The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-03-06

As written in letter to J. +. PoellintZ sth
NAV. IS,3S from Abbey-iIl.-. Va

4 j
May. 1898. from Abbeyili., Va.
VISIT OF A MYSTERIOUS STRANGER.
Mrs. Dalton has related to the Herald
representative an account Of the visit of
a mysterious young man TO her fathers
house, where Ney boarded. 1t was at n
time when the house was filled with
company and every room was occupied.
Near twilight young man rode up to
the gate and hallooed. When Mr.. Hus
ton Mrs. Dalton's father went ont the
young man asked the privilege of staying
all night. He was told that the house
being crowded he could not be accom-
modated, but he insisted, and said he
was willing to sleep on the floor, and
that his horse being tired and worn out
he could not possibly proceed further.
Mr.. Huston then told him that if he
would suit himself to circumstances he
could remain. The stranger thanked
him, aud went in. When the stranger
was conducted in to supper he took n
seat at the table opposite Ney, who was
occupying his usual seat. They glanced
at each other, and, though not word
was spoken, it was evident to all present
that it was glance Of recognition. I'm
mediatelY after tea thaSe two, taking
their hats, left the house together, and
were not seen by any one OF the company
any more that night. An old negro man,
a servant of Mr.. Huston, reported that
he saw the two, near midnight, sitting
behind u straw stack in a field, near the
house, in close conversation, and, though
unobseryed by them, he could hear them
distinctly, but could not understand
word they said. The stranger ordered
his horse early the next morning and
left. Mr.. Ney remained in his room all
that day reading and writing.
HOW THE DEATH OF THE PRINCE IMPERIAL
AFFLICTED HIM.
Ney's conduct, when he heard of the
death of Napoleon's son, the Duke of
Reichstadt (June 1922 was, to say the
least of it, curious. He first received
the intelligence through a private letter
from New Jersey, which was handed to
him one afternoon during school hours.
lie read the letter, and at once arose
from his seat, threw the letter on the
floor, stamped upon it, took other papers
from his pocket, tore them in slreds,
strobe violently up and down the floor,
and otherwise acted almost as maniac.
This conduct, Of course, frightened the
school children, and Mrs. Dalton. then
school girl, went to him and asked what
was the matter. Placing his right hand
on his forehead and gazing into vacancy
he said in a dramatically melancholy
tore: ''The prince imperial is dead and
my hopes are blasted" He dismissed
the school, saying there would be no
session until the following week. He
then went to his room and destroyed a
large number of private papers, and for
several days his conduct was such that
his friends feared he would commit sui
eide. Three years later he wrote the
following lines i'll Mrs. Dalton's album,
which have been permitted to copy:
GONE WITH THE GLoRIEs, CONE
Though of the chosen the choicest,
To fame gave her iOftiest tone;
Though 'mong the brave was the brayest.
My plume and my baton are gone!
My eagle that mounted to conquest
Hath stopped from his altitude high,
A prey to a vuture the fOulest.
No more to revisit the sky .
One sigh to the hopes that have persisted.
One tear to the wreck of the past,
One look upon all have cherished,
One lingering lOOll-'tiS the last.
And now from remembrance hanish
The glOrieS which shOne in my train:
Oh vanish, fond memories, vanish;
Return not 10 to sting me again.
May 26, 1885. 2. S. NEY.
P. S. NEY'S DEATH.
Although previous to the death of
Napoleon's son he frequently spoke of
returning to France, he was never after
that ever heard to express either inten-
ton or desire to do so. Ney left this
section in 1888, and went to Rowan coun-
ty, in different parts of which he taught
school until his death in October, 1916.
He died at the residence Of Mr. Osborne
G.. Ford, in Rowan, and was buried in.
the graveyard near country church
called Third Greek meeting house a
year or two after his death some of his
former pupils had erected at the head of
his grave neat marble slab bearing this
inscription: