Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1860-05-25

speaking III tue low, suDuueu tone IL
which royal personages are addressed said
"My lady, Colonel Hastings respects
and he awaits your ladyship in the library
Every well, Williams; 90 and say tt
( Colonel Hastings that | will attend hin
immediately" answered the lady, rising.
This qaeenly woman, then was Laura
Baroness Etheridge of Swinburn! Fol
ever and for ever uIattainable by him
Oh, despair! His castle in the air tumb
led all about him, aud buried all his hope:
and aspirations in its fall.
After greeting Colonel Hastings, on bel
entering the library, Lady EtherIdge took
a parchment from a drawer iu the centre.
table, and handed it to her guardian. On
examining the document, the colonel
found it to be deed of gift, absolute, Of
her entire magnificent estate, to Albert
Hastings, her intended husband. The
colonel pretended much surprise, and re-
fused to accept the deed, alleging that
such an act might give rise to unpleasant
criticism.
"Oh, Colonel Hastings! there can be
no question of mine and thine between me
and Albert. Tue deed of gift that trans.
fers all my possessions to my future hus-
ban is made out; let it be executed. He
shall then never be jealous of his wife's
riches, for she will come to him as poor as
cottage girl, exclaimed Lady Etheridge,
with pure devotion of love flushing her
cheek and lighting her eyes.
After protesting somewhat farther
against such noble generosity, the colonel
allowed himself to be persuaded to accept
the deed, and called in Cassinove to wit
ness its execution in due form. The poor
secretary could scarcely hold the pen
which the colonel banded him, so great
Vas his agitation. His employer could
not help remarklDg upon the unusually
poor signature which the Italian affixed, as
witness, to the deed; but lille did Me colo
mel or the baroness kaow the terrible pass
ions that trere seethiay IN The sec'eta'ys
soul, or tie important results they rere otes-
tined to bring about.
We will now return to the bridegroom
elect, " hom We left at the SwinburD Arms
Colonel Hastings had scarcely left the
room ere Mr.. Albert Hastings arose,
stretched himself with weary yawD, aud !
began to pace thoughifully up and down
the floor, murmurng-
"Men think me very fortunate and
happy man; and, doubtless, an unusual
number of good gifts have been showered
lpon me by the favor of the blind goddess
not the least among them would be es-
eemed the hand of this wealthy young
,aroness, my bride expectant. Well, We
,anDot have everything We want in this
world, else sweet Rose Elmer only should
'nly be the wife of Albert Hastings
Poor girl ! she little dreams that the man
sho has wooed her, under the name of
William Lovel, is really Albert Hastings,
be envied bridegroom of the high born
lady Etheridge of Swinburue. 1t caunot
'e helped. | canDot pause for lady's
ight, or maiden's honor Here, then, for
divided life; my hand to the lady OF
heart to the lovely cot
age girl; only Lady Etheridge must
ever know of Rose Elmer and William
.ovel, nor must Rose Elmer know Lady
and Albert Hastings. And
ow to persuade Rose to 90 before me in-
} Wales, where myself and my lady
ride are to spend our honeymoon"
And SO saying, he took his hat, and
rolled out into the street.
Taking course opposite to that which
ID to Swinburne Castle, Albert Hastings
BON came to a cross country road, which
e followed for some two miles, and then
lrning into by-path, he went on until I
e came to secluded and lovely cottage. I
peuing the door Of this elegant retreat
ith latch key, be passed 10. 1t was a
vely abode, Fl: for the home of a fairy.
nd for fairy Albert Hastings had had I
furnished. The fairy's name was Rose
liner, aud she was the daughter of the
llage laundress. Albert had accidental
met her on one of his visits to the cas- I
e, and: as his soiloquy, given above,
lows, had fallen desperately IN love With
sr; aud, under the assumed name of
lillian Lowell, had won the beautiful
I'd innocent maiden's heart.
He had had the cottage furnished, and
as that morning to meet Rose there,
here they had SO often met, by appoint
ent Rose came at last and as soon as
lie first joyous greetings we're over, the
ltriguing lover set at work to persuade {
er to consent to secret marriage; as be
ell knew, by thousand tests of charac-
II, that be could pever gain his purpose
Mess Rose believed herself to be his wife,
lis task was hard one; but be finally I
,cceeded, by promising that she should
ay with her mother just the same as long
she lived.
This was not all that Mr.. Hastings
ished, but neither logic nor eloquence
,uld convince or persuade Rose Elmer to
ssert her ailing mother; and upon no
her condition than that of being allowed I
remain with her would she consent to
he secret marriage.
And, fually, be obtained . promise
ON Rose that she would meet him at the
pitage that same night, where, by pre-
ious arrangement, his confidential ser,
ant, disguised as clergyman, was to be
! attendance to perform the marriage GER
mony. After which, Rose should return
, her mother, to remain during the few
eeks of his absence in Wales, whittier, he
aid, important business forced him. This
greed up0n they took leave of each 9TH