Year: 1875

Some years ago there lived IN VIZ
ginia a beautiful and accomplished
young lady-a member of one of the
oldest and best families in that State.
She was the reigning belle in the socie-
ty in which she moved. In the course
of time she married a young lawyer of
the highest responsibility both as re-
CARDS talents and family connections.
In due time they had son born to
them. They were very happy.


The lawyer In the course of his bus
iness operations become in some way
or another entangled in quarrel with
a brother lawyer A duel was the re-
suit. In the contest the husband was
killed. The wife became iDconsol2-
BILE. A severe fit of sickness followed.
When she recovered, the only thing to
lavish the whole affection of her heart
upon was her son. Her attention was
gwen to him.


After year or two she was sur
rounded by an immense number of
admirers aud several made proposals
Of marriage. She declined them all.
Her heart was true to her first and
onl y love. At last, many of her ad
mirers imp0rtRned her to marry them
offering her fortuDe, station, everything
that would be likely to win a wOmans
heart-but all of no avail. She re-
piled to them that she could net give
them her hand without her affection
her heart was with the buried dead.


The widow found these approaches
were made TO her so often and so earn
estly that she withdrew herself from
society as the only means of obtaining
anything like quletness but even then
letters would annoy her. So she de-
termined to get out of the way of So
ciety entirely and seclude herself in
some retired spot. She did not care
where she went if she could only OBJ
tain quietness and enjoy the pleasure
of training and cultiyating her boys
mind and have his exclusive society
He was noble little fellow.


Well, after looking about for place
where absolute seclusion could be OBJ
tained and be unknown, and the els
mae would be congenial, she deter
mined upon Florida. So she removed
ton retired spot about mile or two
from Ocala, where she found a small
| hut already built and suited to her re-
quirements. She purchased it, and
| there lived for some time, when, un-
happily, her boy was taken sick and
died, and was buried near her house.
She planted an acorn near by that was
found after his death in his pocket. 1t
has now grown to be large tree.
la1o hn rr-.N-fl ,,-,kkA,,k L.
soul to converse with, she fretted and
pined her life away, her only consola-
ton being in her communings with
her Maker She prayed for peace and
obtained it. She had no domestic SER
want to wait upon her, but cooked her
own meals, &c.


Occasionally she would see persons
approach her little home, and not
wishing to be seen, she would retire to
a small cave near by, where she could
watch the movements of strangers un-
til they were gone, when she would
come out and take possession of her
shanty.


One day she walked into Ocala for
the purpose of obtaining some medi-
cine at the drugstore She was closely
hooded aud. disguised. There was a
gentleman in the store, however, whom
she recognized as an old suiIor. She
Immediately left, and was lost to sight
quickly. The gentleman saw the eyes;
he thought he knew them-theIr infiu-
ence in the past had kept him awake
many night. He was at first stag
gered with the thought thai it might
be her-indeed, he was almost par
alyzed, for he was still single, and re-
mained so for her sake. Wen he
recovered his senses sufficiently to
know what he was about he turned into
the street to look for her but she
was gone, and no one could tell him
anything about her or in what direc=
ton she had gone. He searched the
country all around, but his efforts were
fruitless. At last he had to give up
the pursuit. He was very uDhap-
py.


Well, the lady lived for many years
afterwards, still staying at the same
place. At last she found that her
health was giving way; that the hard
ships she had to undergo-living in so
wild and rudea condition-necessitated
her making a oontidant of somebody,
so as to obtain help She called in the
assistance of an honest, quiet colored
wOman-Aunt Polly Fudge-who
helped her to some little comforts and
did ch Jres for her. At last she be-
came sick and confined to her bed.
Polly faithfully nursed her, and at
length the lady died.


She told Polly her history, suppress
ing her real name, and told her to get
her buried in the grave beside her darl-
ing boy, under the oak tree that she
had planted near the cave, and that she
was tobe buried in her wedding dress-a
beautiful white satin one-and on her
head the wreath that she wore on the
occasion of her marriage. Faithful
Polly attended to matters as she was
told, and Mrs. Neville-for that was
the name the lady called herself-gaye
to Polly all her money, which was
$1,000 and her old clothes.


So rests within mile or two of
OcaIa-in one Of the hammocks-the
last mortal remains of the poor brok-
en-hearted widow. The relatives and
friends will never know her end or
burial-plaee.


So I'VE point moral and adorn
tale. Ocdid Florida Banner.


How Is ii.