The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-05-03

in my order-boOk in confirmation OF
what I had said, and he seemed both
distressed and angry, but calmly asked
me what [ proposed to do. He stated
that the lady had been thrown from a
horse while on a fox hunt the year
before, injuring her head, which
threatened her life; that she had re-
covered physically, but her mind had
been so impaired that she required
constant watching for a long time.
She seemed to forget almost everything
pertaining to the past, and imagined
herself to be prosecuted by her friends,
and especially himeelf, who she claimed
to be in league to force her to marry
in order that he might have complete
control of her property, which was in
mining stocks and real estate in Ten
nessee, left to her by her deceased
father. He pointed out the folly of
this, as he was her lawfully consti
tuted guardian; he said he had sent
her to Baltimore for treatment, where
she had been much benefited, but
being informed by the physicians there
that her case was hopeless owing to
some intricate fracture of the skull,
which seemed to press the brain, and
which would ~necessitate a dangerous
operation being performed, he had
been to take her home, and l knew
the rest.
CAT the close Of this statement he
suggested a divorce, but said if I did
not desire that, for the sake of keeping
the matter as quiet spossible, he would
turn over her property to me, now her
lawful guardian, and that perhaps
under persistent treatment her mind
might be restored, as she was never
violent or h~ysterical, but labored under
such Authorizations of mind as de-
scribed.
81 informed him that I should cling
the closer to Lydia, and that if shecon-
tinued insane enough to love me, l
should be only too happy, and that he
might express her trunk to Asheville,
and I should say nothing to her of his
return, but would visit him and her
mother Immediately after ~transacting
my business at Asheville.
81 satisfied him also on the score of
family and eligibility, and we parted.
"That night we took the train for
Asheville, and I was ono more in an
ely stun as I clasped that little hand
in mine, and thought how innocent,
helpless and dependent she was, and
my heart warmed to her with a more
intense glow than before, if possible, on
account of her af1iction.
Ct shall never forget that night-the
22dof August, 1891-if 1 should live to
be a hundred years old. I lay back in
my seat and reveHed in day-dreams of
the future, with the fair picture of
Lydia ever in the foreground. My
nervous system, which had been so
highly strung for the last twenty-four
hours, compared to the present blissful
calmness now settling over me, relaxed,
and I soon found myself lost in slum-
Der, while the cars sped on through the
midnight gloom, taking many to a
home beyond the skies. Suddenly the
cars gave a lurch, a crash, there vas
a medley of groans, shrieks, prayers
and imprecations.
"The next remember, 1 opened my
eyes to find that my legs were impris,
oned by a pile of broken seats from be
hind; the window-glass, or something
else, had cut my face, which was bleed
ing profusely, and I knew that 1 was
in a railroad wreck. Ny first thought
was of Lydia, whom found lying par
TALLY under me, with her head I'M
protected, and I could see that she
looked like a corpse; but I could render
her no assistance on account of being
SO pinned down. At this time some
gentleman, thinking not of himself,
but of others, shouted that he wasfree
to render aid to those needing it l
C &lled out, and he Gifted the debris from
me, and through his aid we succeeded
in extricating Lydia, who, to all ap-
~pearances, was dead.
q did not stop to succor others. but
finding I was comparatively uninjured,
I clasped my darling in my arms, and
succeeded in bearing her to the track
above, and fastened, witha all the speed
which fear and despair could lend to
me, up the track. A small light soon
glimmered in the distance, which I
knew to be a light from some house. l
bore her there, awoke the surprised
and alarmed inmates, ex planned, as
best l could, and resorted to all the
homely RENE dies at hand to ~resuscitate
her. To my great 10y l found she was