Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-04-06

by the dead: whilst [, stunned and
stupefied, knelt on the floor. with my
arms folded on the sofa, and my face
/ buried in the cushions thereof. And
it was only when "A breath of cold air
rushing in aroused me, that | looked
up. and saw standing on the thresh-
old the tall. majestic form of our ever
loved and revered general. George
Washington.
His dress was somewhat disordered,
torn and awry. as had never before
beheld it; and he was bespattered
with mud from the waist downward.
Also in his usually calm aud serene
countenance was now trace OF deep
grief and emotion.
Then my uncle arose, and with un-
certain. faltering step essayed to meet
him.
II thank God" he said. solemnly-
Il thank God that it is as il is; and
that the shame and guilt of that aw-
full crime have been swallowed up in
this lesser affection. thank God
that and mine only are called upon
to mourn"
saw the generals firm lips com
press, and hais face flush, whilst his
eyes were suffused and overrun with
tears. He grasped my uncle's hand
in both his.
my dear Sir" he said my kind
and honored old friend-it is | who
have cause TO grieve, that have been
/ the indirect occasion OF this most Bit
ter qffliction-bitter almost to me as
to YOU. l loved him" here his voice
! faltered: NOR will il be an easy mat
4 ter to find another such as John Con
: yers-irreproachable whether as gen
tleman, soldier, or Christian. And
/ for the rest, let it be buried forever
/ between ourselves, to whom alone it
/ is known"
At that moment the door again
opened, and the figure of Mistress
Abigail. attired still in her dinner
dress and jewels, swept loftily in.
She started back on seeing the gen
er II. with a strange look Of surprise.
and all her face crimsoned; yet did
she incline her head loftily, without
meeting his eye, and turned straight
way unto me.
"Can YOU inform me, Agnes, what
has happened? The servants do
seem distraught. yet / chose not 10
question them, but rather come to
you"
As she stood there, all unconscious
of what awful woe had happened, L
felt that whatever might be the un-
known guilt within her breast,I pitied
her. She was John Copyer's wife
the wife of his bosom, whom he had
most tenderiy loved. most wholly
trusted: and for his sake my heart
did somewhat soften unto her.
"Oh, Abigail" / commenced, and
was advancing toward her. when my
uncle's voice. now terribly stern and
distinct, arrested me.
Touch her not, go not near heri"
he cried, putting forth both his
trembling hands. whilst his whole
face and manner, changed as they
were, yet expressed such intense an
ger and loatning that even she quail
ed before it. The general too had
! turned. and with one hand in his
breast, and the other resting upon the
table, now confronted her, his face
cold and serene, his eyes calmly
|, and steadily fixed upon hers. saw
t her for an instant shrink and quail
! before him, as it were. and then she
. erected her head. and looked haught-
, lily and deflantly upon us three.
, Il know not, Sir" she said. loftily
} addressing my uncle-"I know not
wherefore you use such language in
: regard to me: but 1 will withdraw
from the company OF those to whom
} my presence seems unwelcome, and
: by whom am treated with unseemly
I insult. 1t is for my husband. Col
onel Conyers. to avenge it,"
) And gathering her silken train
r about her, she swept forth, majesti-
cally as she had entered; and from
{ that hour forever after never again
E did Abigail Tempest stand in the
. presence OF one of us three.
. But if haG pitied her then, 1 pitied
her yet more when, an hour after
E through the darkness and stiffness oi
the night, her shrieks rang long and
loud, and a CHASTITY, blood-stained
:, corpse was born, not to her apart
L ments, but those of his mother, and
IL ere laid upon the bed on which he
I had slept in his childhood. And
l then | knew that Abigail Tempest
I loved John Conyers, howsoevel
! guiltily she might. as / at that time
!, suspected, have favored another; sc
n that whilst L loathed, L still pitieo
e her.
}, Colonel Conyers was buried with
h great state and military honors
amidst the grief OF all the folk of on
borough OF both high and low estate
g General Washington did himself wall
y Immediately following the pall-bear
y ers as one OF the chief mourners and
as was told unto me, his features
: usually so stern and immobile, die
work rs the coffin was lowered int
e the grave so that he was fain to turr
aside and hide his countenance from
q the lockers on. Mistress Abigail
= was not present She kept her room
e attended only by her waiting woman
5 and one of our own servants, We
d supplied with all that could be de
o sired. though never again was sh'
looked upon or spoken to by one o
g John Conyers family. And within |
n few dyas following the funeral sh,
n did remove from our house into tn,
s British lines by express permit II tn,
D..,s. ..l. n Il n