The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-07-17

1
speakable shadow rested on th
house, concerning which hOweve
heavily it might press upon thei
souls, he must forbear to question
even his mother. I was the first t.
tell him after he had reached man
hood all he wished to know concern
ing his fathers death.
This son, Stevens Mason, was
true hearted young man, with bu
little knowledge Of the world
With a private tutor, with servant
to anticipate every wish, a mother
to idolize him, he missed till toe
late certain necessary lessons in life
which these could never give him
He could not refuse to indorse
note for a friend, and his mother
could not refuse to join him in what
ever he put his name to. For one
moment the shadows of his pathway
seemed to lift, but only to settle
more heavily about his way. He
married a young lady who was a
belle and a beauty. He brought
her 10 Selma, where, as they fondly
hoped, brightness and happiness
were to reign ence more. But his
mother, while outwardly fulfilling
every obligation. did not receive her
as mother should. greeting her with
but a formal offering of the hand in
stead of the expe ted embrace and
kiss of welcome as she crossed the
threshold. It was doubtless be-
cause her shattered life had made
her own affection to him too selfish,
and she did not wish him to marry
any one. Following closely the
first shock of disappointment to her
young heart came a sudden fever,
and in three months from her ar
rival poor Stevens laid his bride by
the side of his murdered father,
Their fine estate, with all that per-
tanned to it, already melting from
their hands, was soon possessed by
strangers. Mrs. Mason did long
survive the loss of Selma. AL
though a wife had never loved her
husband better, yet she not only re-
fused to speak his name from the
day of the duel, but requested that
her remains should not be buried at
Leesburg, and that no mark should
be placed above her head wherever
it might be. She lies in the Con-
gressional cemetery at Washington
with only the earth and grass above
her. Then came the war with Mex
leo. Her son for little time had
the opportunity to forget his trou-
bles under military excitement. He
was mortally woended by cannon
shot-I think it was at Monterey
and died captain of rifles in the
arms of his lieutenant, one of the
Rhetts of South Caralina. It was
an impressive day in Loudon, when
the body of Young Mason was re-
ceived from Mexico, and laid in the
shade Of the old church beside his
father and his bride. All the peo.
pie assembled and made q public
funeral for him. One Of the ar
rangements was that only the blood
relations should pass within a GER
tain railing close about the family
graves, ane l well remember that
although goodly company had fol-
lowed him TO dinner when he was
twenty-one, where the same rela-
tionship was exacted, and although
he was but twenty-seven at his
death. yet only three were there
two beside himself-~to enter the
narrow enclosure. So family and
fortune passed away.
But not even here ended the ef-
feot of that pistol shot at Bladens-
burg. McCarty, the other principal
in the duel, also had an only son,
very promising, in whom he took
great pride. Though living but
few miles apart, the two families
never renewed their acquaintance or
spoke to each other. There was
mutual Notwithstanding more.
Young McCarty was a frequent
sportsman, but in all his cunning
was never known to set his foot on
any part of the Mason estate, what
ever the luck it might promise.
One fatal day. however, in following
flight of game he mounted the fence
dividing the Mason property from
another's. Attempting to load in
this position-his attention diver
ted, no doubt. by the movements of
the birds or the dogs-he let slip
his gun, which exploded and sent
the ramrod through his head. He
fell on the Mason side, which he
had avoided all his life-upon the
ground which he was to press only
in death. And. to make the dra.
matte situation complete, Stevens
Mason at the moment came riding
by, and the dying youth was car
ried TO Raspberry Plain. the blight
ed homestead Of the Masons, the