The Columbian fountain., 1846-03-17


lord would permit them, Thus, when
they appeared at the ,supper-table, both
were much more calm and tranquil than
! when they had left the hall little grave
perhaps, but Mary soon recovered all her
cheerfnlness; Roger Dotton was never long
without his full share Of that sunshinv quail
ity ; and Allan, the harper, played them
many an inspiring air upon his instrument,
while Marian varied the hours with sweet
wild song of Lancashire, from which coun-
ty the poor girl came. Thus the time flew
almost quicker than either Roger Dutton or
Mary de Lacey liked, and good night was
said before either of them thought they
had been half happy enough to make up
for the passing sorrow, which had come and
gone. II, as9,s5g 1.5.. ri HI As
Early in the morning the horses were
saddled in the court-yard--for although la
dies were not in those DAYS such fragile
creatures as at present, yet they were sub
jrct to fatigue and other ills Of the kind ;
and the journey, on horseb ,cl, from Ches-
ter to Rothelan was, as the reader knows,
a long one. Roger Dulton lifted his lady
love into the saddle, afera she had been
duly mbraced and admonishad by her
father, and sprang upon his own horse's
back, but not before the Lord Constable
had made him repeat promisa to leave
Mary on the border, Of Flint soon as
she was safe under the escort d me men
Of her uncle Ranulph, and to return to
Chester Castle. m dsH 9a gsq at
The journey passed away happily-the
summer clouds chased each other lightly
over their heads-the varying thoughts of
love floated not unlike them through their
bosoms their conversation swept, like the
shadows of those vapors, over all things on
earth, Frightening everything with chang
ing light and shade-and, in short, the
sweet young season of the heart was up
on them, above them, metamorphosing
everything by its magic power into its own
image. The moments will fly, however
dear reader. and the brighter ones have
still the swallows wings, fitting near us
and passing away from Us with equal ra
lpidity. The borders Of Flinlshire were
reached at length: some half dozen spear.
men were waiting for Mary's escort; and
though Mistress Margaret vowed that she
was tired and her mistress like to drop,
they would not consent to pause above a
quarter of an hour for the lady's repose,
for reasons best known to themselves.
There was no help forit, and they parted !:
Roger Dutton taking his way back, gloomy
enough, to Chester Castle, and Mary wend-
ing on, still more sadly, to Rothelan, think
ing what silly girl she had been, and
sometimes asking herself how long Marian,
the .miler's daughter, would remain at
Chester. 1t was evening, though not dark,
when they came in sight Of Rolhelan,
and Mary remarked that the soldiers of her
escort urged on the horses more quickly to-
ward the end of the journey, which she
thought strange; considering that both
beasts and riders were by that time tired.
Often, too, did they look up to the neigh
boring hills, and Mary asked whether they
expected storm' The reply was briefly,
l"No, lady, the sky looks fair" but still
they gazed up, and once or twice spoke to-
gether in low tone. r,
AT Rothelan, however, warm welcome
waited her from her mothers brother and
her fair cousin, Edith; and SO glad were
they to see her, so much did they thank
her for coming, that she could not help re-
preaching herself for feeling SO little pleas
ure in being with those who loved her
much. There let us leave her, however,
and return TO the good town of Chester
and its old castle. s.t
ITO be continued.