Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-12-14
For the Republican.
MY ROOM MATE.
By BELL LEE.

BY BELL LEE.
Your old friend, Alice Frazier. died
at the Asylum on the evening Of the 10Th
of April"
This was all there was telling me of the
death of her whom l loved so fondly.
Only a few simple words, but they con-
tanned vast amount of sorrow. as well as
JOY. Sorrow for the living and for the
past, as connected with her to whom the
sentence referred-and yet joyfully l felt
when ! read it, and remembered the doc
tors words, beyond all hope of recov-
cry"
AT the age of sixteen entered female
Institute, in one of the New England
States, and there met Alice Frazier T
remember so distinctly the words of
schoolmate: Ii is like uniting right and
morning to make room mates of Bell and
Alice" remark which was truthful TO
the last degree, for Alice was bright,
sparkling girl, with face, form. with
hair and eyes, that were divine, while her
voice was sweeter to me than the perfume
of roses, and when was tired and weary
with my days tasks, l would throw nv
sell upon our couch, while Alice would
tell me of her far away southern home, of
her brothers and sisters, and the beauties
with which they were surrounded; and
would more than half imagine | could
hear the brook bubbling over its pebbled
bottom-the mocking birds singing in the
boughs of the grand old magnolia trees
that | could see the servants TO whom She
was so fondly attached, gathering around
her with their God bless We, honey" as
she took her departure from them, and
came north to be an inmate Of Mrs. BIS
school.
l had been reared in one Of the PLANES.
homes on the western prairie, with no
thought of aught else than that of being
able to cipher through fractions, and of
taking the premium at the county fair OH
my agricultural wreath. l never had a
female friend. for my mother died while l
was yet too young to know what sorrow
was, and sisters, God gave me none My
step mother was maid of five and thirty
when she welded my father, and by her
hand was | reared. She Low sleeps the
sleep that knows no waking" and l sin
cerely thank her for all her kindness to
me, for she, no doubt, governed me ac-
cording to her conscience 1t is not sur
priSlng that l shonld represent night, hay
ing been reared in the strictest manner by
one OF the strongest minded women it was
ever my misfortune TO meet; and when
there came to our home an uncle of my
mothers requesting my father to send me
to Mrs. BIS school, kindly offering to
meet all expenses, crept away to my lit
tie room and cried Yes, | was afraid to
go out in the world so far from familiar
scenes and meet strange faces. After
much promising and persuading, l con-
sented to accompany my uncle to the east
Arriving at our destination, one beautiful
evening, just as the sun was sinking away
behind the hills, l met on the piazza, the
lady who was to assume the very respon-
sible duty ofmother towards me, aud wbo
was to mould my mind and character
for future usefulness. l remember the
smile of welcome she gave me, which said
far more than words, as she took my
hands in hers, and kissed me SO fondly
Turning to party of girls she introduced
me to all, kindly requesting them to en-
tertain me for few moments while she
conversed with my uncle. In a short
time we proceeded to my room, and Alice
Frazier was presented to me as my room
mate. How bewitching she looked in hel
pure muslin dress, with her hair hanging
IN ringless over her shoulders, and how
lovely she seemed, when she put her arm
about me and said you are so welcome.
From that moment could not help Low
| ing this queen of beauty" Days cam,
| and went, and | became more fondly at
| tached to my room mate with each sue
ceeding one. Our friendship ripened in
to love, and each knew the Others
thoughts. Alice slept with Der head up
on my shoulder, and her arms about IN,
neck, and in this position l have so otter
heard her plans for the future, and of the
glitterng air castles she was CONSTANT,
erecting. What happy faculty she pos
sessed of charming me into partaking o.
those sweet thoughts with her. There i,
nothing in this world so pure that sin and
corruption can not penetrate it. True il
may be in thoughts and minute particles
but mind and substance is always more O
less polluted. Ever since the day tha
Eve was tempted, there have been ter
serpents in human form to every Eden
These halcyon days were not to last for
ever, and they came to close very sud
denly, on the occasion of public Gu er-
tainment given at our Institutes Through
some means, Alice was introduced to a
foreign looking individual bearing the
name Of n. De Haven, and before she
-