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BESUBE TO READ OUIMiEWrSERIAL BY MRS. L. E. AMIS. ESTABLISHED IISJ" 1852. EDWARD A. OLDHAJH. IHAJH.) isher-): A NORTH CAROLINA ILLUSTRATED FAMILY NEWSPAPER FOR NORTH CAROLINA PEOPLE, IN THE STATE AND OUT. ( SUBSCRIPTION PRICE. 1 PER YEAR, 91.60. Editor and Publi VOL.. XXXI. NO. 3. winston, c, Thursday, jantjaby 20, 1887. PRICE 5 CENTS. BE SURE TO READ OUR NEW SERIAL MRS. L. E. AMIS. TALL. EIGHTS OK, A YOUNG GIRL'S STRANGE EXPERIENCE. Written for The Weekly Sentinel, by Mrs. L. E. Amis, of GranviUe County, N. C, Author of "An American Prince," Poems, Etc. CHAPTER VII. After Lula's lessons were over for the day, Mrs. Barron carelessly in formed me that I " could find a seat on the piazza, or in the sitting room, when there was no company " and I ventured to ask. her, " If Lula was to be my only charge"? A shadow at once came upon her hard face, and for a moment she com pressed her unshapely lips, then open ed them to say, " No I havo another daughter who is an invalid, and will require your attendance occasionally, but I will let you know when you are wanted in her room." Again my sympathies were stirred, but I did not dare to ask if I might see the sick, and probably suffering girl, so I kept silent until Lula ap peared, when I was glad to get out among the trees, and into the fresh air, for that of the house seemed to stifle me. There were no flowers, and the place looked sad and lonely, though there was nothing out of order, and Mrs. Barron must be possessed of ample means, from the generous salary that she had offered tor my services. 1 had taken for granted that she was a widow, and so far, I had heard noth ing to the contrary. And I had no right to question Lula about family affairs. I must await future develop ments with patience, and try to imitate Mrs. Barron in reticence. CHAPTER VIII. The second night after my arrival was intensely warm, and on retiring, I left both windows and door wide open. The house was so quiet, and so remote from neighbors, or humanity in any shape beyond its inmates, that the thought of danger or intrusion never once entered my Drain, ine moon was at its full, and rendered every object distinctly visible, so that I lowered the curtain of dimity on going to bed, lest it should be too light for sound repose. I must have been asleep for some hours, and I suppose it was about midnight when I suddenly awoke. "Whether there was a sound, or a touch, I do not know ; but I was wide awake in a moment, and there stood by the bedside leaning over me, the figure of a young girl of apparently, about eigh teen, pale and attenated, and clad in a white night dress, holding in her right hand a heavy, old fashioned brass eandie stick, (but without a can dle.) Her eyes were large, black and brilliant, and her hair was black also, and so long and thick that it seemed almost to envelop her slender person. In health, she must have been most beautiful but she looked strange and ghastly as ;.he stood glaring upon me with those brilliant, beautiful, fierce black eyes ! I sprang up, and as I did so, a fearful blow with the brass candle-stick fell upon my vacated pil low, rending it almost in two, and I saw that I was contending with a maniac ! It flashed upou me in rapid thought that I must not show'fear nor lose my presence of mind, so grasped her small wrist which seemed to pos sess the strength of a young lioness, and looking straight into her eyes said as calmly as I could, " Why should you wish to huat me f I would not harm you for the world I " She dropped the candle stick at once, and in a strangely soft and pa thetic voice, said. " But what hove you done toith Phil lip!" I promptly answered, " Philip is safe and well ! " " Then why aid he not eome ? Here 1 was sorely at a loss, but I must not hesitate, for she again seized the fearful weapon. But I caught her hand and said impulsively, "poor lit tle thing 1 " and passed my other hand caressingly over the beautiful head. She sank down on her knees by the bed, saying in the same sad voice, " Are you sorry for me ? " " Yes in deed," I quickly answered, then she said "No one else is ever sorry for me. Mrs. Barron tells Pauline to " hold me, and she whips me when I en, for Phil ip. I know th y have Jctlled him, see where they have whipped me" And indeed there were red stripes upon the fair sheulders, which she suddenly bared to my astonished gaze! " Yes indeed, I am very sorry for you, and no one shall ever hurt you again if I can help it." And I felt as if I could then andthere, take the poor heart-broken, unloved, and afflicted girl into my protecting care, forgetting that I was myself but a feeble defense RESERVED MREERT; less, lonely girl no older, possibly younger than she was. But thank Heaven, I had my reason, and my heart and will were brave and strong. And Oh ! how my own heart ached for this poor child. I longed to ask her who Philip was, but I knew It would be safest to divert her if I could so I said soothingly, "Well dear, we