A HORRIBLE TALE.

Colonist, Volume XXVII, Issue 3882, 1 April 1884, Page 3

A HORRIBLE TALE.

" Silvek Pen" writes in the Auckland' Herald:-—Some horrible things occur here now and then, but somehow or other, they are more or less in all cases characteristics of each other. Murder, suicide, or brutal conduct from man to woman make nearly aIJ. the sensations that crop up so often. This tale of sorrow is one, however, more like overstretched romance of a dime novel than a real occurrence which is now filling the people's minds with horror and sorrow. Two years ago a very beautiful girl; aged about 17, came to this city, and went to live at a house which does not bear, a very good character, though it is'" quiet and private. She was reticient as to her former history, but by-and-by she told how she had fallen in love with an actor while at school in Philadelphia, who had implored her to run away, and marry him privately. The girl's parents were rich and influential, and she was the only daughter, her brother having been disowned by his parents long before on account of his vicious propensities and bad conduct. The girl refused to fly for a long time, but after a while consented. The

villian, who had deceived her, never married her, but fell in love with an actress, and left the poor victim starving in New York, where she met a gentleman who took her to be his housekeeper. . He gave her a large , quantity of fine diamonds, - and she i was content, if not happy; but one day seeing her father and mother driving past her, she knew at once they had come to the city to look for her, and, sooner than face them, she took the train and came .here. She was. a modest and highly-accomplished girl, beautiful to look upon, and delightful to talk to, and so infatuated were the men who met her that many of them offered her marriage, which she always declined. She had a friend also belonging to the same class as that to which she had fallen. The two elegant-looking women might be seen day after day walking about, inseparable, till the friend's lover fell in love with Mollie, the heroine of this sad story. She took no notice of him, I but the friend (Kate) became jealous, and swore to have revenge. A few weeks ago Mollie died quite suddenly and left the dying request that as she died so she might be buried, without changing her clothes. Her wish was complied with, but her diamonds were not found after death, and then Kate, the friend, planned with her lover to take up the dead body, and recover the jewels, which she supposed were on the corpse. He hired a cab, and, taking two ruffians, prepared to rob the dead. The two men graw fearful over the dreadful work, but the halfdrunken lover of Kate was resolute in the. determination of getting at,, ? the jewels. They dug up the coffin, £rise| it open, and searched the cold body with trembling hands .and failing hearts, but there were no diamonds • and, just as they were shutting down the coffin lid, the man Morris (the lover) saw a, locket on the girl's bosom. Striking a light, he found in the lockel a clipping from a newspaper with this notice : —"To Elizabeth C , wife of John C——, a daughter" The girl whose corpse he was there to rob was his own sister, and with her he had beeii enamoured. The shock was so great that the wretched man fell to the .ground with an" awful shriek. When he camo out of a stupor, lasting an hour, he was quite insane, and is now in the Napa Lunatic AsylumT ■ ; : .;"'\ r