The Diary of Anne Marie Wellington
By: 12 year old writer, Sara Elenbarger, Rogers Arkansas

Today is a lovely day!  I always enjoy writing in you, but despite this glorious day, I am not happy!  Yesterday while Henry, my second eldest brother was chopping wood, he discovered a dead body.  At first he thought it was someone whom had frozen. September through April are very cold, and it often freezes. But as Henry rolled him over, he saw that it was our Uncle Fredrick! I do believe that my salty tears shall fall on your beautiful flowered pages.  Everyone is mourning his death!  He was mother’s baby brother. She has locked herself in the water closet and cries as though she hopes the water closet shall flood so she can join her dear brother! I cried all last night. Uncle Fredrick or Uncle Freddie as I used to call him, was my favorite Uncle of many uncles!  Every Christmas he would say, “How’s favorite niece,” then, “How ‘bout a kiss for ole Uncle Freddie?”  He would hold a little piece of mistletoe over our heads and I would give him a peck on his cheek. Uncle Freddie was very handsome. He had dark brown eyes, sandy brown hair, and dimples when he smiled! He would always bring my brothers and me candy. Horehound candy sticks. Whom would want to kill him, my wonderful Uncle?

        Good-bye for now,
                                   Anne  Marie

The policemen of Scotland Yard have began an investigation. At the moment they are questioning Henry.  Mother is still very depressed, but she no longer locks herself in the water closet. Today we attended Uncle Fredrick James Maine’s funeral. For two days, his casket sat on our front porch.  Hundreds of visitors came to pay their respects. Everybody liked him because he was the local lawyer.  He helped so many of them from losing their land due to hardship. It was a sad day! I didn’t wear my usual crimson white poplin, but I wore a long black mourning dress with a light black silk veil over my face. Mother cried, and as the casket was placed into the ground, she yelled, “Stop!” I thought she was going to hurl herself into the grave!  Though I thought she might, she only walked up to the once again raised casket, and placed Uncle Freddie's favorite piece of music, which he had played so well, and a little ring with his first initial engraved on it. She placed it on his smallest finger on his right hand which lay over his left one. She broke down sobbing all over again! She had been trying so hard to hold it back, but she just couldn’t! Uncle Fredrick looked so peaceful lying there in the casket, while it was lowered into the bottom of the grave!  There was a glass top on the casket. Even though I am 16, I couldn’t control my crying!  I felt so alone, so empty, and so angry that anyone would murder my wonderful Uncle. I am going to find out whom killed him! I shall!

Later

I am so despaired!  The investigators from Scotland Yard have not found my Uncle Freddie's murderer! They have questioned everyone!  Mother sits in her rocking chair rocking backward and forward.  Johann, our stableman shall have to repair it after long!  It is as though her spirit has left her, and the body rocks continuously!  It is like my favorite book, Dove’s Song. “Hast thou lovely voice left, Sweet Dove? Pray thee singest thou song, and bring joy once again to all those whom listen!” It is so sad! My mother, the sweet dove, her song hast left her!  My hand is growing idle, but I shall finish this page. As I write this, the clock chimes 12:00!  What is this?  People are shouting! It is Henry!  I must find out what is happening!

I am now just getting back to you,
                             Anne  Marie

I have not written in you for a while because I have been waiting for the shock to cease! The yelling a few days ago was my brother Henry, but he was yelling because the investigators believe Henry killed Uncle Freddie!  I probably forgot to mention that Uncle Freddie was stabbed, they believe, with an ax!  They believe that Henry and Uncle Freddie quarreled about something, Henry stabbed him, and then pretended to find him!  I was extremely vexed that they thought this, so I stood up and told it was not so. Henry couldn’t have killed him! I knew he didn’t kill him, because as the doctor said, Uncle Freddie laid there for two days!  They could also have asked the doctor to find out that Henry was inside the house with a head cold all week!  They look extremely foolish. Henry looked at me both triumphantly and gratefully. I have a clue whom could have done it, or at least how it was done! As I walked by my Uncle’s casket, I noticed hand marks on his neck. I believe, Dear Diary, that he was strangled first, then stabbed!  The perfect cover up!  No one would have noticed, and if they did they would probably dismiss it!  I am going to talk to the investigators about my theory. The supper bell is ringing.

