The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-06-30
THE WANDERER.


rIru xx,Irnuucp
IHE w WANUEHEK.
Thirty-four years ago tree was plant
cd and tho letters ~ ii. N" cut In the
bark.
1t was planted at tho foot Of grave In
q beautiful cemetery In one of the Ohio
river towns in Kentucky. Ibe letters were
crt IN tho bark an that ,yhon rho tree .,re,v
49,, ,o,,,s .no,- ,,.,.t .. "a -. s.ss'.
Ivy "o''s ~" W." ~ ""u nv ,"uo .u'
- III "ooo ahu oi'en ,n hnro'c, o"' oo-
come more distinct with time There was
no headstone. footboard or other mark
save the tree with the letters to indicate
who tho mortal was that reposed beneath
the little mound of earth. ..e.
Th. TO .,o,v "a sr,..a a.. n.,,.s
- a.. D,-.-~
.opy e's VIC sa'0 ns
IN i~ Dranches, wooing ine'ooios 70 tne'r
mates, and huttered IN their ecstasV OF JOY
II they taught their nestljDgs to stretch
their wings and fly.
Visitors wondered what these letters
inednt and speoulated long and often a. 70
who was buried there, but none could
suswsr.
10 10 tho purpose Of this narrative TO
throw some light on the subject. for it Was
the writer who cut the letters In the tree.
Il embraces OBJ Of those strange coinci.
dsnces with which history furnishos an
ennssional parallel, but which may be
olassed among the marvellous when IL &C.
ours. s..,
The story beaan with Mary Forbes.
whom knew in childhood DAYS. She
was the daughter of a neiebboYino farm.
a. and we received our education together
In the old log schoolhouse In the western
part OF Ontario. a,
Her young life was an unfortunate one.
She was one of those born under a cloud.
and the shadow followed her and grew
darker from the suns rise to It's setting.
Among the children at school she went
by the name OF "Tow Headed Mary, I" a dis
tinction conferred on her because of the
resem blanoe of her hair TO q bunch of tow.
Her mind was not overly bright, and her.
mother and sisters imposed on her to q
degree that was little short of criminal,
and she was made kind of drudge to the
balance Of the family. Some called her
''daft," phrase In the Scotch dialect
which means state of mind bordering
between stupidity and something worse.
When asked a question, she would stop
and think. 1t required time to get its
pnrport through her brain. But as she
grasped the idea her face would light up
and show that although slow in oompre-
bending she was not devoid Of the reason
ing faculties.
Her sister and even her mother ignored
her to large extent. When any gayety
was In progress among the young people,
Mary was left out The school children,
too, Stunned her. In their merrymaking
she took but little, If any, part. She was
never seen to laugh and clap her hands In
the ecstasy OF childish joy.
1 always thought and still think the
Scotch treated their children with undue
severity. They misconoeived the purpose
of religion, for to themselves and off
spring 1t was matter OF gloom, of rigid
adherence to doctrines that neither they
nor anybody else could understand.
Mary's parents were Scotch, and adhered
to the old rules, maxims and dogmas of
the kirk. Surrounded with such an at
mosphere 1t would be a miracle II her
mind ever became bright.
Between her and myself degree of
childish sympathy sprang up.
used to favor her in many little ways,
which seemed to do her world Of good.
It's beautiful thing in our nature that
the heart can be touched and softened by
little acts Of kindness which cost the dis
penser nothing and yet are often treasured
up for lifetime by the recipient.
Mary was girl OF 10 or thereabout
when left home to begin life. From that
time forward lost all trace Of her. Our
courses In life divcrged. 1t was tho part
Ing of the ways Tho opening Of the great
war between the north and south found
mein small town on the Ohio river In
Kentucky. 1t was an unfortunate local
ity to be In during those exciting times,
for the raids OF one army or the other kept
the people In constant apprehension and
dread. Grant had already taken Fort
Donelson and pushed tho Confederate
army back into Tennessee. Many of those
following the Confederate cause returned
into Kentucky In small independent
bands and wagcd n guerrilla warfare from