The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1877-05-22
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dead on the street just as she was about
to enter her carriage-heart disease.
Flora heard the news with blanching
face and trembling form. Again was
Willard free! o, if he should seek. her
now she would marry him In spite of fa-
ther and all the world. Her sufferings
had told her that life was to her valueless
unless shared with Douglas Willard,
But months went by, and another au-
tumn came, and still Douglas Willard
bad made no sign of returning again to
ibis first and only love. He was away at
the North, and no one knew when he
lwould return. No word came. to the
I girl who waited with sickening despair
flor his coming. ~, s,l f,i- -. ss,,
/ Ii was one morning in the late fall that
Mrs. Beaufort rushed into the room
where her eldest daughter sat. and seiz-
ing her by the arm dragged her to a
window, and throwing it open bade her
listen to what was passing atthe gateway
lof the plantation.
| Sounds of violent alteration came
distinctly to Flora's ears, and her moth
Ter shook her by the shoulder as if una
ware Of the violence she used.
! tGo!' she cried, '"you who have been
the cause of all this trouble. Go and
quell it. "ias @ ~ sesg.lf
| A bewildered look was all the answer
the mother received from the pale and
frightened child. I.a ap q,rs ;e.H
With an exclamation of anger Mrs.
Beaufort hurried her daughter from the
room, and grasping her arm still in
vise-like clutch, led her across the veran-
da which ran around the house, down
the steps and across the yard to the large
plantation gate where stood Col. Beau.
fort, confronting with angry eyes and
face infamed with passion which he
made no effo,t to subdue or control, the
tall form and calm, noble face of Dou
slas Willard. n9) d
| { The Colonel seized the'~ and of the
shrinking girl, white as marble, who
gazed from father to lover in helpless
dismay, and cried, hoarsely:
"You alone can decide between US. ]
who have shielded you from sorrow and
care for over nineteen years, who have
granted your every reasonable wish, and
that man who can boast of only brief
acquaintance with you, and who dares to
ask me for your hand in marriage. That
puppy, tnat conceited Northerner, who
--but Flora speak-O, my child, my
Guild !" n trs3 4sq O. tEa
"Flora," cried Douglas Willard, "my
heart has ached so sore.y.1 have wait
soslong! Flora, for the sake of the love
which has always been yours. come to
me-"
With cry of ''Douglas, o, my Dou.
glas,' Flora Beaufort broke from the
clasp of her fathers hands, and rushed
straight into the outstretched arms open
/ to receive her.
But another cry burst upon the air as
Col, Beaufort, his face livid with passion
sprang forward aud endeavored to drag
his daughter from her lovers arms
"You shall never take her." he cried
"She shall never 60 with yoa-a man
who marries woman for her money and
buries her in three months time, and
then seeks lovely girl for his wife,
Ruffian, will you give her up2 Release
my daughter, villain"
"You told her to choose" said Dou-
|glas Willard, in a voice hoarse with emo
tion, sand she has chosen me.'' 5'.''l-Sl Z
"Will you release her ?"
! .No," esp iF Ell Teaf
The report of pistol rang on the air
and the bullet went crashing through
the brain of Douglas Willard, who sank
to the ground without a groan.
But O, wild and piercing was, the
ishriek which Flora Beaufort gave as she
threw herself on the BODY of her lover
She. had to be torn by force from hin
and conveyed to her own room. Weary
weeks of sickness and brain fever fol
lowed and Flora Beaufort never woke tC
reason again. Her brain had not stood
the shock of her lovers terrible death,
/ COL Beaufort left the country immedi
ately, ,and for ten years was an exile from
, his home. At the end Of that period b,
stealthily returned, and when be agar
departed carried his family with him, al
but one, On the morning of departure
/ Flora Beaufort was found dead on tn
lonely grave of the man she had so fond
lily loved. Often on moonlight nights
+ she mad been missed from her room, ant
! those who went. to look for her foun'
+ her in the graveyard, ever mut:erin:
, the name of her lost lover.
t She was lying there when they wen
r to bring her for the last time from tn
VI grave, and they thought her asleep, bu
4 on touching her found it was the sleeI
! which knows no waking, and under tn
r cypress and magnolia Of the South the
d 1laid her to rest forever, J4Gj T. .gII.J