Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-04

WIN " ao WEuQlu8 LIS uOluC-
ward way, whiting a rOundelay as he
stepped briskly along; but there was a
set OF stone steps near and l crept under
them. He passed so close down the steps
over my head, and while was trembling
In fear there something Shiny and cold
crept across my hand. A snake perhaps!
Chills of horror seized me and forced me |
out. Oh! surely this was not the same
wOrld-the world of sunshine and beauty
/ held so dear. What had l done to de-
serve that my companions should be rep
tiles and darkness-that | must shun the |
face of mans Innocence gave me cOur-
rage to form some plans for the present |
need. / lOnged frantically for some place |
OF rest and solitude. How safe seemed |
the woods to my Imagination when day
light was there-hOw dreadful they were
to me then. An awful fear took posses |
sion of me-a terror of loneliness and
detection. Where could l hide? Alas!
for the poor woman who is doomed to flee
in secTet-whO would hide her grief-who
has no home. l fed from the midnight
woods, for midnight came on apace. The
white walls of Strassmere were in front
of me, and still closer was the stately
barn with its well-finished apartments.
Every part of it was familiar to me, for
as a little child l used to play among its
many corners. Even in there l would
feel at home. Whv not go in?
Inc bEENdul5 dl CbldSouGlG hNlC dAA
required to return at night to their sepa-
rate abiding places save a homeless Ger
man lad, who had a very pleasant room
in the upper story of this barn. had as
sisted in making this place comfortable
and pleasant tor the boy, who was kind
and well-behaved. At my own request be
was now at school, and the key to his
room was in my purse which 1 always
bore about my person. The thought shat
! this key was in my possession suggested
my going in there, and with quick, glad
step l moved up the familiar stairs which
led to it from the outside. How sweet
was that haven to me when after turn
ing the key inside 1 felt my way to the
easy-chair which was my gift. | knew
! every object in the room, and Aow clean
| and tasteful they all looked in the day
| light. / dared not light the little lamp
whose shining used to see often through
the window while the ambitious boy
/ studied. The matches were always there
| for his use, but they would not serve for
me. l shuddered to think how like a
/ criminal l sat there happy for the shelter
| Of a barn. My shuddering grew stronger,
| tor the air was cold and biting, and l had
only light shawl about met was one
! that Jessie made for me. l thought of
! this gratefully as l wound it Tightly about
me. 1t was not gift from him, and
! could wear it hOnOrably. | brought away
nothing that was not mine. 1t was time
| for me to think OF the future. What
! hopeless task it was. My whole frame
| became benumbed with cold, so like
| child unused to bear physical ills, l
/ CROPPED my way almost instinctively to
the narrow bed of the poor boy, and
| wrapped the warm covering all about me
/ as | sank upon 1t. L tried very hard to
think, yet could not. A great blank fol-
/ lowed while blessed sleep gave me rest.
Blessed rest sent by my ministering
angel to keep me from madness! l had
! not slumbered long before my dreams
were haunted by terrible images and WIS.,
ions; and then came a long period in
which half-waking and halt-slumbering
| heard the sound of rolling wheels and
! subdued voices very near, and felt the
influence of some great change. My
senses were locked in some terrible grasp.
L struggled to be free. At last
II shook it off and awoke in
a nameless fright. Where am IY
was my inward cry, as the strange walls
| and surroundings came to view. My
heart sank back into its wretched con-
seriousness all too soon, for l should be 60
ing. The faint light Of dawn was strug-
Cling in through the white curtains and
l lifted one. All was still in the we'll
known places-OminOuslY still; and
strange awe crept over me. Silently |
made my way out into the yard, trem-
! DING III lcdI VI u6btCllOIs anu NOu1u nave
rushed off without one lingering glance
behind had not something caused me to
look into the barn windows that opened
into the carriage shed.
The carriages were gOne-the horses,
| too, and there were fresh tracks of wheels
upon the sandy way leading towards the
! houses. The sounds heard in my dream
! ing came back to me like a revelation.
! There was something in the very stiffness
that told of desOlatiOn. My steps almost
| unconsciOusly bore me towards the dwell
| ing, where there was not even the dog to
| welcome me. All was still as the grave.
An intuition of what had come to pass led
me to walk boldly up and try to open the
front door. 1t was as l dreamed-the mas
sive key hung upon the Outside-Strass-
mere was deserted! Eugene was gone,
and the cruel world might still SANDER
and threaten. What did it matter now?
"Thank heaven" cried l, as my sOlita-
~ steps woke dreary echoes along the
halls, she is out of their reach"
Then came the crushing conviction of
| my own utter desOlatiOn, and kindly tears
! relieved the anguish of my soul. There
| was not an ear TO heed my wild sobbing;
no hand to press mine; no loving voice to
soothe; but the very abandon Of grief
lulled the storm after long, long, lonely
time.
When l wandered over the rooms /
brought. How busy they had been during
that long night.
| tried to imagine the scenes that fol-
lowed the moment when they discovered
me as an eyewitness of their shame, but
found that it drove me nearly wild. 1t
was relief to remember that this was
my time for going to the caskeJ where my
inheritance was stored away. l needed
it s0rely.
1t drove from me the torturing present
to ascend the stairs and find my way into
that place of dread SO lately occupied,
I but now ''sWept and garnished'' and lone.
] walked in with dull, mechanical tread,
thinking of all the bright anticipatiOns of
this hour. Where were they?
To brighten the gh0st-like air Of the
room l opened the inside blind that hid
the interior from a chance gaZer from
above. There was no fear that inquisi
tive eyes would peer at me through the
glass, which could never be discovered
save bV those who went upon the ObserVa-
tory. 1t was certainly safe refuge for
pirates, murderers Or-What name was
there black enough to cover the guilt of
him who scOrns the love, the deathless
love of a trusting heart? He was no
lelOnger Eugene to me; the name that
meant noble was not for him; yet, be it
sin or no, could not hate him; L would
never, never yield one breath OF evidence
against him. There was the chair in
which she sat, but the reclining one was
gone. l stood upon the empty space with
my hands clasped across my burning eyes
and prayed in an agony TO nate him. Pity
/ ing angels must have been near to send
relieving tears to my aching eyes, but it
| may not be their mission to change heart
Of love into stone. Mine was cold and
| dull when at length l moved towards the
inside panels. The magic number nine
was counted according to Aunt Miriam's
| directions, and the smaller panel gave
way under a steady pressure. There in
side shOne before my gaze an ebony
| casket. How often in imagination l was
| wont to picture this scene when my eager
sight would feast upon the wonderful
/ box. How different was this real picture!
The figure Ichabod could scarcely have
expressed more wildly broken life than
/ did mine when my weary fingers at last
| opened the treasure. First OF all lay the
the viii all yellow with age. 1t was
/ legal document making Strassmere mine
Internationally; also bequeathing to me
a fortune which [ found ali in pure gold
at the bottom OF the large casket.
Deep and ferYent gratitude arose in my
heart for Aunt Nliriam's Kindness in
/ granting me the boon of independence
I which / SO sorely longed for in my new
and desolate life. But this was not all of
her legacy. In a separate drawer of the
/ box l found the glittering diamonds-the
/ e frsa Epnf