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Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, June 04, 1891, Image 9

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Persistent link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86071158/1891-06-04/ed-1/seq-9/

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THE WITCH OF PRAGUE
A Fantastic Tale
r MARION CRAWFORD Author of MR ISAACS DR CLAU
uius
A ROMAN SINGER Etc
Copyrighted 1S91 by the Author
m WIV CONTISTED
ul base despicable and
moment ago she had longed
j to silence him to stop
in not to hear those words
> i andstunglikescorpions
he was listening for the
ulilessly drunk with their
uz almost in the unreality
ihe v brought More and
i < l herself as the intervals
i of suffering and the next
the illusion deeper and
> < he and no other It was
il who w n pouring out
iiir ears and smoothing
i sing the hand he held
t once and more than
m I Tir where what matter
il beloved She had re
ment of her wish He
l i < lcr another name in a
jnhiT face and another
ii was herself
the thunderclaps come
h air deafening and ap
mi rolling swiftly into a
i and fainter till all is
ijsh of the fast falling
hi listened the tempest
ICasier and
i i nig away
ti hear herself called
it easier it grew to take
to accept the kiss the
pressure of the hand
r due and given to
> mask she wore in his
o t p great temptation rose j
rose higher again each
i < i tin fragile feet of the
li lliat lingered taking
t est point above the waves
line receding and coming
1 higher surer and surer
j icii in time it would have
I hi he turned and tied when
l senseless joy was over
nil feel all the shame and
basement it would have
mi he would have been
i learned to look upon
ier and the sound of it
I lor her U was verv
mj it would climbhighei
Ielhead
g intervals of silence now
I his speech had spent it
iid ier much anil she had
ihmugh the mUts of her
And now that he was
i tn hear him sneak again
weary of that voice It
to her in the days when it
nl mid indifference now
< t high harmonies in
miwas a full chord and
le but one great pro
Led to hear it all again
hmv it could never have
heai
> r1tpr temptation came
t within it suddenly re
tliere aslmtone tliimr she
i Tliit was the name
v iit another her own
iibled as she thought of
ii i he still have Beatrices
ler own brei v down the
i it once Yet she had
i She had told him that
in he had not been unde
aid at Inst lingering en
then hesitating
iee us he drew her to
v ines She might speak
1 hear tones not hers
mi tuvil of my name Will
jtiier She spoke very
ue he exclaimed sir
1111 at what seemed a
a nl name 1o me It re
el tli inrs of a time that
i since it is gone Wilt
It will make it seeic as
Mie had never been
e jour own name he
It is sourarlior has
n all these years when I
< mr name to love
in it H is all 1 ask
f you would rather have
i Mink there is anything that
I ju asked it of me
imust the words she had
hat night when they were
bv Israel Kafkas side
f i l hem and a strange thrill of
hrough her What matter
1 ner where The old reck
i aine to her mind again If
t a ii if he would but call her
ei uld it matter indeed
herself She smiled uncon
eases jou he said tenderly
iuwish What name will
i v our dear self
Ten She could not tell how
remember what was past
I e had remembered he would
u nere he was in the long time
i 1 since his awakening
vr in jour long travels hear
1 I iiHna she asked with a smile
I is it at ion
1 a No 1 cannot remember It is
word it means vsho of Veb
Ia a pretty soune half fa
ii e 1 wonder where 1 have
I riorna then It will remind
t found me in February
CUUTSS XXV
> iiefu ilj locking and bolting the
eristv Sister Paul turned to
she had set down her lainp upon
ixiished shell which ran all
I e p aee terming the top os a cou
1 eres of cupboards 2s in most sac
1 uou for the vestments of the
1 A the back of these high presses
1 f wv to the spring of the vault
i mm seemed a little nervous and her
i ivered oddly as she spoke If she
t T u te take up the lamp her hand
lave shaken m the moment of dan
t iad been brave and determined but
> v all was over her enfeebled
h felt the reaction from the strain
i Med to Beatrice and met he tlashing
us The joumr triris delicate nos
ivcivd and her lii > s < urlcd fiercely
Yon are angry my dear child said
Pstor Paul So am I and it seems tome
> iwaiiscr is just chough Be angry
1 nut I think wo can apply that to
no is that woman Beatrice asked
i1 vi certainly augrv as the nun had
6i but she felt by no means sure that she
v resist the temptation of sinninsr if it
leeited itself as the jiossibilitjof tear
1 iiornaTo pieces
he was once with us the nun an
= > d I knew lier when she was a
< v sirl and 1 loved her then in spite of
J strange ways Hut slie has changed
lull her a witch and indeed I think
tlieouij name for her
i On not believe in witches said Bea
a little scornfully but whatever she
ls ue is brd 1 do not know what it was
v < wanted me to do in thechurcli upon the
ar titers it was something horrible
1 uk Cod you came in time What could
iave been I wonder
skter Paul shook her head sorrowfully
oy nd nothing She knew no uiore than
J > i a lice of Unornas intention but she be
ved in the existence of a black art full
rf airilcgious practices and credited
v m > i na vaguely with the worse designs
v ill she could think of though in her
sovuiiss she was not able to imagine anj
nc much worse than the saying of a
IVer S ostcr baclrwards in a consecrated
V But she preferred to say nothing
he should judge Unorna unjustly Af
tf a she did not know What she had
fa had seemed bad enough and strange
enough but apart from the fact that Bea
trice had been found upon the altar where
she certainly had no business to be and
that Unorna had acted like a guilty woman