will be good friends, and you must go back to your bedj or Pauline will not let me see you in the ; morning. . " Yes" she said, "that is true, Pau line is drunk and asleep now, but she will wake up and tell Mrs. Barron if I stay" Then she hurridly ran out of the room, and I heard her light steps across the whole length of the hall, and the lock of her door gently turned as if afraid of awakening the sleeper within. CHAPTER IX. This then was the mystery. The stranger from a distant State must be bribed by a large salary, and kept in ignorance of the service required. And the invalid was a maniac. Of course there was no more sleep for me that night. My first act was to get up and lock the door, then I closed the window blinds, and thenl lay down, not to sleep but to think and above all to pray to my mother's God for help and guidance. But who and what could this Philip be ? Not my Philip surely, with his kind, gentle face, his soft brown eyes, and his tender voice. How long it seemed since I had thought of him, And so my thoughts wandered on, and I recalled the fact that I ought to get a letter from aunt b anny bv this time, and I must ask about the mail in the morning. I determined to say nothing oi my midnight visi tant, but to try at least, to be patient in awaiting further developments and events. The morning at length dawned very slowly and wearily to me. and l rose and dressed early, and went down stairs and out on the porch where lit tle Lula soon joined me. I ventured to ask her " what her sis ter's name was," to which she replied in a timid, hesitating manner. " Her name is Winnifred,'.but mama says I must not talk to you about her, She will let you see her when Pauline goes Pauline takes care of her, and sometimes she goes to see her people, and then you will have to stay with Winnie." I began to reallize now my position in the house. And but for my yearn ine and heartfelt sympathy for the afflicted girl, I should have lost all heart", in the prospect before me. At the breakfast table, I found three let ters on my plate, one from aunt 1 an ny, from my cousin Helen, and the third in a strange hand, had been ad dressed to me at my old home, and forwardedjto my present address. I left this for the last, giving but a hasty glance at the other two, as I dared not waste the time which Mrs. Barron re garded as so precious. Besides I would enjoy them much more in my own room after school hours were over. As I stood by the window of the lit tle schoolroom, which opened on the hall. opposite the, parlor, or "sitting room " as they call it here. I saw an elegant phaeton driyen up to the door and I soon recognized the livery of the Vivians, and my heart leaped with joy at the thought of seeing them again. 1 ten sure that l should be asked for, yet no one came to call me, and after some minutes had passed, I heard the sweet voice ot Mrs. Vivan, saying. " I am very sorry. Please let her know at any rate that I have called, and am sorry not to see her." And with a polite but rather haugh ty " Good morning " to Mrs. Barron, she re-entered the earriage, which quickly rolled out of sight, leaving a sad pain at my heart, and a greater horror of my present surroundings than ever. I longed to open and read my let ters, and at last the time came. Aunt Fanny had much to tell of her pleas ant boarding Louse on Madison Ave nue, her improved health, and the kindness of Dr. Simons, her beloved physician, who prescribed diversion in the may of " Concert?, Lectures, an occasional Opera, &c, as well as med ical treatment, upon which course she improved rapidly, both in health of Doay ana mina. Then she wrote, " I was so glad to meet Helen Graham, your cousin, and Helen Grahams never forgets her old friends." Then she goes on to tell mine two in a sort of way. - She. first called with our yaung relative, Philip Rensaville, and has since taken a room in the same house with me on Madison Ave. Her chaperone, Mrs, Tracy, is so large and stout that she does not get about mnch, but Helen is a splendid woman, and has many friends, so she never fails to have a good time, &c, &c." ' ' ' Then Helen writes" I wish Lilian that yon were here with us instead of wearing out your best days in teach ing ; I want you to know Phil., he is so nice and handsome. By-the-way I have an old friend down tbere " in the canebrake " somewhere. I won der is you will ever meet him. Hia name is Charlie Vivian, and he used to be well, I suppose he has forgot- ten me, but if you should cross his flowery pathway, say to him that me many pleasant things, and I at last take up the neglected number 3 which contains only a small cluster f " Forget-me-nots," exquisitly painted, and signed " P. C. S." Oh me ! I do wonder who it is. It cannot be our cousin Philip Rensaville, for his name begins with P. And I am more sor ry than ever that I could not meet dear Mrs. Vivian, as her son is a friend of Helen's. Ah! What a weary world it is ! CHAPTER X. A week passed away with no spe cial event except my meeting Pauline on