The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-04-18
THE PHANTOM BRIDE,
OR, THE TEST OF LOVE

"Will you love me, even beyond the
tomb?"
Tie question came from the vermillion
lips of a young girl at fancy ball in Paris
during the reign of Louis XIV. She was
brilliant brunette, with abundant raven
hair, and wore the Spanish vail and man
tlla which she had assumed for the occa
sion, with all the grace of daughter Of
Andalusia. Her companion, a noble
Scotch Earl Of some two or three and
twenty, arrayed as a warrior Of Mary Stu
arts, in Scotch plaid and Highland bon
net and feather, had been pursuing the
lair unknown all the evening with probes.
tations Of love and eternal fidelity His
answer was prompt and unhesitatng:
ayes, swear it. IfI die / will dream
Of you in the sepucher, and thrill ofjoy
will welcome you if your foot but press
the grass over my head"
"And if should die9" inquired the
young girl. in sad tone.
'lf YOU should die, will be as faithful
to you dead as living; and if you should
be permitted to visit me, will kiss your
cold hand with as much love as at this
nome Mt" and he pressed to his lips the
little white hand of the beautiful SpaLiard
"Ah. well! ! permit you, then, to love
me. We shall see ify you will be constant
Farewell, we shall meet again"
"But whcre?-wben?" demanded the
Earl, anxiously.
ii cannot tell. Perhaps here-perhap'
elsewhere-but you will see me-"
And, with gesture which forbade lin
to follow her, she disappeared in 'h'
E crowd.
Two years passed away, during whicl
Earl Ral ph Morton sought vainly at Mar
", at Versailles, in every place OF publ
resort, for his beautiful unknown. II
was Scotchman by bnth, and, like man
. OF his codnlrymen, had entered the servlc
st of the King OF France. But Court lii
did not comport very well with his sien
der rune, and he became, ere long
deeply involved in debt.
"You must find some rich heiress,
- said his sympalhizing friends; it was tn
i usual resource Of embarrassed gentlemc
Of that day. But the Earl had hot 10
n gotten The bewitching An1alusian, an
was in no mood for the search; He W.
. spared the trouble, however. His uncl
IS, who was the archbishop of an Assyri'
city, destroyed by the Romans, inform'
him one day that it was time for him
marry, and that he had found vile
him.
"Is she rich?" inquired Ralph. 81
no, ask if she is pretty-it is all the sar
10 me-
"Vety rich and very pretty"
. The Earl thought Of his unknown, a
sighed then though, of his creditors a
,, consented. The uncle arranged ever
thing, and when all was settled he ga
The nephew his benetiction and two III
, dred pistoles, an6 sent him off to Bnrg'
OF dy, 10 pay his respects To Mademolse
de Roche Noire, whom he was TO ma
Ein d f, rtnight.
- A g'oomy journey Of several days
ration brought him at length TO The
@ cient feudal manor.house of Roche No
10, situated in the heart Of a forest. on lc
+. rock from which il derived its name,
> was expected. The grand door of
rhe mansion was open, aud an aged serv
rdcT met him at the threshhold. and conduc
aif Him 10 a large hall, at the extremity
- which sat an old man and young glrl
Tho former, whom lie OWNED at ono
IN, be the Baron of Roche Noire, rose at
" entrance, and. sauting him in the so
IL 1 what formal fashion Of the day, preser
@ rmSf linn to his daughter llermiuie. The
here here ter had the voluptuous beauty of :he fl
an" and er which has unfolied under south
M sun. She was pale, with fair hair,
- eyes Of the deep b!do Of an Italian sb!
IL Her figure was rich but graceful,
IN hauds so exquis' tly shaped and trans,
ent as alabaster. So much the Earl
as he emf before his betrothed, an
,o,. spite of his professed indifference, h'
SSS ,"nS. vardly congratulated himself on his G
fortune. .rrs-, I..,
INN The Earl and Baron exchanged the
d ano ual reciprocal compliments and inqu,,
Y the Ralph was accustomed to society, and
gar gar. derstood we'll Che art Of making biz
'l'S, RO.Ss agreeable; the Baron, spite of his sew
y, Sc: winters, had not forgotten to be cour
!; A. ana 10 and Herminie had the simple grace
dignity, the modesty without pruder
Si''0' G, a young girl Of high birth, religiousl
hio. ,a.,oI huI uithOut nnv riuiuitV,