Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1922-01-07

l was spending a few days in the
valley of the Naugatuck, haunting
about the highways and the byways in
fiiyver, with only a dog and a cam
era for company. One morning, on
lonely bit of road that rims the river.
1 came upon an old garden-a garden
run to weed, where a few roses Of an
earlier day still struggled for their
share of the sun At the entrance to
a grass-grown path that led to tlr old
house there stood two ancient ash
trees.
| sat down upon the wide stone door
way, and it. too, was covered with
wild, green things-creeping tendriIs
from fallen vine that lay twisted on
the ground like huge brown snake.
In the tall, waving grass l saw the
tip Of nay dogs white tail moving stiff
ly. He was stalking some Wild Crea-
ture. l sat very silent.
'Who built this house and who made
this garden, and why are they allowed
to run to ruiuY' These and other
questions drifted into my mind as
sat there under the indefinable spell of
this old place.
Suddenly my medltations were inter-
rupted by the yelping Of my dog. He
was fiercely dlsputing the right of
tall. white haired man to enter the
garden. As quickly as l could | made
my way through the weeds and bram-
bles again The dog, his sense Of duty
satisfied, wagged a welcome The old
gentleman (he looked like a country
doctor) cupped his hand behind his
ear and shouted: "Are you one of the
Randals-the New York Randals?"
NO, I'm not" l shouted back. els
This their placer"
"Hes, this is the old Randall house.
/ was driving past and | saw you sit
ting In the doorway and | thought that
that you might be one of Miss Abby
Randal's relatives from New York"
And then, with the loquacity of the
nged, he told me this:
ABBY Randall, very beautiful wom-
an, the last mistress of the old place,
was born there about 40 years ago.
When she was a girl of nineteen or
twenty she was engaged to a young
man named Nelson-Peter Nelson of
NaugatuCk. Nelson was fond of horses
and he rode a fine saddle horse. 1t
was his custom TO ride out from Nau-
gatuck to the old Randall place every
evening,
zone evening, the eve of his wed
ding day, his horse came dashing into
the Randall yard riderless and covered
with foam. Abby, sensing that sorle-
thing had happened to her lover, Aasti-
ly saddled her own horse ami started
out toward Naugatuck about half way
she found Nelson lying In the road,
cut and bleeding, but conscious.
Help was summoned and the In
jured man was carried TO Miss RAN
dal's home.
Throughout the night Abby Randall
never left his side and the next morn
ing, at the request of the dying man.
she became his wife. At nightfall She
was widow.
"The girl-widow, dry-eyed and silent.
shut herself In her room-she wanted
to be alone.
in the morning the girl lay crum-
pied upon the floor, sleeping as pence
fully as a little child. Kindly hands
helped her into bed, and all day the
girl lay in profound sleep. And when,
toward evening, she awoke. she seemed
to have lost al memory Of what had
befallen her. She complained of a
headache and Of having had a fright
ful dream-that was all.
''In few days she was busy about
her accustomed tasks. not exactly the
same as of old, but doing things in "A
dreamy, automatic way. She never
spoke Of Nelson, and her family and
friends avoided mention Of his name.
She seemed happiest when working
alone among the flowers in the garden.
Five years went by, her mother
died and Abby Randall lived on IN the
old place with only an aged servant
for company.
'Neson had been dead about ten
years when ore morning Abby Ran
dals memory came back part Of 1t
came back.
"She had come down to breakfast.
and when old Mary brought in the
coffee Miss Randall said. I'm going
away today, Mary Ny husband, Mr..
Nelson, came back. He was here this
morning and he is coming again this
evening But you may live here, Mary.
as long as YOU like
In her old heart Mary rejoiced, for
the doctors had said uiat. eventually.
Miss Kandals memory would come
back, and now there was a glimmcr
Of it.
Just before supper Mary Saw her
mistress gathering roses white roses
from the bush near tIie hirGhouse.
When supper was ready the old eery-
ant went to the door bBt Miss Ram
dal was not in the garden Mol the
old woman walked down the path au3
there under tie ASH ree--tae one al
the left rs YOU 20 ont las Ahhs Ran
dal just as She bad fallen ,He white