Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-08-12

U6ISI II. 1856.
disclose to ron. VIII you trust and
believe in me
How could ! resist such = pleading
look So in order to humor her /
agraed. - taz4fa
She then walked to the pouiard,
picked il up and presented it 70 me.
She asked me to keep il as souve-
mir. As she bowed me out with the
grace Of queen. she repeated these
lines: n.aas1 n q,sfa
Beneath misforsune's ssruke at>
The firmest mind rill Gail and ssannd dc
From is sage plan Of acsion. ~. i'.sa
knew then that she, was insane. or.
else che never would have -uslsresl
words that conveyed that idea. +
The next day I met Reba and my
uncle at the breakfast table. She
was looking bright and saluted me
with a smile. She even went so far as
to ask me if | had had good nights
rest aud if my dreams carried me back
to the busy scenes Of the city.
What admirable acting; nothing
but insanity could make such an utter
forgetfulness on her part of the trans
actions of the night" thought.
| My uncle declared that / looked as
III had not slept wink, and I felt
it decidedly. The case began that
| day, SO / was occupied until nearly
sundown in t1s.s task Of getting jury.
AT dinner the de.ceon persisted in
talking about the jurors l led selected.
but told him that if did mt wild
the suit for him and put the plaintiff
in for costs and damages / would
charge no fee. This put him in good
mood. and in the JOY of the moment
he said:
"2eba. that is the way big lawyers
in the city do things. l think my
nephew would make some woman a
good husband"
The remark was embarrassing to
both Of US and brought forth no ready
response.
Finally. she colored up Ike full
blown rose and merely suggested:
Doubtless he has made selection
already among his many friends in
the city.n-'s-'~--.--'-
1t now came my turn to protest that
l was still free to act as my feelings
dictated.
This untimely allusion to marriage
by my uncle pretty much checked con-
versation and l was glad when dinner
was over.
As on the first evening Of my arri.
val We enjoyed an hour or so in the
parlor. Reba sang divinely and was
as chatty and pleasant as if she had
never contemplated suicide. Once l
noticed that she looked at me, but for
a moment only, with that sad, pite-
Gus expression that I observed when
we first met. MY white tuft Of hair
again" / thought.
was very sleepy and retired early.
When / babe father and daughter
good night in che parlor, was sur
prised to see her come forward aud
offer her hand. Instantly I felt a
note and my fingers quickly closed
upon it. Its contents were as strange
as the writer and as mysterious:
My New Friend and Cousin:
If the case is finished tomorrow,
meet me at midnight near the old
fountain. I desire to impart my plans
to you. have prayed for some
strong friend like you. REBA.
Her "plans." imagined. were the
rambling fanciss of a diseased mind.
| resolved to humor her, because I
felt sure that she would do herself
harm if disturbed in any of her ideas.
My intentions had been to remain a
mouth, but now my great desire was
TO finish the case and leave. Ny sleep
was full of sweet dreams about this
beautiful girl, and I arose refreshed.
The deacon and I had early breakfast
alone, and hurried to the court house.
There were few witnesses to examine,
and by noon the plaintiff 8 lawyer ad-
dressed the jury for three wearisoms
hours. knew the jurors were farm
ers and wanted to get home by sun.
down. so / spoke five minutes. saying
that did not desire to keep them
away from their families, and that I
had such clear case that to argue
for hours a self-evident fact to them
would be an insult to their intelli-
gence. In few minutes the jury de-
cided against the plaintiff and mulcted
him Tor costs and damages. Ny uncle
was disappointed because made such
q short speech. but when the decision