Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1871-08-26
NO. 43.

she kissed her on both cheeks, and
said, Come, Alice, let Us have a
ride on horseback. | want to 90 up
to Croftou Woods. 1t will be mag
niticent there to-day. Shall | order
/ the horses!"
"Yes, do, Calista," said Alice. Il
am glad YOU proposed it; it is so
dull. now Herman is gone"
Foolish girl" said Calista, play
| fully; ''he has only been gone one
day, and you expect him hack to-
morrow. But girls will be foolish.
So be ready as soon as possible, Al
ice, and we will canter of to Croft
ton Woods"
She went gaily from the room,
and Alice laid by her book, and
went To prepare for the ride. She
had no presentiment of evil. limo
cent herself, she suspected wrong in
no one, especially her cousin. who,
of late, was so kind to her. When
| they were about 10 mount the hor-
ses, Calista said, gaily, Let US
change to-day, alice. | want YOU
TO try Flyaway, and L want TO ride
Clip"
"Do you think | could manage
tlyaway:" said Alice, little anx-
iously.
"Oh, yes, easily enough; he is a
little fiery, to be sure, but l shall be
near you. l have never ridden Clip,
you know, and want TO see how she
will like me-"
Aice's aunt, Miss Gray, stood in
the door.
you win keep near Alice. Calls
ta:" she said, ''and see that FIyaway
is kept quiet?"
'Indeed L viii. - answered CaIista.
Don't you fear for her, Miss Gray"
They mounted the horses and pro
ceeded toward Crofton Woods
When they arrived at the forest they
rode along leisurely, looking about
them, and remarking on the beauty
of the day and scenery. They soon
came to by-path, that struck offin-
to the woods; and Calista drew rein
saying, "This path is the one took
the other day, when l came here a.
lone. Let US go through it, and
will show you one of the most mag
nificent scenes you ever saw"
They turned their horses into this
path, and cantered of into the heart
of the forest. They had ridden
nearly mile when they came sud
denly upon a great ledge of rocks,
standing out bare in the wood and
overlooking a frightful chasm or ra-
vine.
.What a strange place this is"'
said Alice.
1--WE win ride to the top of the
HILL said Calista, ''aHd then we can
see the ocean,
"Can wc?7 said Alice. u want TO
see it, but I'm almost afraid TO ride
there on Flyaway: let u dismount
and walk"
"Oh, fer said Calista. a littlener.
vOusly. Il viii warrant FIyawav
to behave just as want him to-
Come along, Alice; don't be timid."
They began 10 ascend the Jagged
hill, the horses stumbling over the
rocks; and at last they stood at the
summit. There was the ocean, sure
enough, lying blue and fathOmless
away off III the distance; but Alice
gave ii only passing glance; she was
gazing in terror down the terrible
abyss, on the edge of which their
horses were standing.
'Oh, Calista," she cried, why
did you bring me here? 1t is terri
Bile. L am frightened. | shall be
drawn into that terrible abvss, in
spite of me-"
Calista raised her riding whip.
"Alice Gray" she said, her ewes
cleaning and flashing with horrid
and evil resolve, "yOu shall never
marry Herman Holliston! a few
more minutes, and YOU will be I'm e.
ternity, and l shall be avenged"
"Oh, heaven. save me, save me,'
cried Alice attempting TO dismount
from her horse; but Calista struck
him with her riding whip. speak
ing sharply to him, and like the
wind he flew down the Jagged rocks. |
Alice, in terror, lost all power
and presence of mind, and in an ms
tant was hurled down the frightful |
chasm, and lay torn and bleeding at !
the bottom.
Calista, with a hollow, demon-like |
laugh, dismounted and climed down |
the rocks TO where Alice was living. |
With eyes like balls of fire, and face |
as pale as death, she put her hand on |
the pulse of the bleeding girl, and |
found that life was quite extinct.
She then climbed up the steep, |
mounted her horse, and rode with /
full speed toward the house. When /
she reached the highway, she saw
two gentlemen in u carriage coming |
leisurely along. She screamed TO /
them wildly, and told them that |
Alice Gray had been thrown from
her horse on the rocks in the Croi- |
ton Woods, aud she feared she was
dead. The gentlemen, who knew |
Alice well, left their carriage i'm the
road, and hurried to the place where
the poor murdered girl lay mangled |
and dead, her beautsful golden hair /
dripping with her blood. They /
took her up tenderly, and bore her
to their carriage, and then drove |
slowly toward the house.
Calista had arrived there long be-
fore, and was swaying to and fro,
white as a ghost, and blaming her
self to the distracted aunt of Alice
for allowing the poor girl to ride the
fiery horse, Flyaway.
When Herman HollistOn came /
back to the home of his betrothod,
the whole neighbOrhood was in COM
motion over the accident that had
befallen the beautiful and beloved |
Alice Gray: but no one distrusted
Calista Langdon for an instant
When the funeral was over, the
heart-broken lover, after passing a
whole night on the grave ofhis loved
one, left the place, and soon after
ward, Calista went back to her
house in town. They sometimes
met, but the guilty woman could
never call up smile to his ha2gard |
face. He wandered about from
place to place, never at peace, and
his hair grew gray before its time
Calista Langdon, from the time
she murdered sweet Alice GRAY till
her death, never spent one happy
and at last on her dyin"
bed she sent for Herman HOlliston,
and confessed the whole. 1t was
hard for him TO forgive her; but |
when he saw her writhing in an
gush, and calling for mercy and for
giveness, he pardoned her, and she
lied with faint hope of salvation
Herman Holliston is an old man
now, but every summer he visits
the grave OF sweet Alice Gray. and
Only looks forward to their ruion in
the world where all is pure and
beautiful.
THE UNFINISHED PRAYER.
Now l lay me"-say it darling;