the stairs she had in her great coarse hand, a small riding whip, and knowing she ;could not ride, a3 there were none but the two carriage horses at Barronville, I asked her impulsive ly, "what she was going to do with that little riding whip?" She was a French Creole, and had great black' blood-shot eyes, and coarse, hard feat ures, and great hands and feet like her mistress. She gave me an insolent look,, and replied by telling me to "mind my own business, and not bo asking ques-:. tions about what did not concern me." I felt that I had made a mistake or rather that I had committed an im prudence, so said nothing more. One weary, drizzly day, as I stood looking out of the school-room win dow while sharpening a pencil . for Lula, I again saw the Viyian livery, and this time it was Pete, mounted on one of his mas' Charlie's horses. lie looked up at the window and held up a white letter, or note, which I knew at once was for me, and to be sure of receiving it. I v:m down to the door and took it from Pete s own hand, He orrinned and took off his cap nc delivered it, saying: "I make sure you git dis letter Mistis, ef I had to wait a whle day to see you, for Miss Alice said I was to put it into your own little white hand." I thanked him, and told him to wait for a reply, while I read these pleasant words. "My Dear Miss Rembert, I left a message for you with Miss Barron a week ago, but hearing noth ing from you, I concluded that it must have escaped her memory. Mrs. B. tells me that you decline receiving any visitors during your stay at Bar ronville, but I hope you will not re fuse to make a visit yourself, and we want you to come and spend a day with us write me what day will suit you, and Earnest will go for you with the carriage, or a riding horse, which-, ever you prefer. Charlie is absent but. will return in a few days. . ; Truly jour friend, Alice Vivian." ; Ah ! me. How I loi'ged to write her that I would gladly accept her kindness, but I felt sure that Mrs. B. would find some way to prevent it, as HOS. THOS. F. BAYARD, SECRET1 Y OP STATE. she would not even deliver Mrs. Vi- van's message. I thought a moment however, then suddenly determined to risk the consequences and go This was Thursday, and Saturday was al ways a holiday, so I wrote a note of thanks and acceptance, and appoint ed the coming Saturday. On Friday morning, to my dismay, I met again the dreadrul Pauline, and this time, with her bonnet on, and a small trunk at het side. A man drove up to the back door with a buggy and with a nod at me, which seemed both malicious and triumphant, she rode off. I stood for a moment thinking, and wondering, when turning sudden ly, I found myself face to face with Mrs. Barron. It may have 'been my own fancy, but she too seemed to show the same feeling in the peculiar ring of her voice, which was unusually soft and cat-like as she addressed herself to -toe. When in her "agreeable moods, she had a sort of purr in her voice, and I never heard her speak without thinking of a cat, with its soft purr and velvet paws, but ready at any moment to use both teeth and claws without pity or remorse. She smiled as she said : "I was just looking for you Miss Rembert, to introduce you to my daughter Winnified, who will now re quire your attendance until Pauline's return. You will find Miss Barron very nervous, and I beg that you will carefully avoid any conversation that may tend to worry or excite her. You will find medicines there with direc tions to be given whenever she talks too much. You will sleep in her room at night, and when you come out, as you will have to do to hear Lula's les sons, it will be well to lock the door of Miss Barron s room, to prevent any intrusion upon by the servants. I was dumb with dismay and hor ror ! yet 1 ought to have been fully prepared for this trial, which I might have known was but a question of time. I tried to appear, as well as to feel composed as I replied simply,) " 1 es madam, I will do my best. And then followed her to the room of her poor insane child. She wa3 asleep when we entered, as if from an opiate. Her breathing was heavy and oppressed. But a more lovely picture I never beheld than that slender, graceful form, with the raven tresses thrown back from the beautiful brow, the coral lips slightly parted one delicate arm and hand over her head, and the other tight) grasping the coarse coverlet of Lir bed, for it seems that she would tear j everything to pieces in her paroxyms, and fvirs. iiarron would not allow anything of value to be used in her room. I longed to know what had caused this. It must have been some severe mental strain some great sor row which the delicate organization could not bear. But I did not dare to ask a single question except as to my required duty, for no one had even hinted to me that she was insane, and Mrs. Barron only told me then to "sit by her side until she awoke then amuse her in some way, and give her opiates at night." She also "informed me that she would prepare her meals, which I was