Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-12-26
pARKE MoULrRIR.


tober 10Th, 1852, gave rise to consid
erable excitement. The sudden tax
ing off of so prominent member o.
the Carolina Legislature as Mr.. Rhett
was to be deplored by the entire State
and when it became known that he
had been murdered thrill of horror
shot through every heart.
Mr.. Rhett's library was situated OIL
the ground floor of his spacious and
magnificent mansion. The eastern
windows looked out upon a beautiful
palmetto grove, while the southern
revealed the loveliness of flower
garden.
The legislator had never married,
but his roof sheltered lovely girl
who bore his name. His nephew, a
young Georgian named Parke Moul-
trie, residing with him. The youth
was reading law under the colonel, as
Mr.. Rhett was called throughout the
State, and it was he who had found
him dead among his books and papers.
When the student entered the room
at 8 o'clock on the fatal morning, he
found his uncle bowed upon the desk,
like weary person mapping. He did
not manifest any surprise at this, for
the Colonel often rose at four; read or
wrote till seven, to fall asleep again in
the position / have, in a word. de-
scribed, Moultrie-I am writing from
his testimony at the inquest-tOok
legal volume from the book case, and
threw himself into a chair near one of
the southern windows, the sa.h of
which was raised. He opened the
volume at page where several slips of
paper had been placed by some one,
and sudden breath of southern breeze
lifted them from the book. One piece
alighted directly beneath the Colonel,
and the youth thought to recover it
without diseommoding his relative.
He left the chair, and was putting his
hand beneath the fduteuI when he no
ticed dark red spot on the carpet.
As it looked like blood, he started
and tried to waken the Colonel. Faii-
ing to do so by gentle shaking, he
raised his head and saw the unmis-
taxable stare of death in his eyes.
There was red stain ON his we'll ironed
shirt front-it was the wound of the
life destroying dagger. The Colonel
had been dead several hours. Parke
Moultrie could see this at glance.
He did not rouse the house until he
had examined the room. The Colo
nel's money had not been touched; his
papers were intact. Then what mo-
tive promted the murderl Revenge
Colonel Rhett had no avowed enemies
who would stoop to the level of the
midnight assassin. He did not fear
the stealthy blow.
My foes are chivalrous," he was
wont to say. When they want re-
venge, like the gentlemen, to the field
of honor, they viii call me-
Parke Moultrie found a bruised
daisy leaf on the window sill. II bore
the imprint of shoe nails, and it told
the youth that, his uncle's assassin had
gained the house through the flower
garden. He had preserved the leaf,
and exhibited it to the coroners jury.
| have said that the papers of the de-
ceased we're found intact. But mys-
terry now bothered the minds Of many.
A will, which the Colonel was known
to have written, could not be found,
though the mansion was searched
dozen times. At last, hidden deeply
among some old letters, codicil was
discovered, 1t was dated year be-
fore the murder, and read thus:
"Codicil to the will of Randolph
Rhett: | bequeath to my nephew,
Marion Rhett, who, when last heard
from, was in Richmond, Va, the sum
of twenty thousand dollars, on condi-
ton that he takes charge of my plan
tation and manages it for my child,
Viola. | appoint him executor of my
estste, aud the guardian of my child.
The other items of my will. namely,
FIVE thousand dollars to Parke Moul-
trie; the remainder of my property,
exclusive of the beQuest of Marion
Rhett, to Viola"
This codicil was properly signed
with the well known autograph of the
distinguished Carolinian. and it was
thought that he had misplaced the will.
Il do not know much about this
cousin Of mine" said Viola to Parke
Moultrie several days subsequent to
the funeral. II have heard father
speake of Rhett who had disgraced
the family by marrying travelling ac-
tress but have forgotten his Chris
tian name-Marion sounds like it,
though | do not think it is. Shall l
write to Richmond"
Il would advise you to do so, said
the student. 1T is proper that your
fathers affairs should be attended to
at once" and he added as he turned
away:
Il am curious TO see this Marion
Rhett-this unknown cousin ofmine. y
That night Viola dispatched let
ter to the capitol of the Old Domin-
ion, and week elapsed before reply
came.
The letter which she received was
sigaed Marion Rhett." The writer
expressed sorrow at the Colonefs sud
den death, and much surprise at the
fortune that had befallen him. Il am
coming down in few days" he wrote,
"and Twill have no rest until the as
sassin is hung.
Il adjudge him a young man."
said Parke Moultrie, studying the chi
Biography of the Virginian's letter.
a young man about my own age-fOur
and twenty. | had expected to see
man in the neighborhood OF thirty
six"
One evening, several days after the
reception of the letter, Marion Rhett
reached the plantation.
That he was genuine Rhett could
not be disputed. He possessed the in
tellectual forehead OF his revolution
ary ancestors; he could boast of the
Bhett eyes, the Rhett mouth, and the
ringing melody of the Rhett voice.
wv hat do you think of him!" Viola
found time to whisper to Parke Moul-
trie.
He is the person he represents him
self-Sumter Rhett's son, was the
students reply. But there is some
thing about him do not like. Vio.a,
| | cannot explain myself now"
Marion Rhett gradually assumed
the reins of government on the planta-
ton. He treated Parke Moultrie de-
ferentially for a fortnight, when he
suddenly began to wax cold toward him.
He hinted that there was good opening
for law students in Richmond, and, un-
able to bear his ruling longer, and un-
willing, for Viola's sake, to resist
after the manner of the Carolinian, he
Quilted the estate.
Il shall feel lonely while you are
away, Parke," Viola said to him on the
night prior to his departure. Il do
| -. IL ..,.r nn.,n.n lo trnafa me