Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-05-06
Tng STOLEN CURL

Sa ~ lass
Upon the shores of Lake Pontchar
train and on the southern border ofthl
State VI Mississippi, allow row ofelegan
villas. u group pofwarehouses, and here
AMI there public building or priVats
Institution, form the lovely aud quiei
town OF Pass Christian, noted for its
balmy climate. the beautyof its situa.
tlon, its handsome residences, and the
wealth and refinement of the citizens
10 the young ladies' academies and
military Institutions of Pass Christian
many of the wealthy planters were
wont to send their daughters and sons
to be educated; and as the pupils OF
the representative institutions would
meet. In their daily promenades, many
admiring gIances would be exchanged
between them, and longings to become
better acquainted. .roifsib baasy ai ~
| Among the fair pupils of the Lake
Academy none were more beautiful
than Rosa Vernon, the sole hefress to
to all her doating fathers cotton es-
tates, situated upon the Mississippi
river. "A shower of golden curls fell
upon her shoulders. Blue, dreamy
eyes. a bright smiling face, and grace
full form, added to disposition OF
truest Womanly sweetness, made the
young girl of fifteen particularly att
tractive to all who. knew her.
Many a handsome cadet from the
military academy had fallen in love
with the bewitehing beauty at the first
glance Of her heaven-lit eyes; but to
none did she seem to show prefer
ence, when meeting at the SoireeS and
the receptions given at the different
schools. " M ba.es.b s1ag So N
One. of Rosa's greatest, though ST.
lent admirers, was Edward Griffin, the
son of a Mississippi planter, whose
bat between Mr.r Vernon and Col.
Griffin there existed great bitterness,
and for years the families had not
spoken, though meeting constantly in
social intercourse at the neighboring
plantatlons.dl 1o gTRmoo sa8 pni8aii
The feud commenced long years be-
fore, when Mr.. Vernon and Col Grif-
I'm were rivals for the hand of Edwards
mother. COL Griffin had won her
heartand hand, and married her; and
his success so enraged Mr.. Vernon
that he challenged his successful
rival; duel followed, aud in this
encounter Col. Griffin came off victo-
rious, severely wonnding his adversary.
Since that day neither had spoken
to the other, and all interchange of
friendly intercourse between even the
negroes upon the plantation was for
hidden. &C af1 a81 io Vasgao alf
Meeting once at Pass Christian,
though Rosa could not but see that
he felt that she was not Indifferent to
his gaze, both were governed by the
remembrance of the feud existing be-
tween their parents, and gaEeno signs
of the recognition of the others feel
ings.
*@ #a* #li - 4
= Toward the close of lovely sum
mers day, in the year that this story
opens, the fair pupils of the Lake In
stitute had gone down the long pier
leading out into the lake, to thelbath,
ing house of the institution. Soon a
merry party of damsels were splashing
about In the water, riding the break
er's and chasing each other about in
glee. gsq s& zo Vhog aa3 IA haz s4He
aoIt was pretty sight, dressed as they
were in their various colored bathing
suits; and handsome youth of twen-
tyrone, clad in the stylish uniform of
the Pass Christian Military Academy,
paused and gazed upon the lovely
scene. VNFa pl 6 eds
Suddenly shrek was heard and
dark form was borne away by the tide,
out of the reach of aid from her COM
panions. With the speed Of deer,
the young cadet sped down the long
pier, reached the bath house, and re-
gardless of the cries of the frightened
girls, bounded headlong into the wa
ter. Vigorously did he breast the
waves, and soon overlook the fair girl,
who was nobly struggling to sustain 4
herself above the waters, for she was a
fair swimmer.
Soon he came nearer; and seeing that |
help was at hand her courage forsook |
her, and she sank beneath the waters, |
while shrieks of distress from the |
shore showed her that her companions |
believed her lost forever With deep
dive the youth succeeded Ia catching
hold of the drowning girl, and with
renewed strength started shoreward.
Rravelyf1id he struggle, and at last
he felt that he wonldreach the shore, for
when almost at the bath-house two of |
the professors of the Institute, alarm
ed at the cries of distress, had run
down to the scene, and swimming out |
a few yards, had relieved the tired
youth of his precious burden.
Without word the young man turn
ed away, and to the surprise of all,
commenced to swim down the coast. |
In vain didsthey call to him from the
shore; on he swan and night coming
rapidly on he was no longer visible.
After continuing slowly, and with |
strong and steady stroke down the
coast, the cadet swan toward a pier |
that protected some distance into the |
lake, and drew himself greatly fatig- |
ued, from the water. Looking around
him to see that he was not watched,
he walked rapidly up the pier, and
struck across the field for the Acade-
my. Arriving there, he sought his
room, and,feached it unperceived,
where he hastily changed his clothing.
Before descending to the study hall
to join his fellow students, he drew
from the pocket of his satura tied jack
ct he. had just thrown aside long,
golden curl, dampened by the water.
81 could not resist the temptation
to sever this beautiful curl from its
golden mates; she will miss it, and yet
She will never know who it was that
saved her life. .-
And carefully drying the tress Of
hair, the cadet placed it securely away.
A great excitement was created at
Pass Christian by the saving from a
watery grave of the beautiful Rosa
Vernon, and of the strange conduct of
her noble preserver, whoever be might
be; for it was impossible to discover
his name, and all that could be ascer-
tanned was, that he was a cadet from
the Military Academy. s.
This much the young girls had mo-
ticed as he sprang from the pier; and
Rosa having become unconscious could
not describe his features.
The missing curl was commented
upon, and the faces of all the cadets
were eagerly scanned by the pupils Of
the Lake Institute, and the citizens,
L =