The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-09
PROUD RACE PURSUED
BY A RELENTLESS FATE
quest, her body was laid to rest in the
Congressional Cemetery at Washington.
without mark or tom bstone-

quest, her body wa. laid to rest in the
Congressional Cemetery at Washington.
without mark or tombstone
Although wife never loved her hus.
band better, her boy grew UP to man.
hood In ignorance of his father. feeling
that a tragedy unspeakable rested on the
house. about which he dared question not
even his mother. 1t was left for him TO
hear from the lips of strange1s. the true
story under whose shadow he had beer
brough, up from infancy. For one briet
mome.:A in his short career this shadow
of destiny seemed to lift from this boy
Stevens Mason. and bright rays Of sun
shine to illuminate his darkened path
way.
A HOPELESS LIFE.
But the glad sunshine lasted only a mo.
ment, and in the end, gloom settled dow
more completely and hopelessly. Tn
young man loved, wooed and won fai.
Daughter Of the South, and once NOR,
Selma held the hope of joy and happiness
But his austere mother, whose shatterec
life had centered itself In a selfish Low,
for her son, could not be reconciled t.
his marriage with any one, and Whit
outwardly fulfilling every obligation, witt
held the mothers welcome and the moth
ers love which an affectionate natur.
craved. Following closely upon tn
shock to the sensitive heart, came a SUD
Gen lever and in three months from he.
arrival the frantic young husband lal'
his beloved bride by the side Of his muir
dered father In the Episcopal churchyarG
in Leesburg.
After this troubles came thick and fast
Financial difficulties pressed hard, ano
their fine estate with all that pertaned
to it, melted from them an0 soon came
into the hands Of strangers Mrs Mason
did not long survive the loss Of Selma
Bereft of all that man holds dear. Ste
vens Mason sought alienation for his
grief in military excitement He was
among the first to enlist in the Mexican
War, with rank Of captain. Shortly af'
ter he was Inortally wounded by cannon
shot and died in the arms OF his heuten
ant. 1t was an impressive day when HI
body was brought home and LAID besid
those of his father and bride Friend
from far and near composed the funera
cortege and did honor to the dead hero
but when the church yard was reached
there were of those blood relations, Wit
but a, few years before had met at tha'
dinner party. but three who stood WITHIN
the enclosure around that open grave.
swiftly had family and fortune passed
away!
CLOUDS OF MISFORTUNE.
But the clouds Of misfortune huns
equally heavy on the Mccarthy house
They, too, centered their hopes and affec.
lions in an only son. Although lvlns
but few miles apart the two famll!e:
had never spoken since the duel, ans
there was mutual avoidance; yet tn
very irony Of fate decreed that young NC
Carthy should breathe his last upon ms
enemy's domain. A frequent sportsman
to G
foot upon the Mason line, but one day
in the excitement of pursuing game
went so far as to mount the dividin
fence. He attempted to reload In th!'
position, when the gun slipped from hi,
hands, EXPLODED and sent the ram-rot
straight as an arrow crushing throuSi
his skull. He fell upon the ground n
had all his life avoided.
But one thing was needed at this mo
ment to complete the dramatic situation
and this was not lacking. AS the noS
fell young Stevens Mason came ram;
bv, and the dying youth was carried t.
Rasnt,erry Plain "the blighted homestead
of the Masons. the birthplace OF his
fathers yictim,'' and laid dead IN tn
great hall.
For MANY wears thereafter the nlanso'
at Raspberry Plain was closed, and re
mort soon started that it was haunted
At length. however, the place passed int
strange hands and became once more IN;
seat CT happiness. With Selma on the
other hand it seems that the avenglns
fate will be satisfied only when the las
vestise Of the tragedy is oollterated. 70
lowing the ruin and decay OF its once
proud owners. the vacant mansion mas
stood for many years as melancholy
monument to their unhappy memory.
Atlast as an omen of good. there comes
the announcement that the old man
sion is to be torn down and replaced bN
one far SURPRISING it in splendor an6
| ma gnificence.