The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1884-07-02

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girl however was closely watched,
1.-THE parents having cause to sns-
Ipectthatshe was in secret cores.
pcndence with him. Aud one
morning she was nowhere TO bs
tcund- only a note slipped under
lthe door Of her parents sleeping
room informed them that she had
gone TO join her lover that she
had taken with her all her jeselr5
together with yehundred dollars,
which her father had left in his
Btiting.desk; sinceshe wouldnsed
money for travelling and other ex,
penses. And that was the last
that they ever knew about her.
"But could they not find the
young mani" asked Cecie.
"They found him, after a long
search but be denied all knowledge
of Emily and her intended fight,
They corresponded, and she had
assured him that she would vet
Iifnd means to Join him, but her
letters had then ceased; nor had he
ever since heard from her. This
was his story. Some believed II,
but others, thought nothing could
ever be proven against him, had
dark suspicious Of him. Aud the
strangest thing was, that, having
once passed the garden wall, every
trace of the girl was utterly lost"
'"The garden wallS"
u forgot to mention that it was
inthat manner she escaped. She
mounted the sloping trunk Of the
old tree at the foot Of the garden
walk-the same under which you
so often sit-and then stepped
along its horizontal branches to
the top Of the wall. This was
rendered evident by the broken
twigs and scattered leaves at the
foot Of the tree. On the ground
outside the wall was found her
shal, which she had doubtless drop.
ped or forgotten in her haste. That
was all. To this day the mystery
Of her fate remains unreyealed,
though undoubtedly there was foul
play somewhere. The jewels and
the money were great temptations
to crime"
That evening my wife said to
me:
"That horrible tree. charliel Did
| tell you that it had a secret to
reyealH Perhaps it knows what
besame Of that poor girl."
Next day oecie went on a visit
Of a few days to her mother, TAX
ing the children with her. Before
going to my business I gave orders
respecting the tree. l wished ey.
cry trace of it to be removed before
her return, when perhaps she
would forget all about it and its
gloomy associations,
Returning home in the evening,
| was met by the workmen with
Countenance of interest and mys.
terry. Their information startled
me. While busted in cutting
down the tree, they had heard
something rattle aud fall within;
and on examination discovered
within the bones of a skeleton,
though whether human or not
they could not tell. Communica.
ting the fact to Mr.. Warren, who
was in his garden, they had by his
advice desisIed until my arrival.
l went to the spot, and with the
men and Mr.. Warren examined
the tree.
Through the opening already
made the bones were clearly TO be
distinguished; and l dire,ted that
the trunk should at once be felled.
When this was done there was ex.
posed hollow stump, in which
lay a mass Of human bones, with
remains of a woman's dress. and
beneath these and the decayed
wood and dust which had gathered
over them CLEANED the lustre Of
jewels and gold aud silver coin.
| looked at Mr., Warren, who,
white as death, had staggered to a
garden bench.
"My God" he exclaimed. at is
I-Emilyp
Yes, it was Emily. OF this
there could be no doubt. The tree
had long held its fearful secret,
and was still unable to reveal il,
1t had given up Emily's skeleton,
but how came the poor girl to be
immured within this living tomb9
RtL ..: