The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-02-10
From, the Dead.


One day Frank came home, with look
Of triumph. 81 have "a perfect treasure
for you,' he said, in the way of a nurse,
Gerald Temple is going to take his family
TO Europe, and when he heard what you
wanted, offered TO let us have their nurse,
whom they will not want.''
heard u low sigh. Flora, Franks only
sister, had been sitting in the corner Of the
drawing-room. She rose now and slipped
out.
elbow could you, Frank ?" l said, fol-
lowing her with sad eyes. 81 never heard
your sister speak of the Temples since she
has lived with us; the very mention of
their name brings back the memory of
Gcrald's brother and all that sad tragedy"
II am sorry" said Frank, ''but l did
Floral"
eyes! Poor Flora, said to myself. But
once the bllthest, lovclicst little creature l
ever Knew. 1t is something Of story, but
'tis IAN over true tale,' and will tell it IN
the shortest way can"
Flola and Frank were orphans, and old
Mrs. Chichester, their grandmother, had
adopted Flora Almost from her infancy.
The old lady had very ambitious hopes of
making splendid match for her beautiful
grandchild. But Flora thought other wise;
and when she was just seventeen, at the
time Of my wedding, she and Langley Tenn
pie were insane enough to fall desperately
in love with each other. After awhile
Langley was ordered to his ship (Ee was
in the navy) but Frank wagcd battle with
grandma until he obtained a vipcrish con-
sent that the lovers might correspond.
Grandma took pains not to let Frank know
how Flora was toImentcu and tryannizcd
over, until the poor child consented to 20
out into society again; and there she met,
and made ready conquests OF the very man
whom grandma had intended for her beauty
Horace Kent. Flora refused him; but
grandma said, scornfully, "That made no
difference. She would come to her senses
soon," and, to my utter amaZement, the
ta0usseau went OF, land by-and. by we were
bidder 10 the wcdding-a quiet elegant af-
fair, where Flora talked and walked as if
she were frozen.
Kent and Flora were to sail for Europe
within fortnight of their marriage, and
went to Washington and Baltimore to pass
that time. Left alone, one evening in Bulti-
more, with severe headache, Flora re-
membered having some aromatic vinegar
in her husbands dressing case. Kent was
peculiar in his careful way of locking up
his belongings, and she took her own
bunch OF keys to open the box, when,
rather to her surprise, she found the
key left in the box. Some listless, vague
impulse. which she could never aftcrward
account for, prompted her to lift the upper
tray, although she had found the vinegar
already. Underneath, to her surprise, she
found papers, and was about returning the
tray TO its place, without further cxamina-
t!)n, when her eyes were caught by the
words-"Nly own Flora" in n dear. too
well-known handwriting.
When Kent came back that night,
he found his beautiful young wife sense.
less upon her bed, with two letters crum-
pied between her cold fingers. One, the
last letter that Langley had actually written
her; and the other the base forgery, in
which he asked to be released from his en-
gagement.
They came back to New York for sim
gle day, Flora saw no one but her grand
mother. The old lady, upon her death bed,
ravcd of that interview, and vainly implor-
ed Flora's forgiveness for urging Kent on to
his treachcrY. The ncwly-wedded pair
sailed in the ill-fatcd ship that took fire
oil the coast of Nova Scotia. and whose
huIlC SIlH CulIlCS 10 many Il HCuTG.
Flora was one Of the handful of survivors;
her unhappy husband fought for her place
In the boat, and remaining behind himself,
pcrished with the ship. Then came the
news that Langley's ship had gone down
with all on board.
Flora came to live with us about two
years before the commencement of my
story. She seemed to feel sorrowful re-
morse about her husband that was not
gric!, yet it cast shadow over her life.
''llc was treacherous and false" she said
to me one day. "and he broke my heart
but what right had | to judge him7 Harric,
told him that could never forgive. And
he died, thinking himself unforgivcn." OF
Langley, as told you, she never spoke.
Well, the perfect treasure made her ap-
pearance. She was rather young look
ing woman, with pleasant, low, voice
and very good manners, for one of her
station.
One night, Frank had taken box at
the opera in New York. We lived III
Brooklyn and as Kellogg was to sing, l
begged Flora to 90 with us, but she de-
clincd: She would stay at home and keep
house, che said.
In the meantime, Flora, after our de-
paltuIc, cat for some time writing letters
III her own room; and at last fell asleep.
She never knew how long she slept, but
She had painful nightmare sensation, as
If somebody was trying to smother her, and
after struggling with the feeling for some
time, she slowly, and with great effort
opened her eyes. Why what has happened
to the room The cas- must have gone out
it is totally dark, save fickering CLEAN
from the dying fire on the hearth, and
what slckening smell there " as. With
lightning rapidity, which Is moro like in
slinct than thought, 1t flashed upon her
, what the strange scent was-chloroform
Then, as che caught her frightened breath,