The Van Buren press., 1870-01-25
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MISCELLANY,
Percy Valdsmar's Victim.


"I am so sorry, Oracle" observed
Mrs. Valdeihar, to her daughter.
NV hat for, mamma| -1
-" Your father is sick this morning, ,and
your cousin is awaY there IS no one to
take you over TO Wiqdemere
Gracic's face became cIouiy for mo.
ment, and then frightened up visibly.
Al can go alone, mother, I'm sure
Jim can drive me to tue depot, and l will
only have to change ears at BlackwateI
station. | have been over, there so many
times, and you know to morrow is Com
mencement day. Can't go p
Mrs Valdemar hestated fora moment
How could she let her go alone How
could she refuse her Z ..t, t.... "a. ...... q.
"lr your father consents, dear" she
said, at last, and Grace fastened TO her
fathers side Old DR. Valdemar looked
with pride upon his lovely daughter, and
could not find it in his heart to deny her
the privilege Of going alone, and SO his
consent was soon obtained.
A tear cleaned in the eye Of each pa
rent when she bid them light farewell,
and was as quickly wiped away. 5 .f
-" wish, Percy had been here Mrs,
Valdemar observed to her husband. :" for
| feel very strangely about Grace hope
nothing will befall her.
"Pooh! pooh! wife" laughed the
doctor, "you are nervous She is not a
child-she is all right ] do hope, though,
that our schemes will prove prosperous
she and Percy must fall in love with one
another.
Mrs. Valdemar shook her head. H
"She is too young to think of such q
thing yet"
Mother as she was, she had not seen
all uar7na transpired beneath her own
roof, Percy was Mr.. Valdemars broth
ers son, but as his parents were dead,
had been brought up as the doctors own
boy The first wish of the parents was,
that their daughter and Percy should
marry; to one it was pleasant, to the
other distastefuL Percy had made pro-
fessions OF love to Grace, but she had re-
jected him, telling him that she loved
him as brother, but never better" And
he had replied that she would repent but
of this no one knew, for their lives flowed
on apparently in the same old current.
The next day Percy returned home,
and was full ofrcgrets at his inopportune
absence, but assured Mrs. Valdcmar that
her continued uneasiness was groundlcss.
Nevertheless, when week had sped away
and no tidings came from her, the old
decter announced his intention of going
over to Windermere to see her. Percy
offered to accompany him, and they both
set uttogether
The journey was silent one, and
when they reached the school they asked
for Madame De Fois She came in after
a moment. .... ...,-.l... ...., D..
lis my daughter here p Mr.. vaidemar
asked as soon as the first greeting was
over id r"hia.. tfsn 'lFH7 -
She is not she said, in surprised ;
tone; . Miss Grace has not been here
since vacation."
Not here" exclaimed the stricken
father. T" My God whers is my chlli p
Helthen related briefly to the madame
the circumstance of her coming alone.
and how uneasy they. had been Percy
sat with his head bowed in his hands, tL c
most abject specimen Of grief
A few moments later they went to the
station to inquire if such a person had
been seen, but no one in Windemere re-
membered seeing her, The next step
was to SO to Backwater station, where
she changed cars
"a very young lady, very fair, with
long golden curls reaching to her waist ?"
the conductor inquired. ..... ......,
"Thc samc," Mr. Valdemar returned,
eagerly. .'. '." @ '" '. '
"She certainly arrived here safe, then. +"
was the response "for | remember hc-
We had but a few passengers
that morning, and her hair, which was a
peculiar shade and so long, made her con
spicuous. saw her get out on the plat.
form"
That was all which he could elicit from
him. And then they questioned the other
conductor. Ilo had seen the young lady
on the platform, but she did not get into
the cars.
About that time they noticed crowd
gathering down at the foot Of the street
and with vague, underlined fear stealing
through them, hurried to the group. At
the sight Of the new comers, they made
room for them to pass in between. In
the midst laid a corpse, which had just
been taken out of the water One glance
at the long, disheveled hair and the neat
~ fitting suit told them all. Tho face was
too much bruised to be really recogniza
Bile but they had no doubts--it was their
Grace! ''-"
They fell on their knees beside the cold,
dripping form, and the father oathed her
inanimate face with his tears, crying,
" My child my poor lost child" in such
pitiful accents as to bring tears to the
eyes Of all that listened to him.
The corpse was lifted up, and the coro
ner summoned. The verdict was not "ac-
drowning" but rather, "mur-
dered and then thrown into the river"
Mr. Valdomur huateuod homn IN brsok