The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1865-11-09
9ub griatiug
low NY HAIR BECAME CRAY.
From Once A Week.
CHAPTER !.

We had been reading 'The Prisoner OF
Chiffon" and after We had finished that
most exquisite poem, one of our party q
sprightly young girl, cousin Of mine, re
peating the opening lines .--
"My hair is gray, but not with years;
Nor grew it white
In single night,
Asmen's have grown from sudden fears, y
4 wonder, she asked, if anybody's hair
ever turned white from fear? | don't be-
lieve il Graciousl anything so horrible as
to effect that sudden change, would kill me
outright feel my hair bristling this
minute at the thought -.u..
Laughed, but making no reply, she
turned to me-
4 declare. Maggie, now think Of it
your hair IL as white az snow, and has beer
as long as ever / remember you. May BIZ
you saw ghost, or something dreadful
that made it So You know, / don mean
70 say, sne continued looking around the
party with malicious twinkle i'll her laugh
lug eye, that you are too young just now to-
be gray; but let me see, | think it is ten
wears since we came from India, and that L
FIRST met my sober cousin Mag, and positive
ly then you were as white as you are to- day,
aud quite remember, az g little child, at
that time wondering that you didn't wear a
wig
i have been gray replied quietly,
'''since was seventeen years Of age
You don't mean to tell Us SOL well
now! aud SOME such expressions, broke
from nearly the entire group simultaneous
~.
Come now, like dear, good Maggie as
you ara, exclaimed my cousin, who had in
troduced the topic, setting herself suddenly
on stool at my feet, and clasping me
round the knees, tell us all about it. What
was it? How did it happen
We were pleasant party that evening. |
was on visit at the time with my cousins,
who lived III pretty place in Devonshire.
lust then twas winter, and we were gath
ereo round the fire, and had been, IS have
said Gste sning to one Of our number who
read ont I'D Byron's poem. The question
TINS nut to me and the topic that started
II a~oke a train If troubled thought that
had long slurnbered, and called back days
that, for the most part, were bright and
happv. save for one terrible episode that
made me shudder as it was forced with
more than ordinary vividness upon my rec
election. l remained musing and looking
into the fire a few minutes, unit IL my restless
cousin reused me up by an energetic push
Come, Mag, don't go to sleep; how did
your hair get gray? Did 1t grow SO natu-
rallyr
No. answered at length, it did not. l
could answer your first inquiry III the sttlr-
native, and tell you that 1t IS quite true :
great fear can effect the marvellous altera-
ton, and that i'll a very short time
Ispoke, believe, in solemn tone, though
not Intentionally, and it was in subdued,
half-frightened voice that l was again I'M
portuued to tell them what had happened.
Some one proposed to put out the lamp, but
my cousin, who had laid her head in my
lap to listen, starting up, exclaimed, For
mercy's sake don't; Pm in tremor already.
/ couldn't st in the dark. 1t must be an
awful business this
told them, then and there, that one
passage from my past life; and few days
after, while it was still fresh upon my mind,
committed it to paper, as l thought 1t
might possibly interest others too, and
felt that might perhaps more readily ban
ish the unpleasant memories invoked, that
wandered now with such disturbing force
through my brain, once had put the whole
thing town in black and white. am not
going to write regular autobiography, and
v ill therefore refer to my personal history
Only in SO far as it may be necessary to il
lustrate the incident am relating -
| was the only child of all officer, and
was born in India, and seemed so tender a
plant that the physicians at once ordered me
to be taken to Europe, as the only chance
of SAVING my life My mother, had heard.
was distracted at the necessity thus imposed
the more SO as she could not accompany
me, for my father at the time was in indif-
fereut health, and it was impossible for her
20 leave him, and that an application that
he made for permission, as an lnvilid, to re-
turn was refused; consequently there was
nothing for 1t but TO send me home under
az careful an escort az could be procured,
and this was provided for in the person of my
own nurse who had been for a long time q
servant III my mothers family, while as care
taker of both, a young man accompanied
us, black, of the name OF Parks.
NV destination was with my aunt. Mrs.
Osborne, who was widow in very indepen-
ent circumstances, and my fathers only
sister AT this time she resided at beauti-
full place called Blackwater Lodge, on the
river C the same name, and that was situa-
ted just outside, little more than a mile dis
tsut from, the romantic and beautiful town
of NJ, in the south of Ireland.
Our household at the lodge, at the date 10
which refer, consisted of the housemaid
Susan, An excellent good young woman, who
was held i'll great esteem by my aunt, and
.-ao,al - H.
Mrs Gwynue, an old and faithful follower
of the family; with Parks the black, who
had come over with me from abroad, and
who, while my nurse returned to India,
readily consented to remain in my aunt's
service, and very soon settled down into the
trusted domestic.
| must say few words about this re
markaole parsonage. | have no idea of bis
origin, or where my father picked him up
but have heard that he thought very
highly Of him. While he had all the negro
stamp Of appearance, such as the woody
head, Jet black complexion, thick lips, Will
brilliantly white teeth, he had nothing O
the accent, and spoke English with as clea
and correct ali information as though he hac
been born and reared in Great Britain. HI
had protessed the protestant religion, which
as all the other servants were Roman Cath
olics, made him, joined with his color, al
object of half fear, half dislike My aun
came soon to regard him with the highest
esteem, and trusted hun implicitly. H,
acted as butler and coachman, and superin
tended in general all matters. within an
without; in fact, was sort of major dom
in aunt Osborne's establishment. l canno
say for myself that ever cared very muc
for Parks; as child. know, delighted il
him; used to rub my hands through hi
woody curls, and try to pull out the hairs
and often compelled him to submit to SUI
dry abiutions on his face, to see if l ooul
at all wash him white, while he occasion
ally relaxed. for my benefit, from his IN
form staid and sober department Qor tai
and toll in form as he grew Older, he was
very model of servant-like propriety) an
enchanted me with limitations of tn
blacks broken patois and peculiarities
manper, in which he msrveIlousIy excelleC