The American patriot., 1855-07-14
THE AMERICAN PATRIOT
For the American Patriot.
The tale of the Wandering Minstrel,


DSNiN"sSN w "io' " NJ .-1AuuuiS w., MSS
Lord Roger de Grammont sat at the head of
his hospitable board in the great Hall of the
Castle. The days chase was over, and the
family, the guests, and the Earl's retainers and
had assembled as was their Gus.
tom, to pass the early hours of the night in
enjoyment. The meal was finished the good
old wine sparklcd upon the table and the mer-
ry jest went round. 'My Lord" said page,
addressing Lord Roger, "an aged Harper, in
the court below, seeks shelter for the night"
Bring him to the hall, and let us bid him well
come. Doubtless, my Lady Grammont, this
minstrel will employ thy time and that of thy
fair daughters much more pleasantly than we
could" The amusements of this age were
rude-to us, perhaps, almost barbarous, yet
already the wild sports of the rough warriors
were beginning to yield to softer Influences.
Woman, through the institution was gaining
her true position, and love of literature was
beginning to be awakened by the wild tales
of the minstres. The interest occasioned by
their recital begat desire for more extended
knowledge, and thus attention began slowly to
be directed to intellectual culture. The harper
entered, and was received with much more
marked attention than his apparent station in
life would have required. His figure was
somewhat bent by infrmity, and his hair was
white, yet there was in his face something that
seemed to indicate that sorrow, terrible and
overwhelming, rather than age had bowed
down his form and whitencd his flowing locks.
His dark eye and the strangely painful ex-
preston of his countenancc, told Of bligbted,
ruined hopes, yet of passions once strong and
fierce, now subdued and calm-their intensity
long since gone. The scollop shell in his hat,
his long staff, and peculiar dress proclaimed
him pilgrim from the Holy Land. Most
worthy Minstrel" said Lord Roger, 'thou art
right welcome, surely thou canst sing us some
tale tonight that will pleasantly while away
the hours, else perhaps, heavy-canst thou
not?" Replying that he would cndeavor at
least to interest them, The minstrel took his
harp, and gently striking its chords, after a
short prelude, in q voice of singular melody
and beauty, he sang in substance as follows:
"In our own fair England, near the beautiful
banks of Lake Wendemere, long ago stood the
castle of the ancient family of Marston. The
bravery Of its former Lords and the beauty Of
its fair ladies, had long been celebrated in song
and legend. Many trophy, won by knightly
daring, adorned the halls of the castle. But
two representatives of the old house now re-
mained-the young Lord Philip, who was
fighting under the noble Cour de Lion for our
blessed Savior's tomb, in far distant Palestine,
and the Lady Alice, who, with an aged rela-
tive, occupied the ancestral mansion. Her
beauty and her nobleness of character had
brought her many suitors. Kind and gentle
spoken, she was to all, as was her nature, yet
most had abandoned, sorrowfully indeed, the
idea of winning her Two, however, were dis
tinguished from the others-the one by the IA
vor with which the lady looked upon his love,
the other by his mad determination, in spite Of
all obstacles. to obtain that favor for himself
The first, Lord Robert Lindsay, was renowned
no less for his bravery and feats of daring in
the field, than for his kindness and noblencss
of heart. Honorable and upright himself
he did not suspect the existence Of opposite
qualities in others. OF highly imaginative
character he loved to lend degree of credence
to the Influence of the supernatural in the af.
fairs of men. The fairest soul seemed to hin,
to be enshrined in the fairest body.-Truly, he
was we'll worthy, said the world, of Lady Alice
Marston. Sir Ranulph Langton, was man
of fungovernable passions, and by their fierce
influence all his better qualities were obscur-
ed. They had developed all that was evil in
him, discrimination, cunning, wickedncss He
hated Lord Lindsay as much, because he was
good and noble as because the Lady Alice
loved him. His own love for her was rather
the intensity of wild passions directed to one
object, than the holiness of pure affection-the
noble-minded only can feel that-yet he Ia
bored with terrible eanestness to incline the
heart of the lady toward him. His effort:
were, however, vain: for the fair Alice be-
slowed her hand upon Lord Lindsay. When hel
choice was finally announced, Sir Ranulpl
sought her, and in the presence of his success
ful rival poured forth the bitterest curses upor
their happiness, and with fearful oath, swor,
that he would blight and ruin it forever. Bu
they smiled at his frenzy, as they termed it
and in each others love were satisfied. 81
with no care but for each others constan
pleasure, with the future all unclouded befor
them, they were welded, and many gcble
was drained to the noble Lord Robert Lindsa,
and the fair Lady Alice.
'Near the residence of Lord Lindsay, in
wild and deSolate Mace unnn the summit Of