I’m off to Scotland Yard,
                      Anne  Marie

O, woe is me! The investigators would not listen to me!  They laughed at me because I am only 16. I am so angry!  Can you imagine that?  Not listening to me just because of my age, and I am a girl!  I saw the marks on Uncle Freddie's neck!  I am going to the chopping block tonight.   I believe that the murder shall come back looking for Uncle Freddie's body, not believing that it was already found!  Shall I tell you whom I believe did it???   I believe it was Lord Roche!  He despised my Uncle Freddie since they met at the age of 10!  My mother told me. For what reason?  I know not. Uncle Freddie bore no grudge against him,  Mother said. Tonight I shall see, perhaps, if my hunch is correct!  I have been reading Barrette Trails, Book of Mysteries! It is a collection of difficult mysteries.  This is where I got this idea of mine!

 Well, we shall see!
 Good-bye for now,
                Anne  Marie

My feeling my feeling!  It was correct!  I know, no I believe I know whom killed Uncle Freddie!  It was not Lord Roche, it is a woman!  She is very beautiful!  She has golden hair. When I saw her, her golden hair hung in ringlets about her shoulders. She was wearing a blue poplin with a black cape draped about it. A blue bow tied her hair at the top. I know who she is.  Her name is Michelle La Blue. She was Uncle Freddie's lady friend. He had stopped seeing her in April of this year.  She was infuriated. I can see she has a, what did the detectives call it... a motive!  I don’t think they questioned Michelle!  I shall have Henry tell them immediately ! He is 24, they shall listen to him!  I must tell Henry!  I am sure he will tell them!

        Anxiously waiting

 I was shocked to find that when I burst in the door yelling, “Henry, Henry, come quickly”, that he didn’t come.  I walked into the parlor doorway, and there she sat, holding my brother’s hand!  She was crying fake tears, but they were not of sadness,  they were of joy!  I looked at her hand. No, I thought, it cannot be!  On her finger was a diamond engagement ring! “Little sister,” he cried to me, “Come, share our joy. We are engaged!” I did not answer him, I turned and ran upstairs. Now I write my sorrows on your flowered pages!  He will never tell now!  The evil woman! She will be my sister-in-law. I cannot believe this is happening!  I wonder how long this has been going on? What a fool my brother is!  Maybe they are in on it together!  I shall go to Scotland Yard,  myself, I will make them listen to me!  Someone approaches my door!

Good-bye for now,
                Anne  Marie

At last they listened to me!  I told them about Michelle, and they said that she could have a good motive for killing him!  I confess that I did not tell them about Henry and Michelle. They might think I am vengeful! I shall tell you something in confidence. It may seem cleshe and, and childish, but I have started to follow Henry and Michelle!  Today, I followed them down to the pond! The vile witch was just twirling Henry round her little white gloved finger! She was whispering in his ear, and when they sat down on the little stone bench, and it was very convenient for me!  There was a cluster of tall grass behind the bench. I sat and listened. This is such a wonderful thing I have heard!  A confession!  Not of undying love and devotion, but of undying hatred, and murder!  I wish I had something to prove she told him!  But I shall tell you! This is exactly what she said...
 “Henry dear, you know I love you!  There is something I must tell you! Your Uncle Fredrick, I, I, I... can’t explain this, so I shall say it straight out! I KILLED HIM! I was so angry. I had one of my father’s farm hands strangle him, and then I took the ax and stabbed him. He, he wasn’t all the way dead, just gasping, so I killed him with the ax! He knew that I was stealing from my family and was going to tell my father.”

 It may have been a foolish thing to do, but I went to Scotland Yard and told them what I had heard!  It might be hard to believe, Dear Diary, but they listened to me!  They said they would look into it!  I do not believe that they will though. I had no proof.  I can see her beautiful face when they show up at her door. What shall Henry say?  Will he hate me forever?  Someone is coming...
It was so!  They caught Michelle La Blue.  It is a miracle, is it not?  Just wait until I tell you how they caught Michelle.  Her own fiancé had to tell the authorities! I am so proud of him. I asked him yesterday why he told, he said because he didn’t really love her! He just had the same hunch that I did.  He asked her to marry him, and that was how planned to trick her into confessing to him.  My brother is a genius!  He knew what to do.  I love him so.  So..., “case closed,”  as the detectives say.

Good-bye for now,
                Anne  Marie

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