OCR Interpretation


St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, January 10, 1880, Image 4

Image and text provided by Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA

Persistent link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015387/1880-01-10/ed-1/seq-4/

What is OCR?


Thumbnail for

THE ST. TAM MANY FARMER
Covin-ton. January 10, 180.
THE DEATH CHARM.
Along the broad highway in the
State of Maryland rode two per
SOInI, mOluntel d upon two plendiil
anialas, with the easy grace of
eqgeetriaas accustomed to-the sad
die.
On= ,asss a maiden of scarcely
more than sixteen, with a fresh,
lo e fcy,.i ap4. form d.veloyink
iI~rº titclo w'tuari* rt4
habit and a slouch hat with heavy
ostrich plume. Gauntlet gloves in
cas d her tiny hands, while abomt
her there was an air of high breed
ing,
SHer company was nearly double
her ago, attired in the undress uni
form of a captain of cavalry. He
was a striking looking man, with a
frank, fearless face, that was very
fascinating.
That there w#4'$ love affair exist
ing between the'two-young as was
the maiden-their glances indi
cated, and the course of true love,
in their case, seemed to be running
smooth.
SPresently they camoupoqa crowd
of men in the roadway. A youth
lay bound upon the ground, his face
pale and bleeding, and above him
bent a half dozen rude fellows, talk
niar orgry tonea
"Carter, what means this distui -
ance?' asked the maiden sternly,
:addreisingone ofthie men.
he ran louchehiA hi hat politely
and replied:
S"It'rlenas, Miss Inht, that we've
..,uglt..Turtar here, but we've got
him tied fast now."
"What has he been doing, Car
ter?"
"Well, you see, Miss, I saw him
coming out of the forest, where, you
know, your father allows no gun
ning, and 1 called to him to stop
aid he paid no attention to me, so
I c.lled the boys from the field and
we gave chase and caught him, al
though he fought like a tiger."
"And have you dared attack a
man in the public road, sir? My
fItlh shql hear of this at once,"
smaU hfer an'if angtv$. a I
"He's nothing but a gypsy, Miss,
from the camp over the hiUll'.on.
der," aullenly" said' tI man.. -
"He is a human being and was
,uhfas6tb 14i. .il nbin4 ,rtuµ at
once, airl"
The young officer now sprang
.,*rp. hiq horde ~ad quickly released
the youth, who was 'secured with a
roUpe, csu4 i kindly: "Get up,
my man, and rettdr to your camp."
The youth turned his dark eyes
upon the ste.ker'and said, faintly:
"I can not, sir; I ant badly hurt"
-' %fShtl dil yar, Carters 'A rndiu
ber of burly men to beat a poor boy
as you have done! You shalt suffer
for this, all of you!" cried the maid
en, indignantly; andt, as the IUqu
hung their heads abashed, she cob
tinued:
"IIise him in roar aryps and
carry hit'n't ine& to the mansiou,
while I ride by and send Dr. Moore
to see him. Tell Jane to put him
:in ha comfortable room."
S':. Anxious to redeem themselves in
the eyes of their employer's daugh
ter, thhe men raused the youth in
their arms and bore him away,
while Luiu S.:uford and her escort,
Capt. Fred. DeLaney, galloped on
after the physician.
An hour biter the two rode up
I to the door of a magn:lificent man
stion, surrounded by ornamental
grounds, flower gardens, and every
indication that those who dwelt
there were possessed of wealth and
refined taste.
At the doo# an elderly gentle
n an imet them, who called out
f ploansantly:
"Well, Fred, I am glad to see
you, my boy. Richard told me you
had arrived this morniug."
"Yes, colonel, I received sixty
ldays furlough and stopped to see
you on my way home; and this
afternoon Miss Lulu and myself ran
off for a ride," replied the young
officer.
"And I am very glad- we did,
t papa, for I found your overseer,
- Cyrýýti d- ¢ Q th, Jmdr foci,,
liad beafen i'bo~i severel. just 1
cause he did not stop when comn
e manded to," said Luln.
"Yes, the doctor is now with the
e poor boy, and hin frther'too.- I fear
the youth is badly hurt, and Carter
and4the mnai shidl leaae a.utile at
once, for the little fellow was doing
