The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1909-09-04
PAGES FROM PATRlCIA'S
IOIlDNAI In Which One Is Inclined to
JUUFlNAL. Believe that Patrisia Has
Fallen in Love-

agreeably,
Mr.. Edwards visit of fortnight has
been prolonged, and, after Beatrice
| Graymore and some other young people
whom we had invited came down from
Baltimore to ola Grange, Mr.. Ed
wards auto played an important part in
entertaining, as he insisted on placing
it at our disposal for our picnics, excur-
sions through the hills, and long moon
light rides. Altogether, it has been the
most delightful house party we have
/ ever given since | made my first bow to
society, and l shall sincerely regret see
ing the guests depart next week. One
thing consoles me, and that is that Bea-
trice will remain with me during the
remainder of our summer stay at "La
Grange. She is dear little trick with
fluffy, yellow hair, big, blue eyes, and
/ altogether aldear baby face, like rose
leaf. We have been almost inseparable
friends since the days when we both
wore pinafores and ate from the same
slice of bread and jam. However, be-
meath her pretty baby face there is
good, strong, rather willful character
lust the combination to make all the
young fellows her abject slaves.
have suspected that Brother James
is far from being Indifferent, and-but,
oh dearl here l am, as usual, writing
lot of nonsense! However, those who
have big brother realize what try
ing thing it is to make him fall in love
with Just the right person, without, in
the least, letting him suspect what you
are doing. sincerely hope that James
| will not prove balky later on, for have
righteously done my duty and started |
his feet along the path they should
follow.
rather suspect that James has SINH
lar ideas concerning his duty towards |
me. The dear old stupid doesn't know |
that his game was perfectly transparent
to me long before Mr.. Edwards and his
auto appeared on the scene.
Last night the weather was fearful,
The rain fell in torrents, the wind blew.
and the atmosphere was SO cool that we
were all glad to gather around the blaz- !
ing fire in the open, fashioned fire
place in the hall.
The time passed pleasantly with father,
who is always a genial, well-loved host,
entertaining us with stories and legends (
of 'La Grange since the time of the
sBourbous', and, at last, he told one that
even | had never heard before.
1t happened during the Civil War.
The sym pathies of our people were with
the South, and it was during the last
year of that awful, desperate struggle |
that my grandmother, who was alone at
'La Grange, excepting the negro sery-
ants, one day, while looking down the
driveway, saw coming, at rapid pace,
towards the house, man in tattered
grey Confederate uniform. He was
ragged and unkempt, and down from
his right shoulder trickled tiny stream
of red, staining his uniform. In spite
of the CRIME she could see that he was
undoubtedly gentleman, and she sup
posed he was a Confederate soldier.
Upon reaching her side he cast himself
upon her mercy and told her the truth.
He was Union soldier, had donned a
Confederate uniform, made his way
through the lines, obtained secret infor-
nation, and was even now on his way
back to the Northern army. He had
been pursued and wounded by the Con-
federates, who were still close upon him.
He implOred her to hide him from them.
Even as he spoke she heard hoof beats
in the distance, which rapidly grew
louder. His face paled as he heard
them, and he sprang past grandmother
through the hall and into the library.
She followed him and told him in
few words that it was her duty to give
him up, and she could never forgive her
self if she SO far forgot her duty to her
country as to assist a spy with informa-
ton to get away.
She then closed and locked the library
door, which was the only exit the room
afforded, as all the windows were heavily |
barred, and, her face pale from the sad
ness of her duty, she went forward to I
meet the young Confederate officer dis
mounting at her steps. She told him,
without parley, what he wished to know
and placed in his hand the library key. |
He quickly unlocked the door, and, to
their amazement, the room was abso
lutely empty.
Not a sign of its recent occupant |
could be seen. 1t was folly to think OF
his escape, as that seemed an impossi-
bility; yet, though the young officer |
and his men searched 'La Grange from
garrett to cellar, not a trace or vestige |
of the Union spy could be found, and, /
at last, bafled and perplexed, they |
mounted and rode away. His strange
disappearance remains a mystery to this |
day. "And, perhaps" concluded Father,
ssthe strangest and most romantic thing |
about tbs that it soon became known that |
he mas Philip Manley, a young New !
| Yorker, utterly alone IN the world and |
posseSsor of vast fortune.
When he enlisted he had left in the |
hands of his lawyers most remarkable |
will, which stated that, in case of his |
death or disappearance, his entire for
| tune was to remain in the hands of his |
| lawyer until such time as his body
had been found, identified and buried,
when it would all go unreservedly to one
James Edwards, his lifelong friend, or, |
in case of Edwards death, to his sue
cessors.
His bodyNas never been found, and,
consequently, his fortune has remained
in the hands of his lawyers and their
successors until the present time.
| We all commented on the story ex-
cept Mr.. Edwards, and wondered ii be
could be relative or descendant of the
Edwards in the will.
The story brought back to my mind
half-forgotten stories of a secret pas
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