The mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1863-1943, 1865-07-08

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* II was just 1t this period that my msth.
eF went to pass the day with Mss. Court.
Eey. The two ladies were sitting ig The
drawing room, after tea, waiting fOT my
father, who was expected to escort my
mother home, Whsa the under nurse.
maid easne rushing into the apartment
with an air Of haste and agitation, quite
fOreig1 to the usual stately calm Of the
household. .
For the lirst time during their acquain.
tance MIS-. Courtney Dad just allUdsd to
heS bereavement asd waS proceeding to
narrate aOms Of tAestrAngo circumstances
attending Gen. Courtney's death. She
was agitated quite beyond her usual calm,
so that when the girl entered thus abrupt:
ly she shrieked out, and nearly swOoned
with fright, while the servant called on
her to come at once to Master George,
who was taken suddenly III.
She recovered at once, however, by q
strong exertion, and hAstened, followed
by my mother, to the nursery. The child,
q splendid boy Of seven, and the only one
born in England, when he came as COM
fort to his mother in the midst Of her sad
bereavement, lay quietly upon his pillow,
as If asleep. Mrs. Courtney cast a glance
Of FeprOacb ct the giEl, and uttered q sharp
reprOof to the group Of servants who
stood around. But as she drew nearer her
cOuntenance changed. The repOse Of the
child was awful in its stiffness; and there,
upon the very centre of bis white brow,
lay deep red stain, like the fash Of q
single drop Of blood. The same color
stained the little brown wrist, which was
thrown carelessly above his head.
With q wild exclamation the mother
sprang forward. She bent above the child,
and, with . fearful gaze, examined its
wrist. Two thin, narrow lines, vivid with
blood, we're traced there, in the form Of q
cross
The mother laid her hand upon his
heart, and . fearful shrek rang through
the house, summoniDg, like . trumpet
call, the servants from the remotest hooks
Of the great mansion.
"My Georgei my Georgel Darling,
darling 1t cannot be! You alsol No,
no. no! A Thousand times no |"
Thus she cried, her voice rising in its
mournful intonations, until it pierced the
ear like the wall Of Highland coronach,
The boy was dead. Aid was summon.
ed but in vain, as the poor mother seemed
to know from the first. and no trace Of the
meaEs by which the bright young life had
been destroyed, remained, except that tiny
crossed line upon the wrist, not, to oil ap
pearance, deeper or more dangerous thar
| tho coraNoh 0f . oaurkesn uaaAla
alt is her work. her work !" the pooI
lady murmured, as she was borne away
and the first orders she gave we're to lOol
for the assassin.
"Look for dark, evil woman" sh,
said. ut is surely She and though sh,
has followed US across the sea, she canno
escape"
But no one was ever found, and in tint
the nine days wonder Of this mysterious
death ceased to be the theme Of gossip
and was forgotten by all but those who
mourned. amidst their splendor, for th'
beautiful boy who had gone from them
forever.
Mrs. Courtney was well nigh crushed
by the blow. II Was while her heart was
softened by sorrow, and the great leveleI
afflic,ion had caused her, for time. &c
lay aside the grand manners, and perfect
repose OF a great lady, that she poured
into my mothers sympathiSing ear the
story OF her bitter trials.
The family Of General Courtney had
on their return to Europe, been accompa'
MED by q numerous retinue Of Hindusta
nee servants. Among these was hand
some woman, of middle age, the head
ayah or nurse, herself the mother Of q
brown little boy, who had been permitted
to accompany the voyagers. The voyage
vas long and weary. and the health ano
patience Of all were severely tried by 1T
slow delay. The head ayah, supposed t
be a most amiable and Trustworthy per
son, was not exempt from the general lot
She became sullen and irascible by turns
neglected her duties, and evA devoted
herself to her own boy when most needed
by the childven of her employers.
The boy was imPish and troublesome
So long IS bis tricks we're amusing, be
had been tolerated in the cabin, But fol
some malicious piece of mischief he had
been banished, and forbidden to enter
there at all. Nevertheless, he was found
there one day by the general, engaged ir
. no less landAble amusement than thai
of deliberately destroying very valuable
watch, which his exeellency had received
Just before sailing. Is . testimonial from
1.-The white inhabitants of his residency.- =
t'The General was thoroughly angry. HI
shouted at the child, who dropped tht
watch and fed, bowling, toward the door
and then threw after him toy-whip tha
lay at hand. The tiny lash coilcd abou
the child's wrist, and he dragged it away
when he fed.
Beyond poring over his injured watch
the general at once dismissed this scen'
from his mind. and would soon have for
gotten it forever. But, on the following
morning, the tidings came into the grea
cabin that the boy Was deadl
He had died suddenly during the night
No trace Of disease or injury was appar
ent, beyond q faint red mark upon hi
wrist, almost in the form of cross, wher
in coiling itself the lash Of the whip hAt
accidentally assumed that position
The slight sting inflicted by the cord coul'
not have injured the child. but the be
reaved mother chose to believe that it va
the cause of his death. All her saVag
instincts were aroused. Her very grie
was fierce and terrible. She vowed re
Lvenge, and madIy appealed to the horribl
gods Of her idolatTnns belief to assist he
. in her purpose. =
When the family Hriysd 10 EnglanI
J she refused to remain longer in their ser
J vice, and turned bitterly away from a
, the offers Of assistance that her absolut
want Of protection in strange land rem
} dered necessary. She disappeared frOr
: their view aud was seen no more. excep
5 by the general, who casually mentioned
, Mrs. Courtney, on the evening preVlou
to his sudden death, that he thought h