no harm, and his being a gypsy is
no crime. But come into the house
s and get ready for dinner, for I have
a surprise for you."
"A surprise for me?" said Luln.
"Yes, I have found a governess
g for yon--one in every way compe
tent to teach you singing and in
a strumental musio,- as you 'desire,
b and who speaks Italian perfectly;
she will be here in two Weeks, and I
C have engaged her for two years, so
m you can complete "your education
under her."
"I am so glad-I was afraid that
I would have to go to a boarding
- school." And Lulu ascended to
'her. room, while her .father took
Capp. DeLancy in charge.
The gypsy boy was severely hurt,
and for nearly a week the doctor
feared he might not recover. His
" father hung night mid day over
L him, never caring for himself. At
length the youth rallied, and re
cuperated with such rapidity that
-the gypsy chief said he could take
him back to camp, a kindness that
was accepted.
"And, lady," said the chief, with
Sdeep feling d'mu boy owes you )1is
life, and 'the prayers of our people
will ever be for your joy. I have
money to pay, yet I will not insult
l a heart-that was kind--s kind that
you btciught uly boy to your own
home, and have cared for him as
though he wep your own kin, and
not a poor, wane ring gypsy."
"Now, lady, I kg you to rememn
ber, if ever tue world should turn
against you. that you have true
friends in the camp of Capt. Carl,
the bgypsy.
"Lulu offered her hand in farewell
to both Capt. Carl, as his tribe
called him, and the boy; and the
dignified manner and striking ap
pearanee of the wandering chief
could not but impress her.
l* * * * * *
The second da after the de t
VreL oS U s s fr ap H ord
Hill, as tm rid old ex-army offi
i eer's place was called, there was an
arrival in the ptrson of the govern
' es engaged to "finish off" Lulu's
" education.
At tlhe first glance at Viola Hale,
Lulu did not like her; but ina felw
moments, aftet shb changed her
mind, and seemed almost fascinated
by the'beautiful'govet'niess, for she
was strangely, weirdly beautiful,
I with great black, eyes in which
slept worlds of passion, ripe red
lips, teeth like milk add without a
i blemish, and hair that touched the
floor when she was standingr-hair
i blue-black and with an inclination
to curl.
Her complexion was dark, almost
bronze is hue, but there was rich
Sblood in her cheeks, and her form
was the very perfection of grace and t,
beauty. h
Her age was hard to tell-at times I
- she seemed like a girl, and then v
I again one might not be far from *
wrong if he said she was nearly
I thirty. f
I From her entree into the man- 1
sion she ruledk, and yet no one seem- I
- ed to know that she held the reins, c
L but Col. Sanford oon became her c
slave. Lulu seemed wholly under I
her influence, and no one appeared
Sto be conscious that she made her
power felt. She was an accomplish- c
Sed musician, and sang with a depth
a of feeling ,that would captute, any
a listener. 1
, When at length Capt. Fred De- I
; laneey came again to Sanford Hill;,
he seemed, to Lulu's surprise, not
I, to take a fancy to her.
S "That wionan has a. history,
Lulu, and a dark one, mark my 4
word for it," he said.
S "She is very beautiful, Fred, ac
complished, sweet tempered, and,
e and-"
r "And what, Lulu?"
r "And I do not like to have you
t find fault with my sweet governess."
"Then I will not. She's an angel
- -only she has a history," and the
e persistent man could not be changed
e in his opinion.
The next day Fred proposed a
i. horseback ride, and when the horses
awere brought, Viola Hale appeared
L in a habit that set off her wondrous
!beauty strangely.
, "She's been in a circus, I'll wa
g; er," said Fred, in a low tone, as he
I lifted Lulu to her saddle, and he
oi was convinced of this when be saw
n the perfect Wasiner is whbice the
governess managed the wild horse
it she rode.
Whether Viola Hale realized that
the young captain did not exactly
like her, it was hard to tell; but she
suddenly began to tanr her battery
of fascination upon him in a man
