Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-23

finding and loving the strange lit
tie myth-that seeming agnis tatuus
which had lighted my path for mo-
ment, and then vanished.
Why make date of all my wander
ings? | wrote to my friends to account
for my absence, and continued the
search. It seemed as if Colonel Ingra-
ham and his daughter were likewise wild
fancies of my brain; for from place to
place 1 traced them, always hearing the
days ago!" At last I heard the joyful
tidings, cleft for home four days ago!"
Again. with thrill of hope stirring my
sad, weary heart, [ turned my face to
England, hoping, praying that the mys-
terry would soon be solved.
Roseberry was reached-thence to
Flower Dale. Springing up the broad
steps that led to the mansion, rang a
sharp peal at the door-bell.
A few minutes later, l was ushered
through the hall into an elegantly fur
nished parlor I sent up my card to
Colonel or Miss Esther Ingraham; and
by-and-by heard the sweep Of a lady S
drapery down the broad staircase, then
across the hall; and Cousin Hettie-tall,
dark, and stately as | had first seen her
stood at the door. A glance of recog-
milton passed over the handsome face, as
/ advanced to meet her.
AS briefly as possible [ explained to
her the object of my visit; told her the
whole story-not emitting my wild, deep
love for the beautiful unknown; and at
the close | gathered her hands in mine,
and gazing into her dark, tear-flled eyes,
pleaded with her to tell me where [
might find my Mabel!
"Poor little Mabel! Poor boy!" And
withdrawing her hands from my clasp,
for one moment, one beautiful shapely
hand was placed upon my dark curls,
while the other covered her eyes, conceal
ing the tears that would come.
"Why do you say poor little Mabel,
and poor boy?" | exclaimed, impetuous-
ly. "Tell mel must know ALL"
You shall know all. Yes; her sad
story. Mabel is my cousin-my much
loved cousin-the child of my mothers
brother, and several years my junior.
Her father betrothed her, when child,
to a man dozen years her senior, and
when she was but fifteen years old. We
were at that time at school together
Her father and her betrothed came and
took her from the school; and notwith-
standing her prayers and entreaties, she
was forced to we'd the tall, dark, stern
man she utterly loathed. Her gentle
nature could not cope with such wild,
passionate one as his. One glance Of his
dark cleaning eyes filled her with dread.
Three months after her marriage, her
father and mother both died suddenly
mysteriously; and since other facts have
been developed, tits thought they were
murdered. One night, six weeks later,
after sitting up until near midnight,
waiting for her husband, the poor child
began to make preparations for retiring,
room, his eyes cleaning, his lips purple,
and flecked with foam. He caught her
by the waist, and holding her over the
open window, vowed that she had lived
long enough-that he was going to end
her life With a wild cry, the poor
child closed her eyes, and prepared for
death-for death would have inevitably
followed; but another freak seemed to
seize upon the madman-for such he
was He bound her in the window, her
body half suspended over the sill, and
left her there. Hanging in that posi-
ton, she was soon insensible; and knew
nothing more until, at a late hour next
day, she awOke to consciousness, to learn
that she had been rescued from her per-
ilous situation by friends, and that her
husband was in the hands of competent
Judges, who decided it was best for him
to be placed in an insane asylum. Poor
little Mabel! She could not remain in
place fraught with SO much horror, so
she determined to return to school; and
once more in the cheerful school room,
she tried to cast aside the dark pail
which enveloped her, and be again the
bright little Mabel.
| left school the summer she returned;
and she, with Spartan-like independ-
ence of spirit, determined to fight the
battle of life. She had decided to be a
teacher.
81 must do something, Cousin Hettie,
else my heart will break" moaned the
stricken one, as she buried her face upon
my shoulder. So, at last, we consented;
and the little creature entered upon her
duties as instructress in the same institu-
UlOu W1lCIClu SLC Gull plCCCu uCI Cuu-
cation.
All this time her husband had been
closely confined, and guarded with the
strictest care. But last spring, in
March, the mailman, eluding all vigi-
lance, made his escape, and sought my
cousin in her former home. Not find
ing her there, some cunning supernatural
power-which ever controls the maniac
led him to her hiding place, and,
entering her room at night, he inflicted
a severe wound upon her neck, just be-
hind the left ear, with poniard; and
then, with wild yell of demoniacal
glee, sprang through the window, to be
seized upon, and borne off III irons by
his keepers, who, having discovered his
escape, had instituted immediate search
for him.
"For awhile, Mabeps life hung in the
balance. [ was sent for, and went to
her Immediately; and so soon as she was
able to travel, | brought her home with
me. But the journey had caused the
wound to infame, and our physician was