The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-12-04

crew were killed outright, or seriously
wounded. Such number, in proper
ton, is not recorded in any other naval
engagement. The Essex was reduced
almost to a perfect wreck.t
During the absence of her husband.
Mrs. Pollard, leaving the entire man
agement of the plantation to the over
seers, occupied herself with the educa-
tion Of her children, who were under
the tuition of the Rev. Mr.. Brown, 4
gentleman iaom Massachusetts. lie
was profound scholar, aud being with
out church, had accepted the Office OF
tutor in the family, remaining in it, IN
cluding a residence at Oak Ridge, be-
tween eight and nine years. AS now,
Mrs. Pollard had then a great tondncss
for flowers, and passed much of her time
amongst them-a lady of wonderfully
pleasing and graceful manners, of a
highly cultivated mind, and particular
ly free from anything of superstitious
nature. Imention this for evident rea-
sons, which will appear in connection
with this story. She was in the habit
OF rising early, and, attended by some
of the female servants of the house,
would frequently pass an hour or more
before breakfast in the garden and the
In the prime of life, and retained much
of that personal beauty for which in her
premiere jeunesse she had been reInarka-
BILE. M
The early morning ofthc 18th of May,
1884, was one of those for which the
spring season in that part of Virginia
is perhaps nowhere excelled. Nothing
can surpass the delicious softness of q
Nav daybreak in the Green Mountains.
You see all almost cloudless sky. and
are conscious of a temperature voluptu-
ously soft and tranquillizing. The
| fragrance of q thousand flowers fills the
air. At intervals you may hear, as If to
present more striking interest, the
notes of sssongster of the grove, ''or
| the flaming of a gentle breeze may stir
| the leaves and branches OF encireling
| woods. | prefer to give, as received
| from Mrs. pollard's own lips, and as
| nearly as possible III her own words,
what now follows, delivered with an
| uncomfortable emotion, which frequent
| ly interrupted the thread of the narra-
| ton. ,i sth
~ left the house," she said, 'son the
morning above indicated quite carly,
before 8, as noticed by the clock when
passing through the hall. crossed The
lawn to the garden, and not seeing un-
Gle Ben Zone of the negro gardeners), L
expressed surprise, as he was usually
very regular at his work, and my aston
ishment was not lessened at hearing
Martha exclaim, 'Missis, there's uncle
Ben over yonder in the graveyard. -
THE family cemetery lay Immediately
beyond the garden.) l directed. my
steps towards il to see what he was do
| 81. t.a oh no
there instead of in the garden. / said
Uncle Ben, what brings you here this
morning?' He reminded me that few
days before had told him to pluck a.
way some weeds which were growing
M about the tomb of my dear little Lu-
cy. noticed, too, that he had swept
and smoothed the surrounding ground.
The morning was so delightful, the air
so serene, that | felt tempted to pass
: out through the cemetery to the fields,
intending to return by the same way.
and | told uncle Ben not to lock the
gate, as should do so. 1907
81 was led to continue my walk be-
yond what was my usual custom; but
presently peculiar sensation, as II I'M
nelled by some underlined influence.
came upon me, and began to feel. very
nervous. hastened to the path lead
ing to the large gate, through which |
now decided to return to the house
the shortest way, in fact. An over
powering sense OF sadness oppressed me
and once or twice l was compelled tx
stop. At length | approached the as
pen tree which stands by the side of thu
private road, Just without the gate
: when, Judge of my horror at seeing, "
I ing beneath it, my poor boy Henry i
. At his side was cloak, a cap, and {;
sash. saw blood oozing from his neck
7 His features bore an expression lndica
3 tive of intense pain, though calm an'
4 TRANQUIL. Iinstinctively moved toward
: himswhen he waved his hand as If {
Y saw adieu | A faint smile seemed t,
+ struggle through the agony under whlc
q he appeared to be laboring.
ain the room which you and Kos
: now occupy l foundmyself lying on
e couch. The curtains were drawn, an
:, surrounding objects at first dim and ~
Q distinct. Presently distinguished tll
: forms of the children, Virginia. Minni'
e and Rose-Rose then little fairy |
= her fifth year : She had grlsped m
: hand. AT the farther part of the rooI
= were several of the servants, weeping
: NV first exclamation, as Virginia aftel
e wards told me, was, MY darling CHI
II dren. poor Henry is dead! You wi
:, never see your brother again. ~
Is tween the interval of my vision, for
IL know not what else to call it, and +
t. turn to consciousness, Virginia al
re Minnie has gathered from the servant
+ that near the aspen tree as was abo
+ to .urn I'm at the gate, | had sudden
lg stoppcd, cried out the ma ne oi my SO
to and then became insensible. With Il
tn assistance of others, immediately SIN
- moned, they had borne mo to the hou
tn in state of ueter prostratien. 10 I'll
st dav have not deemed it prudent
w advisable to communicate to my ch
ut dren what | saw on the dreadful NOR
a. inc. and had it not been that my III
ks expression, on return to consciousne
IS. was of Henry's death, not word shou
he have escaped me on the subject. VII
h In my own breast it would have be
ng concealed until confirmed or proved
IL be unreal. But, SO far as they col
in connect anything with 1t, they ure
'c- me to disabuse my mind OF the impre
e. ion. and that when the post arrived
shonId hear lie was alive and well
he Thev pretended that had dreamt
int and chat. like the shadow OF drea
lte ali would pass happily awoy. ailo
ed, ed them SO to think, fully convlhc
of however, that their poor brother v
'ut no longer IN this world.
On, "a fortnight or more had pass
n a when. to the surprise of every one,
$ a Gle Isham made his appearance. 10
the the news of his arrival seemed TO u
mi death-blow. Preceded by the chlldT
a | went to the piazza to sec. him. y
ior ginia outran .he others, and heard
iii, Saw, Where's your master Harry
ted 'Massa Henry gone dead, Missy ne
on, piled; and the poor slave burst
APP tears. After q few moments he con
ore ued, 'They seI,t me home to Alta VI