The Iola register., 1882-04-21

fathers consent, and, in the event Of .
failure, to marry the girl at the old
church. as both were of age.
When the appointed day arrived he
dressed himself with scrupulous taste
and propriety, ordered his servant to
make ready his horse and accompany
him to the mansion, with strict orders
that the horses were not to be taken to
the stable under any circumstances.
While the servant was making his prep
aration, John walked leisurely and
thoughtfully into his mothers garden
and gathered large bouquet of snow
white hyacinths. the first of the season.
He tied them with a pale-blue ribbon,
and as he mounted his horse he gave
the flowers to the servant to carry in his
hand until they should reach the man.
sion. His horse was restive thorough
bred and seemed agitated as they rode
down the long avenue of aspens and
Lombardy poplars that led to the front
gate. The horse would sometimes wheel
around and refuse to 60 forward. This
was kept up until within mile OF the
mansion and they were entering dense
forest of pines, where leaves were sigh
ing in the breeze of the spring twilight.
The servant was riding some fifty yards
in the rear, when the sharp report of a
shotgun broke the stiffness.
John Nelson fell from his saddle NOR
tally wounded. while his horse fled wildly
in an agony of terror up to the mansion,
leaped the fences and galloped around
the yard neighing wildly and snorting
through his distended nostrils. Mary
Harrison was standing with her father
on the veranda watching the movements
of the terror-stricken animal.
80, father, something has happened to
Mr.. Nelson cried Mary. LET US GO
out on the road and see what it isl
And with that she fled as fast as heI
strength would allow down through the
lane and out into the old pine forest.
She outstripped her father. A horrible
dread gave lightning speed to her pace,
and as she ran her hair fell over hel
shoulders and foated in the air like an
aureole of glory about her head.
| But we return to John Nelson. As
soon as he fell from the saddle, shot
through and through the body, the faith.
full servant was by his side. He raised
his master head on his lap, and moaned
piteously. John rallied little, and
recognized his servant and saw the flow.
ers still clutched in his faithful hand.
Robert, take those flowers to Mary
with my last love. Tell her that died
with her image before me-and l have
been foully murdered-by-"
But he never finished the sentence.
He struggled but moment and died
died alone there in that gloomy, old for
est, alone and so near to the home of his
darling Mary. The flowers dropped
from the hands of the negro, and fel
into q pool of his hearts blood tina,
stained the white sands.
The negro saw that his master was
dead; hastily snatched up the hyacinth.
all stained with blood, and screamed
wildly, frantically for help. He rushed
here and there, kissed his masters hand
and behaved like q demented man,
while the tears streamed down his
swarthy cheeks. Then he thought o.
going for assistance. He fed up the
road that led to the mansion screaming
at every step. He soon met the terrified
| lady far in advance of her father, and
rushed wildly to her, holding out the
blood-stained hyacinths. "Master tolc
me to give 'em to you, Miss Mary, with
his hast breath; he's lying dead up yon'
der; somebody in the woods shot him
and he's dead" said the maniac, and
then ran back to the dead body.
Mary followed close at his heels, anG
fell on the stiffening form of her lover
She did not speak, or moan or weep. She
kissed him until her lips were crimsoned
with the blood that slowly oozed from
his throat and mouth.
| She was borne away to Nelson's home
that night with the dead body, and wheE
her father interfered and attempted tc
take her back to her own home she flew
at him wildly and then clung to the life
less body of her betrothed, still holding
to the bouquet of hyacinths.
She sat by his side like statute unit
he was buried. When the coffin wa
lowered into the grave she attempted te
throw herself into it, as if determined
never to be parted, even by the grave
She had heard the solemn service for the
dead chanted by the weeping multitude
but remained unmoved. It was only
when the coffin was lowered and the
clods began to fall on the lid that she
rushed forward and would have thrown
herself into the grave. They led hel
away . raving maniac.
The country was in CONSERVATION Al
the foul murder, and as matter of course
the negro servant was arrested and
lodged in jail. An inquest had beer
held, and the verdict pointed to the ser.
want as the murderer. In less than one
month the wretched negro died in jail
Of broken heart, protesting his limo
cence to the last, saying that the shot was
fired from the pine woods. Then lit.
tie negeo girl hunting her stray calve.
said that . big dark man had rode furi.
ously past her in the forest soon after she
had heard the shot, but she could moi
identify him, as he wore his hat pulled
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