The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1875-02-17
kr,tialiUnS Uf The MOrguc.

rMy rtvaicd not Che snowy whtcness OF
those chisclcd fe; lures aud 10y taper
ing fingers, lay all that was IL ortal of
the p"or suicide. lIor features wore
the calm of peaceful sleep, tho lips
lightly parted as if with Il smile Of
! oy for Ter rc'case frvm rapidly
losing meshcs. y cascade of golden
! air iell gracefully from her classic
row, terminating III ripples If sun.
shine far Below her waist Her ap.
rarcl hung in simple folds around
her sof'ly mouidrd limbs half cover
iAg, ialf display lng tny foot en-
c""rd IN n"iuty gai icr. Who she
Was, whch'c SHE came, ana what the
cause which led her thus wildly to
throw il beautiful yonng life away, are
among The in'c utabie mys les that
Wall be revca.cd ply at tho Iinal
q y when all seer BIS shalt be known.
Two fishermen plying their daily
avocation IN the river, had cn!olIed
the dead body in their net, and,
bringing it to The surface Of the placid
drcci'tnl waters, had, with mingled
awe aud admiration, delivered tho
beautiful remains to the autho. tiles
to be exposed III tho Morgue for io
CO .nitlon. a strict search had re-
VcHled no token of this young crca-
tues identity. Her deic tie fca-
lures and the exquisite texture Of her
Clothing betrayed her high. rauk, but
beyond this nothing could be learned.
Pause There was som cthing else, q
trlle, insignificant in itself, but
fui nlshlng clue TO the dreadful
mystery. Upon her bosom, nexS her
ne IT, lay lock Of hair, tied With
blue ribbon ina simple lovers knot.
That was all. Could this little keep.
sake speak, what volumes it might
disclose. AS the reporter gazrs upon
1t, his eyes grow dim, and weird
PIC urcs float across his BRAIN In
fancy he sees ii beautiful m,nsion
h.tsd up in luxury. Within be bcholds
loving parents whose eyes beam dcvo.
ton for daughter, the sunlight Of
the house. lie sees this daughter,
min alag in tho giddy throng, light.
hea ted as u bird. lilo sees tall
and handsome you.h, with dark eye
and sonsuous lip bcn,ling over this
far maiden whispering soft compl
meats and tender rrutestatioNs, and
knows by her heightened co!or that
these airy moth ngS i c not dlspleas
ing 10 her.
Again his eyes grow dim, and
again clearing, he bcholds change
OF s:'nc. Two y, ing lovcrs are seat.
Cd costly together III the cheerful
glow Of the sea coal fire, he still
brea hing rr"testasions of lovo and
tend 'rness, ana she, her hand clasped
IN his, henming with happiness and
trusting confidence. Again the sceno
chan. cs, and IA shudlcr passes over
HIM "s the panorama reveals new
picture in strong contrast with all
that have gone before. Once all
was ,ovc, confidence aud sunshine :;
now, all Is rcmorse, misery and dark.
ness. The temptcr has prevailed
and 'nnocence has yic!Aod to the
wiles Of the serpent. uc secs this
1alr young creature: who had known
no sorrow, experienced no cares.
suffer no wants, rushing madly
from home, out into the street amid
busy throng too familiar with
such scenes to notice her rs she
hurried with throbbing brain and
cfo~dng memories, on and on. She
wends her way mechanically to that
cold aud silent river beneath who 20
gently ripping surface 80 miny
dread secrets have been buried. lie
secs her stop suddenly upon the
brink, cast one last look upon that
little lock Of hair--tur She cannot
hate him y t-and then, af.or offer.
ing a silent prayer for forgiveness to
her Mixer e'ore whose awful tribu
nal sho is to appear without prepa~
ration, with one long, lingering glance
upon The world she leaves behind,
she plungcs boldly iuto tho stream,
and goes down, down, down, without
struggle, to rise no more. And the
stream rolls calnly on, tolliug no
tales, and On its bosom bears thous.
ands Of human beings bright and
happy, who perchance arc travelling
the same sad path to death. Aud
tho paternal home is dosoIate, and
patornnl hairs 60 down in sorrow to
the grave. And tho hcartloss tempt.
or goes undctccted, uuscathod, to
practise his wiles in other gardons3 of
Eden.
And hen the reporter starts, for his
revery is broken by tho advent of an.
other inhabitant brought to tho
Alorguo and rs tho mist clears from
his eyeB, he bcholds the same dead
body lying in all its beauty aud all its
mys.ery upon tho icy marble before
him. And as be leaves tho room, ne
ofiers tnvoluntaril2, fox hc is Nm