The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-01-21

An Interesting Episode in His Remarkable
Career.
EXTRACT from Claiborne's History Of Missii
.inni now in press.

Career
Extract from Claiborne's History OF Missis-
sppi, now IN press
When Colonel Burr was released under
his own recognizance to appear before the
Supreme Court Of the Territory, he became
( the guest of Col. Benajah Osmun, wealthy
planter residing in the vicinity. he was a
+ bachelor. had been al officer IN the New
jersey line, and intimate with Burr In
politics he was a high strung federslist, had
been a strong partisan of John Adams, and
had no confidence in Mr. Jefferson. Near
+ by Colonel Osmun, another old military
friend Of similar political opinions, the vet
eran Maj. Isaac Guion, and with these two,
and other influential gentlemen, he had dai-
T Nv consultations No sterner and truer pa
/ triots lived than these two veteran soldiers,
/ and they reposed mistaken faith in the friend
whom they had seen 50 often tested III the
time that tried mems souls; Colonel Os-
nun lived at the place now owned by DR..
Stanton. and Major Guion resided at the
T foot of the Halfway Hill, and there was a
rural path between the two places trellised
with vines and shaded by evergreens. This
was Burr's daily resort. But its refreshing
shade and charming prospect were not the
! only attractions. There lived, at that time,
a widow lady from Virginia, whose small
( farm and two or three slaves were the only
remains Of large fortune. Her husband
had converted his property into money, and
On his way to this Territory had been rob
f bed and murdered by the notorious Joseph
/ Thompson Hare, more blood thirsty vii
! lain even than the celebrated Mason She
had but one child, Madeline, who must
still be remembered by a few Of our older
citizens rs a miracle of beauty. In form
/ and feature, in grace and modesty, she was
all that the old masters have painted the
divine Madonna, or that artist ever dream
ed Of maiden lovelness Those that saw her
loved her. vet she was never conscious of
the sentiment until she listened to 4Gr0H
Burr The family were Catholics, and there
Colonel Burr went to meet, by appointment,
one of his numerous agents and correspond
ents, the Able Wei, a Jesuit Priest. OF re-
markabIe ability. He was born in New Or
leans, in 1916, studied at Paris, and became
a member OF the Congregation of OratOry.
At the dissolution of that body by the
French government, he returned to Louisi-
ana, aud exercised the priestly function in
the parish of Attakapas. He subsequently
went to France. 1t Is probable that Colo
mel Burr, in his projected invasion of Next
co. contemplated securing the influence OF
the religious orders, and for this pur-
pose had opened a correspondence with the
Able, and met him by appointment at this
secluded homestead.
At length, after canvassing his situation
with Colonel Osmun, and SIX other conf
Dental friend, Colonel Burr determined to
forfeit his bond. One stormy night in Feb
ruarv, 1907, he set forth mounted on the
iayorite horse of his host. Urgent as was
the necessity for expedition, Colonel Burr
halted till daylight at the widows cottage
imploring the beautiful Madeline to be the
on of gFhf - M
riage, fortune, high position, and even hint
ed at imperial honOrs, not realizing, even
then, a fugitive and branded traitor, the
crushing downfall that impended over him.
/ The maiden had given him her heart; she
had listened to his witchery night after
night, and loved him with all the tervor Of
a Southern nature. She would have follow
ed him to the end of the earth, and to the
scaffold, and her aged mother would freely
have given her to this most captivating
man-for they looked on him as a demi-god
but as with most of our Southern women,
the principles Of religion, virtue and pro-
prietv were stronger than prepossesslon and
passion and the enlreaties of the accom-
plished libertne were firmly rejected. Baf-
fled and disappointed he was compelled to
proceed, but promised to return, and car
reLwith him the covenant and pledge of
the beautiful Madeline. She was wooed by
tiers of the large plantations on Second Creek
and st. GATHERINGS strove in vain for her
hand. Fortunes and the homage Of devoted
hearts were laid at her feet but the Maid
of the Hall way Hill remained true to her
absent lover; the more so because of the
mOrs that reached her Of his mistortunes
and his guilt. She lived on the recollection
of his manly beauty, and the shades he had
most affected were her constant haunts. At
IL -E,,, l1 ,f it.alS
pursued by Mr.. Jefferson and the remorse-
less agents that swarm around power and
authority-when be had been driven from
England, and was an OuteasC IN Paris
shivering with cold and starving for bread
he seems to have felt for the first time,
the utter hopelessness of his fortunes And
then he wrote to Madeline, and, in a few
formal words, released her from her promise.
Stating that he would never return to the
United States. he advised her to enter
convent, should she survive her mother
year or two after this, she went to Hava-
ma with Mrs. w, highly respectable lady,
who then owned the property where the
Christian brothers now reside near NatcEez'
Her extreme beauty, her grace and elegance
produced the greatest enthusiasm. The
hotel where they put up was beseiged. If
she appeared on the balcony dozen cava-
liers were waiting to salute her. When her
.oZante was seen on the Pasco or the Plaza
dc A5uas it was escorted by the Grandees
of the Island. She was feted by the Cover
nor General serenades and balls followed
in rapid succession and the daily homage
to her beauty never ceased until the even
ing the bells sounded the Angelas.
Without surrendering her heart, or being
carried away by this universal admiration,
she returned to the cottage on the Halfway
Hill. She was followed there by Mr.. K, an
English gentleman, the head of the largest
commercial house in Havana, and to him,
on his second visit, she gave her hand.
The vine covered cottage, its trellises and
borders, have crumbed into dust. The
courtly lover and the innocent maiden ara
long since dead But the old hill still lifts
its aged brow, wrinkled all over with ira
ditions. \ favorite lookout of the Natchez
in time of yar-the scene of a daring con-
spiraey against the Spanish authority-the
rendezvous of lovers-the hiding place of
brigands, and depot for their blood-stained
treasure-mute, but faithful witness of the
past.
"a Public Necessity
-, Il