The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-08-28

! GlaQGe. nor the assurance ElaG the COB
Inns of the Redwood mansion were not
now likely to molest us. "But did
you find anything p she eagerly asked.
'' Wait and see p was my answer.
| The breeze was fresh in Amenone
| Vale, lovely in its carpet of the soft
flower which gave it its name.
60 There is a tint of mustiness about
it, and an ancient look" remarked my
| friend. as he unrolled a manuscript I
| handed him.
"Well, there might be" replied his
sister. "It is snatched from the haunts
of goblins-but let rs hear it -
A piece of paper futtered to the
ground, as the pages we're unrolled.
It read:
November 10, 1870. viii this
sheet ever mold It is pleasant to hope
| that it may be read when the writer is
| Incorporated with mold. Read my
story and learn to guard the heart and
control the passions. r. s."
Seating ourselves upon bank of wild
flowers the manuscript was begun.
" An eye for an eye. A tooth for a
tooth-Holy. / am an invalid, waiting
for life's thread to snap. The present
is mixture of hope, memory, the
| future, and reality. Hope results in
while reality is fruition. Imagination
is false, for it garnishes barren hills
with verdure /; transforms a face of ugli-
ness to one Of beauty makes 8 miserly
relative a generous donor pictures
| yourself more perfect than the whis pers
of conscience, and causes the hopeful
| heart sadness. I will not deal with it.
What write is reality. Failing health
pushed me into travel. It is hard to
bid adieu to the old gables and the
arched gateway, in doubt that one may
see them again, not from age, not from
| the necessity of a long absence, but
| from the certainty that you are chased
by disease at which physicians shake
| their heads but mutter hope.
! So I had been upon the road several
! days before anything of interest aroused
me from my depression. Passing a
| dwelling, whose neat appearance at
| tracted my attention, the notes of q
peculiarly plaintive song attracted me.
| I first reined my horse and then, dis
mounting, I followed a winding walk,
adorned on either side with simple
| flowers, to the open door. had been
noticed and was met by a young man
who cordially bade me enter.
d" We were singing a song learned at
sea, of which my sister is quite fond,
! but we shall be glad for an Interrupt
| ton It was the introduction of an
import sequence, and the story which
| follows.
''Frank Lavender, the father of my
| host and narrator, became, IN the early
| years of his marriage, entangled In wild
! dissipation with neighboT's son, Dick
Perry. Their recklessness increased
until the murder of a wealthy planter
/ ~ l. E,-s-
essary, and neither had ever returned.
! The exertions of Justice proved futile,
and with the lapse of years the suppo-
sition gathered strength that by some
| other means retribution had come upon
! the fugitives. "
My friend, who had been reading the
manuscript, exclaimed: 4 well re-
member, my grandfather once related
this very tale to me. His description
of Lavender was that of very hand
some man, of fine figure and of pre-
possessing air. I cannot recall the de-
tails, but the son and daughter here
spoken of were very fortunate ia in
heriting large estate quite strangely.
Ny old sire made a moral, and, while
upon his knee and staring into his
wrinkles, was warned from evil COM
pany and the haunts Of the enemy"
"There is no silver in my locks
and never will be. The worm has his
mortgage upon them and he is already
after foreclosure. Recorded pharma-
copUia has not sufficient knowledge to
deter the grim bearer of the hOur-glass.
He knows it, and so do I. For months
have been absent from the gables. 1
have returned, patched up merely.
Q1Lid fGcie710laln1 9''
At this point the manuscript had evi-
IDENTIFY been laid away, for the remain
der was traced in different ink and by
! a feebler hand. It opens again with the
same quaint pinings.
"Life has queer findings. The one
who interests you to-day is gone to-
morrow and forever, while the partner
of an old life-game turns up suddenly
to confront you with tedious memories
Oftener that with agreeable recollec-
J tions. Earnest yearnings are rarely re-
allied, but they have been once with
? me. The candOr of my host, Lavender,
l and his sad experience created an in
terest and a sympathy which was, years
, later, revived intensely. I was again
( compelled to seek the north, and had
{ fixed a temporary abode in one of the
pleasant villages in an eastern state
| Among the few acquaintance5 I formed
? was that of an eminent judge, who was
4 at that time presiding at the trial of 6
D wretch committed for arson and mur
l der. He was particularly noticeable
commanding in persona deep, ricE
, voice, a fine dark eye, and hair sprinkled
4 with silver. He lived in elegant style
: as can attest, at his place called Man
rove Hall, without a wife, and child
less. His card read, Poinset Telfair.
: 1T the breakfast table, the last day
: of the exciting trial, I was agreeabl!
! surprised to recognize my old FRIEND
Lavender. He had just arrived in ques
of a tarrying place for the season. Cir
!. cumstances at once determined him T.
!, remain with me. The pending case a
= the courthouse, in which I had becom
much interested, was the topic OF dis
:, course, and Lavender was induced to b
l. present with me at its conclusion.
g GAS we seated ourselves among th
d eager spectators, Judge Telfair passes
70 IN with elastic step, an air of calm dig
s nifty, admirable IN ripe manhood. Law
:. ender whispered enthusiastically
r a lord T
p "The case was given TO the juror
:, and they had returned, giving as thei
1t verdict murder IN the first degree
u The prisoner viii stand r'' said tn
Judge. It IS a solemn charge, tn
, sentence of death! None should re
y ceive 1t but the atrociously guilty. Jus
d and righteous laws have been enacte
Is to prevent convicted felens even froT
y ineqUitable decisions. The benefit @
? these laws has been your claim an
Is privilege. Weary days have been con
!, sumed IN this unweIeome duty of find
II ing you beyond the mercy of man, an
2, now 1t Is incumbent upon me 20 max
q Ahis tlnGinc- Eonrh-. L. D..