Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-07-12
VOLUME XVII.

saints seemed to frown upon him chidingly
The silence evidently disconnected him, but
he evaded his chagrin in smiles.
"W We come, charming cousin, to breathe
unalterable fidelity in thy ear" said he.
whats a charmed portal, my lord p
said she interrupting him, and drawing
} back
"We swear by thy mild blue eyes that
none whom Francis ever loved shall be SC
} beloved as Ellen,o said he ....
"My Lord" said she, I've heard of holy
books bursting their clasps when perjured
mouths come nigh. Beware Of robbing my
poor eyes of modesty, their own clasping
seal Towards me, | warn you, practise
neither falsehood nor INCONSISTENCY"
"By our knighthood, we shall be true to
thee, girl, till our heart hath no throb for
any living creature"
"Will you love me till my hair be gray?
Enchantress we shall love thee, wert
thou a withered crone from which hideous
ness itself might recoil," cried he so affec
tlonately y that she paused.
" And for what am | so vastly inestima,
bic 2" said she, h statingly. 1t cannot
be my tresses,--a few clips of the shears,
and farewell my pride in ringlets to the
winds. 1t may not be my brow, for care
shall furrow it, and blanch my cheek, which
now seems bloomingIy Care, too, shall
more peak my chin, and charms, if | have
any, be most perishable."
Lady, we love thee more for thy good
sense than for thy beauty" said he and
in stepping closer towards her his spur
struck the door, which closed with a spring.
He rubbed his hands together, and express
ed delight at an incident which created in
her a considerable trepidation, that soon
subsidized into a calm
a was childish enough to be alarmed
but | have nothing to fear from true
knight His most Christian Majesty would
not oppreSs the meanest Of his subjects, or
betray confidence where he is an honored
guest" observed she, drawing chair be-
fore her, and leaning in an easy posture ov-
er its tall, carved back.
Not for a diadem would he harm thee,
dearest" said he. Yet by our sword we
would sooner forfeit every acre of old Ma
varre, and leave Italy the brightest jewel
in our rivals crown, than to forego thy
love. Thou must be ours :" and the enrap-
tured monarch disengaged her from the
hulwark, and embraced her ere she could
eXtricate herself from his arms.
L" Hist heard you no noise 2" breathed
she softly, and she held her finger towards
the door He heard none, nor had she
and she twined her small fingers round her
wrist In two hours hence it shall be
midnight. Meet me here when the town
clocks chime. Pray, my Liege, till then
retire" said she, and she opened the door
"Dost mock US, Ellen? Say, wilt thou
keep thy promise ?"
"Assuredly my Lord does not doubt me
when [ say, yes Yes, | shall meet your
Majesty. See, the jewellers from the hall
seek you as one lost. Join them, and re,
member the appointed hour"
Francis retired abashed, when with gen.
tie force he had been expelled from the ora.
tory and Ellen quietly returned her devo-
tions for the night
TRANQUILITY she arose, and her manner be-
trayed neither excitement nor emotion,
though from repeated efforts she made to
trim the chamber lamp, and furtiye glances
she cast often at a mirror dull must one be
who could not distinguish that she was i'll
at ease. She paced round the apartment
which was small and meanly furnished, its
only ornament being a few pictures in en-
broidery on Scripture subjects. In one cor
ner were suspended loose sheets of vclIum,
parts of a missal for festival purposes and
in another seemed a perch to have been
erected, upon which was perched hawk
but so in the shade that it was difficult to
determine whether it was part of the ravel-
led tapestry or a real bird.
At length she sat on a low stool and en-,
compassed her knees between her hands,
rocking to and fro as if engaged in unrav-
elling some painful train of reflections
" If inward beauty can be nowise retained
except by outward injury, better the body
know scath than that the soul be defiled "
said she, reviewing herself in the grotes.
que mirror, with pensive expression which
soon cleared into cheerfulness. Now,
vanity aside" continued she, "Nell, did
you ever think you were so pretty as to
make conquest Of king ? Never, Nell,
never Nell must be lovely to have accom-
plished that La, what toy shop of
charms are temptiBgly piled in yonder
glass" and she shook the oil so that wavy
light fell on the mirror d" Blue eyes and
black hair are pecuHarities not often found
together Yet here | have them in Mile
sian perfection, albeit the average spirit of
my eyes is half merriment, half melan-
CuOlJ anu SllCChS oIC ilCIt, IIlttI lllOuS3
they may not shame the rose they never
knew the blush Of counterfeit Teeth, like
wise, which, though passing white, any
elephant hunter would at one glance dis
cover were no ivory and no lips which a
truer wooer than my Lord Francis told Ell
len were gushing ripe, any wild bird would
know at first pecking were not worth sweet
Strawberries Well, and as | was thinking,
it's pity all this toyshop should be in an
hour or two as sad to look on a sepulchre
She called her maid, and bade her bring
a chafngdish, heaped with live charcoal
: and sulphur in bar, which done the maid
retired, and Ellen sat once more alone
) Suspending the basin of spirit lamp over
r the dish, she dropped in the sulphur and
as it fused, yellow flame fickered up, and
: cast dull halo around the chamber She
f shook out her hair from the golden pins
that bound it, and it fell luxuriantly to the
, floor, before she combed it with the great
) est care, as ii she intended to brush il
= again. Re-dressing, her tresses never had
f more for with sciss rs she clipped round
: and round till her head was ncgress bare
but not half 50 picturesque for it had nc
= curls