The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1861-04-20
THE LADY OF LYNDHURST HALL.

1uo sun SUNK uUWu Utniuu tue purple
hills. flushing the sky with gold, sparkling
on the marble walls Of Lyndhurst Hall, and
gliding the brown roof Of the little cottage
IN the valley beyond.
In the shadow of this tiny dwellings, vine.
wreathed porch sat n stately and beautiful
woman. The embroidery on which she had
been ut work had fallen neglected to her
| feet, and her eyes were fixed on the smooth
| lawn of Lyndhurst Hall. Armin arm along
this green expause wandered two children
dark mani looking boy and fair haired
blue. eyed girl-a very snow drops some
two years younger. They were singing, and
as the clear cadence Of their youthful voices
| hoased on the lady's ear a smile curled her
red lips. auu she whispered 70 herself, Lilly
shall be the lady Of Lyndhurst yet"
| Margaret Elmore was by nature an ambi
! tious woman. Years ago, IN her earliest
youth, she had given her heart to one whose
| homage was all her woman's soul could
crave, and whose wealth and station satis-
! fed her ambitious mind. But some fancied
or actual wrong had wakened Margaret's
pride, and of her own free will she had turn
ed aside to tread alone lfe's pathway, hiding
her grief and keeping still the same proud
heart and face her girI,ood wore. Lily was
the lady's niece. Lovcllcr or sweeter it
would have been impossible for her to be.
That Margaret loved her was no marvel
Every living heart Graves some object round
which vine like to twine itself. For this
child's sake the smouideripg embers of am
bItious hopes and lefty aspirations burst
once more into flame. Margaret Elmore
was not one to be utterly bafiled in any OBJ
| iect her proud heart was fixed upon.
| b,f not
cottage porch, she had watched horseman
ride down the long green slope beyond, to-
wards the castle, and whispered, as he van
| ished from her sight, 81 shall be lady OF
Lyndhurst Hail YETI
| That dream was never realized. Those
hopes of wealth and pride and station which
her proud heart coveted had flown with soft
er dreams and gentler hopes, which Mar.
garet EImore scarcely knew herself until
they were gone forever.
| And now she sat, watching these children
with the same proud smile upon her lip it
wore so long ago, as she repeated, "Lily
shall be lady Of Lypdhurst Hail."
The song had ceased. aud the children,
with many a silvery laugh, hoated to and
fro in the great swing pendant from the
branches Of huge elm tree not far distant,
together first and then LILY ulone-a fairy
weight for those great branches, was watt
ed through the arr, looking downward, as
she few, at the boys laughing face--wh'ie
her hyacinthine curls were lifted by the
.sphyrs out into the sunlight, where they
cleaned and giittered like threads of gold
al am tired, l want to get down." said
| Lily.
| The boy lifted her lightly to the ground
as she spoke, and they sat upon the grass
together.
| .You are very strong,' said Lily.
"Yes." replied the boy, 81 am ten years
old. shall be a man soon; and then then.
Lily. shall go to Italy where papa is and
/ where poor mamma Was born. And We shall
see pictures and statues, and hear the
| beautiful music such as We hear here. Oh,
.ha. will be delightful. And to be with
papa, to"
"Aloue! No Lily, you remember what
YOU promised me you will be my little wife
then, and We will 60 together. Leave you
alone-whs Lily %
The child put up her red lips to meet those
of her ht,le lover; and far away on that
viue.wrsathed porch, Margaret Elmore as
thoueh her ear had caught their words, re-
peased softly to herself-"L,iy shali bs the
lady Of Lyndhurss ye'."
They we're together always, those two
children. The stately old lady under whose
guardianship the mosheriess boy was plae.
ed thought The beautiful, we'll ats'red child
a ssuns playmate for the young heir OF
I.vn,ihurst. and Margaret Elmore lost no
opportunity of throwing the two children
into each other. company. And distant rs
mus, be the realiz s,iou Of her hopes. they
we're no less strong or determined.
| Throush the years Of childhood the lnti'
macy still continued, losing nothing OF ITS
warmth or zes,. bat growing even closer
until the boy's fourteenth birthday arrived,
ard then came a summ ons from the long.
abseu, father for his son to JON him 10
Florence. The children parted With many
tears and premises 70 write ta saca esaer,