The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-11
THE HALLOW-EVE MYSTERY.
A LEGEND OF THE BLACK HALL.
CHAPTER /.
THE BBRNERs OF THE BURNING HEARTS.
"Their love was like the lava flood,
That burns in Etna's breast of 1amen

'oTheir love was like The lava Hood
That burns in Etnas breast Of flame"
Near the end of dark autumn-day, not many
years ago, young couple, returning from their
bridal tour, arrived by steamer at the old city of
Norfolk; and, taking hack, drove directly to
she best inn.
party rs Mr.. and Mrs. Lyon Berners, of Black
Hall. Virginia. and two servants.
"We shall need private parlor and chamber
communicating for our own use, and couple OF
bedrooms for our servants, said Mr.. Berners, as
he handed his hat and cane to the bowling
waiter ~
tea 2" asked the landlord.
ooh, anything you please, so that it is nice
and neatly served said Mr.. Berners with a
slightly inpatient wave of his hand as if he
would have been rid of his obsequious host.
"Ah-ha anything please! 1t is easy to see
what ails him. He lives upon love just now;
but he'll care more about his bill of fare a few
weeks hence" chuclled the landlord as he left
the public parlor to execute his guests orders.
The bridegroom was no sooner left alone
with his bride than he seated her in the easiest
armchair, and began with affectionate zeal to
unite her bonnet strings and unclasp her mantle.
"You make my maid a useless appendage,
dear Lyon" said the little lady, smiling up in
his eyes. "You love me so much, dear Lyon
You love me so much Yet not too much either!
for oh if you should ever cease to love me,
or even if you were ever to love me less, II
dare not think what | should do !" she muttered
in a long, deep, shuddering tone.
why Sybi, my wife-you beautiful mad
creature You are n true daughter of your
hOusel Bcrners of the burning heart A Ber-
ners fthe boiling blood A Berners Of whom
1T has been said, that it is almost fatal to be
loved as to be hated by -
Suddenly in the midst of their converse they
heard the sound of weeping-low, deep, heart
broken weeping.
Both paused, looked at each other, and lis
tened.
The sound seemed to come from a room on
the opposite side of the passage to their own
apartment.
What is that?" inquired sybil, looking up to
her husbands face.
'It seems to be some woman in Distress" an
swered Lyon.
ooh! see what it is, dear, will you?" entreated
Sybil.
She was herself so happy, that it was really
dreadful to be reminded just then that sorrow
should exist in this world at all
But if she could have foreseen the woe that
was to come to herself, to her husband, and to
the object of her sympathy she would have held
Lyon back, as with the grip of fate, from the
mission on which she now sent him.
For the weeper was a beautiful wOman-a de-
serted wife-named Rosa Blondelle, who, al
though but few days landed from the vessel
which had brought her from Europe, had been
robbed OF her jewels andmoney by her husband,
and then left to her fate in that Norfolk hotel.
Sybil was deeply moved by this lady's story
and insisted on taking Mrs. Blondelle home with
her to Black Hall, and Mr.. Berners gave his
assent to her wishes
But before they got ready to set out on their
journey Sybil bitterly repented of the arrange
ment. Mrs Blondelle was so enchantingly lovely
that Mr.. Berners at once began to yield to her
charms; and Sybil, for the first time saw him
pay the homage of admiration to other beauty
than her own.
This kindled the fires of jealousy in her heart,
and by the time they reached Black Hall those
fires had become famed into an ineXtinguish-
able flame.
And no Berners had ever been known to for
give an object of jealousy.
Black Hall, the abode of Mr. and Mrs. Ber-
ners, was palatial old Virginia mansion, stu-
ated in the heart of the Black Valley, a few
miles from Blackville, the county town. 1t had
been in Mrs. Berners' family for generations,
and was renowned for the scenes of gayety
and hospitality which had transpired beneath
its roof.
Mrs. Berners the last of her race to give vent
to the emotions of her restless, jealous heart
resolved to reinaugurate the festivities of the
olden time, and for that purpose announced a
mask ball for the ensuing All-Hallow Eve and
at once set about getting all things in readiness.
One day while she was absent at Blackville,
making purchases, Lyon and Rosa became so
absorbed in one another rs to become ObliyiOus
of the entry of Mrs. Winterose, the old house,
keeper who found them sitting closely side by
side, her hand clasped in his. On Sybil's return
the old housekeeper described this scene to her
with many eXaggerations. The revelation
seemed to freeze Sybil into ice.
"Oh, my hearU nly hedrt!' she moaned, turn
ing deathly pale And then, after long silence
she bitterly added, Deceived! Betrayed
Scorned! Laughed at Well, WE'LL" she con-
tinued nodding grimly; swell, well, since de-
ceit is the fashion OF the day, too will be in the
fashion; l too will wear mask of smiles But
behind that mask will watch!-Oh, how l will
watch! Not at my fancy ball alone will | play a
part but before it, and perhaps after ii! None
shall ever know how | watch, what l see, until
descend with the fell swoop of the eagle. And
henceforth let me remember that am daugh-
ter of the house of Berners, who never failed a
friend or spared foe. And oh, let the spirit of
my fathers support me, for must ENDURE until
/ can AvENGEl"
And oh could those trihers with sacred love
those wanderers on the brink of fearful
abyss-have seen the look of her face then, they
would have fled from each other forever, rather
than to have dared the desperation of her reused
soul.
But they saw nothing, knew nothing, sus-
pected nothing
And thus all the three drifted towards the
awful brink of ruin.
CHAPTER H.
THE FIRST FATAL HALLow EVE.
1t was All-Hallow Eve, a night long antici-
patcd with delight bY the whole neiphborbOod