The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-11-25

, hurst and her possible golden gift.
; / cared nothing for the wonderful fol
tune in the fnnds that my aunt willis
pered and no ldel about so mysteri
= ously. But since then have won
dered whether, had then shown my
, self pccvish or obstinate chad | re
fused to give up nv room for the ey
, pected lltLswonan-it wou'd not hav
altered the whole OF my life? Bu
then Lucy or Minnie would have ot
/. tered in my steal; and been sacrt
: ficel-wlint 10 | say 2-better tha
: the blow should have fallen az it di
than on those dear ones.
The chamber TO which remove
was a dim littlc trian gular room II
the Western wing, was only to b
reached by trlvcr5inJ the picture
gallery, OF by mounting a little fligh
of stone stairs which lie directly up
warl from the low bro we'd arch OF ,
door that openel into the garden.- -
There was one more room on the SAM
landing place, and this u mere re
ceptacle for broken furniture, shat
tered toys, and all the lumber tha
,cW accumulate in q countrv-house
The room | was to inhabit for few
nights was n tapestry hung apart
ment, with faded green curtains oI
some costly stuff, contrasting oddly
with new carpet and the bright
fresh hangiugs of the bed, which haC
been hurriedly erected. The rurni
ture was half old, half new; and nr
the DRESSING table stood very quain
oval mirror, in frame of black wood
unpolished ebony, think. can re-
member the very pattern Of the car
pet, the number Of chairs, the situa
ton OF the bed, the figures on the
tapestry. Nay, l can recollect not
only the color of the dress I wore
on that fatal evening, but the arrange
ment OF every scrap Of lace and rib
bon, Of every flower, every jewel
with u memory but too perfect.
Scarcely had my maid fnishei
spreading out my various articles oI
attire for the evening when there was
to he 4 great dinncr-partv) when the
rumble OF Il carriage announced that
Lady Speldhurst had arrived. The
short winters day drew to a close
and large number Of guests were
gathered together in the ample draw.
/ ing room, around the blaze Of the
wood tire, after dinner. My father
| recUileGt, was not with Us at first
There were some squires Of the ole
hard riding, hard-drinking stamp still
lingering over their port in the dining
room, aud the host, Of course, could
not leave them. Bat the ladies and
all the younger gentlemen - both
thuse who slept uuler oar roof, and
those who would have doZen miles
oil log and mire to encounter on thell
road houe--were all together. Neeo
say that Reginald was theref liz
SAT near me--my accepted lover, my
accepted lover, my pilghted future
husband. We were " be married IL
the spr,ng. My sisters were not tll
OF, Luey, LOO, ual fodnI eyes tAal
spAr,lieI aul sottencI III meeting
tuelrs, had ,oLll hearts tnat beat re-
: sDonstte " their oTa. AAI, IN thell
eases, no rdde lrost nippeI the bios
I sOm ere il became Tie iruit, there
was no canker Ia their 1OWerctS VI
/ yoIng nope, no cloul IL JIelr SKY
lhnoceaG ahd loving, they were be
/ loved by men worLly Lhelr estren.
The room--a large aud lofty one
with ~ arcLel root--IId somewha
ot so.uUfe character, iron UelD4
| waiuscoted aud ceiieu with poll,he,
Dlacl OAK vi u great age. There wer'
| mirrors, aud Lnere were pIcLdres ol
| the walls, and handsome furniture
and marble cLlmncy' pieces, anu gay
| rouruay carpet, UuG Lnesc merely ap
peared Is Urlgut spots On the dart
back grouud Vi the EilLabetlan wooo
work. Many lights were burning
but Tue blackncss ot the walls ano
! root seemel absolutely TO swallow ul
tIeir rays, Ike the mouth OF a cavern
! A hundred candles could not have
given tuat apartment tile cneerlu
nIhtnoJs oi - nodern drawing rooin
f., But the gloomy richness ot the pan
els matched well with the ruddI
CLEAN from the enormous wood lire
IN which, cracking ana glowing, now
lay tn. mighty Yale log Qditc ;
blood red lu5tre poured forth from
the fire, and quiverel on the wall'
and the groincd root. We mad gath
cred rouud the vast antique heartI
in wide circle The qulyerlng lsn
OF the lire and candles lell upon u
all, but not equally, for some were IL
shadow | remember stlll how tai
and manly and handsome ResInal,
looked -tnat night, taller by the heao
than any there, and full oil hlgh splr
its and gayety. |, too, was IN th'
highest spirits, never had my bosom
felt lighter, and believe it was my
mlrth which gradally gained the rest
for recollect what u blitne joyous
company we seemed. All save one
Lady Speldhurst, dressed in gray
silk and wearing a quaint head dress
sat in her aru- chair, facing the tire
very silent, with her hands and hel
sharp chin propped on II sort Of ivory
handled ca utcn that she walked witt
tor size was lame,) peerins at me
with half. shut eyes. She was Il little
spare old woman, with very keen
delicate features ot the French type
| Hnr 1rav sillS dress, her SpO lless lace