Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-03-25
THE STOLEN CURL.

| New York Tribune.
THE STOLEN CURL.
Upon the shores of Lake Pontchartrain
and on the southern border of the state of
Mississippi long row of elegant villas, a
group Of business houses, and here and
there public building or private institu-
ton, form the lovely and quiet town of Pass
Christian noted for it's balmy climate, the
beauty of its situation, it's handsome resi-
dences and the wealth and refinement of its
citizens.
To the young ladies' academies and mill
tary institutions of Pass Christian many
of the wealthy planters were wont to send
| their daughters and sons to be educated
| and as the pupils of the respective institu
tions would meet in their daily promenades
many admiring glances would be ex
| changed between them and longings felt
to become acquainted.
| Among the fair pupils of the lake acad
envy none were more beautiful than Rosa
| Vertner, the sole heiress to all of her dot
| ing fathers cotton estate situated upon the
| Mississippi river.
A shower of golden curls fell upon her
shoulders; blue, dreamy eyes, bright,
smiling face and a graceful form, added to
| disposition of the truest womanly sweet
ness, made the young girl of fifteen partic-
| ularly attractive to all who knew her.
Many handsome cadet from the mill
| tary academy had fallen in love with the
| bewitching beauty at the first glance from
the heavenlit eyes, but to none did she
| show preference when meeting at the
! soirees and receptions given by the differ
ent schools.
| One of Rosa's greatest though silent ad
mirers was Earl Griffith, the son of Mis-
| sissippi planter, whose estate lay adjoining
| that of Mr.. Vertner, but between Mr.. Vert
| ner and Colonel Griffith there existed great
bitterness, and for years the families had
| not spoken, though meeting constantly in
| social intercourse at the houses of the
neighboring planters
| The feud commenced long years before
in the old days before the war, when Mr.
| Vertner and Colonel Griffith were rivals
| for the hand of Earl's mother
| Colonel Griffith had won her heart and
| hand and had married her, and his success
SO enraged MI Vertner that he challenged
him. A duel followed, and in this en-
counter Colonel Griffith came off victori
GUS, severely WOuuulIiS9 LIS adversary
Since that day neither had spoken to the
| other
Meeting at Pass Christian, thus it was
that, though Rosa could not but see that
Earl Griffith admired her, and he felt that
she was not Indifferent to his gaze, both
were governed by the remembrance of the
| feud existing between their parents, and
gave no sign of the recognition of the
others feelings.
| Toward the close of lovely summer
day, in the year that this story opens, tn
fair pupils of the lake institute had gon>
down the long pier, leading out into the
| lake, to the bathhouse of the institution
Soon a merry party of damsels were
| splashing about in the water. 1t was
pretty sight, and handsome youth OF
| twenty one, clad in the stylish uniform OF
| the Pass Christian Military academy
| paused and gazed upon the lovely scene.
Suddenly a shrek was heard, and dark
| form was borne away by the tide, out OF
reach of aid from her companions
With the speed of a deer the young cadet
| sped down the pier. reached the bath
| house and bounded headlong into the
| water.
Vigorously did he breast the waves ana
soon rapidly overlook the fair girl, who
| was struggling to sustain herself abovt
| the waters, for she was fair swimmer.
| Soon he came nearer, and seeing thai
| help was at hand her courage forsook hei
and she sank beneath the waters, while
shrieks of distress from the shore showed
that her companions believed her forever
lost
| With deep dive the youth succeeded in
| catching hold of the drowning girl, and
| with renewed strength started shoreward
| Bravely did he struggle, and at last he
| felt that he would reach the shore, for
| when almost to the bathing house two Of
| the professors of the institute, alarmed by
| the cries of distress, had run down to the
scene, and swimming out a few yards had
relieved the youth of his precious burden.
| Without a word the young man turned
once more seward, and to the surprise OF
all commenced to swim down the coast.
| In vain did they call to him from the
shore. On he swan, and night coming
rapidly on he was no longer visible.
| After continuing slowly and with strong
| and steady stroke down the coast, the ca
Diet swan toward pier that projected
some distance into the lake, and then drew
| himself, greatly fatigued, from the water.
Looking around him to see that he was
not watched he walked rapidly up the
| pier and struck off across the fields for the
academy.
Arriving there he sought his room and
reached it unperceiyed. where he hastily
changed his clothing
Before descending to the study hall to
| join his fellow students he drew from the
pocket of his saturated jacket, which he
had thrown aside, long golden curl,
| dampened by the sea water.
81 could not resist the temptation to
sever this beautiful curl from it's golden
mates She will miss it, and yet she will
never know who it was that saved her
life" and carefully drying the tress of
hair the cadet placed it securely away.
A great excitement was created at Pass
Christian by the saving from a watery
grave of the beautiful Rosa Vertner, and
of the strange conduct of her noble pre-
server, whoever he might be, for it was
impossible to discover his name, and all
that could be ascertained was that he was
a cadet from the military academy.
This much the young girl had noticed as
he sprang from the pier, and Rosa, having
become unconscious, could not describe his
features.
The missing curl was commented upon,
and the faces of all the cadets were eagerly
scanned by the pupils Of the lake institute
and the citizens who evinced a deep inter
est in the mysterious affair, but yet an ex-
preston of innocence rested upon every
students face and gave no clew.
Mr.. Vertner came to the Pass, and in
vain did heyisit the academy and endeavor
to find out the brave youth who had res
cued his daughter from death. It was use
less and after q time it was thought of
only as thing of the past.
Three years have passed since the Incl
dents mentioned above, and from tbs
shores of the sunny gulf the scene changes
to the banks of the Mississippi river.
Riding slowly along the levee road are
two persons-a lady and gentleman upon
horseback Earnestly they are coprersing
together, and then the maiden draws rein
and rests her gloved hand upon her com
panion's arm
Earl, here you must leave me, and for
ever. It is hard to give you up, but my
father will never forgive nor forget the