Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-01-05
g&Ietteb TaIe.
TIE LADY ELEANOR {:
TALE OF THE TIME OF CROMWELL.
BY AGNES STRICKLAND.

Il was neither time for marrying nor Civ
;ra in marriage, when the huptial VOWS were
exchanged between the gallant cavalier, Col.
Nontfort, and Lady Alice Seagraye, one of
tbp beautiful coheircsses of wealthy noble
man who had contrived to steer his course
through the contending storm of that momen-
IONS period so cautiously, as to avoid commit
ting himself irrevocably, either with the king
or fbp parliament The bridal of his eldest
daughter was not sanctioned by the consent of
Lord Seagrage though solemnized within his
own chapel it was secret and stolen match
contracted unknown to him, with no other
witness than the young sister of the pale, trem-
bling Alice, and the old porter cf the castle
Peter Lockwood, the foster-father of both the
Young ladies', and who, on this occasion, took
upon himself the paternal Office of giving away
the noble BRIDE.
Lord Seagrave would sooner have beheld
that fair form, shrouded, coffined, and laid low
in the dust and darkness of the grave, than
seen her finger encircled by the bridal ring
which united her fates with those of the high
minded but impoverished partizan of his cap
tive sovereign Lady Seagrave the step
mother of his daughters, had persuaded him
that her favorite nephew, Sir ames Balders,
would be the most eligible husband he could
select for Lady Alice Sir James Balders had
c7inrcd to the full, as much world-craft as HIM
self in the great struggle between the parlia-
ment and the crown-nay, even more, for he
even enjoyed some credit with the former in
consequence Of having taken the covenant,
inst at the critical moment when success be-
gan to denote which was the better cause to
them who had not previously made up their
minds on this point
His estates were contiguous to those of
Lord Scagrave. and the alliance appeared very
desirable to all parties but Lady Alice and
her sister There was also another diSsentent
in the family, whose opposition was perhaps
the most important of all This was father
Benedict, the household priest at Beechmont
House for Lord Seagrave and his daughters
were members of the oden faith. Sir James
BaiderS was sort of mkewarm puritan, and
Father Benedict strenuously advocated the
cause of the Catholic Colonel Montfort to
Lady Alice, who was only too willing to be-
leve that for once, religion was on the side of
love Their correspondence, their meetings,
were all arranged, as it were, under the mystic
shadow of the cross, and when the trying day
drew near, that the valiant Colonel Montfort
was ordered by his commander, Lord Cofng.
on a service of peculinr peril, connected with
the defence of Colchester, Father Benedict
was the first to back his suit to Lady Alice
for private union.
1t was in the cold grey dawn Of a showery
April morning, when the said Father Benedict
forsook his pillow without a summons, and
d0nncd his hymeneal stole with the comfortable
reflection that he was about to perform a good
and acceptable service to holy mother church,
by uniting the elder co-hcircss of the lands
aid honorS Of Seagraye, to a member of the
true faith
Precisely at the same instant as the chapel
clock told the third hour of morning, the por
taIs of Bcechmont Hall were cautiously un-
folded by Peter Lockwood the porter to adj
mjtthe mufled form of the cavalier bridegroom,
who had exchanged velvet hat and dropping
1nmcs for the plain steel cap usually worn by
Tie Round-head troopers, and shrouded his
stately form in a freZe cloak to escape obSer-
yatlon At the same moment the timid vet
7cntur0uS bride and her sister bride-maid SIM
Pr attircd in their muslin wrapping-dresses.
without levels, flowers, or any other nnptial
"ornncntS. glded with noiSeless steps from
Tier gparatc chambers, and, exchanging a
silent embrace as they met in the corridor, hur-
red INTO the chapel together by one door. as
The ofciatinr priest with his breviary in his
hand and the spurred and booted colonel, fol-
lowed BY Peter Lockwood, entered by that
opposite. No greeting beyond that of an eX-
lIeSslvc pressure of hands took place between
any Of the parties. The tapers were dimly
burning at the altar in the misty morning
aTlt The priest commenced the service of
IatHmony il low, cautious voice, scarcely
aooYe the compass of whisper. The reSpon-
%' Of the bridegroom and bride were pronounc-
Ell IN the same key, so as to be inaudible ten
PAGES from the spot where they stood and if
any stranger had witnessed the scene from the
ea'Fance Of the chapel, it would have had the
appearance rather of visionary tableau con-
.4red up by fancy's magic, than of one of the
astating acts of the eventful drama of real life
poe short hour after the nuptial benediction
~ Iaa been given, and the priest with the hum
We assistant in that mysterious bridal had
'"hdrawn, the bridegroom had exchanged an
5aipassoned adieu with his weeping bride, and
a.Fparted, leaving her and her sister alone in
WY chapel among the silent memorials of their
ancient line.
have done nsught to disgrace these"
az ss'l Lady Alice, pointing to the sculptured
.4sfs OF crusaders, barons, and grand justici-
sry, s,.[S o. England, whose names were proudly
l.'.aLohed, not on monumental marbles alone,
rT @T' ID The historic records of their country
nave eXchanpad tho name of Scaprayp for
not less illustrious and if the gifts Of
bnst b"Jlne have been sparingly accorded to my
,,3 5oln'i he is too richly endowed with high
Il'rons qualities TO require them"
Ah. Alice how often have | said with