Berea High School - Prima Luce Yearbook (Berea, NC)

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PRIM A LUCE over a lover; but I, for my part, will forever believe that that scoundrel, Mahoney, was responsible for her disappearance.’ With this remark he passed on. “One afternoon the following September, as I was sitting in my office, the postman shoved a letter through the slit in the door. Its contents were : Dear Mr. Humphry : Mrs. Webster and I were overjoyed to learn yesterday that our daughter is alive and living happily with her husband in South Carolina. Thanking you for your former services, we beg to remain, Your affectionate friends, Mr. and Mrs. John Webster. “As I was re-reading the note the bell rang. “ ‘Come in,’ I answered. “At this word the slender form of a woman, deeply veiled, entered the room. “Ms this Mr. Humphrey?’ she inquired. “I replied in the affirmative. “ ‘Have a seat,’ I continued. ‘Thank you. but I haven’t time,’ the visitor responded. ‘I understand that you were connected with Mahoney’s case.’ “ ‘Yes, I was given charge of the preliminaries,’ I assented. “Briefly I gave her the synopsis of the proceedings and of Mahoney’s end. “ ‘Do you know where his children are?’ she inquired. “ ‘He had but one child, did he? Oh, yes, one of them, the boy, is buried on the Banks, the other one is in the orphanage, or was until recently. Really, I don’t know where she is now.’ “ ‘I thank you,’ the woman returned in an almost inaudible voice. “ ‘But why are you so interested ?’ I queried. “ ‘I am related to his people and would like to care for the child. Mahoney was buried in Wilkes cemetery, was he not?’ “ ‘ Yes,’ I answered. “The lady left my office without revealing her identity and her sad appearance and reticence excited my curiosity. “ ‘I wonder who she is,’ I mused to myself. “Before I had time to collect my thoughts, I was called to investigate a shooting scrape in the city. The following morning the body of a woman, which was identified as that of Mrs. Mahoney, was found on the grave of her husband. Her hands were pressed tightly on her bosom holding this letter : Dear Flossie : May Lucille give you this letter. Some day you’ll return and regret your treatment of me. I know that lizard will desert you, as you deserted me. I’ve tried to bate you again and again, but I cannot. The remembrance of our early childhood days when we used to play together at school remains with me. I remember the long hours you sat beside me when I had the fever and the cooling effects of your caressing hands. The few happy days I have had were spent in your company. Flossie, Remembrance says Love; Judgment, Hate. You have been the destruction of my home. When little William died last year I promised him [ Page 67 ]

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P RIM A LUCE enough foAwTmeal ’ 5 U ' Cl ’ ' n1ght 1 put out the liets and onl y ot cot , AS WS e ” ,erKl ,he “oney i »ited us ,o rest ourselves upon the « “ hTamwri ? • books ■ ' 1 «— ■ « ' • « « •• « «■ . hood days ' , and since little Wdliamfdeath I E’b™ ,hep f sion of V b °y; “Alter studying his charade; for m hour or or ' e™ ?T y fon ' ° f p “ ,ry , ' ing than I had anticipated, we suddenly placed hS, ’ , Wh ' ch WaS ™ ore command ' be surprised, but was not excited and ralmlv asher T Y TYc He a PP eared tp v asked why he had been apprehended. “Specialists were sent to examine the skeletons five nf t , . i that of women. The grave under the ’ of ,ch were found to be bore out Mahoney’s story. mapIe tree was excavat ed, but its contents The trial of IMahonoy at Swan Oinrtpr . Public sentiment was runnin g hHh Parents Ir f rapld as lt . was spectacular, daughters and everybody was talking about the , fordie Safety of the11 ; Warren represented the defense and Mr aw 6 ” 1 ' , Me , SSrs - Mann and The lawyers for the defense had difficulty in fiYr Resented tbe States case, formed an opinion on the case. ln twe ve men who had not people, each ffinging get gllmpse f ' the r °° m Wa f fille 1 with curious war this true odhe c y h i8 assrsss s ne his”Sep ' rr ,h ? : “ d r 4 s „“ Webster, with suppressed emotion, rebated the misW ' families. A relative of Mrs. Mahoney told of bor Hi- 1 Lines that bef . e , their of the unhappy ones were presented to the jury MahonY I™ 1163 phere throughout the trial a, u, swXii inSt IS ' hTS ramtedTi’stoyhOTd mVblieJ ye ' arT and p’d Tf? lle bri , fly admitted having Miss Webster ' s picture that; n “ EJbf ' tf ' P T Emphatically he maintained that he knew nothing of the bones and added that he had only been on the Banks a couple of days when taken into custody y “To make a long story short, Mahoney ' was convicted and hanged His daughter was placed m an orphanage. On the day of his execution he requested Letter wTrinTtrucdon 7 ““ ■ ° ne of the j ad -s said’ that he gave rfn •, ■ th ,nh tructions to present it to no one except ‘mamma’ While going to the police heaquarters a few months afterward I met Capt. Bndgeman. He extended his hand, remarking • Mr “ PAS™ ' tffS g ,f‘f tU ‘ ' ° y “ ,he 1»‘ you hay, rendered. Mrs. Bndgeman yet feels that our daughter jumped overboard because she did not want to return to school, and also because 1 there was a disagreement l 9 [ Page 66 ]

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P RIM A LUCE never to utter a. word about your desertion T , , death. Why should I dishonor his memory? T uT n0t , Cared for life since his weakness of his mother. Why should T ,s .! 5e ' oncl m y power to reveal the They have had me up for causing the littIe L cillc? never seen. Flossie, if you ever return ® i th pe ?P le , some of whom I have that you would do two things— give Ludllfm V 0 f° f y ° Ur deeds ’ 1 wish remains placed beside those of little William ™ b6St ° f Care and have my The last word from your disappointed husband, John Mahoney. tried to recollecMhJ dTcuminces under which T nCar the shanty? 1 to my mind— there was a sand hill Just tr t 1 them ' 1 wo facts came skulls were not well developed— then ' came theT V™ tbe forehe ads of the Dune— the bones of Paleolithic men.” 4 ternble realization— A Moving the slapping of the ropes ' ha ’ceas d C andToh 6 ' 1 ' wu 6 Wi ' ld had moderated and Prophesyed, “I believe to-morrow will be a goodday for dTcSg ’ CaPtain — Orlando Stone. sl eep into the Heart CHARACTERS Humphry Harrison. Grandfather A Grandson Lettie Talmage A Old Englishman Servant A Poor Little Orphan TIME — Past PLACE— In England: a park belonging to an old Englishman . CURTAIN RISES ( An old ma , 11 dressed, with whitr hr , „ • „ , , , , enters from right, and walks very slowly H ’ mkles about hls forehead, From the left Humphry Harrison n Lw l carr S n 9 a golden-headed cane, briskly in. Humphry has a short black mult stout mt f n of about forty, walks a wrinkled brow. The two men meet near right ) wukci Poking eyes, and Humphry Good morning, Grandfather. Whv nre t „ by the Southern (Takes out watch and looks It it) 1 S ° ear y? 11 1S scarce nrae Grandfather Oh! I just came out for a little w-dl- t a all of .he time. Besides I though, i, best to gef fceMoSed t ' h ' h ° S ' f Page 68 ]