ner thatthreatened to change his
mind regarding her. But fortu
nately his furlough was soon ended,
and he departed for his command
on the frontier, a happy man, be
cause Lulu Sanford had promised
to become his wife when she was a
year a.ud&aJWf older, and Col. San
ford approved the match; for the
young officer teame of a good fami
ily, and was a brave and dashing
fellow, and possessed no evil hab
its.
A year passed by, and again Cap
tain Fred. De Lancy was a visitor
at Sanford Hill, and delighted at
the wpade4 prare n. had
ndiae"under herb gover
ness.
Have you picked up any links,
Lulu, that connect her with the
past?" asked Fred.
"For shame, Fred! She is all
that is lovely, and I believe that
papa is seally in love with her; and
I assure you I would not object to
her for a step-mother."
"And does she care for your
father, Lulu?'
"I thought so once; now I be
lieve she only admires and respects
him..
'"I lest heavilyof later he wrote
me."
"Yes you'll not get the rich heir
ess you expect to, as papa is now
barely well off'
"1. have been moie fortunate, for1
my wealth has increased; and after
I marry you I shall resign from the
army, and settle down to take care
of my estates."
"I am glad to hear you say so,
for I have no desire to see your
brown curls taken offby an Indian's;
scalping-knife. But here comes
Miss Hale."
As Luln spoke, the governess
swept into the room, and was more
than ever gracious to Capt. Do Lan
cy; and during his entire visit did:
she devote herself to him in such a
way, that when he again returned
to the army he admitted that he I
had mistaken her, and believed her I
to be a thoroughly good and true I
woman.
* * * * * * *1
"I would like to see Miss San-1
ford--my boy has sent her some
little trinkets which he made for
her," said Capt Carl, the gpysy
chief, appeatriug at Sanford Hill one
day, nearly two years after his de
parture.
-I In his hand he held a basket, in
which were some wooden and shell
ornaments skillfully carved.
i "Miss Luln has not been very
well of late, and it's a pity, for Cap
tain De Laney is coming home soon
- to marry her; but I'll tell her you
are heie," said the butler, and he
t soon returned with word that he
was to come into the library.
In an easy chair, a book lying
Sclosed upon her lap, sat Lulu San
ford, looking pale, with a haggard
expression in her beautiful eyes.
• 'It was very kind of your son to
remember me, and these are very
beautiful indeed. I suppose k' is
a quite a man now?"
But the gypsy made no reply, and
I his eyes were riveted upon Lula.
e Again she spoke to him, surprised
I at his steange look, and then from
his lips burst the question:
a "Where did you get that charm,
s lady?"
l Supported by agold chain of rare
a workmanship that encircled her
neck, hung a massive gold heart,
with a single ruby of rare size in
e the center, and upon this the eyes
e of the gypsy were fixed with a star
v tied look.
e "This beautiful charp," and Lulu
e raised it in her fingers", "was given
to me a month ago by my gover
t ness."
y "Lady, I would know that gold
a heart with its single rqd eye wamong
ya million; it is the Death Charm !"
The man spoke in hoarse tones,
a and his manner'tartled Lulu, who
- said quickly:
I "Tie Death Charm? What
you mean?"
"Lady, let me see it, please?" -
Impressed by his manner, IaM
unfastened the clasp and handed it
to him.
For a moment be gazed intently
upon it, and then, to the surprise of
the maiden, he tocbhed a spring,
the existence of which she knew
not, and it flew open like a locket.
"I knew I was not mistaken-it
is the Death Charm. See here,
lady-do you see these little marks
that look like engraving? Well,
they are holes through the gold
back, as you see when I bhold it up
to the light. There-you ,see this
sponge within this wire case?-this
is satunrated with deadly. polponn
poison that you inhale day by day,
until you gradually die, and none
know the cau v. your death.
Lady, he who ~b 'this wished
to murder you!" ,
..As White as snout trembling
