Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-10-04
CHATTER VIII.
A MIDNIGHT ERaAND.

The packet was fast boat, an 1t
was but little after midnight when it
drew up at the NJ landing, but not.
with standing the night and the dark
ness | fol oNcd the direction iven mo
and con found the residence of Burton's
mother. Tho house, as we'll as the whoe
town, was in the pu se'eSS sleep OF
night, and hollow thump-thump OF
the old ia hiored knocker at the door
echoed duly along tho street as l ap-
piled it. Presently u negroes came TO
the door and asked in a frightened
manner what was wanted l told her
that / was a messenger from Burton
Arold to his mothe', and that it was
necessary for me to sec that lady at
once.
The negress showed mo in a mall
but neat Grawing-rcom, and turning a
low burning lamp up to full blaze left
the room and went to cal her mistress
In a few minutes tall, handsome
matron, of about fifty years, sterp
into the room.
as this the Sonora Arod?" / asked
rising She started and steppe back
ward several feet. Then coming Tor
ward he took me by the hand and sal1'
"You mu pardon my being startled
but YOU so much rescmbled my brother
who il dead that l thought you
an appariton. You have come from
my son. is he wel?" The anxious
lcok in the mothers face showed that
she feared the truth; so | Immediately
gave her Snort account of his illness,
and sugge ted that she should be at his
bed. idc as soon as possible This was an
IRE evant suggestion, for while l was
giving it the Sonora rang for her servant,
and when that person hal appeared she
was given the order to wake up her tive
brothers and have them get skiff ready
uron the bayou Immediately. 1--WE were
10 90 down" she said, "by boat to C,
eight miles below, where we could catct
the mail coach for Blank, which would
take us within half-mile of the villa
In the course of fifteen minutes the
negrSss returned and said that Sam ano
Tom were in their skiff at the landing,
ready. The Senora had packed few
necessaries, among which was small
case of medicines, into sachoi, ano
after she had wrapped up we'll we start
ed for the landing, where we found sam
and Tom, two strong negroes, in waiting
with q sharp proved skitf.
The Sonora gave her orders, and the
stout fellows laid to their oars with q
will. and several times / spelled" one
or the other of them, to give o breath
cf rest
No wind stirred the water, and the
skiff S, cd along down the bayou with
speed that brou ht us to c. just az
wax ng day was opening his eyes in the
far dim east.
We had time 10 take refreshment al
the little tavern of the town be ore the
coach started, and soon after breakfast
We found ourselves in that 0 d sway
backed vehicle, the only passengers
| After having directed the driver to dror
us at the nearest point to the Montinn'
| estate, We began to ia k over the afair;
| in hand
After l had exp aimed my connection
! with Burton, and told some OF my ex'
| periences among the mysteries OF tho
villa, pulled from my pocket the 90
| copy Of the New York paper given il
by the negro Ben. AMI showed her the
marked item or the shipwreck.
There are times when the heart Is
full, when recollections OF the past crowd
| III u, on inc SOUL, anu eliO SOLh III II iNN
anguish and Joy, the pent-up experience
of years, the viciSsitudcs of lie, per-
haps, well up from the vaults OF men,
ory and overwhelm the heart.
Far be it from me to assume to de,
scribe the feelings of that widow ana
mother when she learned through that
old and time-stained newspaper the true
cause of her widowhood away back IN
the tender years o. her earlier lie
Her sorrow for the sad fate OF her
husband, and her JOY to know that in
stead of having deserted her he was
coming to Join her as they had arranged,
and that he had acted brlvely and nobly
in those his last hours on earth, was
matter that drew forth my deepest sym
rathy at the time, and dwells pathetic
ically in my recollect on yet, but that IS
q private affair and belongs only as a
mere mention to this story Her
sufferings during all those years OF
bereavement, when she had thought
that the man who had fascinated
and won her maiden heart had de-
| serted her and left that heart to eat
itself away in the canker, the bitter
ness, the ashes of unre9uited love and
broken fath-these, too will pass over,
leaving their intimatiOns to impress the
kind reader as they may
SlumDering sorrow when once really