there was little to lav hold of in the wav of
factMy
My child she said at last until we
know more of the truth and have better ad
vice than we can give each other let us not
speak of it to any of the sisters In the
morning I will tell you all I have seen in
confession and then I shall get advice
Perhaps you should do the same I know
nothing of what hapiiened before you left
your room Perhaps you have something
ro reproach yourself It is not for me to
ask Think it over
I will tell you the whole truth Bea
trice aiLswered resting her elbow upon the
jiolished shelf and supporting her head in
her hand while she looked earnestly into
Sister Pauls faded ejes
Think well mj daughter I havo no
right to anj confession from you If there
is anjthing
Sister Paul you are a woman and I
must have a womans help 1 have learned
something tonight which will change mj
whole life No do not lie afraid I hae
done nothing wrong At least I hope not
While mv father lived 1 submitted I
hoped but I gave no sign I did not even
write as I once might have done I have
often wished that I had was that wrong
But vou haje told me nothing dear
child How can T answer vou The nun
was perplexed
True 1 will tell you Sister Paul I am
five and twenty tears old 1 am a grown
woman and this is uo mere girl s love story
Seven years ago I was only eighteen then
1 was with my father as I have been
ever since Mj mother had not been dead
long then perhaps that is the reason wliv
I seemed to be everything to mj father
But they bad not been happy together and
1 had loved her best We were traveling
no matter where rnd then I met the man I
have loved He was not of our countrv
that is of my fathers He was of the
same people as mv mother Well 1
loved him How dearly you must guess
and try to understand 1 could not
tell jou that No one could It began
gradually for he was often with us in those
days Mv father liked him for his wit his
learning though he was young for his
strength ami manliness fir a hundred
reasons which were nothing to me 1
would have loved him had he been a cripple
poor ignorant despised instead of being
what he wastthe grandest noblest man
God ever made For I did not love him for
his face nor for his courtly waj s nor for
such trifts as other men miirht have but fir
himself and for his heart de jou under
stand For his goodness said Sister Paul
nodding in approval I understand
No Beatrice answered half impa
tientlv Not for his goodness either
Many men are good and so w as he lie
must have been of course He loved me
too And one daj we were alone in the
broad spring sun upon a terrace There
were lemon trees there I can see the
place Then we told each other that we
loved but neither of us could find the
words tliev must be somewhere those
strong beautiful words that could tell how
we loved We told each other
Without your fathers consent asked
the nun almost severely Beatrices ejes
Hashed
Is a womans heart a dog that must fol
low at heel she asked fiercely We
loved That was enough Mv father had
the power but not the heart to come be
tween us We told lim then for we were
not cowards We told him boldly it must
be He was a thoughtful man who spoice
little He said that we must part at once
before we loved each other better and that
we should soon forget We looked at each
other the ma 11 loved and I We knew that
we should love better jet parted or to
gether thoug i we could not tell how that
could be But we knew also that such love
as there was between us was enough Mv
father gave no reasons but I knew that
he hated tlie name of mj mothers nation
Of course we met again 1 remember that
1 could cry in those dajs My father had
not learned to part us then Perhaps he
was not quite sure himself at all events the
parting did not come so soon We told him
that ve would wait forever if it must be
lie may have been touched thourfi little
touched him at best Then one day sud
denlj and without warning he took me
avvav to another citv And what of him
1 asked He told me that there
was an evil fever in the city and
that had seized him the man I lovei He
is free to follow us if he pleases said my
father But he never came Then followed
a journey and another and another until I
knew that mv father was traveling to avoid
him When I saw that I grew silent and
never spoke his name again Farther and
farther longer and longer to the end of the
earth We saw many i > eople many asked
for mj hand Sometimes I heard of him
from men who had seen him latelj I
waited patiently for I knew that he was on
our track and sometimes I felt that he was
near
Beatrice paused
It is a strange story said Sister Paul
who had already heard a tale of love
The strange thing is this Beatrice an
swered That woman what is her name
Unorna She loves hhu and she knows
where he is
Unorna repeated the nun in bewilder
ment Yes She met me after Compline to
night I could not but speak to her and
then I was deceived I cannot tell whether
she knew what I am to him but she
deceived me utterly She told me a strange
storjother own life I was lonely In
all these jears I have never spoken of what
has filled me I cannot tell how it was I
began to speak and then 1 forgot she was
there and told all
She made you tell her by her secret
arts said Sister Paul in a low voice
No I was lonelj and I believed that
she was good and I felt that I must sjieak
Then I cannot think how I could have
been so mad but I thought we should
never meet again and I showed her a
likeness of him She turned on me I
shall never forget her face I heard her
sajvthat she knew him and loved him too
When I awoke I was lying on the altar
That is all I know
Her evil arta her evil arts repeated
the nun shakinc her he d Come ay
V Ig i fei il
WE GAZETTE FT WORTH TEXAS THURSDAY JUNE 4
dear child let us sec if all is in order there
