The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-10-26
A bOrrOwfnI Romance.
A merchant of Allegheny has in his
possession the following note:


possession the following note:
APRIL ~.
1t will not be possible for me to keep
the appointment for this afternoon. l
regret it much, but business interferes.
j. w. B.
The note was written by John Wilkes
Booth in 1865, two days before Lincoln
was assassinated. In April, 1860, the
Allegheny merchant went to Baltimore
to ehdeavor to find some traces of his
brother, who had gone from Pittsburg
as a soldier in the early part of the war.
"The second day after my arrival in Bal
timore, said the merchant, Il called at
the house of Mrs -. The family con-
sisted of Mrs. -, her daughter Estelle,
and Robert. boy about twelve years
old. Miss Estelle was between eighteen
and twenty years old, and was rather
pretty She was tall and slender, and
talked with great spirit. She was very
graceful and quick witted, and sang well.
When told Mrs. what my errand
was in Baltimore, she expressed a great
deal of sympathy for my mother, and in
sisted upon my occupying the room
which belonged to her son, who was in
the army.
hTS. - tOlu me ttdt ucf tduSuo1
had formed fancy for a man who did not
care for her and who was an actor. She
said that nothing had ever come out of
the matter, and she did not think there
was anything to fear, but she did not
like the mans profession, although she
took pains to assure me that he was a
gentleman, had always acted in the most
honorable way and never seemed to no
tice that Estelle cared for him, but
talked to her about music and the stage
and took an interest in her musical
studies.
Zone morning Miss Estelle and I
were at the breakfast table, Mrs. -
having excused herself, as she had some
household duties to attend to. The
young lady's attention was, evidently.
preoccupied about something, for she
talked at random and seemed to be think-
ing. At last she said, with rather odd
expression OF face:
"'I expect friend to call on me this
afternoon. 1 think you will like him.
He is very fond of music"
Il asked who he was, and she looked
rather disturbed at my question, but re-
piled:
He is my best friend. He is an
actor and is coming over from Wash
ington.''
81 remem bered what her mother had
told me, and 1 changed the topic of con-
versation. In the afternoon about four
o'clock 1 was sitting in the parlor with
Estelle when her brother Bob came in
with letter for her. She blushed when
she saw the handwriting on opening the
envelope, and tore 1t open hastily. Then
her expression changed, and she showed
that she was disappointed. She read
the letter two or three times and then
exclaimed:
"'It's too bad. He isn't coming.
think he might have written more than
that, don'tyou?'"
"She tossed the letter to me, and
turning around to the piano, began
playing absently folded and refolded
her note until had it in crumpled
little roll, and when she started to go up
stairs to dress for supper, the note could
not be found. She was little veXed at
my carelessness at first, but soon recov
cred her temper and did not allude to it
again. Three days after that was to go
home. l got up early to make arrange.
! ments and went out on the street, where
heard of the assassine ton of Lincoln.
When | returned Mrs. - and Estelle
were awaiting my appearance to sit
down to breakfast. l was greatly eN.
cited, and exclaimed as / entered
president Lincoln was murdered in
Washington last night
Both ladies screamed and looked
| frightened and Mrs. - cried ont: ooh.
they will kill all of us who are friends of
the South! Who did it?'
ga scoundrelly actor named Booth
John Wilkes Booth"
1.-The words were scarcely out of my
mouth before Estelle gave u scream aud
fell forward upon the table and from
there upon the floor, dragging the break
fast thinkgs about her with crash. The
mother seemed almost as much effected
as the daughter, but she loosened Es
telle's dress and lifted her up, while /
bathed her head with water. / was ter
ribly confused, but I suggested that L
should go sor doctor. Mrs. - at the
mere suggestion almost screamed.
emo! mol No one must know itl'
know wbat?" asked.
"'Why, don't you know? Don't you
know that John Wilkes Booth was the
man I told you about-the man she is in
love with?'
"Then l remembered the note and
the fact that it was signed j.
w. b. Estelle had not mentioned the
name, and that was why l did not un-
derstand it. Mrs. was wild with
terror and feared that her daughter