Huntsville gazette., 1886-06-26

hCA W OOiIC IACtdhulf W ucI
friend and neighbor Lily Van Cott.
Imagine what predicament for her to
be in! Dressed for ball, the whole
house lighted and decorated, the per-
son for whom the entertainment was
in honor i'll on her hands, and another
friend beseeching her presence as if her
life depended on it. And, indeed, her
life was in danger, as my mother soon
discovered from the messenger Quick
ly giving her orders. and summoning
a physician, my mother drew a cloak
around her and hurried to hey friend.
The same sight met her eyes. Lovely
Lily Van Cott in all the bravery of ball
attire was stretched motionless and
speechless on her bed, and the
same odor of coffee filed the atmos-
phere. Her husband was frantic, her
attendants helpless. My mothers sus-
picions were now fully aroused; but
she maintained her GOODNESS and COM
posure, and camly administered stimu-
lants. She had the satisfaction Of see
ing her friend rally, and able to ex-
plain that she had been taken i'll after
drinking cup Of coffee; and as the
physician had arrived, my mother
fastened home.
''She was just in time to receive her
guests-a throng of whom were pour
ing into the drawing room. My grand
father was very much annoyed and sur
prised at her absence, and still more
disconnected that the chief guest of the
evening was unable to appear.
''My mother was equal to the occa-
sion, but watched long in vain for the
arrival of Vanessa. Would she come,
or would she stay awayp Had she the
courage to invoke the shades of dark
ness in dealing these deathly blows,
and yet the cowardice to dread the re-
suit? Evidently to stay away would
thing not be desired. She came-late
in the evening when many had left
in her customary brilliancy of dress
and manner; but my mother noticed
that she was feverishly restless and i'm
patient; that in spite of her clever talk
and easy grace her color came and went
like flashing lightning, and that she
avoided her, and was in haste to de-
part. Perhaps her own suspicious
colored her criticism; for she has told
me that Vanessa had for her the fas-
cination of basilisk, and that she
could not keep her eyes off of her.
My mother you see, had quick wit.
She had made some inquiries, and
found that the package addressed to
Signor Bolacca in Vanessa's hand
writing contained coffee, that it had
been sent as if by an anonymous ad
mirer, begging the signore to accept it
as something especially rare and de-
icIous.
"This the signore had done, and one
of the servants had prepared it accord
ing to his directions in a little French
tin, which he always carried in his
travelling case, and served it in a cup
of the willow pattern Indian china,
which was the common breakfast SER
vice. The signore had drank it, leav
only drop or two in the cup, which
my mother saved. The package, too,
was laid aside, and the paper on which
was the superscription. A similar pack
age had been left at Mrs. Van Colts
without any address, and Lily's SER
wants had used it as matter of course,
supposing it came in the customary
way from the grocer, but the curious
fact that the servants were all English
people and cared only for tea, saved
them from drinking it. Mr.. Van Colt,
too, had dined early, having business
in Communipaw, so that Lily was real
ly the only sufferer. Both packages
were examined by chemist, and
found to contain large quantity
of arsenic-so much, indeed, that
it had overshot the mark, and not
done its insidious but more deadly work.
"And now you will expect to hear
some startling details, but | have none
to give you. The victims of this afro
cious attempt both recovered. ~Signer
Bolacca left the country what
impression | leave you to imagine.
The. physicians, lawyer or two, my
mother and few others knew enough
to convince them who was the culprit,
but no legal steps were taken, no accu-
sation made. Vanessa's husband be-
came a distinguished man, known all
over the country for his scientific attain
ments and the great attractiveness OF his
kindly character. Vanessa herself
continued to be leader in society, and
was the mother of several children.
She died prematurely-how, when or
where l never heard, more than just
the fact | have related.
''Of course you are disappointed. |
would like to be able to give different
termination to my tale, but then it
would not be truth, and l am not a
Hawthorne. But can you not imagine
for yourself the fearful condition of
that woman mind? 1t was no impulse
of an outraged love that impelled the
deed. 1t was jealousy, revenge and
wounded vanity. Had she killed her
victims there could have been no more
murder in her heart than was there
already That she did not was due to
the clumaness of failure, not to her
intention. And how cool she must
have been, and how disappointed-but
no, let us believe that the tidal wave
of repentance and. sorrow had set in by
the time she knew her plot had failed,
and that for the rest of her life she
made atonement in thousand deeds of
charity and bitter tears and prayers for
forgiveness. There are tragic ele-
ments, you see, beneath these quite
commonplace lives of ours.