A Sad Virginia Romance.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 50, 17 May 1884, Page 5

A Sad Virginia Romance.

While visiting an old friend in a Virginia village a month ago, I attended worship one Sunday at the parish church, and was very much attracted by an aged and handsome couple who sat in the pew opposite me. The pastor preached a very affecting sermon on the " Prodigal's Return," which, I noticed, affected|the old lady to tears and had a marked effect on the gontleman. I mentioned the circumstance tint evening to my friend, when sne related to me the following sad, true story :—: — The old couple were Mr and Mrs Col. D . They were both of the most aristocratic, wealthy families of Virginia. Col. D was an honourable, upright gentleman, but very proud and passionate. He had one son, "Gus," his only heir — a warm-hearted, generous, pleasing young man, just turning his twenty-first year. He was well-known throughout the county, and was beloved by all who knew him. He inherited his father's pride, but not his violent nature. About a mile from Col. D 's residence lived a gentleman between whoee family and the Colonel's a feud of long standingexisted. Col. D had frequently warned his son, not under any circumstances ever to visit any member of the gentleman's family. A daughter of the hated house, on her eighteenth birthday, gave a large party, to which all the young people were invited, including the venerable Colonel's son Gus. On hearing of the party and his son's invitation to it, he sent for him and most positively forbade him to attend. The son promised he would not. The invitations were for 4 o'clock, as a supper on the lawn was part of the programme. About 3 o'clock on that day, Gus called for his team, a splendid pair of handsome greys, and ordered the coachman to drive him. Some time after his departure Col. D , who had been away sinoe morning, returned, and on asking for his son, was informed by one of the servants that he had driven out two hours ago. The Colonel flew into a passion, called for his hunting whip, mounted his horse, and rode swiftly towards the neighbour's mansion. As he dashed past he saw his son's team under the trees, and cared for by his own coachman. He kept on to a small shady lane leading in an opposite direction from the house, when he suddenly came upon his son walking with a young lady , r and without a word, he rode up, seized him and cut him several times over the face and back with his riding whip. " You ungrateful scoundrel," he said, "never cross my path again." The Colonel's face was white with passion as he rode away. This happened over fifteen years ago, and although thousands of dollars have been spent and every effort made to find some traces of the missing man, they have been ineffectual, and not one person who knew him before has ever seen him since that day. The sad truth was that the Colonel's son, it was found afterwards, had not gone tothe party, but loaned his team to a young friend to whom both his father and himself were warmly attached, and who drove Gus as far as the lane, where his father had met him and chastised him in the presence of her he loved, and whom he had accidentally met. — Richmond, Va., Letter to "Philadelphia Press," March 17th.