to receive at the door with my own, which were to be taken in the same room and then she ad ded as she turned to leave the room : "I shall have to send your meals in vessels that will not break, as Miss Barron has a prejudice against glass or china, and sometimes breaks them." I silently assented, as another pang of horror shot through me, and I then found myself alone with the maniac girl- XO BE CONTINUED. This story was begun, in No. 1, and subscribers desiring back numbers can secure tarns by remitting Jive cetnseach.' REV. CALVIN II. :WIIVEY, D. D. The Eloquent Comments of Mr. T. R. Kingsbury on the Death of this Dis tinguished Carolinian. Prom the Wilmington Star. The death of this eminent and gift ed North Carolina is a genuine grief to this writer. Since midsummer, 1840, we have knewn him intimately. He was born in Guilford county, was graduated from the University, where he bore off the first honors, and was probably 68 years ot age. After leav ing Chapel Hill he settled at Oxford in 1840, and began the practice of the law. He early asserted his fine abili ties, and before he was 28 he had a wide-spread reputation in the State as a writer. In 1846, he published "Al amance, or the Great and Final Ex periment," his first novel, the scene of which was laid in his native Carolina. We saw him day after day as he wrote it, and although not more than six teen or seventeen years old the story was read to us as it was thrown off. The first critical article we ever at tempted was on that very novel, and a copy of it was filed by vote in the archives of the Dialectic Society at the University. This was a long time ago in 1847 or 1848. The Harpers published "Alamance, and it is still in their list of books. The preface to the book is excellent, quite in the best vein ot the author, lhe book has merit, and North Carolinions should read it. Dr. Wiley wrote one other novel that was published. Its title we have forgotten, but it is located in the Albemarle section. It had more or less to do witn a fugitive slave in the Dismal Swamp, if our memory is not treacherous, for it has been at least 35 years since we read it. Dr. Wiley, about 1S50, published his "N orth Carolina Reader," a work not without faults, but of decided merit nevertheless. It is the best book of the kind the State has, and if prop erly edited a new edition would be t genuine blessing. If some scholarly man would take it, build on it, change it here and there, it could be made an excellent work for all the schools in the State. Dr. Wiley also published during the war a good sized volume of theology that indicated very real ability, especially as to thought. But he was best known, and wil possibly be longest remembered, by his very useful and efficient labors as the first Superintendent of Public Instruc tion of North Carolina. His work in behalf of the illiterate children of the State deserves to be held in perpetua remembrance. He was the author of the system. To his energy, his origi nating and directing talents it was ow ing that the best common school svs tem of any Southern State was given to North Carolina. He was par ex' cellence the ablest officer that ever filled this mo3t important position. In scholarship, in natural ability, in gifts as a writer, in originality of thought, in usefulness, he easily eclipsed them all, and was one of the best equipped men in the State. He richly deserves a monument at the hands ot the peo- Sle of North Carolina, for he was a forth Carolinian in every throb of heart, in every motive of life, and in eyery effort of usefulness. When some forty years old he re tired from the bar and entered the Presbyterian ministry. It was never our privilege to hear him but once in the pulpit. It was a superior sermon fresh, original, thoughtful, spiritual. For nearly or quito twenty years he served the American Bible Society, first as their General Agent for Ten nessee, and then for some fourteen years for North Carolina. It was in the power of the writer, in co-opera tion with the then State Senator John W. Cunningham, of Person county to ,.iu;ce the American Bible Society to transfer Dr. Wiley to North Carolina from le:::iessee. Like most natives he loved his old State, and desired above earthly things to return to it3 hills and fountains. He served faith fully and efficiently in thii important field. At last be sleeps t.'" sleep of the just beneath its soil. When young be edited ; ie Oxford Mercury about 1841-43 and made it one of the 6prightliest and most readable of State papers of that time. Dr. Wiley was very agreeable in so cial life. He was simple, gentle, un pretending, gracious, genial. He had a genuine fund of quiet humor, not anecdotical, but spontaneous and in nocent. He was a guileless man, true, sincere, lovable. We knexo the man and wore him always very near our heart. He mairied Miss Towles, of Raleigh. North Carolina cannot well aflord to lose such a faithful son. It is true he had reached a comparative ly advanced age, but his intellectual powers were