Milford chronicle., 1888-11-02

y
was getting more worried than I wanted
to own, even to myself, and, jumping
into the sleigh, drove 20 Mrs. Browns,
to find that Nellie had left there long be-
fore dark. Then, one after another,
visited all the places knew she would be
likely to call at; but at every one met
the same reply; ''She has not been here,
By this time the rest of the family
were as frightened as l, and summoning
assistance, we began to scour the country
or the outskirts Of the town. Being near
large city, the roads were frequented
by hard characters, and we feared-what
we feared we did not dare to speak aloud.
We searched for hours, but without
any trace or elew, and most of the party
had decided to wait until daylight before
continuing the search. /, too, had turned
back, when one Of those voices" now so
familiar, spoke my name. l waited.
'I'urn to the left. By the big oak you
will find Nellie" You may not believe it.
No matter. had no thought of hesitat-
ing-my faith was sure-and turning my
horse, fairly few over the snow. It
was only short way, and was at the
oak sprang out of the sleigh and
flashed my light here and there, then gave
one cry, "Nelliel' and knew no more:
When came out Of my fathers house
again the snow had disappeared, the trees
were putting forth their tiny leaves and
the brave little crocus was in full bloom.
Winter had retired IN favor of spring.
Most of the time was a blank to me.
From the moment saw Nellie's upturned
face under the old oak / knew nothing
until, weeks after, found myself in my
room, with mother bending over me.
When l was able to bear it, they told
me all there was to tell. Nellie had been
found lying in the snow, dead. There
were tracks Of sleigh, but so far as they
were able to judge, there was no struggle
Of any kind. Where her head lay, there
was large stone, and a mark on her
forehead made them theorize that per-
haps she fell from the sleigh and came
to her death through its means. But
why was she there, and who was with
her, and why did he leave her? Detec-
tives had failed 70 find any clew. The
country was In such state of excitement
all the time, that the occurrence was for
gotten sooner than it might have been,
except by the heartbroken family and
Immediate friends.
Yes-one other did not forget It. He
who had caused her death could not for
get It, All the theories in the world
could not shake my belief that she had
been murdered-but by whom2 My life
should be given to find out l grew
better, but the great shock had taken all
the ambition and aim of my life out Of
me- Work l could not. Even if 1 did
busy my hand with this thing or that,
my mind was not with it; it simply used
up time
Father and mother, though they had
their own heavy grief to bear, sorrowed
still more to see me in such a state. And
my God, how suffered
At length l could stand it no longer.
The president was calling for more troops
here was a chance for relief. 1 went to
my father and told him it was my only
hope-I must get away from myself or
die. can see him now, as he sat in his
study, his face buried in his hands, strug-
Cling against love and desire At length,
clasping my hands, he placed the other
on my head, and said: William, it is for
the best-gO, and may God protect youl"
l will pass over the intervening days,
for though l had my desire, and all
thought it was for the best, the parting
was no less hard. | obtained an officers
regiment, In the hardships and the ex-
citement Of army life I grew away from
my old self and grief, and became a man
It had been a day of heavy fighting, and
many of our brave men lay dead and
dying on the field My regiment had
been in the thickest of it, and after it was
all over l went forth to look after my
men and to render such assistance as I
could or that might be needed. was
wandering about in the vicinity where we
had been fighting, when one of those
voices" that still haunted me, but no
longer gave me any uneasiness, said;
"Williel" I waited. Turn to yonr left.
Remember Nelliel' Perhaps YOU can
imagine how this startled me; not the
sound of the ''voice"-that was an old
story - but those words, Remember
Nelliew Remember her! l never forgot
her or her sad fate. Sleeping or waking
/ seemed to see her upturned face as 1t
lay there on the snow; but the ''vOice"
said, Remember Nelliel" turned and
walked on mechanically. I knew 1 was
being led for some purpose, and soon the
voice" said, HE is here" Who was
here?
looked down, and there lay young
man in an officers uniform; he had ia
miliar look, but my memory refused to
place him. Suddenly as bya great effort,
it flashed across my brain he was one Of
the students at college, and great ad-
mirer Of Nellie's. He was of Spanish
birth, and Nellie often said she was fairly
afraid of him.
And there he lay, cold and ifeless. But
why had l been led here2 Istooped down,
and saw that one hand had drawn a small
leather case half out of his pocket. /
loosened it and opened the case. Inside /
found his name and few papers, then a
picture. l gasped, and almost fell. It
was Nellie's, and fastened to it was lock
of hairl Then it flashed across my mind
as thoughts will, without any apparent
reason, that here lay Nellie's murderer.
asked the question, in my mind, and
turning my face upward, waited for an
answer. 1t was only a few secOnds--it
seemed an age; then a 'voice" close to my
ear whispered Eyes.
They tell me I was picked up insensible,
and many were the questions poured in
upon me by my comrades. What excuse
gave or what story I told them have
forgotten. Had told the truth they
would have thought as you do now, that
my brain was disordered; and so l have
kept the story to myself, telling only my
own family.
How he came to do it I never knew, but
in my own mind there was never doubt
that he did commit the deed. You will
say a court Of law would never take such
evidence. They will never have the
chance. To me the evidence is conclu-
sive. / found that heSleft college the day
after Nellie was found and enlisted. His
comraees say he was sober and morose,
but brave and daring as a very devil, and
That hemet his death as the result.
To me there was q reason for all this
ne was haunted man. am strong in
ny belief that he suffered as only one
with load of guilt to bear can suffer.
Ny story is told, and feel, as / said in
the beginning, that you think it is oniy
tho imagining Of disordered brain.
NsYer mind-call it what you will-can it
as.l do, Another Strange Story. Frank
Leslies.