Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-12-27
ISLAND POND, VERMONT, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1878.

view, and vainly implored Virginia. 8
forgiveness for urging Kent on to his
treachery. The newly-wedded pair
sailed in the ill-fated ship which took
fire off the coast of Nova Scotia, and
whose name still carries terror to many
a heart. Virginia was one of that hand
full of survivors her unhappy husband
fought for her place in the boat, and,
remaining behind himself, persisted with
the ship. The agony of terror, the long
night which she spent at the mercy OF
the waves, proved too much strain upon
poor Virginia's already over burdened
frame, and Frank and were summoned
by telegraph to her at Halifax, where
she lay for days, unconscious, with a
brain fever. And then to add to her
misery, when recovering. she was thrown
into a nearly fatal relspse by seeing,
accidentally, that tbs 42eoGmseh had
gone down, in the attaek on Mobile
harbor, with every soul on board. The
Tecumseh was Langley's ship.
Virginia came to live with us about
| two years before the commencement of
my story. She seemed to feel sort
of sorrowful remorse about her hus-
band, which was not grief, and yet it
cast shadow over her life. He was
treacherous and false" she said to me
one day, "and he broke my heart-but
what right have to Judge him? Harrie,
told him I would never forgive, and
he died, thinking himself unforgiven. +"
OF Langley, as I told you, she never
spoke.
Well, the "perfect treasure made her
appearance. She was a rather young wo-
man, with a pleasant, low voice, and
very good manners for one of her STA
ton. was charmed. Certainly, this
girl seemed determined to please me;
she did her work in faultlessly neat
way; she amused and played with the
twins; and baby had more quiet nights
than 1 have known her to have for
weeks. So, after a months trial, be-
gan to sing Alice praises, and allowed
her full control of her own department,
with good many privileges. Virginia
alone did not seem to like her. Vir-
ginia had a curious way of looking at
new faces-a searching, penetrating
glance, that I always thought had sort
of mesmerism in it, all the stranger be-
cause her eyes were so gentle and soft.
Alice never met the look fairly, as l re-
membered afterward.
1t was in the spring of '65. The clos
ing scenes of the war we're crowding
thick and fast upon each other. Vir.
ginia kept her room good deal. The
warm April weather seemed to enervate
her, and she shrank away from the Joy
and enthusiasm we all exhibited. Poor
child It was hard for her to hear of
the soldiers and sailors who would be
coming home now, and feel that, for her
sore heart, peace would bring no balm.
One night Frank had taken box at
the Italian opera in New York. We
lived in Brooklyn, and, as Kellogg was
to sing, begged Virginia to go with us.
But she steadily declined. She would
stay at home and keep house, she said.
| Now, two of my servants were going to a
freman's ball the same night, leaving
only Alice and the cook at home; so l
must say felt rather more easy about
the children when 1 found that Virginia
would not go. Going from New York to
Brooklyn by night, however, is long
journey, and it was close upon one
o'clock when we drove up to our door.
In the meantime, Virginia, after our
departure, had sat for sometime writing
letters in her own room. The twins
were having a noisy romp in the nurse.
ry; and when she looked in to say good
night, Fred fastened himself upon her
neck, and begged to come and stay with
auntie; she yielded, and then Fred be-
gan building card-houses on the sofa
until he got tired, when he curled him
self in corner, and in two seconds was
fast asleep. Being very much interested
in her book, Virginia let the little fellow
sleep on, thinking that by-and-by she
would take him up to her own room and
put him to bed there, as she frequently
| did. At last she fell asleep herself.
She never knew how long she slept,
but she had painful nightmare sensa-
tion, as if somebody was trying to
smother her; and after struggling with
the feeling for sometime, she slowly and
with great effort opened her eyes. Why |
whathad happened tothe roomp The gas
must have gone QUIT was totally dark,
save Pickering CLEAN from the dying
fire on the hearth; and what sickening,
deadly smell there was. With light
ming rapidity, which is more like instinct
than thought, it suddenly flashed upon
her what the strange scent was-chloro-
form Then, as she caught her fright
ened breath, and sank back into her
chair, low sound of voices from the
dining.room reached her ear. The door
between the two rooms was aiar, and
she saw thread of light from it; the
voice she first heard was a mans.
"You didn't give the young oman too
much, did yer9" it asked, rather anx-
iously.
"I wish I had," returned Alice low
and stealthy voice. "I hate her She
suspects me-"
"Hal ha!' gurgled the man. "She
must ha' been purity unoivil to yer yer
usually gets on the right side of 'em
is that pitcher silver or plate ?"
"Plate. The silver is up stairs"
Virginia shook as she heard the ven-
ON of that low voice. "She was Mr..
Langley's lady-love till her old grandma
stopped it."
"And what was Mr.. Langley to yer,
my girl ?" said the man.
"Hush you'll wake the child, and I
don't want to do him any harm. Mr..
Langley" The woman's voice
softened. "He never said a dozen
words TO me in his life but, look you,
Vincent, I worshiped him."
"That's right. Tell me all, as I'm
yer husband that is to be-" said the
other, with coarse laugh.
"Mrs. Kent has splendid jewels, too.
I picked the lock to look at them. You
can take as many of those as you like.
Come"
As soon as the sound of their footsteps