The independent. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Kan.) 1860-1874, 1865-06-24
fur the 4atle folks.
THE LADY MILDRED.
LEGEND or ROBIN HOOD.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

-hoi - uC "SbI VitCh ~ tuS A>uu-
merry of kirkless, under pretense Of
paying his respects 10 his aunt Eliz-
abeth de S:ayton, the Prioress, but
really to see lovely little girl whom
she had under her care. Ills was
his cousin, the lady Mildred de Clare,
who, like him, was an orphan. Lord
kyme, her father, gallant soldier,
had been killed in baitle,and his wife,
who loved him more dearly than lie,
than the world and everybody in ii,
wept herself away.
Lady kyme always loved Robert
Fitzooth, her favori,e sisters sou;
and ore day, when, as the children
were playing on the walls'o her hus-
bands castle, little Mildred fell into
the moat, and Robert saved her life
at the risk of his own, she made
solemn engagement with his mother,
that when Robert should become a
man and Mildred woman. they
should be married, and then two low
ing hearts, two noble titles, and two
fine estates would be united, she said.
From this time the shy and tender
Mildred looked up to her brave cous-
in as her future husband, while Rob
ert began to call her his little wife,
and was very loving and condescen-
ding toward her. She had boud
DIR of her own, where she used TO
play housekeeping. and he would go
so see her. Sometimes me would pre-
tend he was just returned from the
chase, and would stride III, blowing
little bugle, and carrying an old
deer skin, with the horns on, and halt
a dozen grouse or pheasants, borrow,
ed from the larder; these he would
fling at Mildred's feet, SAYING:
"See, my fair lady, what trophies
your noble lord brings from the chase
killed them all myself with one ar
row."
Sometimes he would come as from
the wars,armed with rusty old pieces
of mail, and weapons taken from the
armory-a helme. so big that he was
obliged to stuff his jerkin "a sort OF
iacket) into it, to keepit from shutting
down over his face and a ragged
corseIet of chain srmor, which came
10 his knees; lance with the point
broken, a long sword, which dragged
behind him, and pair Of big boots
of mail, with spurs. He would look
proud and warlike as he kissed Mil
dred's hand, but would beg her not 10
embrace him, as he had no less than
score of wounds on his breast, and
some of them were little sore. Ii
she asked him to take a seat, he
would say, mo, thank you, have
several other battles 10 fight to-day
but the fact was, his boots came up
SO high, and his corse'et hung SO low,
he couldn't sit down 10 save him.
Sometimes he would come in NOR
ning-gown and slippers, and with a
grand Indifference lounge on couch
and PLAY with his dog, taking no no.
tice of his little wife, till she would
begin to cry, and ask him what she
had done TO make him stop loving
her, or, wiser, 60 and get him some
thing nice to eat, when he was sure
TO grow good humored, and soon
,eaZe her Tor more.
But these happy childish days pas
sed, and the cousins became orphans
al nearly the same time, and each
was placed under the care OF hard
hearted relative. But through all
trials they kept on loving each other
until Robert was brave yaung man,
and Mildred beautiful young wo
man. Robert could no, often see his
betrothed, except in the presence OF
his stern unt,,he PrioresS,and could
only talk 10 her tIiro' screen Of lat
:ice-work. But sometimes the Pr
Dress permitted a certain old nun To
go with Mildred TO meet her cousin.
Agatha was kind. She had once,
loved. Her lover had fallen in battle,
bu, she still preserved lock of his
hair, with dark red stain upon il,
which she wore next her heart, and
remembered her youth. So she felt
for Rober, and Mildred, and would
leave them alone, and kneel in the
next. room to pray for them, while
they talked in low, loving tones
and smiled over pleasant plans. but
of,ener wepi over each others hands
held thro' the lattice. Here Robert
would tighten his heart Of its load of
care and grief, and pour OCT his I'M
patience and indignation against his
hypocitical uncle, while Mildred re-
lated her sorrows, and told how her
aunt warned against her lover, be-
cause he was wild, goddess young
man, and therefore 10 be Stunned.
Perhaps The Prioress thought it was
right, that she was only doing her
iGty in warning her niece; bu; the
Abbot had reasons OF his own tor OPP
posing the marriage. Lady Mildred
,ad a LARGE fortune: ii Robert mar