The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-01-27

the first time they met
tie returned IL.
"You are struck with the beauty of
my dagger. 1t is a rare gem-a Curl
ous memory of an old French court
and covering more than one tragedy,
no doubt, in Its sheath. You have never
seen anything like 1t before! 1t has
given you an uncomfortable sensation
to look at it, and now you are wonder
ing how came by IT," remarked the
priest, with voluble speech.
His companion remained silent, look
ing at him with new, quizzical in
terest.
81 never saw you before," he said,
| slowly
mo" returned the priest; "you never
did"
"Who the devil are you9"
"a servant of God--aud student Of
human nature. You are an easy sub
iect / am an apt interpr> ter Of sor-
row."
as that ALI" exclaimed the other,
with relieved smile of forced good
humor. ~ would like to know what
you read 'sorrowfur in my life. 1t is
late dinners, with strong cheese and
bad wines, which make up the recipe of
my soured visage," said he, giving the
first puff to his Havana.
They walked on by the beach, and
the priest knocked the ashes carefully
from his cigar.
YES" slowly; you have wined and
dined somewhat injudiciously, yet not
over and above what your profession
might require. But those indulgences
thoroughly sselHsh ones, my dear sir
have caused nothing more than tenn
porary physical indigestion. There is
a worse indigestion-of acute mental
ecollections-which lines and under
lines the face, so to speak.
| The blase looked quizzcal again.
what do you imagine my profess
sion is?" he inquired.
''The law, if am not Mistaken" re-
turned the other, quickly
! The blase puffed away in a negligent
manner of easy interest, and said:
''Well, without saying more, you are
entertaining. What more do you
think of me? Now that you have
sought me, speak to your purpose!"
81 think" said the priest, as they
turned at the end of the pier to retrace
it again, that You are a man with
| troublesome past which you cannot
drown-even though covered by the
waters of yonder Hampton Roads!"
That is propitious! You are reg
ular old woman at fortune telling.
What else do you think?"
II think you would like to know how
came into possession of this French
a
Though the recital of it's history since
it has been in my charge will not be
easy nor pleasant, l will give it to you.
Tell me, did you not visit the Point
in the early eighties? But no! l will
tell you of the man who did-perhaps
you have heard of him. He was the
defendants lawyer in a very celebrated
case over in our quiet little village of
Hampton. 1t was the trial of Nina
Bretonne, the beautiful Indian girl
who was tried for stabbing one of the
institute teachers who accused her of
falsehood and cheating"
81 remember" interrupted the other.
Ibid you attend the trial?"
No" replied the priest. 81 was not
in the diocese then. 1 have not been
here long, but l have heard many par
ticulars of it and of the interest it ex-
cited. The girl is said to have been of
French and Indian extraction, and had
the fiery characteristics of both races.
She was sent to the school for training
from the western states, where she had
been among some western Indian tribe.
1t is said she had bright mind, but
was opposed to study and close confine-
meut and had most ungovernable
temper, which the authorities found a
dangerous element. The villagers have
told me she was a wonderfully beauti-
full girl. She was reported to be the
daughter of beautiful French countess
and naughty Indian chief Many are
the stories they tell of the beautiful,
untamed Nina and with all her wild
ness and intensity her sad history is
bemoaned."
What became of her?' asked the
listener, interrupting.
THAT is what the countryside would
like to know. She never returned to
the Point after her trial ended, and she
went away with the strange lawyer
who gained her release. The girl and
her instructor had quarreled. Nina,
unable to control her hasty temper,
drew knife on her teacher. The
woman did not die, however, and the
Ntestimony brought to bear cleared the
,pr;soner after a long trial She was
very ignorant, and was frightened at
what she considered cruel persecu.
tion, and she would not return to any
of the Hampton people"
: WAS she never seen after?" came
the interested question, while the blase
dropped his voice and walked closer be
side the priest
: "Yes ! have learned that subse.
quently she fed to the island of the
Rip Raps, and remained with the ole
keeper, who was her true friend ant
~I 81
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