Saturday morning visitor., 1848-10-28
FIB BAR0NS DAUGHTER,
OR, MAY DAY IN THE OLDEN TIME.
BY JAS. Il. DANA.

- p
Now Grace, sweet Grace, do lay aside your VIC. and grant my
The speaker was in the bloom Of youth and beauty, richly attred,
and with ta, air of ersy dignity which betokened high birth. She
stood on the bailements of one of those massive castles which rose
over all England during the reign Of Stephen, and a few of which
yet remain in our mother country to attest the stormy character OF
that age.
The companion whom she addressed sat al; her Gcc,, and was play
ing a iroubadouris lay on a small VOL then in fashion. She was
was a cousin of the baron's daughter, and her adviser and companion.
And what may the request be p said Grace, looking up.
'Oh, yon must promise to grant j. before | tell yOa'
Nay! that | can scarcely do. What would your father say irhe
knew | fulfilled my charge so carolesSyY
'Eel,I will tell You. But you must positively consent said
EIand, STOPPING and kissing her fair friends cheek carelessly. 4
wish then, 10 go down TO the green and see the villagers at their
sport, for it is sweet a May-day as ever saw, and we have been
cooped up here all winter
luded to The sports of the villagers, and heaved q sigh. 1t was in
deed a morning to make the two girls wish for an hours liberty
The season was an advanced one, and already the earlier trees were
in leaf, while myriads of flowers blushed IN wood and meadow, fill
ing the air with fragrance. The dew spangled in the grass; the
birds sang from the spray the waters danced and sParkled in the
sunshine, and a soft breeze kissing The brows OF the maIdens' loss
ing their curls, and gave a refreshing tone 10 their spirits as wellas
arosier hue to their cheeks No wonder that Grace sighed as she
answered.
Indeed Maud, l shouid like to tread the green sward once more
myself, but you know the promise gave your father, not to leave
the castle walls until his return from Normandy
'Ahi but he id not expect 20 be gone so long-he neyerdream-
ed Of imprisoning Us here for four long months
Bat | should never forgive myself if we went abroad and any
accident happened. Your father told me | must supply the place
of a mother to you-you know, Maud, | am nearly ten years the
elder, and ought to be discreet accordingly
Yes, this once--only this once, pleaded Maud. surely. none
of the iree-booters will be abroad on May day. Besides, the VII
lage is almost in sight from the castle
Grace looked wistully at the smiling landscape, and was half
persuaded. Yet she shook her head. The period was indeed one
Of unusual danger for it was during the imprisonmento of Richard
of the Lion Heart il Germany a period when lawlessness reign
ed supreme, and when the ainions Of the usurper John daily COM
miued the greatest atrocities. And as the Baron de la Spencer adj
herei to the rightful king, there was little safety for his household
except behind the stone wall Of his castle. Hence, on departing on
a secret mission to the continent, relative to the ransom Of his nom
arch, he had left his daughter in charge of the more prudent Grace,
eXhorting her on no account, 10 leave the castle until his return.
Bnt Maud had SET her heart on Witnessing the sports OF tuesday,
and she now began TO ply her couin with a thousand different ar
gumeuts, until at last GRACE consented, persnading herself that there
could be no harm in transgressng the INJUNCTION for a single morn
ing. But TO ensure safety to the excursion, she ordered a parto OF
the garrison 10 attend them, leaving behind only just sufficient 70
Elnan the walls.
Maud and Grace, therefore, mounted their palfreys, and attended
by a dozen men-at-arps, Left the castle gate. Troiins down a gen
tie slope, they turned an angle of the wood, and soon reached the
village green. Here they were soon received with loud shouts OF
welcome, but Maud smilingly desired that the sports might not be
interrupted, and with redou6led glee the merry jewellers resumed
their games. Meanwhile she and Grace looked on.
And y iocund spectacle it was. High in the centre of the green
the May pole reared its head, decorated with innuperabe wreaihs,
while a gay pennon noated from its top. Kotfar from this was a
bower, made az the green branches of trees intsrlaced, in which, ON
a rude floral seat, was the village belle, now Queen Of May.-
Three or four of the rude musicians Of the common people OF the
~periodkept time together playing, while the villagers danced. Here
a dragon, made of coarse painted cloth stretched on hoops, moved
about, occasionally vomiting FIRE, a huge h~obhy-horse near by de-
lighted the spectators with his pFAhks. All was mnth and jelluy,
Maud was iuthe mood to enjoy The scene, and with Grace at her
elbow, kept remarking on the different groups. But she was pnn-
Icipaly attracted by q gallant in the dress Of a forester, whose dash
ing air carried everything before il with the village girls. HeaDd
the Queen Of MAY had been for some time engaged m a very OBJ
lyious Irritation, much 10 the chsgrin Of a more awkward yeomaps
lSlo eyedihe couple with angry glancss. Maud knew ne latter