Evening journal., 1890-02-06
NOT CREDIBLE, BUT TRUE.

What have to say Is not fiction, but fact. |
The heroine of my strange story"-and no
less true than strange--died many years ago |
Most Of her generation have followed her to
the land the inhabitants Of which may or
may not revisit ours in visible guise. The
Lord Of the quick and the dead alone knows
hcsg this may b. There is no reason why
should not put into print what many Of her
contemporaries heard from her own lips, not
only at the date Of the mysterious occurrence
that Swallowed her life, but when half cen
fury had softened the grisly outlines Of the
horror, and she could contemplate it in per-
spectye, almost with calmless although never
without awe.
/, Nancy Barksdale, who write this, was a
girl Of Is when, at the close Of May day
fifty years agone, my fathers carriage set
me down at tho door Of my dear friend Au-
gusta Deane, in Gainesville, Va. Carriers
vile was then, and may be now, an uninter-
esting village struggling leisurely along the
banks Of the James river, TO which it owed
its being and continued life We Ind pitied
Augusta Elicit, the belle Of two Richmond
seasons, not because she married Frank
Deane, a promising young lawyer, but for
having to live in the muddy, tame little town.
The wedding Ind taken place in December,
and this was my first visit to her new abode.
1t was a small white cottage, set back
about twenty yards from the street, which
differed ia nothing from a country highway.
except that there were more houses on and
near it. had Just time to observe that the
Deanes' cottage was a story and a half high,
with dormer windows in the roof; that it was
neat and newly painted; that the wicket gate
in the front palings was overarched by
bower of honeysuckle, and the front porch
overrun with muftifora rose tree, now in
afliuent bloom, when Augusta ran out
through the open door and down the gravel
walk 70 the carriage.
She was a trihe thinner than when had
last seen her, but animated and joyous with
vivacity that did not abate while she attended
| me to her own chamber on the first floor,
| pouring out salutations, queries and interjec-
| tions in her old frank impetuous way.
sYou must stay in here with me until
Frank comes home, she said, helping me to
lay aside my travelling garb. ''He went to
Richmond day before yesterday and may not
get back before Saturday
"Your first separation, isn't itf' asked T.
struck with something not quite natural in
her manner
"Yes. He was obliged to go-on business,
adding the last word as it might be an after
thought
While she spoke she was rearranging some
clothing hung in press to make room fol
that had laid off, Her hands wavered, and
she kept her face turned from me.
With the slight land insuiferable) touch o.
superior scorn Of q fancy-free-as-yet nader
for the sentimental feelings Of ''young mar
ried follIs,n feigned to overlook her emo
ton She might pine at heart for the absen
mate but she did me the justice TO be sin
cerely delighted at my coming. ] would con
tent myself with that for the present, ant
, tolerate a weakness peculiar to her position
so / made talk Of city news and the journey
taking pains not to ask a question, unit
presently she showed me sunny face tina
was the prettier and sweeter for tho mist
which was not quite dew, lingering upon he
, eyelashes. We supped en- tete-a-tete and 50
out on the porch until bedtime watching th
Z moon rise and mount--the crystal white ligh
Z driving back the shadows from tho wet gras
and ribbonlike graveled paths winding ava
? into the shrubbery; enjoying the seer
freighted air throbbing and cooling befoI
! the river breeze, and talking, talking, tall
& ing, as only two girls who have been bosoi
Z friends from infancy can talk after nearl
six months separation Augusta bore hI
7 part calamity, and quite forgot the passir
T cloud that had dimmed her eyes and shake
+ her voice.
o When we were ready for bed the cloud i
e turned and broke. saw her kneeling for
Il trembling from head to foot while she VI
n saying her prayers, and heard stifled 50
n Arising with averted face, she went to
10 bureau on the far side of the room, took
y miniature from drawer, kissed it twice al
le furtively slipped it under her pillow. VIII
u we had lain down and the light was out
n knew, gentle and gradual as was the NOV
" ment that she drew the picture from its hi
ing place and pressed it to her bosom. Pa
ing my hand caressingly over her cheek f
that il was wet.
as 'Augustala | said, softly, ''cannot col
h fort yous What is it, my poor dearl Sure
h you are not grieving over a sorrow that "
RS be cured SO soon as will Mr.. Deane's q
ir sencer
o. She chung to me in wild storm Of tea
D. She was but 20, and had not had a seci
Y, from me in ten years; 50 got this one.
s. Law business, imperative and not to be
n. ferred, she said, had called Frank to Rio
~ mond. With all her sweetness Of temper
oy wife had been a spoiled child in her fathe
q | house, aud her husband had never eros
Of | her She especially desired that he should
"a. at home while was there, and could not
a. convinced that the matter in hand could /
he be transacted as well by correspondence as
or person. From pleading she passed TO rem'
he strance, then TO indignant protest. The
,es suit was that reef OF horrors to the new
de welded, the first quarrel. Frank told
that she was unreasonable and childish, q
asked her how she expected him 70 make
living for herself and him if she kept /
Ter tied to her apron string.
III "And / called him unfeeling and cruel I
Ill --brutalln confessed the penitent, betw
I'M. her sobs ~ have cried myself 70 sleep
le two nights over it, If I could but see
a for one ininute-long enough TO beg his I
raj don-I could let him so agaiMA1r six mon
1n. II necessary. II you had seyz bis face W
In said that last wicked world He turned
md white as death, and bit h. lips hard to
roe back the bitter answer l deserved. /
could do itl How could do itin
IL did seem inexcusable to me-a sligl
priggish damsel, with well formula
ara creed of wifely duty and deportment-b'
da lectured her mildly in consideration OF
genuine distress
"He has a generous heart concluC
nd He viii not bear a. grudge, you may
the sure, and his very sour is bound up in you
-ees The neatly cut plaster did not draw
,ar. lips Of the wound together Indeed, it
a. afresh.
a. "I1e never said an uniind word to me II
| hfo. NV suffering. patient III used al