The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1835-05-20
LADY ISABEI-A LEGEND.

The Lady Isabel was a Scottish baron's daughter
and far was she famed. Were others fair, she was
fairer; were others rich, she was richer In short.
all perectlons were said to be centred in the Lady
Isabel, and yet that quality for which she ouobl 70
have been most priced seemed the one which made
least noise IN the worlds and this was her devoted
duty to her father. She was his only chiId-tbe
child of his old age, the idol of his heart and the
lamp of his life. But still he was cruel father :;
tor IN return for her duteous affections, he had de-
termined to wed her to a man she had never secn
while he knew her heart was anothcr's
The Lord of Ormsdae was the son of his ancient
friend and the possessor ofbroad lands in a distant
part of Scotland Tho two mon had sworn f., c,,c,
other that their children should be united Inn, orc
this FACTION, the youth had been sent abroad to he
initiated IN the art of war-an art but too mucL
pfactsed IN ms native country at that mc for he
1t known, that our peerless beauty bloomcd in the
fifteenth century when the fueds of the Scottish mo-
bllly were frequent and deadly Much was bru;tcd
abroad of the goodly person and brave qualities o
the young earl, but of this Lady Isabel had opportu
nifty of Judging, for never, as has been told bad shc
seen him. She had, however but too often seen his
cousin Roderick, and to him was her heart devoted
1t was true he had neither title, lands nor yossoI.
but he was handsome, a noble and u o,IIor'
youth, and he had knelt at her feet confessed hi.
love, and swore eternal constancy: and though
when she thought of her father, she turned coldly
hRl
and to weep most bitter tears of the happlcss fate
which doomed her to wed another. Roderick. nv
and by, went away to foreign land, distrauoht hy
his passion for Lady Isabel; and the time was lone
ana he returned not, and none spoke of him. or
seemed TO think Of him save his consolatc love But
1t was not so for the old baron loved him for his
worth and manly bearing; and when he saw his
daughter dr"oping her head like lily, he too was
unhappy, and repencd him of his rash VOW thouob
he would rather have sacrificed his own EG, ,GJ
hers too, than have broken his oath. And so time
passed on, aud many the suitors that souobt
the hand the Lady Isabel. Some loved her for
herself some for her great possessions, and some for
both; but all were sent hopeless away.
Ana now The time was at hand when the sun was
to shine upon the nineteenth birthday of the baron's
daughter, and muttudes were invited to his castle
to celebrate the festival with nrth and reyelrv Monv
were the reasons which he had thrown wide his
castle gates and welcomed numerous quests and
ample the hospltable provisions he had for then,
but never during his life, that of his forelathcrs
had there been such doings as now Whole bcca
tombs OF sheep and oxen blcd on the occasion. with
waln-ioads OF deer. wild and tame fowl, and other
creatures. Every country seemed to have becp
taxed for fruit and other decaces and wines of,hn
richest, seemed, by the quantities provided to he
intended absolutely to flow rivers The birth dov
OF the Lady Isabel had been celebrated as il comc
round ever since that one which she FIRST drew. bcr
breath, but never had there been even imacincd
such preparations ere this. The tongues ofail the
goss'ping old dowagers in the kingdom were set a
going on the occasion: some ASSIGNED onc roos,,,
for this extraordinary entertainment, and some an
other. Now there were several whose eager curos-
ity caused them so much uneasiness thai ihev won,
SO far as to ask an explanation of old baron him
self. They were all however, focd in the atempt
TO penetrate the mystery, and therefore set,le5 -
their own minds that the old man had either LOST his
wits altogether, or was in his dotaee.
Nor, to speak the truth, did the young lady. on
whose account was all the turmoil feel less surnrscd
than other people at her fathers unbounacd eytraya-
gance, especially as there arrived from the capital
cut in the most approved fashion of the dav. and
boxes filled with jcweIry which, added to the fom;.
y gems she already possessed, might have furnished
the dowry ofa princess.
The day at length arrived for which all this ex.
traord'nary preparation had been made; and the