Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1845-07-17
ortb praises even from the Queen.

and then, as if disdoining such prey sail
ed rapidly forward to the blue hills Of
Dalmahoy.
Curse on the false birdv muttered
Darnley, fercely, 1T has bulked me ofmy
dearest wish. Spur Giles! find the hawk
and wrench round its neck'
The page looked wist(ully around, as il
10th to leave the scene ofsport, but dread
ing the rage of his impetuous lord, spurr-
ed the stced as he had been com
manded, in the line orflight Of the truant
bird.
The falcon ofSir George Gordon was
next unhooded. 1t was strong bird OF
dull grey color, and appeared restless
and eager to be set on its game. But
the flight of the last falcon had not been
unperccivcd by the heron, which now left
the peak on which it had first perched and
settled down in narrow bei Of the rock
Lure out the heron cried several
voices TO young Gordon, set not the fall
con on bird ENGAGED with rocky stone,
My falcon is from the mountains of Loeb
abar, and fears not the rocky cleft said
the youth, looking kindly at the bird, as
it sat upon his wrist, rullling its proud neck
as if gratficd by his caresses, Now my
hawk, st Mary speed the?
Off darted the bird, toward me place
where the heron stood; then mounting
higher and higher, with rapid sweeps, still
keeping the line of the rock as kind Ct
center to the circles which he formed,
until he almost disappeared from the
spectators view, suddenly shot down
right upon the cleft; the line Of descent
was faithful to his object, and its rapidly
must have rendered the heron pow
erIess in his grasp, but the noble falcon
struck against small point Of a rock that
jutted into the cleft, and the next moment
fell lilcIess into the loch. The heron
raised himself, tapped his long wings, as
if in defiance, and again settled down IN
the security ofthe cleft.
The sudden death Of the bird, the
knowledge Of Gordon's passion for the
Queen, and the deadly paIeness that now
oycrspread his face, created in The minds
ofaA present sudden preseutimcnt of
evil. A slight gloom for a few moments
was cast over the whole party, not eXcep-
ting the Queen herself; aud when, not
long after this period, Sir George Gordon
ltoned on the scafiod for his imprudent
owe: men spoke 10 Scotland of that fall
cons flight.
1t was now the turn of Norman Bruce,
As his fdlconcr placed his bird on his
wrist, Ellen Lindsay urged her pal(rey
forward a few PAGES, and looked anxious
y ward him. But his eyes sought her
not. They looked to the Queen and their
ylances met.
Il trust, good Norman said Queen
Mary, thy falcon has true eye and trusly
wing, else by my fay, it seemcth likely to
ARE but ill.,
1t may fail to hit its mark, my liege
ady, said the youth, but it will strike
ii its game, and, continued he gIancing
1t Darnley, who frowned and bit his lips,
Il would stake thy royal iavor-the
wealth | highest prizc--that my falcon
;eeks no paslime on Dalmahoy, while
Ionder heron sits upon the rock
Freely spoken, Bold words, Brave
y hanged, were whispered among the
pectators. BY St Mary, the Bruce, will
uifle it with the best in Scotland, and il
nay be carry off the prize
The Queen said nothing, but turned 70 |
Ter attendants. Ellen Ruthycn also turn
ID away, and raised her little hand as i'll
o shade her eyes from the sun, while
Iorman's bird, now unhooded, quickly
aught glimpse of its prey, and loosen
d from his wrist, vas already cleaving
he air with regular but rapid movements,
Ugh over the blue waters of the loch.
Bruce's falcon was the smallest OF the
hree, but it was an active and highly"
'alned bird. No sooner, had it made
Nv sweeps round the rock, stretching
ut"ls neck and opening its talons, as if
ager to pounce upon its sullen adverse
Y, than it perceived the danger of an I'M
a,y attack, and instead of darting for
ard like Gordon's bird, it descended in
spiral line, narrowing its circuit as it
pproached the rock, and still keeping its
right eyes fixed upon its prey. At
myth, when all expected it was again
} fly round in wider circuit it sudden.
struck from its course and rushed tow
I'd the heron, as if then for the first time
ware of its presence. But the heron was
OF an easy prey. twas strong, pow
r!nt bird, and as it tapped its wide wings
nd stuck forward its head and talons
18th all the rapidity of fury, the falcon
hch was the smaller of the two, SEEM =
] rather to be the prey than the pur-
Ter. The fight too, being in the narrow
eft, Bruce's bird gained little by its su-
'rlor activity, and it soon became impos-
lie even to guess the issue of the combat
nothing could be seen but the rapid
ruggIes Of the fierce birds, and their
altered feathers flying about the rock.
by our Lady, Bruce, thy falcon has ,
FUSED itself rarely, said one of his COM
nions. WAS it a present from your
dy-love, that ye look so sadi' 6
Saint Agnes! cried another, it will s
me from the rock without feather, and ;,
Il