upon the altar If these things arc to be
known they must be told in the right quar
ter The sacristan must not see that any
one has been in the church
Sister Paul took up the lamp but Beatrice
laid a hand upon her arm
You must help me to find him she said
firmly He is not far away
Her companion looked at her in astonish
ment Help you to find him she stammered
But I cauuot I do not know I am afraid
it is not right an affair of love
An affair of life Sister Paul and of
death too perhaps This woman lives in
Prague She is rich and must be well
known
Well known indeed Too well known
the Witch they callher
Then there are those who know her
Tell me the name of one person only it is
impossible that you should not remember
some one who is acquainted with her who
has talked with you of her perhaps one of
the ladies who have been here in retreat
The nun was silent for a moment gather
ing her recollections
There is one at least who knows her
she said at lengtlu A great lady here it
is said that she too meddles with forbid
den practices and that Unorna has often
been with her that together they have
callod up the spirits of the dead with
strange rappings and writings She knows
her I un sure for I have talked with her
and she says it is all natural and that there
is a learned man with them sometimes who
explains how all such things maj happen
in the course of nature a man let me see
he has a godless name loo half heathen
and half Christian let me one knows his
country let me see let me see it is
George I think but not as we call it not
lirgCnor legor no it sounds harder
Ke KejTgi no Kejork Kejork Arabi
Kejorl Arabian exclaimed Beatrice
Is he here
You know him Sister Paul looked
almost suspiciouslv at the young girl
Indeed I do He was with us in Egypt
once He showed us wonderful things
rF vriMrr tells uer stout
among the tombs A strange little man
who knew everything but verv amusing
I do not knifW But that is his name
He lives in Prague
How can I iind him I must see him at
once he will help me
The nun shook her head in disapproval
I should be wry that jou should talk
with him she said I fear he is no better
than Unorna and perhaps worse
You need not fear Beatrice answered
with a scornful smile I am not in the
least afraid Only tell me how I am to find
him He lives here you say Is there no
direetorv in the convent
I believe the po tress keeps such a
book said Sister Paul still shaking her
head uneasily But you must wait until
the morning nry dear child if jou will do
this thing Of the two I should say that
you would do better to write to the lady
Come we must be sroing It is verj late
She had taken the lamp again and was
moving slovvlj towards the door Beatrice
had no choice but to submit It was evi
dent that nothing more could be done at
present The two women went back into
the churchand going around the high altar
began to examine everything carefully The
only trace of disorder they could discover
was the fallen candlestick so massive and
strong that it was not even bent or injured
They climbed the short wooden steps and
uniting their strength set it up again care
fullv and in ts place restoring the thick
candle to the socket Though broken in
the middle by the fall the heavy wax sup
ported itself easily enough Then thej got
down again and Sister Paul took away the
steps For a few moment both women
knelt down bsfore the alter
They left the church bj the nuns stair
case bolting the door behind them and as
cended to the corridors and reached Bea
trices room Unornas door was open as
the nun had left it and the yellow light
streamed upon the pavement She went in
and extinguished the lamp and then came
back to Beatrice
Are jou not jfraid to be alone after
what has happened she asked
Afraid Of what No indeed Then
she thanked her companion again and
kissed Sister Pauls waxen cheek
Saj a prayer mv daughter and may all
bo well with jou now and ever said the
pood sister as she went away through the
darkness She needed no light in the fa
miliar way to her cell
Beatrice searched among her numenrcs
belongings and at last brought out a writ
ingcase Then she sat down to her table
bj the light of the lamp that had illumi
nated so many strange sights that nigbt
She wrote the name of the convent clearly
upon the paper and then wrote a plain
message in the fewest possible words
Something of her strong devoted nature
showed itself in her handwriting
Beatrice Varanger begs that Keyork Ar
abian will meet her in the parlor of the con
vent a soon after receiving this as possi
ble The matter is very important
She had reasons of her own for believing
that Iveyork had not forgotten her in the
live jears or more since they had been in
Egypt together Apart from the fact that
his memory had always been surprisinglj
good He had at that time professed the
most unbounded admiration ior her and
she remembered with a smile his quaint
devotion his fantastic courtesj and his
gnomelike attempts at grace
She folded the note to wait for the ad
dress which she could not ascertain until
the morning She could do nothing more
It was nearlj 2 oclock and there was evi
dently nothing to be done but to sleep
As she laid her head upon her pillow a
few minutes later she was amazed at her
own calm Strong natures in great tests
often surprise themselves far more than
thej surprise others Others see the re
suits alwajs simpler in proportion as thej
are greater But the actors themselves
alone know how hard the great and simple
can seem
Beatrices calmness was not onlj of the
outward kind at the present moment She
felt that she was alone in the world and
that she had taken her life into her own
hands Fate had lent her the clew of her
happiness at last and she woidd hold it
firmlj to the end It would be time enough
then to open the floodgates It would have
