Spirit of the age., 1860-11-07
bled Henry the Eighth and Julius Cesar to-

1t happened to FL itself upon my memo |
| ry,' replied Mary, raising her face and walk
ing stately onward again. That ssdden
faintness is past !: am quite well now, she
said, passing her hand lightly over her brow.
%, remember said the Mother, in q
careless tone. ION that day, even as Alice
hurried to the door, expecting to greet her
brothers form, you swooned away. You re-
member it, on account ofyour swoon? Now
| that / call the circumstance to mind, / recol-
| lect the old clock struck twelve, as you fain-
| ted
Twelve o'clock-the second of October 7
faltered the pale Mary, as the remembrance
of the strange hallucination which possesse d
her blood and darkened her reason, came to
her ssnl with redoubled force.
The vision that she saw, sitting in that
| quiet chamber, she dared never tell, it was
so strange, so like nightmare, pressing its
beak into her virgin breast, and drinking
slowly the life-blood from her heart.
They wandered on, Alice tripping gaily over
the sod. the Mother conversing cheerfully,
even Mary felt her heart bound, in the deep
serenity of that evening hour.
There was nook in that wild wood, where
the bank shelved down and the trees stood
apart, for ming circle around an ancient
pile of stones, over whose moSs-covered
forms bubbled fountain of clear cold water.
Above the fountain arose form of wood,
overgrown with vines, and leaning forward.
,. 1t was Cross, planted three hundred years
before, when these lands belonged to Mo-
mastery, and the Old Religion dwelt on the
SOIL
: A rude form, clad in tattered garments,
crouched on the sod beside the foantain.-
, His war-worn face was laid against the bank,
while his unshaven beard, white as snow,
Il Il - A. IT
once been bright scarlet betrayed the old
soldier. There was dust upon his CATERS,
and his much worn shses could scarce con-
ceal his CALLED feet
As he slept he grasped his staff, and thrust
one hand within the breast of his coat. His
slumber was disturbed he seemed laboring
o under the fears and hopes of some tumtlltu~
{ Gus dream. Suddenly, starting TO his feet,
with horrible cry, he gazed wildly ronnd,
g and trembled, while the claRmy moisture
. stood in beads upon his brow.
h who are you? Backl You shall not
s kill meP he cried, and put himself in an at
s tidude of defence.
d 1t is the old Soldier, who went with my
q don't you know us p
1t The effect of his dream passed away, and
the aged Soldier advanced, his hard hand
70 pressed by the warm fingers of the young
,r girls. AS he stood before them, his eyes
n seemed to avoid their gaze-now downcast
er now wandering on either side-his sun
te burnt face was flushed with a warm glow.
a. Speak! Our Brother faltered the girls.
1T My Son! You bear message from
y him ? exclaimed the Mother.
re The old Soldier was silent. ,
ly Your Son You mean my Master-eh ,
n The Major he hesitated.
h,h T., Al
lg war overY exclaimed Mary
n 'Ah-BrotheF is on his way home-he will
W. be here presentiy-what a delightful sur
er prise 7 cried Alice
es Still the Soldier stood silent and confused
ke his hands pressed together, while his down
cast eyes wandered over the sod.
to My goodness, ladies' he, muttered-
"a, Haven't yoI received al letter 2
to Sir Henry wrote to me? echoed the
lst Mother, her face growing deathly pale-'Why
did not my son write himself?
M And the sisters, laid each of them hanC
zee on the veterans arms and looked up eagerly
ds into his rough visage.
: His lips quivered his eyes rolled strange
ow ly in their sockets. He endeavored to speal
he but there was choking sensation in hi
he throat; all the blood in his frame SCENE,
lp- rushing to his eyes.
ng / can't tell it !! God help me and forgivs
et my sins, amt strong enough to- tell it !
Tor Ladies can't you guess-you see-the Ma
n! jor-'
INT Through the gathering gloom of twilight
the Mother looked and beheld his emotion
lat and felt her soul palsied by terrible fear
on You may see Alice, standing there, gazing o.
the soldier with snrprise; Mary, that STATED
IKE sister, is by her side, her face white as
en- shroud.
IN IL of H.
the midst of the wood, with the moss bt
= meath, and the autumual leaves above. Th
he sound ofthe fountain gurgling over the gre
ep rocks alone disturbed the silence of the ali
md The bluff old veteran stumbled forward
alr and fell on his knees.
me Look ye,-Pm rough| amt afraid
man or devil, but Pm afraid now Don
sct- force me to speak it
leir Adown that sunburnt face slowly trickle
two large and scalding tears.
len You see the Mother, her face man1fe
rk ting sudden traces of that agony, which no
er's comes with overwhelming force, and tax,
her soul by storm, you see her advance an
no take the veteran by the hand.
our Rise, friend, Abelr she said, in voice
we unnatural calmness. L know your me
Sc sage. My son is dead
'.- The Soldier bowed his head and gave fr
US vent to his tears.
Alice hears that word, and shrinks tow ar
wn, yonder tree, her eyes covered in stran,
like mist her heart suddenly palsied- in its bes
hess ings. The Mother stands as calm. as pa
ives as corpse.
ung Mary alone advances, gasps these words
with the last effort of her life
ate +" He died in battle at the head Of
cket men-Speak! A soldiers death"
-een Transformed in every nerve, she culver
e is before him, her fingers clutching his ir
1ine arms, her eyes flashing death-like glare
to his face. Her falling hair sweeping ba
ster from her face, completed that picture of
gay sinless maiden, trembling on the verge
her madness!
The old Soldier looked up and answer
W her:
her. He died on the second of October. at
my hour of twelve-on the Gibet-as Spy.
rect These words, in hollow yet deliber;
yet voice, he slowly uttered, and the Mother a
the Sisters heard it all Heard it, and COZ
ii of not, a. the moment, die
and God pity them, in this their fearful hour
her The Mother sank on her knees. Ali
dark the hir-haired and gentle, tottered and fl
as though her life had passed with that 10
sign- and quivering snriek.
The rougl soldier wept aloud.
ming Mary, alone, stood erect: her pale coun
|. nance thrown into strong relief by her da
yhiS- flowing hair her ewes CLASSY her lipS liv