland. We had cousin, one of the loyeliest |
Md most amiable girls that ever lived and she |
wAs engaged to he married 10 n Mr.. Kennedy, |
gentleman of large property, who lived on |
he same island, and within q few miles OF my |
Incles house. When all was prepared for the |
Wedding, this gentiemau--if he deserves the |
tile Of gentleman--broke of the match. That |
VAS cruel enough, seeing that our cousin loved |
him deyotediy hut he had the wickedness TO |
'xpress ~ a reason for his haseness a susp- |
lion which, If true, would have blasted not |
,nly my Cousins character, but that also OF |
ny brother. The horrid nature OF this aecn-
ation, aud its utter faisity, added TO her dis
lppointment SO preyed upon the girls mind
hat, after pining in hopeless grief for n month,
he sunk into her graye--dying of a broken
leart. On the night of her burial, my broth
r, frantic with rage and grief, vowed that,
IA the irst opportunity that presented itself
u would take Mr.. kennedy's life. knelt be-
ide him. and vowed that would share in his
evenge.
For weeks and months Mr. Kennedy, who
new the determined character OF my brother,
nd OF the vow thatlie had made, kept within
he boundaries Of his own estate This, how
yer, did not calm our passionate feelings
IN the contrary IL cxasperated them, and our
purpose had become the more settled. Often
nd often would ny brother say TO me, and
o him. sAre you steadfast in your vow !''-I
And the answer we invariably gave each other
vas ! es." One afternoon--about four mon this
tier the death OF our cousin--one Of the SER
ants informed my brother that Mr.. Kennedy
IA been seen riding in the direction of lit
ie n:nang town. he Immediately ordered his
W horse and mine to be saddled and arm.
nG himself with brace of pistols. we both
nt1oped In pursuit Of Mr. Kennedy Wa had |