been unlike her to dwell long upon the
thought of Unorna or give waj to any pas
sionate outbreak of hatred Why should
Unorna not love him The whole world
loved him and small wonder She feared
no rival
But he was near her now Her heart
leaped as she realized how very near he
might well be then sank again to its calm
beating
He had been near her a score of times in
the last years and yet they had not met
But she had not been free then as she was
now There was more hope than before
but she would not delude herself with any
belief in a certainty
So thinking and so saying to herself
she fell asleep and slept soundly with
out dreaming as most people do who ara
joung and strong and who are clear
headed and active when thej arc awake
It was late when she opened her eyes
and the broad rold light filled the room
She lost no time in thinking over the
events of the nicht for everything was
fresh in her memory Halfdressed she
wrapped about her a cloak that came
down to her feet and throwing a black
veil over her hair she went down to the
portress lodge In five minutes she had
found Keyorks address audhaddespatched
one of the convent gardeners with the <
note Then she leisurely returned to her
room and set about completing her toilet
She naturally supposed that an hour or
two must elapse before she received an
answer certainly before Kejork appeared
in person a fact which showed that she
had forgotten something of the mans
characteristics
Twenty minutes had scarcely passed and
she bad not finished dressing when Sister
Paul entered the room evidently in a state
of considerable anxiety As lias been seen
it chanced to be her turn to superintend
the quests quarters at that time and the
portress had of course informed her iin
mediatelj of Keyorks coming in order that
she might tell Beatrice
He is there she said as she came in
Beatrice was standing before the little
mirror that hung upon the wall trying
under no small difficulties to arrange her
hair She turned her head quicklj
Who is there Keyork Arabian
Sister Paul nodded hlad that she was
not obliged to pronounce the namethat had
for her such an unchristian sound
Where is he I did not think he could
come so soon Oh Sister Paul do help me
with my hair I cannot make it stay
He is in the parlor down stairs an
swered the nun coming to her assistance
Indeed child I do not ree how I can help
vou She touched the black coils ineffec
tually There Is that better she
asked in a timid waj I do not know how
to do it
No no Beatrice exclaimed Hold
that end so now turn it that way no the
other way it is in the glass so now keep
it there while I put in a pin no no in the
same place but the other waj oh Sister
Paul Did jou never do your hair when
you were a girl
That was so long ago answered the
nun meekly I et me trv again
The result was passablj satisfactory at
last and assuredlj not wanting in the ele
ment of novelty
Are you not afraid to go alone asked
Sister Paul with evident preoccupation as
Beatrice put a few more touches to her
toilet
But the young girl only laughed and made
the more haste Sister Paul walked with
her to the head of the stairs wishing that
the rules would allow her to accompany
Beatrice into the parlor Then as the latter
went down the nun stood at the top looking
after her and audibly repeating prayers for
her preservation
The convent parlor was a large bare room
lighted bj a high and grated window Plain
straight modern chairs were ranged against
the wall at regular intervals There was
no table but a square piece of green carpet
laj upon the middle of the pavement A
richlj ornamented glazed earthenware stove
in which a fire had just lieen lighted occu
pied one corner a remnant of former aes
thetic taste and strangely out of place since
the old carved furniture was gone A cru
cifix of inferior workmanship and realisti
cally painted hung opposite the door Tho
place was reserved for the use of ladies in
retreat and was situated outside the con
stantlj closed door which stmt oif the clois
tered part of the convent from the small
portion accessible to outsiders
Keyork Arabian was standing in the mid
dle of the parlor waiting for Beatrice
When she entered at last he made two
steps forward bowing profoundly and then
smiled in a deferential manner
Mv dear lady he said I am here I
have lost no time It so happened that I
received jour note just as I was leaving mj
carriage after a morning drive I had no
idea tliat vou were in Bohemia
Thanks It was good of jou to come so
soon
She sat down upon one of tho stiff chairs
and motioned to him to follow her example
And jour dear father how is he in
quired Keyork with suave politeness as he
took Ills seat
Mj father died a week ago said Bea
trice gravely
Keyorks face assumed all the expression
of which it was capable
I am deeplj grieved he said moderat
ing his huge voice to a soft and purring sub
bass He was an old and a valued
friend
There was a moments silence Kejork
who knew manj things was well aware
that a silent feud of which he also knew
tho cause had existed between father and
daughter when he had last been with them
and lie righiiy judged from his knowledge
of their obstinate characters that it had
lasted to the end He thought therefore
thai his expression of sympathy had been
sufficient and could pass muster
I asked jou to come said Beatrice at
last because I wanted your help in a mat
ter of importance to mjself I understand
that jou know a person who calls herself
Unorna and who lives here
Keyorks bright blue eyes scrutinized her
face He wondered how much she know
Very well indeed he answered as
though not at all surprised
You know something of her life then
T suppose jou see her very often do jou
not Daily I can almost stv
Have you auj objection to answering
one question about her
