The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1880-11-19
only bring you unhappiness. 1t is my
sad fate. Forget me and farewell.
Yours, with love and regret,


words could have been more certain to
bring him to her side. No pleading, no
tenderness, could have been more potent
than this deeply -despondent dismissal.
What would he not venture for her af-
fection Other men might love her.
they must love her if they but entered
her presence-but as for Drusilla her
self, she should be so sheltered by his
devotion, SO hedged about by his atten-
tions and tenderness that she could love
no one else.
He would not visit her to morrow nor
for many days He would wait until
her mood had changed and she was sab
dued by desire to see him. He had
some power over her that he knew. But
his own will was weakest He must see
her. He must hold her in his arms, il
only for a moment. 1t was evening,
two weeks from his last visit. That very
afternoon Roy Sebert had returned from
q fishing excur sion, and at s o'clock he
found Drusilla alone in the brilliantly
lighted parlor. Never had he
seen her so well dressed, she
was careless about her attire in general.
she had put on her one rich dress,
myrtle green silk, bought, | think, to
match her emerald ring and necklace,
Drlsilla had persuaded herself thatMax-
well would visit her that evening. Oh,
could she but have known on what n
fatal errand, she would never have let
Roy lift her hand TO examine the quaint
device on her ring. Before she could
prevent it, Roy had pressed her hand to
his lips. She snatched it angrily away,
and at that instant the words flashed
through her brain, God help him who
comes between us.
At Drusilla's command Roy Instantly
left the room. He had been gone but Q
moment when she heard the report Of a
pistol, and, fearing she knew not what,
she rushed into the hall only to find her
worst fears confirmed. Roy Sebert Y
there upon the floor in last agony, the
| blood issuing from wound in his
| heart.
Swift as Drusilla had been Lucrece
was there before her. She was down
upon her knees trying to stanch the
blood. Her face was distorted with hor-
ror and grief. She was still as death
until she found her efforts vain, and,
when her lover fell lifeless burden
from her arms, such a shrek echoed
through the house as could never be for
gotten by those who heard it, Father
and mother knew in that instant that
their beloved only daughter was hope
less maniac. Glaring wildly around,
her glance fell upon Drusilla, and, re-
garding her cousin as the murderer of
her lover, she sprang toward her with
insane fury. 1t required the united
strength Of Mr.. Sterling and his farm
hand to loosen her hold Of Drusilla's
throatl o whata night of horror was thatl
Drusilla lying between life and death,
Lncrece raving Of her lover, and accus.
ing Drusilla as his murderer.
Only one person knew the truth oi
the affair that was John Miller, the
hired man. He had been to the village,
and, on his return, he saw Maxwell st.
Ives standing by the gate, looking
toward the house. The man glanced VI
to find what attracted his attention, anC
! there, plain as day, saw Roy Sebert kiss
Drusilla's hand. The next instant Max
well went rapidly up the walk, entered
the house without announcement, and
almost Immediately afterwnrd, retracet
his steps, mounted his horse, and rod,
rapidly away.
All this was elected the following da,
at the Coroner's inquest, and the fac
that Maxwell st. Ives was missing wa
all that was needed to confirm the yer
dict, and free Drusilla from any sus
picion Of direct completely in the nun
der. Yet when, after weeks Of illness
she came back to reason and life, sh
felt that she could no longer remai
under her uncle's roof.
"I must live by myself" she sale
sadly 81 bring sorrow and death int
| | every household enter.
/ So it was planned that cottap
) should be bought, and Jeanette shoul
J be sent for MS companion and servant.
, / was visiting friend in the countr
who told me the story. She said to M
one afternoon when we were out driving
" Would You like TO call ON DrusiI
:, SterlingP there is the cottage. /"
1t was beautiful place. There we
English roses trained about the 10
= 7 porch. A woman in French cap met !
: at the door and conducted us into Il
I room where her mistress sat reading.
2 stately woman, wearing black dire
/ and a small black cap, that, with its CO
onet outline marked by tiny pearl
-, looked like small royal crown. Tl
q eyes were clear and dark, but infinite
> sad. OF late years Jeanette had rel
to her mistress until Drusilla's owe
= taxed eyes had, by rest and carefulnel
e become as bright as in youth. II
mouth was large, but curved and swe'
= She was SO grateful to us for comm
le she admitted that her life was lonely
N times.
'e When my friend said, "I have to
d Miss Broolner your story, and she Civ
7 you her love and sympathy, she reach
le her right hand out to me. l can neN
a forget the clasp Of those soft, caressi
rs fingers. By-and-by she was led to ta
u of the past and of Maxwell'St Ives.
Il man answering to the advertised descr
AZ ton of him had died of yellow fever
;f New Orleans one year after that su