Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1856-05-08

All at once, as if the tolling of the bell
smote upon his heart, the tears filled his
beautiful eyes and ran silently down his
face.
"Your tears will never be dried if you
remain here" said Agnes, ''for we are poor
girls, who sell the kerchiefs we weave for
bread"
But Elthea coming softly between him
and her cool-hearted sister, wiped his tears
with her long golden hair, and in whisper
inquired why he wept.
1.-The great king who ruled us SO we'll
and so wisely is dead" answered the stran-
ger, ssand my heart is very heavy"
''And what is that to poor minstrel like
you, or to weavers like u.s." said Agnes
''Could we leave our work to weep, though
the king were twice dead p and she climed
into her loom again, and beckoned her sis
ter to follow But Elthea sat down at the
feet of the stranger and wept, anying.-
1.-The king was good king and Who now
will rule US so we'll %
''Foolish soulr' cried Agnes, ''what is
the king to you, whether he be alive or
dead %
But, needless of her words, Elthea con-
tinued to sit at the strangers feet and to
weep, and her tears soothed the youth inso-
much that he took his harp, and, as the
rain beat, and the wind blew, and the bell
tolled, sang mournful dirge for the dead
king.
''You see how poor we are, and that we
have but one bed, which cannot be divided, :"
spoke Agnes, fretfully, interrupting the mu-
sic; ''and strolling minstrels like you are
used to no better shelter than the oak-trees
make for them, and, besides your harp is
troublesome to me we must weave to-mor-
row, and if we sleep not, how shall it be
done 2" And having finished this speech,
she angrily dashed herself across the bed
Then Elthea made the fire BRIGHT and,
bringing from the bed her own pillow, said
she was sorry it was all she could do, and
with smile that frightened all his dream,
she went away, and, resting her head on
the cloth Of her loom, slept never so sweet
ly in her life.
When it was morning, the ill-nature of
Agnes knew no bounds on seeing the min
strel wait to share the morning meal: but
Elthea smiled, and divided her piece of
bread as before, and when the grudging SIS
ter went to her loom, the charitable one
broke from her geranium all the flowers it
bore, and entwined them about the harp of
the minstrel, who was going to the monas-
terry to sing dirges and to offer prayers for
the rest of the dead kings soul
When he went away her blessing went
with him, and the dirges he sung that day
were sweet with thanksgiving as they were
fefvent with SORROW. ",
"a pretty measure of cloth are you like
ly to weave to-day" said Agnes, as Elthea
sought her loom ''the sun is an hour high,
and be sure I shall not divide my bread
with you for your folly"
Elthea was thinking of the minstrel, and
hardly heard what her sister said; but her
fingers had never seemed so nimble, and
her shuttle flew and flew just as if it had
wings, and the hours of the day dwindled
into moments, and before she knew it, was
night, and her task was done. While Ag-
mes sat still scolding and working at her un-
finished task, Elthea was away to the con-
vent with her full measure of cloth. The
music in the choir had never sounded half
so sweet as it sounded that night, for she
knew the minstrel was singing with the
rest.
Three days went BY and in the evening
of each Elthea listened to the music in the
choir, and the hour of her listening was like
an hour taken out of heaven but the even
ing Of. the fourth day she missed the harp
of the minstrel, and coming to the brook,
she sat down on the bank very sad, for it
seemed to her that her heart was being borne
away on it's waves.
Suddenly shadow fell on the water, and
looking up, Elthea saw the poor minstrel,
of whom she was thinking. Her heart bled
into her cheek its soft secret when she saw
him, and trembling, she covered her face
with her hands and remained silent. Pla-
cling his harp on the grass by the brook
side, the minstrel seated himself by Elthea,
and when the moon came up he told her all
the story of his love; and as she listened
with blush and sigh, he laid his hand on
her golden hair, and said if he had any
riches except his harp, he would ask her to
go with him to his own country, and to be
his companion always.
But what cared Elthea for riches? she
knew how to weave, and it would be easy
work weaving for him. And there, in the
moonlight, they plighted everlasting love
with manifold kisses.
Many nights the bosom of the minstrel
had been the pillow of Elthea, and many
days they had travelled together, her feet
bruised and tired, but her heart running
over with delight, and her lips singing and
prattling all the while, when toward sunset
they sat down by the wayside to rest. Then
it was that the minstrel told his pretty wife
another story, the marrow of which was,