Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-05-19


= s -, cry On ne nsrniag Of lovely day 10
1S1< A b fso0, that rH.her large srcap Of Ia
&neafhsr.A IN fFonf e the Etheridgs Arms. q
4naist Old tasssn, h ihs ancient little town OF
HSieharne. h tks vsss of England
By their Looks nnd esnsefsasioa, 10 was eylen;
that sems great of anssaal importance was sxpcc-
Ted o cnns d.
Thsy vere, 10 fsck awaiting the arrival Of the
nail csssh. which vas 10 bring down ColSnel
.HastinKs, and his 500 ALBEIT who was the bride
groom elect ef Lady Esheridse, Baroness u Swim
barss, the lsst Of her race, and sole beiress OF
the immense wealth and vast estates Of her lcrdly
ance<sosr.
The nassials were TO lie celebrated on the I'll.
lnuine day: and the retainers and nrighbo.s II
tb@ nui,le bride. who a'nosi worshipped her Tor
her goodness vi lfe4rs, were anxious 20 ace the
man who was to be their beloved "iady's" bus
band.
{ They had NOT long 10 wait. The each soon
.tnpe Mastering up to the door; and as sooa a.
, IL = y LEI down BY the obsequious land
I les4s liz y Hastings issued forth. lie wa 40
~ keosleusss, all, spare, and STOPPING; was
Vu1el 10 suit Of clerical black; aud his pale
@ long lace was surrounded BIZ hair and whis-
~ premaiarelx grey. He was closely attended
J by his secretary-ferdinand Cassinove--an Ital-
ian, Of such graceful mien and digni6ed bearing.
that he nigh. have been taken for prince cf the
bIeoi attended By old gentleman in waiting.
Next came forth young gentleman. whose
,handsene person end naughty manner at obce
attracted general attention. His form tall.
and 6aely propor,ioned. crowned by naughty
head and facc. with high aquilinc features. fair
and fresh c.mplexion, iigh, blue eyes and very
light, Haxenhair. Ills expression Of coun;enance
in keeping with his whole manner, va stern al
mos, ,o repeant severity. Great beauty Of per
son. xith great dignity OF manner. forms n comb
nsiion very attractive to most Young women. and
perhaps IL was this that fascinated the young herr
ess Of S~inburne Castle, fas this was Aber, Has
,ings, the bridegroom elect. lie was fsilowe in
: to the house by bis valet, bearing hH dressing
case
After . slight repas., Colonel Hastings. attend.
; I'll by cassinovs druve of 10 the castle ~ have
preliminary interview with Lady E,hcridse who
was his yard. and arrange the marriaga settle
meats. On arriving at the lordly castle. CASH
was sbown into q sitting room. while the
Colonel preceded 10 the library. whittier his ward
vas reqsested 10 come /, meet him.
As The young Italian paced up and down tie
rom. occasionally paosing before a full length
mirror, which reflected the spacious undo reach
ing from ceilibg to floor, and the picturesque
landscape beyond, suddenly. among the roses out
side. giided y purpledraped female figure, that
Immediately risetted his attention. Il was a
man in the earliest bloom oi youth. \, young
Cassinose gaEed UPON her, reflected image. az he
never CARED upon her, he fel, as though goddess
had suddenly descended among the FLOW irs. Her
form WAS above the medium hight and ell round
3D. Her head was finely formed spl covered
with profusion Of jet black. gi,tte'hg hair. that
plainly parted over her broad. expansive lore
heed, aad tse p around tie temples, and wound
into q rich aub massive knot Mt the lack OF the
lead Her eyes were large, luminous dark gray
orb. TIA, seemed, whenever the long veil Of m.h-
ss lifted, To throw u ligh, wherever tIcy
glanced. Her was straight and vel formed,
her iirs roae.ied. aud, like all the rest, full OF
character In the carriage Of head and neck, and
in her stately footsteps. there CERTAIN natur-
al majesty that, even in peasants dress, would
have proved her one Of Natures queens.
The impression made upon the O. husia.;,s
heart Of Ferdinand Cassinoye was at once vivid.
deep. and strong-quck sun.painting. pern,n-
men, as sculpture. He saw this goddess ol the IN
t,ectual brow and stately step open the window
and advance into the room, and as she approached
him be felt his whole frame thrill with strange
emotion of blended pain and delight lie dread
ed 10 move, yet, rs the needle turns to tho magnet
be felt himself turning from the reflected hinge To
lace the original lie stood before that qucenly
FORM and met those large. luminous, dalk eyes,
fixed anon him in royal graoiousness, rs she
said
You are Colonel Hastings secretary / believe
sir. Pray sit down. You will find the LInd
papers on that table" And, with a graceful
sofa at the extremity Of the room, took up port
folio, aud was soon deeply engaged with its con
tents.
After the profound bow with which he had a.
turned her courtesy, Ferdinand Cassinoye remain.
Cd motionless where she had left him. Bu, ten
minutes had elapsed since she had gded in among
the flowers. and passed him like a vision seen ~
some beautiful dream. Bat ten minutes, and life,
the world. himself, were all changed for ferdi.
nand cassinoye. He fell, from that moBteat. Na
has fate must take ITS character. for good era.
from The eh ef that royal aooting vo,nan.
In the midst of the pleasing pain of his dream
the door opened. and a grey servant enter.
cd softly, and stepping across the room. u where
the lady sat, and speaking in tho low, sublLei
tonc in which royal percentages arc addressed.
said
my lady. Colonel Hastings respects. and he
awai,s your ladyship in the library"
VERY we'll, Williams 20 and say 10 Colonel
Hastings that will attend him Immediately" an.
swe,ed the lady, rising
This quecnly woman. then. was Laura, Baroness
Eiheridge Of swinburne! For ever and f,r ever
unatainable by him oh, despair! His castle
in the air tanbled al! about him, aud buried all
his hopes and aspirations in its tai.
Alter greeting Colonel Hastings, on her enter
ing the library. Lady Etheride took u parchment
from drawer in the centretabe. and handed il
to her guardian. On examining the document
the colonel found it to be deed Of gilt. absolute
of her entire magnifcen, estate, to Albert LA.
tingf, her Intended husband. The colonel ire
tended much surprise, and refused to accept Ia
deed. alleging that such an act might give rise t.
unpleasant criticism.
.0h. Colonel Hastings there can be no que
zion If mine and thine between me and bert
The deed of gift that transfers oil my possession
to my future husband is made out let il be cx
cuted. He shall then never be jealous Of his wife
riches. for she will come to him poor as n co
tage girl" exclaimed Lady Etheridge, with pun
devotion of love flushing her cheek and ligltin
her eyes.
Alter protesting somewhat farther against sue
noble generosity, the colonel allowed himself
lus ..laA. 49, L. ...I LII