Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-06-12
she had married second husband in

L
| bequeathing an immense fortune equal
!! ly TO his wife and daughter, the latter's
| share to revert to a distant relative in
| case of her death.
| During their stay in Lexington I mes
| her several times, but never without ex-
periencing a thrill of admiration at her
| spirituelle beauty, which was enhanced
| a thousand fold by her aesthetic dress
and sanity demeanor.
| After a few days in town they drove
out to her former home in the interior,
where for more thana year | lost all trace
of her, until finally one day, in looking
through the papers, came across the
| announcement of her third matrimonial
venture, the bridegroom this time being
a man we'll known about town as atitled
| debaucher. | confess | was somewhat
startled as we'll as disguised at the mum
Der of alliances she was contracting, but
| was even more startled when fortnight
| later | read of the sudden death from
| heart disease of her latest ill-starred
husband.
And now unsavory stories began 10
| be whispered about. 1t was said that
her young step-daughter had ridden
| bareback into Kingston one night,
| through fierce storm of wind and rain,
and, between fright and sobs had con-
| fded to one of the ladies in the hotel
that she believed her step-mother had
dealt ioully with her husband. 1t was
asserted that he had died of heart dis
ease, but on the night in question she
had distinctly heard unearthly groans
proceeding from their chamber, and
| after his death dark blue mark had APP
| peared around his throat which grad
ually deepened until it became black.
| Her mother, in alarm, had rediessed
| his neck with her own hands, tying a
white silk handkerchief high up around
| his throat to conceal the baletul mark
But she had seen it and pointed it
out to her, when she turned upon her a
| look of such malignity that it seemed as
| though she would strike her dead at her
| feet. She SUNK in alright from the
hated room, and once outside made all
speed to mount a horse and ride for
| leaving the dreadful house with its I'M
explained horrors far behind. She
had always feared her step-mother,
whom she secretly suspected of treach-
cry toward her father, and now she
| could not be induced to return to he
protection, but demanded an investiga-
ton by the authorities. Her request
was granted and an investigation ordered
which resulted in the verdict of sui
cide,' the widow testifying that upon
| the night in question, her husband, who
had been drinking deeply, suddenly
arose from his bed and went into an up
tracted stay she followed him to an I'M
used room in the top of the house, and
there, to her unspeakable horror. found
him hanging from rafter in the roof
dead. In an agony of grief and
bewilderment she went to an old serv-
ant, the only one in the house at the
| time, who assisted her to remove him
| to his own room, hoping on account of
! the great love she bore him to be able
| to conceal his heavy crime that he
might not be denied Christian burial.
| But her young daughter, who
| never loved her as a daughter should,
| because of her fathers marriage, had
discovered the mark on the throat of
the dead man, and wickedly circulated
the damaging story, without giving her
son opportunity to explain or refute the
charges. THIS was her story, which was
corroborated by the servant, and there,
| for lack of evidence, the matter dropped.
"The young girl who had caused the
arraignment was sent to a relative in
| England, and when the epidemic of ex-
| element had subsidized a reaction took
place in her favor which completely
wiped out all stigma or suggestion of
wrong-doing. The old life of religious
devotion and fervor was treasured. her
charities and aims were multiplied,
pious ministrations and kindly offices
| were daily and hourly performed. The
sick were visited; the poor cared for;
the hungry fed; the needy clothed. The
parish clergyman consulted with her;
neighbors praised and blessed her; the
very servants rendered her voluntary
homage for her kindly acts and mag
nifcent benefactions.
While the halo of grace surrounded
her she announced her intention of
building and endowing a chapel as a me-
mortal to her late husband. She select
ed a beautiful design in church archi
lecture and laid the plans before the
rector of the parish for his commenda-
ton and approval. The parish church
was old and in need of repairs; the liv-
ing small and precarious, but must an
swer until the new chapel was complet-
ed and consecrated, when she would
see that the endowment was sufficient
and the living permanently secured.
The site selected for the chapel was on
one of her estates, high up in the
mountains, facing q famous well tray
eled road, and overlooking vale rich
in tropical luxuriance. There the cor
nerstone of the new church was duly
laid, and then in course of time it ws.s
finished and endowed.
When completed it was pronounced
a gem of architectural beauty by all
who came to see it. Built in the form
of a cross. with numerous pinacles and
turrets rising high into the air, sur
mounted by gilded crosses, it shone in
the blazing tropical sun with FURNISH
ed glory that marked it conspicuously
for miles around. Resting against the
mountain side, empowered in back
ground Of vines and foliage, it seemed
to offer a retreat Of rest and peaceful
ness to the weary and heavy laden. The
inside Of the church was finished in
solid polished woods, with inlaid
floors, marble font, stained glass win
dows, and a grand pipe organ; while
the chancel contained an altar of solid
marble, with carved panels represent
ing scenes from the New Testament,
copied from the masterpieces Of Flor
ence.
The only unfinished feature in the
work was a conspicuous niche in the
wall, which was reserved for a full
length statue of the beautiful woman
whose voluntary offerings and
nrom nt activity bod 6ooionod and