The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-01-17
MASTER Ill., SOUTH CAROLINA WEDNESDAY

a quiet, manly way, which did him great
credit This was the. author-WilIiam
Shakespeare.
AT length, the queen, court and actors
all went out, and there came in next, not
court, with music and pomp, but quiet
ly and silently, dark, sad-looking man,
leading two children by the hand These
three walked up and down the hall :;
several iimes-the man talking to the
children, and telling them, it seemed,
something very sad, for they cried and
clung to him, and then the three passed
out weeping.
The Lady Mary knew these to be
Charles the First, and his children, whom
he had been telling, perhaps, that he
might soon be put to death,
Next there came, in stiffness also, a
stern, haggard-faced man, in n rough,
haIt-miltary dress, with sweet delicate
looking lady, in white. She was cIinging
to his arm and seemed expostuating with
hlm very earnes Iy, buthe shook his head,
yet at the same, he tenderly smoothed
her hair, with his strong hand, and play
fully pinched her thin cheek, and tried to
smile. Then he suddenly turned, and
strobe out of the hall. The lady stood
moment, looking after him mournfuIly,
and then passed out also.
The Lady Mary knew these two to be
Cromwell and his daughter Elizabeth,
who often interceded with her father, COR
political offenders.
Again there was loud music, and again
brilliant court came pouring in. First
walked a dark, dissolute-looking young
man, very gaily dressed, with long curs
dangling about his Notwithstanding
careIessly along pale dispiritcd lady,
who didn't seem to find much comfort in
the qucenly diadem she wore.
The ball began, and soon it was turned
into wild revel. Beautiful, but bold
ladies, and reckless looking gentlemen
danced, and laughed, sung, and fcasted,
and gained, and grew merrer and mad
der every minute.
The Lady Mary became frightened, for
she saw that she was in the prohigate
court of Charles the Second. She tried
to hide behind the tapestry 10y the win
dow, but roIickiug nobleman, whom
She recognized by his portraits as the
Earl OF Rochester, caught sight of her,
and sprang forward, to drag her out into
the midst of The hall She flung his
hand off, with Il scream, and 10, he, the
king, the queen, the court, the lights,
everything vanished
II ,CdS all drcam!
The Laiy Mary was alone in the old
hall, in the silent night, now darker than
before, for a cloud had come over the
moon.
She gr'ped her way to the door, un.
locked it, and passed into the withdraw
lng-room. At the farther end she saw
some one coming-she could not see who
1t WAS, 10y the dim starlight-so she ask
ed-"lioger, is that you I"
"No, Mary" answered glad, tremu,
lous voice, "it is not Roger-it is L
George ~
With wild, joyful cry, the Lady Mary
sprang forward, aud was clasped in her
husbands arms.
And MiS was not a dream.
Captain Hamilton had been severely
wounded and taken captive by the AT
ghans. They had kept him close priso-
ner in the mountains, not even permitting
him TO write letter to any one, for two
years. lie had at last been discover ed
liberated, and sent home, to recover his
health, which hal suffered somewhat in
his hardship and confinement.
On arriving at Hampton Court, whith
er he had been directed from Loldon, ho
had been told 10y old Roger where his
wife probably was, as lie could not find
her in her apartments, and was on hi.
way to the hall, when lie met her, rs We
have seen.
The next time that the Lady Mary visi
ted that old hall, to walk in the moon
light, or muse in her favorite window-sea
it was observed that she did not go alone
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