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

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She endeavored to allay the pain by avert
ing her head from the vapor but the eva
sion only increased her agony, for her neck,
upon which drops of the sulphur crystal
lied, became acutely sensitive to the weight
of string of pearls. One by one she re-
moved them from the smarting flesh but
the clasp behind had sunk SO deep that its
withdrawal gave her torture intensely Sc
| we're.
With inconceivaple effort she preserved
herself from insensihilty, and with copious
draughts Of water allayed The burning fe-
yer in her throat. Her voice lost its sweet
ness, and she expressed her grief III such
harshness and monotony that she started
from her seat as the clock struck twelve
AS peal after peal swept dismally along
she tottered to the door, which she opened,
and groping her way along the walls, for
her eyes were dim, searched for hood and
bells which she shook The perch in the
corner rocked backwards and forward. as
the hawk on it tapped it's wings and scream
ed 50 loudly at the sounds of its favorite
embems Of chase, that the chamber rang.
The King, who had been walking in the
corridor, approached, bearing in one hand
a small chamber lamp, and in the other a
scabbardless sword. Ellen mustered
strength to speak, for obscurely he saw
that something was amiss, and he inquired
the cause
" will tell you my Lord, most willing
ly," said she, and the screaming hawk
pounced at divers shadows as if they were
It's prey. Alas there was now no occa-
sion to cast down her eyes, for little of their
luster remained.
"My Lord, had hearkened to your suit,
my fathers welcome had been paid with
wrong, and your Majesty's chivalry been
more eclipsed than my charms could bright
en-. Happily a brief pain has preserved
honor"
go infatuated. but noble-minded girl,
what hast thou done 7" exclaimed he, cast
ing down the lamp and sword, and cover
ing his face with his hands "Why didst
thou not intimate thy heroic resolve, and
the possession of worlds would not have
made us ruin that loveliness which king
doms cannot repair"
" You would have called it maid-sick
martyrdom, or coquetry run mad, or cpl
thets equally fantastical," said she, press
ing her hand to her bosom.
Stay there is yet hope The injury
thou has inflicted is not irreparable," cried
he, rushing to arouse the household, when
she beckOned him back
pray your majesty be calm," said she
" the worst is past"
40, heavens, how heartless we seem
to be the cause Of all this wreck. 0, Ell
len, can'st thou forgive thy destroyer ?"
" Indeed | can: far better be thus than
be a tarnished thing cast away, for maids
to loath and men to scorn me. Now the
worst they can say of me is, that spoiled
myself of a questionable good to escape
an evil"
"And what will they say of me, Ellen 2?
"That the good King Francis, once up
on time, meeting a poor, plain girl in an
obscure town, was so blinded with strange
love, that she saw no way to restore him
to sight than to lose her own"
" Gracious and all mysterious God |" ex-
claimed he, appalled,, :" thou dost not say
thou art blind ?"
" In sooth, uch is thy fear. Give me
your hand, and I'll determine whether there
is water in the well-spring of the BRAIN"
said she, with touching tenderness !; and
she shed tear, which he kissed away, as
she endeavored to examine his palm.
Ellen, Ellen, say thou canst see, and
make me happy !" exclaimed the agonized
monarch, falling on his knees, and resting
his head heavily against her breast.
"AlIs dark, my liege."
"All, Ellen ?"
Yes, my liege."
40, say not s. Say that there's yet a
little light"
And so there is, Lord Francis little
| Iioht th q miSlad mo iptnv
"Love, Ellen ?"
"'Tis so, Lord Francis"
For whom, Ellen? Thou trembiest-
| know all"
"Then if you do why do you ask? why
do you ask, Lord Francis ?"
ELLEN, thou lowest him who would have
been thy base undoer."
"'Tis SO, my lord"
80, torture worst of all and Ellen's
blind !" and her tears fell plenteously on
his upturned face, while he continued to
ejacuIate, "And she is blind ! 0, who will
love her now, when she is blind p
Won't you my sweet Lord Francis,
love me as though | were a dear sister,
long since dead ?"
dearest sister, WILL" said he, "kiss-
ing her hands fervently, "Sister Ellen, l
will and never till now knew Francis
love so pure, so lasting"
I" Eth ! yon keen crucible hath burned
away all drossiness," said she moving her
hand over the chatting dish "Tis with
life as with this short episode of an hour
Nothing in the way Of virtue was ever &C
complished without pain. To horse, Lord
Francis, and whenever you pray, remember
Ellen Inglevere."
"A And must we part thus, more dearly
loved and doubly fair 2"
And must we part thus, more dearly
loved and doubly fair? 2"
" Yes, and rejoice that no guilty blush
crimson my cheek, nor criminal throb up
braid my heart for beating" replied she, as
the hawk uttered such series of piercing
screams, that first her attendant, and then
others, and finally retainers and jewellers,
rushed into or surrounded the room, where
they discovered the sovereign surnamed
"The Restorer of Learning, and the Great
deprived of forethought and firmness of
mind.
The most skillful eeches the town or
court could afford were summoned but
their aid was only Of partial avail. Facial
beauty had forever bade farewell to he1