Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21
UNDER A CLOUD.
The Beautiful Heir to the House
in the Woods.

in the Woods.
'She's a beautiful lovable and true
girl
"Yes," sighed the matron, .'but
she'll never find a husband"
''She certainly receives plenty of at
tention," suggested, uncertain of the
Speakers meaning.
"For time, yes" was the reply.
Fortune hunters. pursue her keenly
until they learn the family story. And
we'll they may, for if she lives year
longer"-
(Which is entirely probable" l
ventured to interject, gazing upon the
healthy glow that manted the cheeks
of the pretty girl who sat on the oppo-
site side of the parlor.
Nothing is unexpected in that house,
hold, commented the matron before
she resumed the thread of her narrative.
IF she lives another year, as l re-
marked, or till legal age, she will in
herit 250,000-her mothers estate.
When her father die" -
''But, my dear madame, he's hale
and jolly old topper. who loves life and
hangs on for all there's in it, felt
well enough acquainted to remark,
payenthetically.
True enough; but if she outlives
him he'll leave her at least million.
She's the only child that is, the only
one that survives. An elder brother, a
charming fellow. cut his throat last
fall in moment of suicidal impulse.
Awful as was this misfortune in itself,
it had more sinister import to the
father and daughter. Though you
think him jolly, reckless old man, i
tell you he was not himself again for
months. The young woman was
crushed. Since that day she has lived
as in dream. She throws herself
madly into society, but there's no for
getfulness for her. She wants to marry,
naturally, but does not A signal was
given by her poor brother, and horror
always dreaded now confronts her.
She's only waiting"
waiting? Waiting for whatp"
1.-The development of the family
taint-madness!''
With curiosity at fever-heat l thei
learned the whole sad story. 1t is
pitiable tale, and it seems hardly fl
that we, who have chatted and laughed
so much together since the seasol
began, should listen to 1.-THE Tru
Story of the Beautiful Girl Who ca
Not Marry" An ethical interest
added to the narrative by the insigh
which is afforded of the womanly in
stincts of the gentle inatron who bare
this family skeleton. She has daugf
ter of her own who does not shine whe
contrasted with the tall, fair, blond
girl Several times had she observe
me chatting with the Baltimore bell,
and that may explain why she got m
apart from the crowd in the great pa
lors to relate the woes of most ur
fortunate family. At first the malic
of the act was thinly veneered with
makc-beleve sympathy, but before sh
had finished, the hideous character {
the curse that hung over the youn
creature was expatiated on to the m
nutest of its terrifying details. To rer
der impossible any escape from a log
ical conclusion that death in a mao
house or more merciful suicide awaite
this pretty woman, my chronicle
went back three generations. wis
it were possible, without causing pair
to give the family name, My il
formant, for the purpose of her recita
spared nobody. But l am not woman
and can not understand the strength
her impulses to destroy person WI
never knowingly crossed her path.
Iwere to whisper few words to an
bilious young girls they would b
Fear most the mothers OF your RI
walls" Well, here's the story, as nea
ly reproduced as memory permits:
The barbaric strain descen'
snrough the female side of the house,
began the .matron, as she sent h
daughter away on young mans arr
"The reason for this is that the son
with the single exception of her m
ternal grandfather, never lived to
marriageable age. In four gener
tons, according to the statements
tn family, there have been eleven 81
cides in the direct and collateral line
The maternal grandfather of yon pr
ty girl was an Englishman who can
to Baltimore soon after the close of {
war of 1Sl2-15. He was possessed
money and soon attained an enviat
social position, but he was careless
both to dangerous extent A gran
uncle of mine, who lived in Philad
phia, knew the man well. and has oft
told me how he was constantly seekil
10 divert his mind by excitement
was a bold and reckless player. Final
he married, and the couple lived
gether for eight or ten years. Thr
children, one boy and two girls, we
born Of the union. One day he disa
peared. and nothing was heard of n
for several weeks. AT the end OF II
time letter came to the sorrowi
wife couched in the most agonisi
language. Its purport was that the i
pulse of the writer to take
ewn life had growa so upon him q