Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1879-10-16

and most promising auspices. Each
was heir to a comfortable home and
good income. All the ncighbors
thought that this match was tie
most appropriate they had known,
and everybody predicted happiness
and PROSPERITY to the newly married
pair. Tire father of Mark present.
ed him with a nice farm, and the
father of Jessie had splendid resi-
dcnce built tor them. After a bri}--
liant honeymoon Mark Horton and
lis beautiful young wife concluded
to settle down on the farm which
had been given them, and Mark
determined to adopt farming as his
business. Here all went merry as
marriage bell. Prosperity smiled
upln them, and in due time son
was born unto them, an event
which was celebrated with great
eclat, and which brought unusual
Joy to the parents, In the midst
of all this happy condition of things,
the whole neighborhood was thrown
into a state of utter confusion by
the report that Mark Horton had
separated from his wife, and that
he had filed bill of divorce, al
leging that fraud had been per-
petratcd upon him in the marriage;
that his wife had negro blood in her
veins ; that, therefore, the marriage
was null and void. There were
hundreds of rumors, some ridicn-
lous, some malicious, and the re.
mainder abont AS near the truth as
is usual in such cases. The houses
of Reynolcs and Horton were in
f1uttcr, and were closed to all ont
siders. The case has just been de-
cided, and the facts are substantial
ly as follows: During the early
part of May last, the quadroon wo-
man, Lucy Shepherd, heretofore
referred to, was taken quite Iii, and
when it became apparent that she
could not live but a few days, she
secretly requested DIR. Blackman,
the physician attending her, to in
form Mark Horton that she had
something of importance 10 com
municate to him, and desired him
to cal and see her at once. MIR.
Horton in response to this request,
called abont an hour after it was
made The woman began by tell
ing him that size had kept a secret
locked in her breast for many years,
and now that she was going to die,
she could no longer remain silent.
She did not wish to go to her grave
as a partner in a gre;.t trand- She
then informed Mr.. II orton that his
wife Jessie WAS her dargliter, that
she was the illegitiinate child of
Reynolds, and that the secret which
had SO long been kept was the
cause of the death of Mr9Rrynolds
wife, who orieved herself into AN
early grave on account, Of the fraud
which Reynolds was. practicing III
1 palming off Jessie AS his legitimate
daughter. The woman informed
Mr.. Horton that Jessie knew
nothing of these facts that she
swas perfectly innocent and believed
herself the legitimate daughter OF
Reynolds. She stated that after
Reynolds had married, that-he no
titled llis wife that she must adopt
i the child as her own and rear it AS
snch He threatened both his wife
and the mother OF the child with
death should they divulge the facts.
Mrs. Reynolds died brokcn>hearted.
after years of grief and shame. ia-
Mark Horton, after hearing the
story of the qnadroon woman, al
once went to Reynolds and con-
fronted him with the facts. The
latter did not deny the statement O
the woman, tut told Horton tba
he had better remain silent, as any
exposure would bring shame OF
both families. But Horton be-
longed to an old-fashioned, high
bred family, and pride WAS his mos
striking characteristic. He notifiet
E Reynolds that he would send Jess
back to him, with their child, ant
! that lie wonld at once apply for
divorce. He then went back f
: his home, called Jessie into privat
apartment, and there told her th'
! story of the -quadroon woman, VIII
; was then dying as he repeated th
!, words she had spoken to him. i:
6 The wife was struck with terror
= and could not, utter word. Sh
! acted for while as if be:eft of be
;, senses. When she became com
: posed she found herself and chill
in her fathers house. r She at QUO
: became an object OF Pity aDd syn
pathy. She will see no one, IN
passes her time locked in her ROOF
= with her child. - a. e.. l-
The exposure broke up the Ho
ton family, the old m n selling o.
{. and returning to North Carolin
IS and Mark having left few da,
/, since for California-after the con