Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-04-18

each in turn pierced her 70 the quick MI
chael acquiesced in her decision, and went
his way; north, soutll--wliat was ii to her
Yet wherever he went he carried her heart
with him, and that perhaps everybody knew
but himself. s js
The lapse of, f,time had brought many chann-
ges in and about Brackentield since fhcn.
Mary, the oldest daughter, married eight
years before to Mr.. Wynyard OF Eastwood,
had entered on course of suffering such as
was but very imperfecty understood in her
fathers house. John had married, not am
bitiously, but much to his liking, and the
only other son had laid down his life In In
dia. Helen and Grace had gone to homes
of their own, and Millicent alone was left OF
all their. children with the Squire and the
dame. AT the Grange old Sir Gilbert Fores-
ter had died, and another Sir Gilbert resign
| cd in his stead but Michael never came back,
Tom Martineau met him once in a remote
village to Algeria, where they joined in
lion hunt with vagrant Scotch laird, and
afterwards parted and went their several
ways, hut other tidings Mllcent had none.
As her fitful pride wore down, her char
acter rpened to u rich maturity. To haye
taken her from Brackentcd now would
have been TO take away Its sunshine; and
the Squire looked with discouragement on
any amorous swain who was tempted to cast
hope towards her. Uncle Christopher
quizzcd her as n paradox of constancy, and
| pl, vii m fprM
J cllael Forester yet; but, ah well-a-day.
lust three years after she had sent him from
her. his letters home ceased. From that
time till now---an interval of seven years
; rumor had brought no news Of him. Sir
Gilbert Forester had entered into possession
of his brothers lands, and had put up in
the chancel of Brackenfeld Church mar
) BILE shield inscribed to his memory. He was
, counted amongst the dead, but all else was
: mystery; and her friends spoke low before
Millicent, when they speculated on how he
| had probably perished in some far-away
f torrid wild-unwept, rnpiticd, by strangers
G tended and buried. a9i
y 1t was not SO in reality, and as his return
: home took place during the memorable visit
Of the Eastwold children to grandpapa's
+ house, and made permanently happy and
1 hopeful impression on Mr.. Wynyards ward,
! the joyous story shall be set forth as pre-
d lude to her own longer and more varied
c chronicle.
When the children and grandchildren were
= at Brackenheld for Christmas, the great hal
= was the fivorite gathering place Of the fami
ly, and the tittest place, with its portraits il
y every panel, and its fires of 'fule-logs blaz
q ing at either end. On Christmas Eve, in thu
4 afternoon, they were all three-Francis
n Godfrey and Maurice, Phillip, Jimmy ant
u Jack, Anna and Lois, tiny Poppie and tod
oi ding Nell--six boys under fifteen, and fou
l. girls under twelve. Oh, Babel! oh, glori
le Gus coniusion and their elders all enjoyin
I'd il. In the midst Of the floor was a htap G
+ green boughs, amongst which the merr
ne little folks were culling the richest in scarle
IN berries, and handing them up to Robin til
IN gardener, who was decking the walls. Tl
III work went on until twilight, when II wa
III nearly done and there arose a qucstio
10 about hanging up the mstletoe but behold
when the young ones looked out for th
" mistletoe, there was none to be found. N
ne mistlctoc? Christmas Eve, and no mistle
~ toe BY all means let Robin go and Gu
IN some before the dark falls
Robin protested that he had put more tina
IS enough into the cart, and unless the kitche
es wenches had stolen it there il mustb be still
l.. H. l,l
IL cate passages to the back door, Aunt Mill
w cent and Penelope Croft following with Loi
~ n little grace Of girl who was in immens
ha excitement about the absent mistleto
There they found the cart waiting, with
m smoky lantern dangling at the shaft, and
OF stiff set lad at the horses head, thrashin
la1 himself with long fail like arms to keep U
l'i' his vital heat There was a windy gloom
- that north quarter of the house, and the gir
IL. STAYED within the porch while the gardner
ny Jack through out to the boys the last gree
W. hew and holly.
at wIIere IL is. here's mstletoe T. cried Fra
u els and dashed off with all the other youn
nal sters pursuing. But NTillicent and Penelol
'rt- stood transfixcd at the apparition of q froz
'ho white face which peered up at them from u
'hs darkness beyond the cart--such a lace
ere Pcnnie had never seen either in the body
ret' out of the body in her short life before.
'he seemed to gaze at them with unseeing, stol
eA- ewes, and then to turn and turn away, Al
ma recede into the purple gloom, but with ney
llils a sound of foostep or rustic OF raiment, a
ana so was lost in the blackness of the tliie
70 IL clipt yews by the wall. Alillicent's ha
'ra- closed on Pennies with clutch that aim
ose made her cry out for pain, and drawing
as breath with sob, she whispered, st "
10 Michael Foresters facet" Pennie did |
believe in ghosts, but she was mortally afr
II of them and her heart beat loud and tn
men as they hurried through the dark passa
Il at back to the ruddy fireshine of the HI
son Their rushing entrance was greeted b
no', general outcry.
anu "What's amiss? You look as if you
re- seen a ghost" said Captain Blake, Hclt
on sailor spouse s'If you have yarn to
ho,, us, now's the witching time o'night. &c
a"u Quixote, lei us hear IL"
y ~, w "We have no yarn" said Pennie, {
-, wering with teeth-a-chatter 70 one OF
=. a'., - many names her grotesque little phiz
u " earned her. "I,ut it is a night bitter emo
wv to bleach the red out of even your face, s
,he "That's right, Pennie, give it him.
we'd grows more like beet-root every day, c
~ To the Squire, and made room for her in
tas,; midst of the circle. Robin the gardener
,;ness served that there would be a full of 81
= had before morning Everybody echoed
prediction, and said it was lucky it had
'vely, OIL over ohrls.inas INe' VI ''eo '''"o'e'i
wins must have lacked many guests, now dc
IL Mi less set off upon their dark and windy
r Gil to join in the revels with which Squire
| and ton always kept that festival.
'ooing At half-past five rang the dressing
frank, and away trooped young and old to |
him to themselves gay for the dance that WI