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

my hot eypballs had not a tear t,
shed, and aven to weep was luxury
denied me -
Our house wns an old Tudor man
sion. Mvfather was very particula
in keeping the smallest peculiarttie
Of lis hone upaltered. Thus TN,
many peats and gables, the uumerou
turrets, and tie mulioned win low
with their quaint lozenge panes Sc
in lead, remained very nearly as they
had been three ceutdsicS back. Owe
aud above the quaint melancholy o
our dwelling, with the deep woods o
its park and the s1llen waters of the
mere, Our ncighborhoOd was thinly
Ipeopled and primitive, an the peopl,
round US were ignorant, and tena
cious of ancient idcli and traditions
Thus it was n supelstitio1s atmos.
Iphcre that we chiidpn were rcare
in; AMI we helrl, from orr Infancy
countless tales of horror, some mere
fables doubtless, othefs legends OF
dark deeds of the olden time, cxag.
gerated by credulity AMI the love OF
the marvellous. Oar mother had died
when we were yourg, and our other
parent being, though liinl father,
much absorbed in aflirs Of various
kinds, as an active magistrate and
landlord, there was no one to check
the unwholesome stream of tradition
with which our plastic minds were
inundated in tie company OF nurses
and servants. As years went on
however, the oil ghostIv taIeS par
TALLY lost their effect, and our unds.
ciplincd minds were turned more to.
ward balls, dress, and partners, and
other matters airy trivial, more vel.
come to our ripper age. 1t was at a
county asaembly-that Reginald an |
first mct--met and loved. Yes, I am
sure that he loved me with all his
heart 1t was not rs deep heart rs
some, have thought in my grief anil
anger; but l never doubted its truth
and honesty. Re9inall's father and
mine approved Of our growing attach
ment; and rs for myself, kn W / was
SO happy then that | look back upon
those Aecting moments as on some
delicious Dire am. now come to the
change. have fingered on my child.
ish remlsi5cences, my bright and
happy youth, and now l must tell the
rest--the blight and the sorrow.
1t was Christmas, always Il joyful
and hospiiable time in the country,
especially in such IN old hall as our
home, where quaint customs and frol-
les were much clung to, rs part and
parcel of the very dwelling itself
the hall was full oS guests--so iull,
indeed, that there was great difficulty
in providing sleeping accommo lation
for all. Several narrow and dark
chambers in the turrets--mere pigeon.
holes, as We irreverently called what
had been thought good enough for
the stately gentlemen Of Elizabeth $
reiLn--werc now allotted to bachelor
visitors, alter having been empty for
a ceutury. All the spare roo rs in the
body aud wings ol the hall were oc
cupied, Of course, and the servants
who had been brought down were
lodged ut the farm and at the keep
er's SO great was tie demand for
space AT last the unexpected arri
val of an ellrly relative, who had been
asked months before, but scarcely
expected, caused great comnpllon. -
Ny aunts went about wrins silg their
hands distractelly Lady Spellhurst
WAS parsonage ot some con1e lencc
she was Il distant cousin, an had been
for wears on cool terms with us all,
on account Of some iancled ulf'ont OF
slight when she had paid her idSi Wis
it, about the time OF my christening
She was seventy years old, she was
inlirm, rich, and testy; moreover, she
was my godmother, though l had tor
gotten the fact, but 1t seems that
though | had formed no expectations
OF legacy in my favor, my aunts had
done so for me. Aunt Margaret was
especially eloquent on the subject -
There isn't room lett, she said
'.was ever anything so unfortunate
We can not put Lady SpPldhurSt i"te
the turrets, md Yet where IS she tC
sleep? And Rosa golmother. too
Poor dear child, how dreadful! AZ
ter ali these years OF estralgement
and with hundred thousand in the
funds, and no comfortable, warm
room Mt her own unlimited disposal
and Christmas, of all times in the
year T. What WiS To be done? Ny
aunts could not resign their own
chambers to Lady Speldhurst, be-
cause they had already given them np
to some of the married guests My
father was the most hospitable ol
men, but he was rheumatic, gouty,
and methodical. His sisters in law
dared not propose to shift his quar-
ters; and, indeed, he would have far
sooner dined on prison fare than have
been translated To strange bed
The matter ended in my giving up
my room. l had $ strange reluctance
TO make the offer, which surprised
myself Was it boding OF evil to
come? can not say, We are
strangely and wonderfully made. Ii
mag have been. At any rate, i do
nor think it was any selfish unwilling
ness to make an old and inirm lady
comfortable by trihing sacrifice.
was perfectly healthy and strong -
The weather was not cold for the
time of wear. Ii WAS q dark, moist