The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-10-15
A TRUE HEROINE.
Poor Miss Narcissa and Her IN
conscious Bravery.

WASHINGTON, ID. O., Jan. z, 1872.
Nh Dear Charlotte-Pray forgive me
fornotsooner replying to your very kind
and welcome letter. / assure YOU that
my time has been very fully occupied
by my new duties. You ask me con-
corning those duties. At present [ am
only a copying clerk at thirty dollars
a month. Not very princely income,
you say, but remember that with my
influence 7 shall very soon be promoted
70 higher and more lucrative posi-
ton. For the present sister Selma and
are struggling TO make both ends
meet and appear as BELTS my fathers
daughters.
Selma, as you are well aware, still
has small income of her own, from
funds invested by her brotber-in-law.
j know your husband has not a high
opinion of Mr.. AS integrity, but 1 do
not think he could be so base as to de-
fraud his brothers. widow We are.
Tor the present in humble lodgings Oh
> street, where the cooking and at
tendance are not quite what we were
accustomed to in those palmv davs
"betOre the war;" OF course. ourresl-
dence here is merely temporary, as I
feel sure that our friends, who are
much better acquainted with the town
will assist US TO find a more congenial
home. You know that the wife of our
senior Senator is a cousin of my
1ather.s brothers wife. She viii doubt
less prove a kind friend as she has
frequently been guest at THE
Cedars in happier days. Mrs. Judge
Blank, who also resides here, was a
dear friend of my sainted mother.
and Representative c. is. as YOU
know, the son of my fathers oldest
friend. Thus, YOU see. dear Charlotte
when they have had time TO answer
our letters OF introduction. we shall no
longer be as strangers here, but will
through them, obtain the entire to the
most elegant society of the capital, of
which our dear mother has so often
told MS. Selma insists upon my MAX
ing fresh toilet every dav on my re-
turn ''irom Office, In order To be pre-
pared for callers, but so far, none of
them have found time 80 call. as the
season has commenced and they doubt
less have many calls on their time;
but no doubt they viii call very soon.
You tell me of the marriage of Colonel
Savllle. Pray, dear Charlotte, do not
imagine that we were ever aught save
very good friends, and please present
my sincere congratulations to himself
and bride.
SO far l have not found a publisher
Tor "ln the Red DAYS but have re-
copied IL and win "try again" and If
not successful win, when my salary is
raised, publish it at my own expense,
at which time (as am assured by Miss
Lavinia OniS, who once wrote a book
called lessons for the Young" of
which / had never heard) success and
fame await me. With love to your
sweet children and kind regards to
your husband, I am, dear Charlotte,
your sincere friend.
y ARCISsA BLACKBOARD.
=. 81 regret to say that Selma
health is no better, but, as ! feel quite
sure, no worse. She win doubtless re-
cover her strength in the spring, which
is, I am-told, mild and early season
here, though scarcely that of our NOR,
Southern cline.
SO wrote Miss Narcissa Blackford {,
her friend Miss Louquir, a resident O
her own native town. Red-handeC
war had taken from Miss Narcissa anC
her sister their father and the young
husband of the latter. Mrs. Abbot
had never recovered from the terrible
shock of receiving the news of he
husband death, which was Forwarded
Through the lines on o soiled scral
Of paper by Colonel Saviile, of who's
marriage Miss Narcissa wrote.
The beautiful home of the sisters
too, was gone. And so these two ten
DERBY nurtured ladies were left almos
penniless, rs well rs homeless, ant
with small ability to help themselve
70 a livelihood.
Mrs. Abbott, the eldest sister, ha'
been the belle and beauty of the coun
try round; indeed they were know
far and near as the "Blackfor,
beauties for Miss Narcissas charm
were second only TO those of her Sis
Ser. Selma had married young, bu
Narcissa had declined to give up he
belleship, and was still queening it. "a
the age of twenty-five, when the bugl
call startled her lovers from her feet
Perhaps if Tom Saville had once NOR
asked her TO marry him. she would no
then have said him nav. But, thong
she watched his career with anXiou
ewes. he did not ON his return renel
his suit, and no one ever knew whernJ
or not she cared more for him than ia
the other suitors who asked her IA
question over again, or took her emo
as final OF these gallant youths som
now lay buried i'm almost unknow
graves, q few were laid to rest anon