Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-05-05
Interesting STORY,
THE MYSTERIOUS KEY
A Wild Legend Of Castle Gaveston.

In one of the beautiful northern ccun
ties of England, stands the ancient Gas
tie Galveston. Aye, it is there now il
this day, and has been for ages aud age.
gone, until every stone has grown rife
with sad and haunting memories of1tht
past. ssd9 7 5.s faft
In the olden times what r~evelry there
was in the fast Wondering hall-what
gathering together of the noble and the
brave-what minstrelsy and merry laugh
ter-what VOWS sworn and broken-wIat
gorgeous wedding @feasts, when genera.
ton alter generation, the heir of Caves.
ton brought home his bride, followed all
too rapidly, by funeral honors scarcely
less magnificent.
How looking back, it seems the glori
GUS and mocking pageant Of bridals, and
christenings and death-of early love
and hope and the grave! The very pic.
tufes and tapestry upon the walls are all
gone, and the veil of oblivion fallen like
a dreary pail we that which has been
1t wa a bright summer day, with all
its accompaniment Of sunshine and flow.
ers. The old Castle of Gayeston looked
still more gloomy in the light, with, the
curious sun searching every nook and
corner-the melancholy wind signing, as
it were, for its d~esolation.
The young heir Of Gaveston stood be
fore his fast fading possessions !; but not
in sadness, for it was a f~avorite haunt for
him aid his sister. He had Just returned
from a ride, and Constance sure of meet
ing him there, came smiling forward from
beneath the shadow of the large tree.
where she lay reading. or at least holding
a book in her hand, for her thoughts had
wandered far away from its pages.
No letter for me, Vernon ?"said she,
inquiringly.
Why, how could you expect it, when
you know that he should not write agar?
You will see him, most likely, to NOR
row."
All, | wish to morrow was come T.
exclaimed Constance, clapping her hands
joyously together, just as she had done
years ago, when a child, and promised
some particular pleasure.
She was tall and exquisitely formed,
With the high brow and proud lip Of the
Gaveston family but tempered by the
feminine beauty and gentleness, that
seemed to give the@expression wanting to
make perfect the loyeIiness. And then,
that brow had no shadow of care, and
those lips parted only to smile, or utter
sweet and merry words. The girl was
passing rapidly into wonanhood, without
losing an iota of her pure and innocent
mtrthfulness.
Vernon Gayeston was scarce fifteen ;
careless, %undalnted, and reckless, but
wlthal affectionate, and proud, almost to
a fault, of his beautiful sister. He did
not think that there was her equal in the
world, and told heraso at which Con
stance would smile and blush, and say il
be and Percy Clifford always thought
so, she did not care for the opinion OF
any one else.
Percy Clifford and she had been be;
trothed from their very childhood and
what was more, they loved each other,
with an affection that deepened every
year they lived. aHe had been absent
some time upon the Continent, and was
returning to his native land to claim
his brlde-handsome, ardent, aud brave,
as a lover should be, to win such a maid
en- as Cons aDce Gaveston.
DO not let us go home yet, brother
SAID the girl, "the day is SO. fine and you
can tie your horse up to this tree.n
Vernon did as she desired him and
then the brother and sister laughed and
romped with one another, or told melan-
eholy tales Of the. old castle, and the>Fic-
tins whoshad persisted in its Dungeons
years ago, in the time Of their stern an
cestor, Hugh Gaveston, who thought
nothing of ~disposing of his enemies thus,
and was ven said to have shut up his
young wife there, through jealousy, so
that she pinned away and grew old before
her time come, and finally died in cap
tiyity.
"To this day." said Vernon, her
ghost is to be seen, dressed all in white,
lowering about the place, and prayingi in
piteous accents to be released. ] remem.
Der when my old nurse, told me the sto.
ry, asking very naturally how the old
lady gotout, and being told with a grave
shake of the head, that spirits could 60
anywhere. Do you believe in such things.
Constance" s6s IA slsses
(" In good spirits-nothing else ; apdl
sometimes think the world is full oil
them"
The young often dream thus, and un.
deceived all TO soon. SO,
And do you really mean to say thai
you should have courage to walk here
after dusk, with the chance of meeting
not only the lady Of whom we have beer
speaking, but a thousand others of hel
shadowy companions, with whom we are
told, the castle is thronged at night Pr.
you shall see, when Clifford Gomez