Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1898-07-22
AN ADVENTURES.

II l. said that evil invariably works out
its reward. But IL IL not always -. as
one will readily perceive in tracing the
adventures of one Of tho most remarkable
women / have ever met
she grew from childhood In an inland
town Of Virginia, under the shadow u the
spat Blue Ridge There are persons In
This city who remember her then as beau-
tiful child, wild and hayward as the wind.
. laughing, black eyed creature. whom
eyeryb body loved. There was music IN her
voice-a charm none could resist In the
spoiled, impulsive beauty, that seemed to
carry perpetual sunshine with her. But
the darkness Of great sorrow came upon
her She was then just IL Her very viz
tues had become her enemies and deserted
by those who should have been her protect
ors. she left her home and before a year
was passed her memory was scarcely re-
called by those 70 whom she had been a
creature Of love and JOY and b,3uty.
a friend Of mine, said Mr. F., lind
often seen her there-indeed, had known
her well-and as we talked Of many things.
60 we talked Of her. One day Mr.. l. and
myself were sent for by a merchant Of this
city 20 investigate case involving heavy
forgery. II seemed that a check Of his had
been presented and oashed at one Of our
banks for q large sum. To US he confided
the fact that the criminal was a woman
He said she had asked him for o small
amount, and. not having it, he had signed
the check and told her to fill it up for
whatever sum she required.
She had drawn II for many thousands of
dollars-for all, indeed, he had on deposit
and Immediately fed the country. He
gave us a picture OF the criminal, but was
careful TO inform Us that he only wished
10 recover his property, not TO punish the
offender.
1t was a singular face the artist had
painted-a strange, weird face. Heavy
masses of bronze hair shaded a broad,
white forehead that seemed to shadow
dark, fathomless eyes, instinct with fire
and intelligence. Even the picture grew
strangely attractive as you looked upon It.
The beautiful mouth was sunny with the
smile that nestled on the lips, while the
flush that seemed to fever on the cheek
had the tint of the rose 1t was such face
as man would want to love and cherish OF
die that it might know no sorrow.
could not believe that this strangely
beautiful woman had committed such a
crime, and as l sat in my office spent
! hours in looking upon 1t. Indeed. had
begun to think of but little else, and one
night my friend came in while was look
ing at 1t,
] handed 1t to him with the remark:
as she not beautiful
| "My God IL is Laura Ellisonr'
"Whof"
1.-THE young lady Of whom you have of
ten heard me speak"
Not she who so suddenly Disappeared
Yes But when did you get thisi"
And told him all knew Of the case.
"You will never get her, he said as the
picture was handed back to me,
"Why?"
"She Is far too smart"
"Why, she looks as innocent as an an
gel"
"You will find her subtle enough"
And so the conversation ended. ! adopt
ed every possible means TO find her in vain
From the moment she disappeared from
the city all trace Of her was lost.
After months Of useless search we sur
rendered the case and took no more inter
est in 1t.
1t was several years afterward TINT
met my friend on his return from Wash
ineton. There was strange humorou
smile on his face as he asked me II hat
ever heard Of my dear friend, whose pic
ture had once taken such an interest In
Not a word"
"Will you use any information l ma
give you about herr"
mo; the case Is now out Of my hands.
"And you will receive in confldenc
what now tell you'"
YES"
well. then, have just left her in Ney
York and had the pleasure week sine
of attending her wedding"
Her wedding"
Eyes"
with whom?"
lone of the most distinguished person
In the country"
"Impossiblep'
} True. She went from here to he
home, and by her family was sent to som
relative in Maryland. Here she forme
the acquaintance Of her present husband
and, being introduced into fashionable Sc
ciety, has reigned the acknowledged bell
In the gayest city In the Union"
II met her In the street and was recol
, nized by her. She communicated to IN
freely all her past history and asked II
had heard Of her career In New Orleans.
replied in the affirmative, and told her q
I knew, and especially of the interest 20
< took In her picture,
, "She said that picture had come ned
working her ruin, for 1t was sent to Wash
ington and would have procured her a
= rest, but that she was able to buy off ii
e detective. l congratulated her on her SUI
cess and expressed the hope that her al
ventures were done.
, q" Yes, she said, I will make goo
t wife II can.
e She has kept her promise, and no or
j., now who sees the elegant lady of one
= the first gentlemen In the land would evt
II imagine it possible for her to have been a
p adventures. Loving and beloved, the a
q mosphere of her home Is bright with Il
sunshine of love--children have grown u
around her, and the promise of her CIR
e hood is realized In age The roses of h
n life received blight in their young sprinI
!, time, but the withered petals yet retail
. the cdor of their bloom York New