Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-03-18
A Romance of the Old Dominion.

he IOlIOWlng comes from the OCala
| (Fla.) Banner: Some years ago there
| lived in Virginia a beautiful and accom-
plished young lady-a member of one of
the oldest and best families In that State.
She was the reigning belle in the society
in which she moved. In the course of
time she married young lawyer of the
| highest responsibility, both as regards
talents and family connections. In due
time they had son born to them. They
were very happy.
The lawyer in the course of his bust
ness operations became in some way or
another entangled in quarrel with a
! brother lawyer. A duel was the result.
In the contest the husband was killed.
The wife became inconsolable. a severe
fit of sickness followed. When she re-
| covered the only thing to lavish the
whole affection of her heart upon was her
son. Her entire attention was given to
him
After year or two she was surround
ed by an immense number of admirers
and several made proposals of marriage.
She declined them all Her heart was
! true to her first and only love. At last
many of her admirers importuned her to
marry them-offering her fortune, sta
ton, everything that would be likely to
win woman's heart-but all of no avail.
She replied to them that she could not
give them her hand without her affection
her heart was with the buried dead.
were made to her so often and earnestly
that she withdrew herself from society
as the only means of obtaining any
| thing like quietness; but even then let
tiers would annoy her. So she deter
mined to get out of the way of society
entirely, and seclude herself in some re
tired spot. She did not care where she
| went if she could only obtain quietness
and enjoy the pleasure of training and
cultivating her boys mind and have his
exclusive society. He was noble little
| fellow.
Well, after looking about for place
| where absolute seclusion could be OBJ
| tanned and be unknown, and the climate
would be congenial, she determined upon
Florida. So she removed to q retired
spot about mile or two from Ocala,
where she found small hut already
built and suited to her requirements.
| She purchased it, and there lived for
some time, when, unhappily, her boy was
| taken sick and died, and was buried
near her house. She planted an acorn
near by that was found after death in
his pocket. 1t has now grown to be
| large tree.
Alone in the world, without a single
soul to converse with, she fretted and
pinned her life away, her only consolation
being in her communings with her Maker.
She prayed for peace and obtained it.
She had no domestic servant to wait
upon her, but cooked her own meals,
! etc.
| Occasionally she would see persons ap-
proach her little home, and, not wishing
to be seen, would retire to small cave
near by, where she could watch the
movements of strangers until they were
gone, when she would come out and take
possession of her shanty.
One day she walked into Ocala for the
purpose of obtaining some medicine at
the drug store. She was closely hooded
and disguised. There was a gentleman
in the town, however, whom she recog-
nized as an old sutton. She Immediately
left, and was lost to sight quickly. The
gentleman saw the eyes, he thought he
knew them-their influence in the past
had kept him awake many night. He
was at first staggered with the thought
| that it might be her-indeed, he was al
most paralyzed, for he was still single,
and remained so for her sake. When he
| recovered his senses sufficiently to know
what he was about he turned into the
street to look for her, but she was gone
and no one could tell him anything about
her Or in what direction she had gone.
He searched the country all around, but
his efforts were fruitless. At last he had
to give up the pursuit He was very IN
happy.
Well, the lady lived for many years af-
| terward, still staying at the same place.
At last she found that her health was
giving way; that the hardships she had
to undergo-livlng in so wild and rude a
condition-necessitate her making q
confdant of somebody so as to obtain
help She called in the assistance of an
honest, quiet colored woman-Aunt
Polly Fudge-who helped her to some
comforts and did chores for her. At
last she became sick and confined to her
bed Polly faithfully nursed her, and at
length the lady died,
She told Polly her history, suppressing
her real name, and told her to get her
buried in the grave beside her darling
boy, under the oak tree she had planted
near the cave, and that she was to be
buried in her wedding dress-a beautiful
white SATIN one-and on her head the
wreath that she wore on the occasion of
her marriage. Faithful Polly attended