in their full strength and he was doing a noble work for Civili zation and Christianity. We have known but few North Carolinians who in natural abilities, in general infor mation, in gifts with the pen, in use fulness, in devotion t his native State, in purity and sweetness of life, were his peers. THE STATE RAILROADS. The Recommendations In Governor Scales Message. In Governor Scales message he has the following to say in reference to the Kail roads in which the State owns an interest : ATLANTIC AND NORTH CAROLINA R. R. The capital stock of this road is $1,800,000. Of this sum the State owns over two-thirds $1,266,500. Private stockholders own the remain ing one-third 533,500. The whole emount of indebtedness on this road is $227,024; of this sum the amount se cured by mortgage on road, at 8 per cent is $196,000. The remainder, re duced to a judgment bearing interest at 6 percent, $31,024. At the last meeting of the stockholders a resolu tion was passed, with my approval, authorizing tEe company to borrow the sum of $320,000 to be secured by mortgage upon the road. Of this sum, $400,000 will be used in the purchase of new steel rails for the road and property, and the remainder will be applied to the discharge ot judgment and bonded debt, as above set forth, the latter ot which falls due in 18S8. This loan I am safe in saying will be negotiated at a greatly reduced rate of interest. This road is 96 miles in length, passes through a fine country, and is in a fair condition and well managed. The stock is appreciating, and with proper connection i, which it is hoped may be early secured, there is every reason why it should pay a dividend. It is justly regarded as valuable property, with a compara tively small debt, and I earnestly re commend that the State shall not part with her ownership in the property. Fifteen years ago the stock of the North Carolina railroad was worth 30 cents in the dollar ; now it is worth 106, and is paging a dividend on the State Stock $180,000 annually. This enables her to pay the interest on all construction bonds without further burdening the people. The Atlantic & North Carolina rail road was originally intended as an ex tension of the North Carolina road. The State owns over two-thirds of the former and three-fourths of the latter, together making a line of 319 miles in length, and running from Charlotte to Morehead City. There are now in the State four large and wealthy railroad corporations; the policy of these, as of all roads, is to build branches run ning out on each side of the main track, that they may occupy addition al territory, increase their feeders and add greatly to their general wealth. While this work is going on vigorous ly and our territory is being occupied by others, what arc these two roads doing ? Almost nothing. Steps bhuuld be taken at ouce to occupy our own territory and build up these feeders, as a part of our own property. Feeling the importance of this work I would euriic-ritly urge uj-uii yoa the necessity, so far as it may be consist ent with your existing obligations, to grant each of these roads the neces sary charters, and iii proportion to their length, sufficient convicts to build branches from the main stems, at such points and ii audi directions as may be deemed advisable, by the respective directors of those roads. It is believed that the people along the line of these branches will gladly clothe and iced the convicts to )o the grading, and after the grading is dune the directors mu-it, by degrees, provide ways and means for laying down the rails and procuring tke rolling stock. CAPE FEAI: &l YADKIN VALLEY 1L. P.. The following work has been dune on the road from the 1st of March, 18S4, to Dfi-enibc-r 1, 1886; number of miles of t-tcel rails laid and com pleted 122 miles; number of miles uraded in same time, 81 ; number of miles yet to grade, including siding, to Mt. Airy 17. In addition to this, there has been graded and put in operation in North Carolina with free labor 13 miles; have graded and ironed the factory branch in Randolph county, 6 miles. They have put in new Fsteel rails on the old part of the road bet ,vcen Fayetteville and the Gulf jjn Chatham county 16 miles. The average number of convicts ac tually employed, is most creditable to the company, and I doubt not will prove satisfactory to the State. This road will, I have no doubt, be pushed to completion. It is now looking to Wilmington as its eastern terminus, and I hope Jtliat during my adminis tration the vp'ierl ar l rich products of the section through which it runs will find a market in ihis, the chief export city of the State. WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA R. R. Within the last !two years the Ash ville and Spartanburg road has been completed, and twelve miles have been built and five graded on the Western N. C. R. R. The work is prosecuted with energy, and the time cannot be distant when this road, which has done so much to build op "Western North Carolina will be c ;..?letcd to Murphy.