Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1915-07-02
My dear replied the

years old, but l have never talked
about 1t. There is lesson in it for
young girls like you. and on that ac-
count l will tell it to you
Then the old lady told me the follow
ing story:
You know that was born and raised
IN the south ON one of those pauta-
lions that represented typical high life
there before the war destroyed the in
stitution which was its foundation
came of age shortly before the $ .rusgle
opened. I suppose it is true that | was
a belle. Would that l had ~, IN
such. for the attention / ie.e,, ed
turned my head and caused what en-
Uttered my life.
among my suitors were Alf!. ,le
and Edgar Turnlee. Turnlee i nv
IaVorlte-lndeed. | was very .al in
love with hin-but | vis,. no
strlven for and alternately encont cd
him and his rival. Alfred Beal. ne
DAY l was sitting in the draw JILL IN
OF the plantation house with ,r
MY BACK us we'll us his was toxi... he
door opening into the great h?ll. W lie
my race was toward a larre mr. or
resting on the mantel over the re
place. caught glimpse of III. re-
lection of Alfred Beale in the hall.
lie saw both Edgar and ile sitting
together. He paused and looked IA us.
making no sound to indicate > Is hat
he was there. Indeed. he vas caves
dropping. but | thought lit @ Of that.
| was wrapt in the idea Of ing an
object of strife between two youn.
men and was tempted to see what
would happen between them should I
purposely increase their antagonism.
mad been eXpectin" 4 proposal from
Edgar and now gave him every en-
enlargement. Ee was placing IN arm
around my waist and his face was
near mine when | save a littl.. e;hriel,
and drew away from him. assuming to
be indignant. Beale stepped into the
room and. Slarins at Edgar. uDbraided
him. Edgar looked an appeal to me TO
eXOnerate him.
1t Is impossible to give reasons for
tile freaks that enter the heads of
young persons, especially young girls,
in the matter of coquctry. Instead of
taking the blame of Edgar's act upon
myself. | walked out of the room,
leaving my admirers to settle the con-
trOverSy in their own way | had no
sooner left them than it occurred to ME
that l had acted abOminably If had
gone directly back and confessed tho
situation might have been saved. L
was about to do so when remembered
that such an acknowledgment would
bring down upon ne the contempt Of
both men-that is. if it were believed,
which 1 doubted.
While | was GeiberItirg I heard
both men go out of the house. I
started to call them back, but hest
tated, and before 1 had made up my
mind what to do they We're out Of
hearing.
| wondered what would come to pass
between them. 1t did not occur to me
that they would fight a duel Dueling
by this time had largely died out in the
south, and l was too young TO have
heard much Of an oJ50.c'., en-.
What chiefly concerned me was that I
had so deeply wronged the man
loved. l was not only suffering from
consciousness of having done him an
injustice. but was panic stricken lest
he should never forgive me-
The affair began in the afternoon,
and from then until bedtime | was in
state Of dread, not that anything Sc
riOus might occur between the rivals,
but that 1 had lost my lover. In the
middle Of the night my father came
into my room and asked me for an ex-
PLANTATION of what had happened, for he
had heard of it. Instead of telling him
the truth. | left him with the impress
sion that Edgar had transcribed his
rights and Alfred had resented his act
l asked father what had come of it,
result in the morning; then he left me-
This was the first intimation | had
Of anything serious between the two
men. Suddenly it flashed upon NE
that they would fight / trembled
lay turning the matter over in my
brain. which was like a boiling cal
dron. With the first light of dawn
arose, dressed myself, stole down the
great staircase and out on TO the We
randa. Looking out from behind vine,
[ saw Edgar and two other young
men riding by the plantation. Going
to the barn, l saddled my horse, mount
ed and followed them.
l cannot dwell on the rest 1t is too
painful / was some time in finding
where they had gone When ! reach
ed them they had fought duel with