with excitenient, Lnlu cried:..
"No, no, no! It was given me by
my dear governess, Viola Hale!"
"Viola Hale! The first name is
her's; she must be the one who is
yotr. foe, lady. Idthbp woman you
speak.of in this house?"
As the gypsy. spoke the governess
glided into-the room, and when her
eyes fell uponi the tall form near
Lulu, she stopped, turned livid, and
with a cry upon her lips, sank to
the floor.
"Oh, sir, call the servants, for she
has fainted," cried Lulu, in alarm.
"Lady, let her lie there while I
tell you she is not worthy of a kind
thought. That woman is my wife."
"Your wife?" whispered Lulu.
"Yes, lady, she is, like myself, a
gypsy,.and at.fqurteen years of age
became my wife and queen of the
hand; but the year after the birth
of our boy, whose life you have
saved, she ran away fronm me to go
with an Italian prince, and when
she had squandered his joney she
left him, top, to attach herself to,a
Spauiard, a sorerer, and the-mao .
I who made this DyatCharm I bold
his own poisons, and came back to
Ime, p'ofessi nrepentance. Ap it
was o re to. bI
as I still onbted bet, t -
this very charm to wear aound y
neck, tellipg me itewpgk1d Iau l ke
my love for hier.
"Accidentally, I found a paper
I one day that told me the secret of
the Death Charm shd its poise,
P and I aooaeud her pf.heg treah~ry,
So great was her assumed grie(t at
I did not make known her iuntA to'
I kill me to my band.
e "The next day she dimppeurd
8 and carried the charm .with her.
Since then I never knew what be
g came of her; but thank heaven, I
came here to-day."
d In horror Lalu had estened to
the awful story, and then dae lit
Sthat it was all true; for it 4sae so,
! her now how her old nure hard
is said that the' governess wanted t
marry Fred De Laney herself; thie
d how she had insisted that lfre love
of her, the charm ahlould be worn
d daSy and aight, and from tlheq .
n time she put it on her healbth
to fail.
a, "Oh, how could she be so wickl
ed?"
' "It is her nature, lady. Ab, she
r is recovering consciorusnes" !"
t, the gypsy chief stepped toward th
n prostrate woman, and, in his o*
* language, spoke to her Armly. " '
r- With everiy uTrv quivering, and
her black eyes looking wild with
u terror, the woman arose a id
n before her master, thoroughly com
r- quered.
'-Lady, please send this womia'n
d things to this address in"-the'et"
g and Capt. Carl banded Lulu a -
"while be otnttnued: "Keep .t
a, Death Charm, but tak from it
o deadly poison. Keep it *s a -
nor Cp lad d the
dad bLa smon. .i t
"Co me,
Without a word and bowed bebil
she followed him, and-Lulu wmashlet
alone in horror and griet 'ibmw ite
father found her, and from hbdr li
heard the terrible story. He ibldskt
hiw daughter in bis arms in rapture
at her escape, while he said: .
"I do believe her guilty amo
Lulu, for I reanember, I belisued
she loved me at fBrst, yet her ran
noer changed as soon as I met ..it
financial misfortunes, a4 itr as
evidently her intent to kill Syoo nd
marry Fred I)e Lancy, for she,;
quently asked about his ricbeh.. I
wonder what her band will do pith
her?"
"I cannot tell, father."
"Then we will drive to theirdanp
to-morro.v and have a talk 'wlh
Capt. Carl, who seems to be .~ibk
did fellow." , a
And the neat day Lula fe&:so
much better that she drove to tbe
gypsy camp with herfather, beh the
wanderers had departed; .~nldln
they returned again to the atigh
borhood, five years after, I[Jlanuws
Mrs. De Lancy, and a little bpv,
whom they had named Carl., A4er
the chief, who, with his son, eazpe
to Saiford Hill to visit them, grpet
ed him.
The gypsy boy had grown into a
handsome man; Capt Chirl's ocks
were nearly white, and -a look of
settled melancholy rested in his
eyes.
When asked by Luln aad her
husband about Viola, he said, -in a
low, stern voice:
"She is dead, lady; our tribe'sn
tenced her to die by her own hand,
and, being a gypsy, she'o ed"~'
And Capt. Osrl andl=- b seetse
turned to their. woodlasad. ·amp
ment, buvytigin their havassbit
ter secret.

xml | txt