The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1881-05-17
find perfect little fairy, a maiden of
10 years of age, and five years my

England the little Fidele was per-
feet sailor; and alone, In her ligh
canoe, had tearlessly padded over ft
Haunted island, which, as you see, II
a mile from the mainland. IA
l at once made her acquaintance,
and sailed her back home, with hel
canoe In tow, and from that day,
childrea though we were
we were lovers, and together we
hunted, fishcd, sailed and read books
for when away from her studies she
was as wild as young Indian.
A few months after our meeting
received my midshipman's warrant
aud left home to enter the navy but
each year got a short leave; fot
taere was not o naval academy In
those days; and my every visit bul
infatuated me more with the little
Fidele Clarie-for such was her
name.
At length I came homo when In
my a3d year, aud then il was | asked
Fidele TO be my wife; for she had
grown to be q beautiful maiden OF IL,
and under skilled goverHess was
accomplished and refined, though her
untamed spirit would often break
cut n restraint.
Like me she had no mother, and
and her father like mine, was her.
init Ia his own house. and l had
never met him until together we
sought him In his library, and bold
ly told him who was, how | had
met his daughter, aud asked for her
hand.
llis brow grew black asl spoke,
md / noticed that he trembled but
he said, in low, stern tones:
Young man, your father has doubt
loss, hidden from you what he Ia, or
has been, or you would mover come
here 10 ask for MY child 10 he your
wife. ttn "
l stood Ia amazement, and thon
asked: p
What do you mean sir2
First, years ago | knew your faith
er; VIC both loved the hamc maiden
and no turned her agninst me, aud
she became his wife, to die soon
alter.
That I meyer forgave him, for
knew that he won her from me by
ialsehood, and then broke her heart,
| After that he left England, and un-
Ill l meet him here, sonic months ago,
| knew not what had become ofhlm ;
but now | know that he bought yon-
der house and lives there in luxury,
upon the gold he gained by piracy.
| will not attempt TO describe what
passed, Colonel, for | give him the
lie direct, and he and his servants
drove me from his hoase; but
sought my fattor, aud from his stern
lips learned that he had gained his
money as Captain in the slave
trade; that ho had won Col. Claire's
intouded bride from him and that she
had died of q broken heart when she
knew that he.wa, a slave trader but he
had again married, aud my mothers
life also had been made wretched after
what she discovered Of her husbands
past. .fj,gTi iEe ler
So indignant was l toward him
that he drove me from his house, and
swore not q dollar should 1 eyer
have of his, and he kept his word
ill at his death, with the exception ol
the man sion, it went to charity as an
atonement for his sias, .r
When | next came home, after his
death, both homcsteads were desert
ed for Col. Claire and Fidele had
gone the servants knew not where
aud | then became wretched indeed
but, alas!two years after received,
when my vessel was in the Mediter'
rancan, a letter from lawyer, telling
me thai the Colonel had died and
left tho vast property to his daughter
and sue TOO, dying, had made me hel
heir.
! l was astounded, l can assure you
but with the lawyers letter came Ont
iuclosed from Fidele, saying that she
had always loyed me, and, dying. hat
left me her wealth that might be
happy with the wife l had chosen
aud II l loved her memory, to accept
the inheritance.
! resigned from the navy, Colonel
sought the lawyers, aud found tha
my Inheritance was very large Que
/ also sought the spot where pool
| Fidcle was buried. and erected above
her q monument, and now, alter long
years Of wanderillgs, l have gotter
! up courage to come here, and IL
4 yonder homestead, left me by the ont
i woman lever loved, | will live unit
i, too die. But come--let US &c
across TO Haunted island, aud | vii
4 show you the very spot where | frs
met her. u,
Il It was just sunset as we landed a
the Haunted island, aud, making oul
! way among the bushes, we suddenly
came 10 dead stand-still. for there
not fifteen PAGES away, stood wo
man clad in snow white. q
i Her auburn hair was hung In wavl
masses adown her back, her face was
darkly bronzed, but beautiful, ant
her glorious dark eyes were turned
upon us with look shalt never for
get, while her slender, graceful form
was swaying as though she wer,
. about to fall. "a lrasiF s4i,
Oh! Heaven haYo nercyi Itis Fl
dcle's spirit!
The cry came in mortal agony from
the lips OF Dale Drummond, and hi
face was as pallid as tho dead, 70
he was a skeptic in all superstition
dogmas, and yet before him, as di,
also, beheld the one he deemed dead
} No, Dale, | am not spirit, but ri
, dele Claire in flesh and blood, and
speaking in low, musical tones, sh'
| came toward us, evidently deepl,
: moyed. ti{
Not dead Thank God! And h
tottered forward aud held forth hi
, arms. va f a ak
: But che drew back, saying, sadly
i, No, Dale, that is not my place, bu
3 hers. f.sf
Fidele, what do you meanp An,
seemingly forgetting my presence, b
! coutinued. None but your image ha