General Jerningham, however, came to the conclusion that he indeed
beheld the mortal remains of his poor sister, although the only
evidence he could obtain was the description given of her appearance
by those who had seen her in life. He may have been influenced,
likewise, by the fact, that the unfortunate lady had arrived at the
hotel only on the previous day, and that no one knew who she was,
whence she had come, or whither she was going. After making every
possible inquiry, but without obtaining more satisfactory
information, the General and his family put on mourning. The shock
he had sustained produced bad effects on an already enfeebled
constitution, and accelerated the veteran's decease. During his last
days, he frequently alluded to 'poor Bessie' in affectionate terms;
and we then gathered at least one fact relating to her past history.
Her lover, it seems, had been suddenly carried off by malignant
fever on the eve of their wedding-day, bequeathing to Bessie all his
property; and Bessie, who had never known serious sorrow before,
gave no sign, by sigh or lamentation, that she bemoaned the untimely
fate of her betrothed, but withdrew herself from friends and
connections, and became the restless, homeless, harmless being at
whose peculiarities we had so often laughed, little thinking that
tears of secret anguish had probably bedewed the pathway of her
early wanderings. This very concealment of her grief, however, may
have arisen from the peculiar idiosyncrasy which procured for her
among all who knew her the name of the Mysterious Lady. But we will
not talk of her in the past tense. We are so sure of her being
alive, that we are even now anxious to conclude our visit to the
pleasant house where this is indited, feeling a presentiment we
cannot overcome, that the first interesting object we shall see on
returning home is that mystical card which has so often startled and
baffled our curiosity--'Miss. Jerningham.'