Twenty if you ask them and if I know
the answers said Keyork wondering
what form the question would take and
preparing to meet a surprise with indiffer
ence But will jou answer me trulj
My dear lady I pledge jou mj sacred
word of honor Kejork answered with
immense gravity meeting her ejes and laj
ing his hand upon his heart
Does she love that man or not Beat
rice asked suddenly showing him the little
miniature of the Wanderer which she had
taken from its case and had hitherto con
cealed in her hand
She watched every line of his face for
she knew something of him and in reality
put verj little more faith in his word of
honor than he did himself which was not
saying much But she had counted upon
surprising him and she ueceeded to a
certain extent His answer did not come
as gliblj as he could have wished though
his plan was soon formed
Who is it Ah dear me My old
friend We call him the Wanderer
Well Unorna certainly knew him when he
was here
Then he is gone
Indeed I am not quite sure said Key
ork regaining his selfpossession Of
course 1 can find out for you if you wish to
know But as regards Unorna I can tell
you nothing They were a good deal to
gether at one time I fancy he was con
sulting her You have heard that she is a
clairvoyant I daresay
He made the last remark quite carelessly
as though he attached no importance to the
factThen
Then you do not know rrhethershe loves
him Keyork indulged himself with a little dis
creetlaughter deep and musical
Love is such a Tguo word he said
presstly
Is it Beatrice asked with some cold
ness
To me at least Keyork hastened to
say as though somewhat confused But
of course 1 can know verj little about it
in myself and nothing about it in otliers
Not knowing how matters might turn out
he was willing to leave Beatrice with a
suspicion of the truth while denjnng all
knowledge of it
You know him jOTself of course
Beatrice suggested
I have known him for years oh jes
for him I can answer He was not in the
least in love
I did not ask that question said Be
atrice rather haughtilj I knew he was
notOf
Of course of course I beg your par
don
Keyork was learning more from her than
she was from him It was true that she
took no trouble to conceal her jnterest in
the Wanderer and his doings
Are you sure that he has left the city
Beatrice asked
No I am not positive I could not say
with certainty
When did jou see him last
Within the week I am quite sure Kev
ork answered with alacrity
Do jou know where he was staying
I have not the least idea the little man
replied without the slightest hesitation
We met at first bv chance in the Tcyn
church one afternoon it was Sunday I re
member about a month ago
A month ago on a Suudaj Beatrice
repeated thought fully
Yes I think it was New Years Day
too
Strange she said I was m the
church thrt verj morning with mj maid I
had been ill for several days I remember
how cold it was Strange the same day
Yes said Keyork noting the words
but appearing to take no notice of thpm I
was lookiug at Tycho Bmhes monument
You know how it annoys me to forget any
thing there was a word in the inscription
which I could not recall 1 turned round
and saw him sittingjust at the end of the
pew nearest to the monument
The old red slab with a figure on it bj
the last pillar Beatrice asked eagerly
Exactlj I dare saj jou know the
church verv well You remember that the
pew runs verj near to tiie monument so
that there is hardlj room to pass
I know jes
She was thinking that it could hardly
have been a mere accident which had led
the Wanderer to take the verj seat she had
occupied on the morning of that daj He
must have seen her during the mass but
she could not imagine how he could have
missed her Thej had been verv nearthen
And now a whole month had passed and
Keyork Arabian professed not to lmow
whether the Wanderer were still in the city
or not
Then jou wish to be informed of our
friends movements as I understand it
said Keyork going back to the main point
Yes what happened on that dav Be
atrice asked for she wished to hear more
Oh on that daj Yes Well nothing
happened worth mentioning We talked
a little and went out of tho church and
walked a little waj together I forget
when we met next but I have seen him at
least a dozen times since then 1 am sure
Beatrice began to understand that Kejork
had no intention of giving her any further
information She reflected that she had
learned much in this interview The Wan
derer had been and perhaps still was in
Prague Unorna loved him and they had
been frequently together He had been in
the Tevn church on the daj she had last
been there herself and in all probability lie
had seen her since he had chosen the very
seat in which she had sat Further she
gathered that Keyork had some interest in
not speaking more frankly She gave up
the idea of examining him any further He
was a man not easily surprised and it was
only bj means of a surprise that he could
bo induced to betraj even a passing expres
sion what he meant to conceal Her means
of attack were exhausted for the present
She determined at least to repeat herrequest
clearly before dismissing him in the hope
that it miglt suit his plans to fulfill it but
without the least trust in his sincerity
Will Jou be so kind as to make some in
quirj and lei me know the result today
she asked
I will do everjthing to give vou an early
answer said Keyork And I shall be the
more anxious to obtain one without delaj
in order that I may have the verv great
pleasure of visiting jou again There is
muchtthat I would like to ask you if yon
will allow me For old friends as I trust I
maysaythat we are jou must admit that
we have exchanged few verj few con
fidences this morning Maj I come agan
today It would be an immense privilege
to talk of old times with jou of our friends
in Egjptand of our many journeys for you
