Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-04-09


"His brow grew black as I SpOk
and | noticed that he trenbIed; bI
r ne said, in low, stern tones:
"Y0ung man your father ha
I doubtless, hiden from you what tl
is, or has been, or you would neve
come here to ask for my child to b
your wife. "
81 stood in auazement. and the
, asked:
"What do you mean, sir?"
+ "Fifty years ago knew your fs
ther, we both loved the same maid
en-, and he turned her against me
and she became his wife to die sooI
after.
"That / never forgave him, for
knew that he won her from me ~
falsehood, and then broke he
heart.
"After that he left England, anC
until / met him here, some months
ago, / knew not what had become
of him; but now | know that b,
bought yOnder house, and lives
there in luxury, upon the gold he
gained by piracy
i II will not attempt to describe
what passed, Colonel, for I gave
him the lie direct, and he and his
servants drove me from the house
but / sought my father, and from
his stern lips learned that he had
gained his money as captain in
the slave trade; that he had won
Col. Claire's intended bride from
him, and that she had died of a
broken heart when she knew that
| he was a SLAYER; but he had again
married, and my mothers life also
had been made wretched by what
she discovered of her husbands
past.
$50 indignant was / toward him
that he drove me from his house,
and swore that not dollar should
ever have OF his, and he kept his
word; for, at his death, with the
exception of the mansion, it went
to charity as an atonement for his
sins.
"When next came home, after
his death, both homesteads were
deserted, for Col. Claire and Fidele
had gone, the servants knew not
where, and l then became wretched
indeed; but, alas two years after
received, when my vessel was in
the Mediterranean, a letter from
lawyer, telling me that the colonel
had died and left his vast property
to his daughter, and she, too,
dying, had made me her heir.
$ was astounded, l can assure
you, but with the lawyers letter
came one inclOsed from Fidele, say
ing that she had always loved me,
and dying, had left me her wealth |
that might be happy with the |
wife / had chosen, and if I loved |
her memory, to accept the inherit
ance.
81 resigned from the navy, col
onel, sought the lawyers, and found |
that my inheritance was a very
large one; L also sought the spot
where poor Fidele was buried, and
erected above her a monument, and
now, after long years of wanderings
have gotten up courage to come
here, and in yOnder homestead, left
me by the one woman l ever loved
| will live until [, too, die. But
us go across to the haunt
ed island, and | will show you the
very spot where first met her."
1t was just sunset as we landed
1T the haunted island, and, making
our way among the bushes, we sud-
lenly came to dead stand-still, for
here, not fifteen PAGES away, stood
| woman clad in snow white.
Her auburn hair hung in wavy
masses adOwn her back, her face
vas darkly bronzed, but beautiful,
ind her glorious dark eyes were
urned upon us with look shall
lever forget, while her slender,
graceful form was swaying, as
hOugh she were about to fall.
sob Heaven have mercy! 1t is
Nidele's spirit ~
The cry came in mortal agony
rom the lips of Dale Drummond,
nd his face was as pallid as the I
lead, for he was a skeptic in all
dogmas, and yet be- '
ore him, as did also, beheld the l
ne he deemed dead.
"NO, Dale, 1 am not a spirit, but t
Tidele Claire in flesh and BLOOD" {
nd speaking in low, musical tones, L
he came toward US, evidently deep a
Y moved. =
tNot dead! Thank God!" And he t
offered forward and held forth his Q
rms.
But she drew back, saying sadly: v
"No, Dale, that is not my place q
ut hers" t
"Fidele, what do you mean ?'' l
md seemingly forgetting my pres t
nee he continued: ''None but your v
mage has ever been in my heart" 3
"And your wife ?'' Il
81 have no wife, Fidele; nor ever
id have" II
"Do you mean this, Dale Drum c.
lond ?'' n
"UpOn my honor, yes" 81
"Ah! how [ have been deceived o
ly father told me he was married, g
nd loving him still [ gave up all ii
,r him, and came here to this lone le
2 place to live, letting the world II
elieve me dead" "
She spoke more to herself than to o.
i'm, and with her hands clasped e.
er eyes doWncast; but at her words
e sprang towards her, and turned 81
way and went on an exploration IL
the island, leaving the two to- tc
ether. il
Darkness came on, and at last I n
.traced my way, but, hearing my W
anne called, went in the direction l.
the trail, and found the two seat tt
| before the snug little cottage that tr
ad been the self-sacrificiDg and
aautiful exile's home, and which HI
as most comfortable. W
Only one then / heard was in her m
cret, and that one was the faithful q
rvant who had charge of her old oil
and each week he at
Fought her food and all she needed
I'd nobly kept her secret. W
But my romance has ended, kind D
ader, for, one month after the lii
range meeting on haunted island, ST
ale Drummond and Fidele were hi
arried, and, the old mansion hav- af
g been entirely repaired and re- ar
rnished, they went there to dwell &C
soon as they had returned from at
cir bridal tour; and often have l ce
sited them, and, in my wander w
gs around the place, have passed m
any thoughtful hour in the fair NJ
lile's cottage on haunted island. ce
t,
4 story of Lincoln.
Chicago Times:
Mr.. Halstead, now in Washing
n tolls an annodOfn IN TipoOIn oil