Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-06-20

But could they not find the
young man p asked Cecie.
They found him, after a long
search, but he denied acknowledge
of Emily and her intended fight.
They had corresponded, and she
had assured him that she would
yet find means to join him, but her
letters had then ceased, nor had
he ever since heard from her. This
was his story. Some believed it,
but others, though nothing could
ever be proven against him, had
dark suspicious of him. And the
strangest thing was, that, having
once passed the garden wall, every
trace of the girl was utterly lost
THE garden wallP
Il forgot to mention that it was
in that 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 rem
dered evident by the broken twigs
and scattered leaves at the foot of
the tree. On the ground outside
the wall was found her shawl, which
she had doubtless dropped or for
gotten in her haste. That was all.
To this day the mystery of her
fate remains unrevealed, though
undoubtedly there was foul play
somewhere. The jewels and the
money we're great temptations to
crime
THAT evening my wife said to
me:
'That horrible tree, Charlie Did
l tell you that it had a secret to
reveal? Perhaps it knows what
became of that poor girl
Next day Cecie went on a visit
of a few days to her mother, taking
the children with her. Before 60
ing to my business l gave orders
respecting the tree. L wished
every trace Of it to be removed be-
fore her return, when perhaps she
would forget all about it and its
gloomy associations.
Returning home in the evening,
1 was met by the wOrkmen with
countenances of interest and mys-
terry. Their information startled
me. While busted in cutting down
the tree, they had heard something
rattle and fall within; and on ex-
animation discovered within the
bones sof a skeleton, though
whether human or not they could
not tell. Communicating the fact
to Mr.. Warren, who was i'll his gar
den, they had by his advice desist'
ed uutil my arrival.
Invent to the spot, and with the
men and Mr.. Warren examined the
tree.
Though the opening already
made the bones we're clearly to be
distinguished /; and l directed 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 re-
mains of woman's dress; and be-
meath these and the decayed wood
and dust which had gathered ovel
them cleaned the lustre of jewels
and gold and silver coins.
I looked at Mr.. Warren, who
white as death, had staggered to g
garden bench.
sMy Godp he exclaimed. 1T il
Emily
Yes, it was Emily. OF this there
could be no doubt. The tree hac
r long held its fearful secret, and wa'
still unable to reveal it. 1t haC
, given up Emily's skeleton, but nov
came the poor girl to be immured
) within this living tomb ?
Further examination, however
revealed the whole horrible truth.
Il see how it all was, my ole
neighbor said, in a broken and
faltering voice, 'She had thrown
her shawl over the wall that Il
/, might not be in her way, and ther
mounted the tree to where the
three great branches meet; anc
there, hidden by the masses OF ivy
lay the fatal trap. Through the
great hole she slipped, and the ivy
closed over her in her living tomb.
He shuddered, and the tears
gushed into his eyes.
We neither of us expressed the
thoughts which chilled and moved
our hearts to plying horror. Hat
her death been sudden, or had sh'
here slowly starved and pined t.
death L? Her cries could not have
been heard, for the house 'stoot
apart, and her parents had lci
home and gone in pursuit OF her.
thoupht of Cecie's strange fanc,