The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-03-24
! sTAITNTONr VIRGINIA. THURSDAY. MARCH "a, 1870

] playing low, peasive strain, Suddenly the
| music ceased and the next instant tilian's
face appeared at the window, the, cheeks
/ flushed, the, eyes startling and eager -
/ d"Henry p She cried breathlessly. where
is Henry, mother Z" tsyaga ~ =
I "What do you mean, Lillian :" asked her
i sister, wonderiugly. 81. s.s9.# :.
els Henry here? I heard him call me-"
4 "You are dreaming my child. Henry Is
mot hereN tsio.- d 92csags sc :e ,,Gr,. ?
4 She looked around anxiously, and shading
her eyes with her hand, gazed toward the
west. SOS s1 egfa :,
i "He be here,'' she said, with trembl,
ing excitement, che is in the garden or down
in the meadow. I heard him call me twlce;
and from that direction" ss.. & sat q
The family, and even some Of the servants
accompanied her as she proceeded hastily to
the garden; calling, Henry! Where are
your" !, .ssae. y
T The garden and meadow, and even the
wood beyond, were searched, but in vain sand
disappointed and wondering, tho party re-
turned to the house. Yet Lillian persisted,
then and ever afterward, that she had dis.
ltinctIy, while playing Lieutenant AS favorite
I air, experienced sudden shock cas- Of splash
or spray of cold srater," and had at the same
4 instant heard his voice calling loudly and
clearly, "Lizian." An instant after it had
been repeated, yet more remotely and family
than before.
/ It was ascrbed by her friend to the effect
of an over excited imagination. Yet as week
by week and month after month rolled away,
and no tiding came of Lieut.. A, his
friends became uneasy and anxious. Every
possible inquiry was made. yet the only IN
formation gained was that the young officer
had been seen alive at the hasty disbard ding
of his regiment, some three days after the
evacuation Of Columbia, that since which
time nothing was known Of him.
So time passed, and Lieut. As friends
came naturally to the conclusion that he must
be dead For long time Lillian refused to-
believe this, but at length she too lost all
4 hore, and from that moment her spirits and
health seemed to fail, and it became evident
that with no decided complaint she was yet
falling into decline. 81 @
/ Physicians we're consulted, and recommen
ded change Of air and scene. The young
girl consented to take their advice, only she
implored, with a strange pertlnaclty, that
they should 60 west instead of north-any-
where west, she cared not whittier; and to
crafty her, her father consented. Ut
4 lit was on mild October evening that the
party, travelling slowly on the invalids &C
count approached little old fashioned vii
Iage on the banks of the Alabama river
There was nothing picturesque or inviting
in the aspect of the place yet as they wound
along the road leading to the village, Lillian,
who had been reclining listlessly back upon
the cushions, suddenly started erect and look
ed from the carriage window with an expires
sion of startled and puzzled interest.
"Have ever before been here, father I"
she inquired, "when I was child. mean!"
"No. my daughter. Why do you ask ~
eft seems so familiar to me-so strangely
familiar. There, know that church steeple;
and that turn Of the river; there is something
| beyond it don't know what seem to
have forgotten and yet to remember. Sure
y, haze been here before !"
| ''You have read description, or seen
picture of a scene which resembled this. It
is that which you remember, and not this lit
tie village" - t.
: "There again--it is the very spot-the riv
er, the high bank, the rock below! On, faith
er, know this place p
Her sister smiled, but her father seemed
little vexed at her persistency. Fl
You are visionary, my child,' he said
What strange and idle fancies are these"
i She said no more, but looked out dreamily
as the carriage progressed along the narrow
street, and stopped finally in front of little,
neat, but old fashioned tavern Here supper
| IND
recommending Lillian to lie down and take
! some rest, went, accompanied by his eldest
daughter, to call on the Episcopal minister of
the place, to whom he had a letter of intro
. duction. "a
Lillian remained in her chamber, attended
by colored woman who had been her nurse
:, and was as devoted as mother to her charge.
The girl did not lie down, but standing at the
$ window looked away toward the little village
] church steeple and the river beyond.
\ Presently a servant entered with water, and
: turning to her, Lillian spoke dreamily.
What lies between the church and the
, river?"
t Nothing, young missus. Oars an old
:, field dar, whar dar schoolhouse usee ter be,
t but dey done took and pulled it down long
ago." RI aaa
. The girl retired. Nanny Chloe, seeing
her charge so quiet and apparently SO we'll,
fell asleep in her chair And then Lillian
wrapped herself in her travelling shawl, went
= = quietly down stairs, and crossed the piazza
where sat three or four men, smoking, and
was seen to take her way directly toward the
old church by the river e
> Thithcr, a half hour later, her father and
. . sister, accompanied by the clergyman, follow
: ed her. 4t
They traced her to the churchyard gate
J which she had been seen to enter. This lay
:. between the church and the river bank, which
was here high and steep. Following the
trace which her footprints had made in the
! long rank grass, they passed through the
! churchyard and out at another small gate OF
= the side next to the river. Here close to the
! churchyard fence, was an enclosure, contain
9 ing several graves, planted with roses ane
f shaded by large willow and magnolia.
u This is what VIC call the strangers bury
ing place" said the clergyman, as they ap
preached it. ..,-
It "There is Lillian" exclaimed Miss B
|. pointing to glimpse of drapery seen thro