have no doubt traveled much since then
Your dear father he lowered hisvoice rev
erentially was a great traveler as well
as a veiy learned man Ah well mj dear
ladv we must all make up our minds to
undertake that greut journey one of these
dajs But I pain vou I was very much
attached to your dear father Command
all mj service I will come again in the
course of the daj
With manj sjmpathetic smiles and half
comic inclinations of his short broad body
the little man bowed himself out
TO BE CONTINUED
0
FEAST OF HUMAN FLESH
Tho Roily of a Child Sold for Meat by An
inhuman 3totlier
Washington Ga May 2 > There are
terrible rumors aHoat in some sections of
this county of a horrible crime committed
bj a negro woman a crime which has
never been investigated The details of this
crime are revolting and in view of the fact
that no official investigation has been made
the general truthfulness of the story mav
be doubted although it is common talk
among the negroes
The storj is that a negro woman living
near Deli murdered a small child and
cooked it like meat She then gave what
she called a hot supper sold the meat of
the child and called it tender veal She re
ceived 11 for the sale of the meat The
negroes asked what sort of meat it was
anil a little negro child said it was her little
sister that mamma had killed One negro
carried one of the bones of tho child to a
doctor and he said it was tlu bone of a
human The report sajs that the negroes
ate every morsel of the child in the belief
that the v were eating veal and after supper
there was a dance while whisky flowed
freely
The woman who had thus killed and
cooked the child refused to eatanvof it
This strange abstinence was remarked bv
her guests who became suspicious and all
sorts of reports were iu circulation
The strange part of the story is that while
the negroes are talSing loudly of the matter
in some sections thej have ilot given the
name of the woman accused of the awful
crime The talk however will lead to an
investigation which will cleartipthe mys
tery One negro said ho would be willing
to tie a rope around the womans neck put
the rope over a limb of a tree pull her just
off the ground and carrj lightwood knots
to bcrn her to death
BABY IN A WELL
The norribkVFind of a Farmer South of
HHlsboro So Clew to the Sup
posed Murderer
Special to the Gazette
Hiixsnoro Tex May 21 Mr Dave
Morris living eirht miles southeast of
HiHsboro drew from his well what seemed
to be human skin He brought it to Hills
boro and the physicians were of opinion
that it was human skin Mr Morris had
the water which they had been using and
pronounced excellent drawn from the well
and was horrified to find the remains of an
infant enveloped in a illowslip made in the
shape of a baby skirt the whole weighted
with a rock An inquest was
jury rendered a verdict in a
oEBcetre tryiqto
the above facts The
ferret oi
clew
assays
FUN AND PATHOS
Humorous and Pathetic Inci
dents of the Civil War
FAMOUS GENERALS TALK
In a Field Hospital An Incident in fie Ca
reer oTGen Lee Joe Johnstons Virll
What Sherman Saw Clo Wav
White MailAt Hull I nn
Copyright IS91 for thi > Gazette ia < l ill
rights reen edj
For jears past ever since the close of
the war in fact I have asked every great
general of ooth the Northern and
Southern armies whom I have met to jot
down for me in his own words what
he considered the funniest and also
the saddest incident that had come under
his notice arising Irom our gr at con
flict This requct was kindly complied
with and it was thus that the appended
symposium was obtained the last of the
contributions composing it having been
received from Gen Sherman onlv a few
months before his death Doubtless
some of these anecdotes maj IiAve been
related b v their present narrators to
other correspondents prior to their pub
lication here and so nil have beei
previously published but so fiv as I
know this is their first appearance in print
as it most certain v is in their present
attractive form over the signatures of
the distinguished gentlemen now telling
them Geoitket Wiixistov CiiuiiinE
fiix chants sit > tsT
It was in a field h pital within whose
canvass walls many or our brac boj s lav
wounded and dying Among them were
two comrades who we e more uearlv like
Damon and Pythias than any other two
men I ever knew in real life They
had been born and bred in the
same town had enlisted at the
same time and had never been separated
for a moment since thej first donned Uncle
Sams blue uniform lam sure that either
would gladly have laid down his life for the
other They had both been slightly
wounded before the one having received a
bajonet thrust in the left arm and the
other having had the index and middle fin
gers of his right hand shot awaj
Now as thej lie side bv side however
their injuries were of a much more serious
character The surgeon looked verv grave
as he turned from one to the other and the
gravity of his expression deepened as he
concluded his second examination Thcnas
was his custom for he held it a physicians
duty to always inform a patient of the true
state of his case he told them plainly but
not without feeling that they both had but
a few minutes to live All right said
one faintly but firmly we will die together
as I always hoped we would
I want to go if Tom goes murmured
the other Give me vour hand dear old
boy he continued and he rciched out his
left hand towards his comrade
The dving man giasped tho extended
hand but finding it whole and unuiaimed
lie cast it from him sajing Xo no Xot
that hand I want the one that was partly
shot away on the battlefield
His comrade extended his wounded hand
and Tom his eves fast glaing in death
clasped it and felt for the stumps of the
missing fingers
This is tho hand I want he exclaimed
