Year: 1871




stolen interviews, counseled with my
friend concerning such proceedings, but :
she would only throw her arms about my
neck and then slip away to meet hef
lover in some secluded spot. could not
help entertaining cordial hatred for this
man, but could not wound the feelings
of my friend by telling her so. faacieo
would occur to prevent their
and knew if Mrs. R, be-
came acquainted with the facts, Alice
would be sent home in dfsgrsce- There
fore, 1 kept the secret in my heart. and
oh how many times since have curseo
myself for so doing, for had l exposed
Alice, she might nave enjoyed her days
and been an ornament to home and So
ciety One evening early in the fall,
strolled out on the lawn, and this time
farther than / was in the habit OF going
to a shady nook and sat down on huge
rock. Overhead the birds were twitter-
ing their good night" among the golden
branches of the maple; while above, be-
meath and around me- was to be seen the
finger touches of the first frost. L sat
here dreaming when presently l heard
voices and could distinguish words, and
afraid to leave my retreat, crouched
down behind the rock and listened. Il
confess to liking the child, Herman; but
would not marry her if did not think
would get good pile of the old mans
money Oh! the old folks will forgive
her, and if we went south, perhaps the
wedding would be delayed, and those
confounded debts of mine must be.
paid and this is the best chance 1
see at present" The footsteps and
voices were lost in the distance,
and l ran from my hiding place
to find Alice and tell her all-for the
voice was none other than that of De
Haven sand my little friend was going
TO lay her heart at the feet of this man to
be trampled and crushed beneath the dust
Alice had gone for walk the matron
said and would return in few moments,
but dark came and no Alice, Mrs. B
became alarmed and sent messengers in
search other. Nine o'clock came and zap
at our door aroused me, they had brought
Alice pale and msensible 10 our room.
Her hair was matted about her neck
with the crimson blood which oozed
from wound at the side of her head
The men who brought her said they
found her on the river hank where they


went to fish and recognized her, having
seen her but few days previous, they hav-
ing rowed party across the river on the
occasion Of apicnic given by our teachers


NJ. De Haven was lying near her having
| broken limb and a bad cut on the head.
/ The poor child received the best of medi-
cal care and nursing and her parents
were telghaphed for stating that Alice


was quite i'll. In the course of time a


brother-inlaw arrived bearing the intelli-


gence that through some unfortunate


speculations the father of Alice had be-


come a bankrupt, the event prostrating


both father and mother with severe fe-


yer, and the real cause of my friend i'll.


ness not being known it was considered


best for the brother-in-.aw to CONS ana


accompany her home.


Day after day we watched by the bed


side OF the poor unfortunate girl In her
delirium she talked of NJ De Haven in
the fondest and most endearing manner.


Finally change came and with the


change her mind was restored, and in the
course of time she was able to be carried


TO the parlor, where one evening she re-


lated in the presence of Mrs. B., her


brother-in-law and myself, all concerning
her accident; "a part of which we had


known before, enough to tell us how near


she came to meeting death OIL that terri
bic night.


She had left the school 20 meet her


lover in a secluded spot, and go with him


to magistrate and be married. Every
thing had been arranged and as soon as
they were united they were going 10 her


home and seek her parents pardon. 4
carriage was i'll waiting and thev started


on their fatal journey winding along the


banks OF the river admiring the beautiful


scenery and making plans for the future


not dreaming that aught else than happi-


ness and speedy union was in waiting


for them-when something at the road
s'de frlglieened their horses; they be-


came unmanageble, then she saw sud
dch curve III the road at the top of high
hill, and this was all she knew. NJ. De


Haven was taken to a farm house. and
previous to the convalescence of Alice left.


the country. AS soon as she could travel


my beautiful friend went to her home in


the south, and only once afterwards did I


hear from aer. In the spring following


the war broke forth and lost all traces


of her.


Two years since was travelling thro'
the Southern states, and while on board


steamer bound from Mobile to Tusca-


loosa, we stopped at a landing and an in
sane woman was put on board / at once
recognized in her guardian, the brother
, in-law of Alice, and hastened to make my
self known to him. With tears in his
eyes he pointed to the insane woman.


DO you know who this isg' he said. l


remarked that did not, but asked again.


Where is Alice?" You may imagine
my feelings when he told me this maniac
was my once beautiful firiend-ny little
school mate who had slept so many
nights with her arms about my neck, and
r now l dare not approach her learned
, that her head had been seriously in
]ured, In the fall she had received on that
dreadful night, and when she learned that
; the man she loved had deserted her, with


the death of her mother, the loss of
3 their property, all combined, brought on