New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-09-24


one especially with thesyounger portion Of our
party. don't wonder at it, as there was beau
tfut lake in the grounds, with smooth grassy mar
gins along the rich meadows, and shallow enough
TO be safe to all, but winding off into some thick
plantations on high ground, where 1t became of
corresponding depth, and where several rocky
islets broke its surface, and rendered it, if some
what gloomy, exceedingly picturesque and SOL
EMMY beautiful. Young Westerton WAS an eN!
cellent swimmer, aud especially delighted in the
refreshing exercise, SO much SO that he would
not unfrequently spend the greater part of sum
mer afternoon Ia and abOutthe lake, striking OIL
leholdiy from the more open parts, and reveifng,
like very Triton, amongst the rocks and suuken
trees of the deeper and less accessible portion.
Sometimes he would lie passive on the surface OF
the water, floating almost motionless, or gently
padding hither and thither in thesfnl enjoyment
of youth, health and vigor.
:" In amusing contrast with young Westerton' 8
love of the water was the extreme horror always
manifested by the Hindoo Gholab, whenever he
was COMPEL TO approach its banks. Nothing
less than the most positive orders Of his master
lever brought him near, and twas udterous to see
the speed with which he hastened from its vicinity
as soon as, having discharged his service, he re-
1 ceiyed his masters permission to retreat. The
latter Accommodate Is for this striking dislike by
relating an incident which occurred in one of the
Indian rivers; near which Gholab's childhood was
| passed. He was one day, in company with an
1 other youth, padding about in the stream when
| suddenly large alligator rose close upon them,
seized his companion, and disappeared with him
in his Jaws The shock was SO great that the poor
fellow, who was sincerely attached to the unucky
victim, never quite got over its effects but retained
the picture Of that horrible incident in his memory
| 10 be freshened and intensified by any combna-
/ ton ofswood and waterat allresembling the scene
| of the sad catastrophe, "a wsnderful resemblance
( ofwhieh, said cousin Westerton, some parts Of
| my pneie's domain do certainly exhibit
8 Wewere now Withina fortnight Of the pro
/ ieeted marriage, and was one day out on shoot
| ing expedition, when happening to pass near the
turnpike road, saw gig rapidly approaching
/ from the direction of the hall and soon heard my
/ self hailed by Cousin Westerton. felt that I'M
der ordinary. circumstances, he would hardly have
/ taken trouble to greet me, as we somehow had
4 not grown to care much for each other. 1t was,
therefore, with some curiosity that went up to
the gig. which he had drawn to the roadside, and
inwhich he was standing in evident expectation
4 of my approach.
g. have stopped to say goodbye, cried be-,
! cycling me keeniy the while a am called off by
business of the very last Importance, and should
not be surprised if find myself tossing on my
outward voyage to India, instead Of dancing at
my Cousins wedding. Blythe way, what o'clock
isit? My watch has stopped Can yougiye me
mean having to leave at this particular juncture
What jolly days of it you will have. Half-past
twelve, you say Thank you, My uncle quite
sees the necessity for my going. Good sport, |
hope. Which way do you return?'
the lake.
&. Ha I see; through the. finest covers on the
estate, We'll, must not detain you. Halfpast
twelve, you say. Goodbye, good-bye!f
And SO lie broke OFF his almost solilequy,
which, either the impotence Of his horse or his
own excited manner, leading to repeated checks
at the bride, only to bebal&ncedby compromising
touches of the whip mad made a decidedly I'M
comfortable proceeding. He was soon out of
sight, and on my rounds. After a while / dis
missed the keeper and his dogs, having deter
mined to saunter quietly back alone. 1t was
Lawn
flaming the trees and hedgerows into graceful
animation; the rich corn lands lying luxuriously
in the vale, With their fringed robes of autumn
tinted w odlands drawn irregularly and negli-
gently about them, and in the distance the slope
and swell Of many undulating hills, whose varied
curves Of beauty stood out in the rich blue sky in
endless variety of loneliness! Westerton Hall,
with its gardens and plantations stood
IN the mid distance, and i was just wishing for
some bit Of active life to give more human inter
est TO the scene, when from its gates emerged
dngle hofsenan, WHO gah6pedAot merely swiftly,
but, as it seemed to me. frantically in the direc
ton of the town. 0fcourse lastened at once to
the hall. s
"A strange dread came over me, and nv
thoughts settled with involuntary tenacity on the
agitated manner displayed by Cousin Westerton
when met him on the road but he, i reasoned,
could not have been cognizant of any unusual oc.
,enrrenee, or he would at least have informed me
Of it. Besides, might not be needlessly alarmed.
Not so, however, for when 1 reached the house I
found that young Westerton had astbeen brought
~ dead-7dr9Wnei, as il appeared, in the deepest
part of the lake.
mo one had witnessed his death. His com,
panions on this occasion, as had often been done
before, left him when they saw him strike off in
the wilder and more secluded parts, where none
of them cared to follow, never doubling, how
ever that when tired of exercise and exploration
he would return as usual, and Join their party
when evening drew nigh. Before this, however,
accident revealed the body to a keeper who hap.
MAI ]tt IA IA
amongst some roots or branches aud, but that it
was lying over one of these, it is probable that
the recovery would not have been made SO early,
as from being thus caught, as it were, it was pre-
vented from sinking into the depths of the lake.
Life was quite extinct.
house
!" "a. AZ, one O'clock; after lunch time
a. Where We're the Hindoos?'
In their masters apartments packing IN and |
preparin to be gone.
stOne of the house servants had seen them busily
engaged in doing SO; indeed, SO fully were they
occupied with their task that they plainly showed
him they wished his absence, and Immediately
after he left, locked the door and SO had kept It
ever since. went at once to the rooms, impelled
by some shapeless suspicion, of what scarcely
knew. The door was now unlocked, and | went
in to find them both eagerly engaged in the man-
ner represented to me by the servant, and as. to
all appearance, they had been ever since his visit
LETT them to themselves, though declare / think
q snepherd,s dog, who suspects, but is not quite
certain that some Fagabond ours have been wor-
rying his masters Sheep and longs % fly at their
throats, must feel very much as did.
San inquestwas duly held. All the ordinary
indications Of death by drowning were of course
exhibited, and there was nothing more, with the /
exeeptionof certain bruises about the right ankle
joint, which might have been oecasioned by stri-
king against the rocks or stubs in the lake |
though, as one of the Jury casually observed |
they presented a remarkably circular and band |
like appearance. I was myself present, and d |
good deal struck at the time by the words They
escaped, however, without comment, and as 1 !
could not connect themiH any way with anything |
leading TO suspicion Of foul play, nothing further
was said, and the circumstances passed from my
mind to return, however, with terrible distinct
ness and meaning thereafter. sudden seizure
Of cramp was taken as the cause Of death, YER
dict returned accordingly, and young Westerton,
just about to step into the arena of active life
was laid stark and disfgured in the vault of his
forefathers.
If this were an ordinary tale am narrating, / |
ought, i suppose, in this place, to descant upon
the dreadful shock (tho0gh that for while it GER
tainly wasl this sad event occasioned to the be-
reayed bride ito send her with disheYelled hair
into the woods, or to find her lying lieless at the
foot of some frightCui precipice. There rises,
however, in my minds eye the vision OF still |
comedy dame, not, without snndry olive branches
springing around her, which quite precludes the
propriety Of that usually orthodox termination,
IF 4AN 91 tF L.