The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-04-17
TALES OF THE BORDERS.
ny ALRxAMi IN cAhPBEiL.

Leaving matters IN this extraordinary pC
sition in the house Of Professor Lockerb
we shall shift the scene, for a Domsnt,
the Countess Dowager Of Wistonbury's sit
ting apartment in 0xton Hall; and We xi
choose the moment when her favourite fooi
man, Jacob Asterley, has entered her pre-.
ence, after his return from call at he posi
office il he neighboring village; the tim
being the second dav after the occurrenc
Just previously related-namelv, the des
patch 10 Oxton Hail Of Professor Lockerby'
letter.
well, jacob, any letters for me to-day
said the countess, on the entrance Of tha
worthy official
'Onp, my lady, from Scotland, replied th
servant, deferentially, and. at the same time
opening the bag in which the letters wer,
carried 10 and from the p0st-house.
! An 1 from the earl, r0Olned the countess
\ No, my lady, rather think not. Tn,
address Is not in his Lordship's handwri
ting
/ '0h the good Professor Lockerby.' saic
[ the countess, contemplating, for a moment
I the address Of the letter in question, which
was now II her ladyship's hands. 4 hope
nothing unpleasant bas occurred to my son
Add while she spoke, she hurriedlY brok'
/ the seal, and, 10 the next instant, was 10
+ tently engaged in perusing the intelligence
which il had secured from the prying curl
osity Of parties whom it did not concern.
II would take much ADLER pen than thai
now employed in tracing these lines, to con
veT ANYTHING ike an adequate idea Of tn,
mingled expression OF amszement, indigna
IiOn and grief exhibited on the eountenance
and in every act and attitude of the proud
Countess Of WistonbuTy, on rea1ing ths
story of her sons degradation. The flush
Of baughty resentment was succeeded by
the sudden paleness OF despair; aud in fire.
quent alienation did these strong express
ii ms If varied feeling fit across the fine
countenance--slili foe, although it had
looked On fifty summers-of the heart.
stricken mother, as she proceeded in her
perusal Of the ia al document. On compile
ting the perussl, the countess threw herself
in silent distraction o. sofa, and, still
holding the open letter in her hand, sank
into a mnze Of wild and wandering thoughts
These, however, seemed at length to concen-
trate H. Gas decisive aud sudden resolution.
Starting from the reclining posture into
which SIZE had thrown herself, she advan ced
towards the bell-pull, -=ng iuriously, ard,
when the servant entered 20 know her CON-
mands-
Order the travelling carriage Instantly,
jacob, she instantly, instantly and
let four Of my best horses be put IN the har.
ness. What do you stare at, iOols' she add
ed, irritsted at the look OF astonishment
which the inexplicable violence Of her man
uer had called into the countenance of her
trusty domestic. DO as you are ordered,
Directly The man bowed and Withdrew,
and, in pursuance Of the command, proceed
ed to the stables.
Here's q start, Thomasli he said, address
ing 3 jolly looking fellow, who was buslly
employ ed in brushing up some harness; 'the
travelling carriage and four # your best
horses, for my lady
why, what the DEVILS the matter now Y
replied Thomas, psusing in his operations;
where's the old girl a-going to ?
Not knowing, can't say rrplied Jacob
but she's in q woundy fuss, warrant YOU
Never SEED her IL such quandary in my
life. Something's wrong somewhere,
guess
We'll, well, ali's one to me- said Thomas
With philosophical difference; but 1t look.
like long start, wherever il may be to; 80
III get my traps 10 order.' Ana this duty
was SO expedtIously peTfor ned that, in less
than fifteen mlnuIes, the very handsome
travelling carriage Of the karl Of Wlstan
bury, drawn by iour spanking bass flashed
up 10 the door OF 0xton Hall. In al Instant
alter, it was occupiei by the dOwager count
is, and 10 another, was rafting away fOI
Scotland, at the utmost speed Of the animals
bY which 1t was drawn.
Changing here, once mose, the scene O
our story, we return to the house of Profess
or Lock kerby. There, matters continued n
+ that ominous state Of quiescence, that signi
Y Gcant ana pOrteDt0us calm, that precede,
the bursting OF the storm. Between tn,
professor and the young earl, not wor,
more had passed on the subjt ct of che latter
extraordinary declaration. Neither hat
made the slightest subsequent aIlusion TO il
! out continued their studies precls ly as the,
/ nad done before; although, perhaps, dc
gree of restTaInt-a Consciousness of som
point of difference between them-migh
now be disccrned in tier correspondence
Both, ia short, seemed 10 have tacilly agree
10 abide the result Of the professors letter &
the countess, before taking any other step
or expressing any other feeling on the sub
lect to which that letter related. The antici
yatea crisis which the professor aad his nc
bic pupil were thus compose dly awaiting !
soon arrived.
On the third day after that remarkabl
one on which the y ung Earl of Wistonbu
had avowed the humble daughter Of q huu
Bile Scotch farmer to be his wife, q carriag,
and-four, which, We need scarcely say, wa
The same we saw start from Ox'on Hal
drove furiously up to the door Of Profess,
LockeIby. The horses tanks sent for
clouds Of smoke; their mouths and fore
shoulders were covered git1 foam; and tn
carriage itself was almost encased in mu'
Everything told OF icng and rapid journey
And il was 30. Night and day, without OF
hours intermission, had that carriage pros
cuted its journey. In an instant after, Il
carnage stopped; its steps we're down, an
britIing with high and lofty indignation
the DOwager Countess Of WlstOnbury d
scended, aud, ere any one Of the professor
family were aware Of her arrival, she hs
entered the house, the loor being acciden
ally open, and was calling loudly for b
boy
Where is my son 2 she exclaimed, as 81
made her way into the very interior
the building 'Wher. is the Earl CT Wi
tonburys'
In a moment after the Earl Of Wistonbur
who hsd heard ana INSTANTLY recognized b
mothers voice, was before her, and "
about 20 rush into her arms, when 8
thrust him back, saying
Degraded, splritIess boy, dare not to I
prosch mel You have blotted the noble
the proudess scuicheon of England. Whs
Z 10 Professor Locksrbg r