Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-11-25
PARkE MOULTRIE.
BY CAPTAIN CHARLES HOWARD.

so prominent a member of the Carolirs
Legislature as MIR. Rhett, was to be de.
plored by the entire State, and when il
became known that he had been muir.
dered, thrill of horror shot through
every heart.
MIR. Rhett's library was situated on
the ground floor of his spacious and
magnificent mansion. The eastern
windows looked out upon a beautiful
palmetto grove, while the southern
ones revealed the loveliness of a howe,
garden.
The legislator had never married, but
his roof sheltered a lovely girl who bore
his name. His nephew, a young Geor-
gian named Parke Moultrie, resided
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 legal papers.
When the student entered the room
at O'Clock on the fatal morning, he
found his uncle bowed upon the desk,
very like person mapping. He did moi
manifest any surprise at this, for the
Colonel often rose at four; read OF
write till seven, to fall asleep again in
the position | have, in a word, de-
scribed. Moultrie-I am writing from
his testimany elected at the inquest
took legal volume from the book case
and threw himself into chair near one
of the southern windows, the sash OF
which was raised. He opened the vol
ume 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 il
without discommoding his relative. He
left the chair and was putting his hand
beneath the tdtteuH when he noted a
dark red spot on the carpet.
As it looked like blood, he started
and tried to waken the Colonel. Fail
ing to do so by gentle shaking, he
raised his head and saw the unmistak-
able stare of death in his eyes. There
was red stain on his well-ironed shirt
front-it was the wound of the life-de-
stroying 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 colonel's
money had not been touched his
papers were intact. Then what motive
prompted the murder Revenge Col
onel Rhett had no avowed enemies who
would stoop to the level of the mid
night assassin. He did not fear the
stealthy blow.
"My foes are chivalrous," he was
wont to say. "When they want re-
venge, like gentlemen, to the field of
honor thev will call me-"
Parke Moultrie found bruised daisy
leaf on the window sill. 1t bore the
imprint of shoe-nails, and it told the
youth that his uncie's assassin had
gained the house through the flower
garden. He had preserved the leaf,
and exhibited it to the coroner's jury.
L have said that the papers of the de-
ceased were found intact. But a 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 thor
oughly dozen times. At last, deeply
buried among seme old letters, q codicil
was discovered. 1t was dated year
before 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 planta-
tion and manages it for my child, Viola.
| appoint him executor of my estate,
and the guardian of my child. The
other items of my will, namely, five
thousand dollars to Parke Moultie the
remainder of my property, exclusive of
the bequest to Marion Rhett, to Viola. -
This codicil was properly signed with
the well-known autograph of the dis
tinguished Carolinian, and it was
thought he had misplaced the will.
81 do not know much about this
cousin of mine," said Viola to Parke
Moultrie several days subsequent TO
the funeral. II have heard father
speak of Rhett who has disgraced the
family by marrying travelling actress
but have forgotten his Christian name.
Marion sounds like it, though 1 do not
think that is it. Shall L write to Rich
mond ?"
would advise you to do So" said
the student. at is proper that your
fathers affairs should be attended to at
once" and he added as he turned
away:
81 am curious to see this Marion
Rhett-this unknown cousin of mine. y
That night Viola dispatched letter
to the capital of the Old Dominion, and
a week elapsed before reply came.
The letter which she received was
signed Marion Rhett." The writer
expressed sorrow at the colonel's sud-
den death, and much surprise at the
fortune that had befallen him. II am
coming down in few days." he wrote,
and L will haze no rest till the assassin
is hung"
81 adiudge him young man." said
Parke Moultrie, studying the chirogra-
ply of the Virginian letter. ga young
man about my own age-four and twenty.
1 had expected to see a man In the
neighborhood of thirtysix." ;"
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
intellectual forehead of his revolution.
airy ancestors he could boast of the
Rhett eyes, the Rhett mouth, and the
ringing melody of the Rhett voice.
What do you think of him y Viola
found time to whisper to Parke Moul'
trie.
He is the person he represents him
self-Sumpter Rhett's son" was the
students reply. ''But there is some
thing about him do not like, Viola.
cannot explain myself now.
Marion Rhett, gradually assumed the
reins of government on the plantation
He treated Parke Moultrie deferentially
for fortnight, when he suddenly begaI
TO wax cold towards him. He hinteo
that there was a good opening for Law
students in Richmnnd, and, unable te
bear his ruling longer, and unwilling
for Viola's sake, to resist after the man
nov of tbe Carolinian, he quilted the