The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-08-08
cident and to the young fellows evi
dent embarrassment.
THE STORY OF THE PORTRAIT,

dent embarrassment.
THE STORY OF THE PORTRAIT.
This brought from Mrs. Poole
another chapter in the history of the
beautiful picture. The strange woman
was defendant of the Burr family,
who resides in Detroit, Mich. Her
name has temporarily escaped the
clergyman's memory. She had been
visiting at Virginia Beach, Va. where
she had first heard OF Mrs. Poole's
mysterious painting from North Car
olina gentleman. Her visit to Eliza
beth City was solely for the purpose OF
seeing the painting, and no sooner had
she set eyes on it than she offered
Mrs. Poole $500 spot cash for the
same, besides any other additional
sum she might require. Mrs. Poole
refused to part with the treasure. She
told the visitor that there was a strong
family likeness between the latter and
the subject Of the picture whoever that
subject might have been; and further
informed her Of the facts, alreacy given
here as to how the painting came into
her possession.
This elected from the Detroit
woman anothar remarkable reminis.
cence, and one which, taken in con-
nection with the foregoing facts, proves
that the painting is that Of Aaron
Burr's daughter-the one destined as
a present to her father-and that the
unfortunate young woman was drowned
by pirates. This in substance is the
Detroit's woman's story:
With her mother in Detroit, former
ly resided her mothers aged aunt, a
humane woman, who gave up much
time to visiting the poor and
sick. One evening in one of the
wards Of the Marine Hospital, oi
that city was dying sailor, who
seemed terribly startled as the aunt, in
i company with the others, approached
! his bedside. He beckoned her to him.
however, and after begging that she
alone of the visitors might hear what
he had to say-a request which the
others granted by retiring to the next
ward-he stated that as young man
he had one summer been on a pirate
vessel off the North Carolina cost
He then went on to say that he had
then helped to overhaul a north bound
coasting schooner.
FACED HER DEATH CALMLY.
On the vessel was beautiful young
feminine passenger, dressed all in
white. He had assisted in dragging
her from her cabin, in which wa:
hanging up painting of herself. While
the pirates were engaged in throwing
the crew overheard he stated that this
beautiful young lady paced the deck
with magnificent courage and dignity
her hands folded on her breast and
her eyes raised to Heaven. She made
no remonstrance whatever, and he
steadied the plank upon which she
walked to vessels side, thence to be
plunged headlong into the ocean. He
wanted to take away her picture and
her dog-a little black and tan fellow
but dreaded to touch either. Aftel
the pirates had plundered the schooner
of money and other treasures they
abandoned the vessel, having set i
under full sail to DRIFT to its doom
with the picture and the dog aboard
The dying sailor said that the yount
woman's sweet face had haunted hin
throughout life, and his confession
was prompted by striking resem
blance between her and his listener.
Mrs. Poole's visitor stated that tn
sailors story had been for years
current tradition of the defendants O
Burr's family, though they had hither
to paid very little attention to it. 1t
extraordinary corroboration by tn
accidental meeting Of these two womel
appears to settle forever the recen
mystery as to the death of Mrs
Aston. The Detroit woman say
that the subject of the painting is be
yond doubt Aaron Burr's daughter
: statement corroborated by other pic
lures of that unfortunate woman in he
possession, as also by still others be
longing to the Aston family.