and raising it to his lips his spirit passed
without a struggle His friend bv a great
exertion raised his head and looked at his
comrade Seeing that lie w s no more he
uttered a loud crj and the two friends
were reunited
ntMOi ous
There was no better more fearless or
more loval sold ier than old Jack Dubbin
but he had one fault and that was an i > < er
weening fondness for tiie whisky bottle
or rather for its contents He had a boon
companion whose real name I never knew
but everjOne called him Uncle Si While
m camp old Jack was taken ill of a fever
and despite the unremitting attention of
Uncle Si died The corpse developed an
unusual rigidity after death and a strange
tendencv to flv up into a sitting posture
Accordingly on the night before its burial it
was stretched out at full length ujion a
board resting upon two wooden trestles
with its head and feet tied down bj ropes
Old Uncle Si insisted ui > on watching the
remains of his dead friend Shortly after
midnight he became verj thirsty and
stepped out to a neighboring sutler s to pro
cure a drink During his somewhat pro
tracted absence two large cats found their
way to the tent containing the remains of
old Jack and when Uncle Si returned he
was naturally indignant at seeing these
felines sitting on the corpse one at the
head the other at the feet
Seizing a billet of wood from the ground
lie aimed a powerful blow with it at the
pussv sitting near the head It missed its
mark and struck and severed the rojie hold
ing down the head of the corpse which iin
mediatelj Hew into a sitting posture Seiz
ing the dead man bj the shoulders and
forcing him back into a recumbent > osition
Uncle Si explained in an aggrieved tone
Darn ye old man lie down and keep quiet
Ill attend to the cats C S Gixt
OEX LEES PATnrTIC
Manv of the most beautiful and Pathetic
incidents of the war occurred after it was
all over At a hotel in Washington in ISlis
a gentleman whose face 1 could not re
member exactlj though it seemed strangely
familiar introduced himself and asked per
mission to present me to his mother a sin
gularly beautiful old ladj of queenly and
dignified bearing to whom he said
Mother let me present to jou Gen K K
Lee of the late Confederate armj who e
saber thrust gave me this scar on mv right
cheek and who bears the mark of a wound
I gave him The beautiful old iadv threw
her arms around in jneck and wept on mv
shonlder in that tender embrac and the
fervent clasp or the Federal officers hand
and mine we buried the animosities of the
war forever
ms most HCMorocs
One of the most devoted adherents the
Southern cause ever had was Col M
2s o matter how thick and black disaster
lowered upon our arms the colonel never
saw anjthing but brightest hope and
absolute surety of success in the
near future In fact he might
not inappropriately have been styled
the Caleb Balderstone of the Confederate
arnij for just as the original Caleb was al
wajs representing his master as c ° ing in
the most affluent and prosperoiis circum
stances and inventing the most ingenious
lies to make it appear so the colonel con
stantly represented the resources of the
Southern people to be limitless in the same
clever fashion
At length when defeat stared us plainly
in the face and my surrender to Gen Grant
was inevitable a jnung officer deliberatelj
hintcd to the colonel that perhaps his con
fidence in the ultimate success of our arms
which was still as boastful as ever was
perhaps a trifle oVerweeninsr The colonel
looked at him for a moment with an ex
pression in which contempt anger horiw
and amusement struggled for the mastery
Then with hands uplilted hair standing on
end and ejes flashing tire he roared out at
the discomfitted lieutenant in the voice of a
tentor Dam up Niagara Falls with tissue
paper bottle up the Atlantic ocean in a
whisky flask pasteto let on the sun and
moon catch a flash of lightning between
your thumb and finger build a worm fence
around a winter sup ply of summervreather
harness a thunder bolt to a sulkeywaft all
the clouds out of the sky with a ladys fan
saddle and ride a hurricane fasten a dish
clout to the tail of a comet pack up all the
stars in a beer keg knock a tornado out of
time with your fist put hades to cool in a
spring house put the sk > in jour pocket
unbuckle the bellyband of eternity but
never never allow yourself to fancy for a
moment that the North can ever whip the
great Southern Confederacy
R E Ltcr
WHAT GENERAL snERMAN SAW
Oneof the most magnificent specimens of
manhood 1 ever saw was a soldier who was
constantlj laughing at the poor fellows who
became fatigued by long marches or who
sank under seemingly trifling wounds His
courage health and strength seemed in
vincible
One day a heavy projectile from the en
A Positive Gurp for All Female Com
plaints and Irregularities
a
es nd regulsJIs ffiWnontWy supv
fsions and excesses It cures Lencor
rhoea Pain in the Back or Side Falling of
the Womb c It adds Iron to the blood
strengthens the weak and feeble and will
cure when all else fails
PRICE SJOO of all Druggists
Medical Adviser mailed ftce on application
J P DROW1COOLE CO
DOUISVITjIiE KY
CTi 5C 2SK
emvs cannon whawe ca a spent bal
came rolling aloug The temptation to pi
out ones foot to stop such a ba whs almost
irresistible The soldier i have mentionea
yielded to it Wnliamevrv smile he p
out his leg din in mstat Ms foot was
cut of and he sank io Hie aiemd a maimed
shattered cripple for rfe weeping like
child at his aw ful misfortune
Ills ki wirT
I think the funniest incidents I observed
during the civil war were some of Uioo
that occurred among the colored people dir
ins he march to the sea from Aiana
Manv of the negroes hailed the coming of
the Sankees bringing the freedom ot the
colored people with them as u certain mil
cation ot the immediatr approach of the
