The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1871-10-18
STARTLING NARRATIVE
OF REAL LIFE.
BY ANNE ROBERTS.

! DCt Ol us leave our uOlHCS: tlHO ~
together to the far North to be
educated. A great mistake | have
since thought for have had oc-
casion often to regret not having
received instruction in my own
! State.
At the time OF which l write, [
was at the house Of my most init
mate friend, Sue Long.
She was lovely in disposition,
| not remarkably beautiful: but I
never saw any one with so sweet q
face.
Her skin was purely white, and
! her eyes dark gray that many
mistooll for black, because Of the
long dark lashes yelling them.
She had always ! beautiful color
and looked healthy yet, l don't
know why, she never seemed
strong to me.
At school, I have seen her trem-
bic and grow pale at little Incl
dents that scarcely affected me.
That very nervous weakness, so
opposed to my strength of nerve,
endeared her to me, and came to
watch over her as if she were q
younger sister.
l had been spending the winter
with her, and it had been such c
happy one.
One evening she came into my
room just as | was getting ready
for party; she held a note IN
her hand, and her face was so
ghastly that l thought she was
i'll. Sheseemed perfectly unnerved,
and without a word dropped in a
chair, near the bureau, where 1
was standing.
Sue, what is the matter l
said at last.
She put her hands to her face,
and wept aloud; but calming her
self, she sobbcd:
"Oh, Lucy, poor Lilly is dead J"
| uttered an exclamation OF hor-
ror. ut can't be! 1t can't be!
We only saw her this morning,
! and she was perfectly we'll"
Yes, but few minutes after
We left she was taken i'll, and died
about an hour ago. Read the
note
took it and read a short state.
ment Of what she had told me.
We Ncpt together; forLiIly was
our schoolmatc and dear friend.
She was the only daughter Of
| one Of the weaIthiest men in Co.
lumbus; her disposition SO kind
and amiable, that she was pctted
and carcssed BY all.
I had never lost a friend before,
nor had Sue; and we felt this be-
rcavcmcnt most terribly.
put off my party dress with
the saddcst heart | had ever known,
and later in the evening we went
around to the house Of mourning.
She had been laid out in the
parlor, and there we went to look
ut her.
Two evenings before, we had
danced on the spot where the still
form Of the dead now lay.
Sweet flower! cut off while you
yet budded new" !"
She was the m ost lifc-like corpse
| have ever seen. \ smile rested
on her countenancc and her skin
still retained slight roseate hue.
We sat up with he" several
nights. On Friday she was to be
buried but her fathers grief was
so heart-rcnding, and she still re-
NAMED so life-likc, that at his
earnest request she was kept some
days longer.
At first VIC had many friends to
share our nightly vigils; but the
last night all were tired out, and
only two others besides Sue and
myself remained.
We were much fatigued and
very sad for the next day Lilly
was to be consigned to the tomb,
and VIC had hoped we hardly knew
what.
Two hours passed slowly. There
were two parlors, with folding
doors between them. They were
handsomely furnished; the most
luxurious velvet carpet, chairs, So
| fas, and mirrors of rare value
! The body was in the front parlor,
resting on a bier, in the middle Of
the room, lengthwise between one
Of the mirrors and the folding
doors. On each side Of this mir
ror were candles. We sat in the
adjoining room, and several times
during the night, two of US, to-
gether. went in and snutfed the
candles.
About twelve o'clock this night.
! the other two girls complained Of
! headache, and laid down to get q
little sleep, so only Sue and l were
left.
Some hours afterward, Sue said
to me, YEARLY:
IL feel q perfect horror creeping
over me. The sight Of poor Lilly
inspires me with tewor."
YES" l replied, Il feel wretch