Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-12-16
yntrtsting Stor 4.
A ROMANCE
@ F Il R Y.

Il LII l. l. " LII L.
Elfrida was daughter and heir of Olga
Earl of Devonshire and though she had
been educated in the country, and had
never appeared at court, she had filled
all England with the reputation of her
beauty. Edgar himself, who was indif
ferent to no accounts of this nature, found
his curiosity excited by the frequent pan
egyrics which he heard of Elfrida, and
rejecting on her noble birth, he resolved
if he found her charms answerable to
their fame, to obtain possession of her on
honorable terms. He communicated his
intention to the Earl Athelwold, his ia,
%vorite, but used the precaution before he
made any advances to her parents, to Or
der that noblemen, on some pretence, to
pay them a visit, and to bring him a GER
tain account of beauty Of the daughter.
A%thelwold, when introduced to the young
lady, found general report to have fallen
short of the truth and being actuated
by the most vehement love, he determined
to sacrifice to this passion his fidelity to
his master, and to the trust reposed to
him. He returned to Edgar and told
him that the riches alone, and high quail
tiles Of Elfrida had been the ground Of
the admiration paid and that her charms
far from being ~anywise extraordinary,
would have been overlooked in a woman
of inferior station.
When he had, by this deceit, diverted
the king from his purpose, he took an op.
portufity, alter some intc&val, of turning
the conversation again on Elfrida. He
remarked that though the parentage and
fortune of the lady had not produced on
him, as on others, any illusion with re-
gard to her beauty, he could not forbear
rejecting that she would, on the whole,
be an advantageous match for him, and
might by her birth and riches. make him
sufficient compensation for the LONELINESS
of her person. If the king, therefore,
gave his appreciation. he was determined
to make the proposals in his own behalf,
to the Earl OF DevOnshire, and doubted
not to obtain his own as we'll as the
young lady's consent to the marriage
Edgar pleased with all expedient for es-
tablishing his favorite's fortune, not only
exaorted him to execute his purpose, but
forwarded his success by his recommen-
dations to the parents of EIfrida and
Ethelwold was soon made happy in the
possession of his mistress. Dreading,
however, the detection Of the a%rtitice, he
employed every pretence ior OBTAINING
Elfrida III the country, and keeping her
at distance from Edgar.
The violent passion of Athelwold had
rendered him blind to the necessary con-
sequences which must attend his conduct,
and the advantage which the numerous
enemies which always pursue a royal fa-
~vorite, would by its means, be able to
make against him. Edgar was soon in
formed of the truth, but before he would
execute vengeance on AtheIwold's treach-
cry, he resolved to satisfy himself with
his own eyes Of the certainty and full ex-
tent Of his guilt. He told him that he
intended to pay him a visit in his castle,
and to be introduced to the acquaintance
of his new married wife !; and AtheIweld
as he could o refuse the honor, only
craved leave to GO before him a few
hours, that he might the better prepare
everything for his reception. He then
discovered the whole matter to Elfrida,
and begged her, Il she had any regard
either for her own honor, or his life, to
conceal from Edgar, by every circum-
stance of dress or behavior, that fatal
beauty which had seduced him from his
fidelity to his friend, and had betrayed
him into SO many f%alsehoods.
Elfrida promised compliance, though
nothing was further from her intentions.
She deemed herself little beholden to
Athelwold for a passion which had de-
prived her of a crown /; and knowing the
force Of her W charms, she did not des-
pair even yet of reaching that dignity, of
which her husbands arti6ce had bereav-
ed her. She appeared before the king
with all the advantages which the richest
and most engaging airs could bestow up
on her ; and she excited at once in his
bosom highest love towards herself, and
the most furious desire of revenge against
her husband. He knew however, how to
dissemble these passions and .seducing
Athelwold into a wood, ON pretence Of
hunting, he stabbed him with his own
hand, and soon after publicly ~espoused
Elfrida.
Thus far the chronicle.
Now some years before this excellent
king Edgar married the ambitious Elfri-
da, who SO thoroughly retaliated upon
the miserable Athelwold, and who not
only lost his life, but also his wife-the
king was already a widower, having wed
ded a daughter of Earl Ordner, by whom
he had a son, who was to be his success
sor, and who did reign for a few briel
years, under tue title of Edward the Mar
tyr.
In the thirty-third year Of his age, ane
the sixteenth o his reign, Edgar who wal
ip~eacaable, pious and licentious. died anc