Norwich bulletin., 1916-01-15

wants. The old house of brick, with
a wing on each side and the long
porch supported by four white pillars
A drive fully a mile after entering the
large iron gates. with large trees on
either side before the lawn was reach
ed. No woman was mistress OF Long,
wood since Mrs. Martin died several
years before my narrative. The Affairs
throughout the country were becom-
ing more and more unsettled and
among the first to answer the call
to arms was Henry Bellmayne.
Mary Martin was now entering her
18th year and with each year this
beautiful octoroon was becoming more
attractive as she grew to woman
hood.
News was very meagre at Longwood
concerning the outside world, but
Richard Martin would have business
were out Of the question, and If there
were any there was no one to read
them.
The raging of the civil war was un-
Finally the crash came. The Martins
realized a great change. With few
servants left, Mr.. Martin was forced to
obtain a small house on quiet side
shut in a small town not many miles
from Lexington. Mile was considered
the housekeeper and here they lived in
seclusion, although his vast fortune of
land and slaves had been swept away
he managed to retain enough to live
comfortably.
At this time he announced 1t was
Master no longer, but to every mem
Der Of his household he would be
known by the name of Pop" Fearing
Mary would desert him even after lit
tie Rhoda was born he kept her under
lock and key, or as strict watch over
her for two years. But such things
will not last forever.
When she learned the truth of the
matter she knew she was helpless to
go out into the world and earn her
own living. AS time wore along she
was allowed more freedom and at
! tended church not far away. She now
saw, as she never had seen before. The
scales had fallen from her eyes so to
speak, and returning from one Of these
meetings she stated to Richard Mar
tin that their relations must cease and
hereafter she would occupy the rooms
at the rear of the house. He became
furious and declared that people were
setting his Mary crazy.
One Sunday morning she arose early
with the intention Of attending an
early prayer meeting. Mr.. Martin had
| already risen and as she was passing
out he inquired where she was going.
Giving him an answer she Immediately
returned to her room.
Neighbors hearing a report ran in.
Mile rushing to her daughters side
inquired what was the trouble and all
Mary was able to say was: Pop shot
me; with that she died.
Excitement ran high. Richard Mar
| tin was arrested. 1t was decided to
lay her to rest on Wednesday. Before
the funeral he begged to be taken to
| her In his frenzy the officer consent
| ed, and as he gazed upon her he stoop-
| ed and kissed her.
A queer conincidence:-When Mary
| was shot in the side not one drop Of
blood came forth, only a water-lke
substance; but when Richard Martin
kissed her the blood gushed forth. We
may say in torrents.
| She was laid to rest. He was re-
| turned to his cell and after awhile
| taken to a sanitorium where he was
adjudged insane, and after a year was
released as cured.
| You ask me what became of Rhoda?
| old enough to be sent to a northern
school which he arranged for, and she
was entered at this school as Miss
Martin, the daughter of Richard Mar
tin. the planter.
"A few years later she married a
no color line is know.
Lived happily, you ask,-No,-a
F'renchman became very much in love
with her,-seParation and then di-
| vorce followed. The Frenchman be-
| came insanely Jealous of her and he
shot her and she died.
Richard Martin aged wonderfully.
His hair was snowy white the last
| time 1 saw him His piercing eyes
had lost their luster He was a ner-
vous wreck, and the remorse that set
| tied upon him soon caused him to
pine and die.
Have 1 not said: The sins of their
fathers shall be upon the children unto
the third and fourth generations
BILLIE.