juigment dav ami the end of the vvord
Consequently there was great lCigious
excitement among the darkis and by iuui >
of their preachers piotraeted or rev
val meetings were held The incitleiis
that occurred at some of thee meet mists
beggar description 1 remember on inn
occasion the preacher tried his utmost io
induce one big buck negro to come to the
mors bench but witlioutjvail U
longtli losing all patience he exclaimed Bv
de holv apostle de word of de lohd slul
done smite dat man and suiting the action
to tuts word he felled the buck senseli > ss j
the ground b v a tremendous blow on the
head deliverec with a pondorotis volume
of the Scripture Vvi T Siilmmv
JOE JOnNSTOXS VAR
Perhaps the most touching ii riilcnt ans
ing in connection with the war that I novv
recall came to mv notice on a railway tram
which also bore as a passenger tho verv
prettj young wife or a brave young soldier
who bv daring bravery had secured promo
tion from the ranks to a Confederate cap
taincy The wife was a Pennsylvania girl
whom he had met while visiting in tint
North and whom he had married and taken
to his Southern home just before the break
ing out of the war lie was one of the first
to enlist in the Confederate army and in
order to devote himself wholly to the cause
he sent his wife at the first boom of tho
guns at Fort Sumpter back to her parents
in Pennsylvania to remain until the great
struggle was ended Now in lStXi after a
five years separation she was on her way
South to rejoin her husband and place in
his anus their fouryearold daughter whom
he Had never seen
It was not long before ail the passengers
on our ar knew the romantic story of thu
prettj little woman and her beautiful child
and there was not man among us who did
not feel a lender protecting interest in
both There never was a woman vvhosa
heart was more full oT love aud joj Shu
could do nothing but talk of the captain and
wonder if he had changed so that shn
couldnt recognie him or if he wouldnt ba
able to recognize her Then she would fall
to wondering if he would know his little
daughter bv her resemblanco to himself if
he met her in the street which as he had
never set eyes on her scarcely seemed prob
able Throughout that long davs ride wa
all entered most heartily into that dear lit
tle womans hopes fears doubts and joys
and shared them to such an extent that wo
were quite as anxious to see the captain as
she was
We reached our Journevs end and before
the train had fairly stopped a tall elegantly
proportioned handsome fellow of twenty
seven came bounding into our car The
little woman gave such a scream of jov as
f hall neverforget and io less time than I
can tell it was standing in the car aisle
clasped in the joung soldiers manlv
arms and tears of joj a unut
terable coursed down two beau
tiful joung faces as their lips met
For mv own part my own ejes were so full
of bli iding moisture that I could see noth
ing wlieu the proud and happj joung wife
and mother led her husband for Die first
time to the place where their little child
lay sleeping
JUIS MOT nuGnutiE
In oneoC theearly battles of the war in
the hottest part of the action I felt m >
coattails pulled bv a young fellow whom I
recognized as liavingbeen engaged in a to
bacco factory prior to his enlistment
Why are you not fighing in jour
place I asked angrily
Well I just wanted to tell you that if
you dont mind I think I will take mv time
oil todaj JoEm K JonxsTOS
TWO COOD OVES FEOM nERIDAT
Two soldiers of the opposing armies en
gaged in a liard to hand struggle dring a
charge amid smo e so thick that the > faces
were unrecognizable Each received and in
flicted a mortal wound The smoke cleared
and each recognized his brother
Tom Harry passed like pistol
shots and tliev fell forward and died in
each others arms
A LACOH MAKER
Once in camp myself and some of mj
brother officers fell desperately in love with
a female voice we used to hear singing at
night It was siinplj angelic and resolved
to see the singer we followed its sound
through thickets and ravines till we came
to a lonely cabin whence the singing pro
ceeded Creepingupto the window I peered
in and beheld a fat greasy middle aged De
gress barefooted and clad in a single gar
ment of dirty calico browning coffee with a
lomr iron sioon while she gave vent to tho
sweetest notes I have ever heard In my
surprise I staggered fovard with a noise
that attracted her attention Grasjing her
coffee skillet and waving it around her head
she bawled out Gway from deah white
man Er yo dont 111 frow dis yeah fryin
pan right atyo head P H Sheridan
WHAT SADDEXED AND EASID XDylPXl
PORTER
At the deathbed of nn friend Col H I
witnessed what I think was at once tho
most touching and dramatic incident of the
war It was some years after the great
conflict and the colonel had long employed
as his childrens overn ss a young South
ern girl of great beauty and refinement As
I stood with his wife by his dving bed he
called this girl to him told lier how he had
killed her father a Confederate captain la
a handtohand fight having recognized her
bv her resemblance to her parent and by
his minature which she were around her
neck and asked her forgiveness
I have nothing to foryive she an
swered You only did your duty and il
jou deprived mo of my father jou have
filled his place
With one last supreme effort the colsnel
placed her hand in that of his wife whfr
pcred Our daughter and was dead
HIS rCXXIEsT
I once asked a friend who had fought all
through the war if he had ever killed a man
that he positivelj knew of Yes said he
remorsefully one At Bull Run I ran ay
the first fire A rebel chased me forjtea
miles and was then so exhausted that ha
dropped dead Davib D Pobtev
t
H
il
H
n
Ii
i

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