True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-06-13
gele&t INl&.
From Graham's Magazine
THE EBONY CASKET.
"A LEGEND OF HUTCHINSON. HOUSE.
By ELLEN LOUISE CHANDLER,
Aushor Of "1This, that, and the other."
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER I.
always hated Marion Illsley. It might
have been because she was beautiful, and
yet, hardly think So As child 1 was
neither mean NOR envious. was twelve
years old when saw her first My moth
or died long before 1 was old enough to
remember her. lived alone with my
father and his retinue of servants, in
large, rambling, irregular house, at the
West end Of London. 1t had belonged to
the Hutchinson family for many genera
tions, and there was legend that good
Queen Bess had at one time honored it by
her presence, and passed night in that
very room, which 1 called my own. 1t
was hither that my father brought Mari
on lllsley, one sunny day in early June.
Since my mothers death we had seen no
company. A gloom had settled upon my
fathers mind, which no persuasiens Of
his friends could induce him even to en-
'deavor to shake off. never rememb bered
to have been outside of Hutchinson-house,
and the park-like enclosure which sur
rounded it. From one side of the house
! could SEQ public park, at that time a
favorite resort for the nurses of aristocrat-
10 families, with their young charges. |
had spent hour after hour of busy idleness,
in watching these young masters and miss
es from the window, and specializing upon
their characters and occupations. One
day my father entered the room while |
was thus engaged.
"Well, Isa," he said pleasantly, "what
do you find in this prospect so amusingY'
l made no answer, for my mind was
busy with an idea which had just occurred
to me for the first time.
"Papa," 1 said at length, "an, I a
"A child! What a question! We'll
yes, lisa, l suppose you would be called So
though there's nothing very child-like
about you, certainly"
"Well, papa, l want you should bring
me child, real child I want to see
her and talk to her. Will you promise,
papa!"
He smiled. ayes I will promise.
ought to have thought Of this before. You
have never in your life spoken to any one
Of your own age. You must have com
panion."
The next morning he led Marion Illsley
into my presence. General Illsley was
one Of his earliest friends, and had beer
easily prevailed upon to consent that hi
daughter and her maid should spend {
fortnight Hutchinson-house though
when she entered, clirging to my father
hand, that she was the most graceful anc
beautiful vision my eyes had ever beheld
There were portraits in the Hutchinson
picture gallery of women, magnificent ii
vslvets and diamonds-of sweet younI
girls in the first blush and bloom of thei
loveliness, but nothing half so fair as thi
vision of the morning, flooding the oil
rambling house with its sunshine. Sh
had a light, graceful figure; tiny, almos
fairy-like feet and hands profusion o
golden ringlets; clear red and whit
complexion delicate and regular features
and eyes so brightly, deeply blue, the
made you think of nothing but the un
troubled sky of the far-off heaven. Bu
aside from her exquisite grace, and tn
perfection of her personal lOveliness, ther
was to me nothing charming about hel
Her voice was low and soft, but there wa
something hollow and insincere in its il
donations. Her manners, it seemed to mt
child as she was, were unnatural and affet
ted. She glanced with kind of surpris
at the quaint, oaken carvings, and mott
eaten tapestry of my favorite apartment
My father saw her look, and answered il
'This is Isa's den," he said, pleasant,
"She has strange fancy for the old room
because Queen Elizabeth is reputed ono
to have passed a night here. Isa, low
cannot you come forward and give yor
new friend welcome. This is Marion LII
ley"
advanced to meet her. She langui
ly extended her hand, and remarked,
"I am very happy to see you, Mi
Hutchinson. Your father was SO good
to insist upon my coming, but mamma Sa
shat it was quite contrary to etiquette f
mo to make the first visit, as am not
resident of London"
Such a speech, from a ehildl Thi
then, was a fair sample Of the class
whom l had been so vainly interestir
myself. Inyoluntarily my lip curled, al
turning, / led the way to a more modol
apartment. Instinctively / felt that Il
new conner was not worthy to share u
room, whose very floor was consecrated
the pressure Of the royal foot,
The two weeks of her visit were amol
the most trying Of my life was Oblig