Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-06-23
THE HALL0W EVE MYSTERY.
A LEGEND OF THE BLACK HILLS.
CHAPTER T
CHAPTER l.
THE BERNERs OF THE BURNING HEARTS.
f'Their love was like the lava flood

CHAPTER [.
THE BERNERs OF THE BURNING HEARTS.
f"Their love was like the lava flood
That burns in Etna's breast of flame"
Near the end of dark autumn-day, not
many years ago, a young couple, returning
from their bridal tour, arrived by steamer
at the old city of Norfolk; and, taking a
hack, drove directly to the best inn.
The gentleman registered himself and
his party as Mr.. and Mrs Lyon Berners,
OF Black Hall, Virginia, and two servants.
I'VE shall need a private parlor and
chamber communicating for our own use,
and a couple OF bedrooms for our servants, -
said Mr.. Berners, as he handed his hat and
cane to the bowling waiter.
Certainly, sir What would you like
for tea?" asked the landlord.
ooh, anything you please, so that it is
nice and neatly served, said Mr.. Berners,
With slightly impatient wave of his hand
as if he would have been rid of his obse-
quious host.
,'Ah, ha anything please It is easy
10 see what ails him. He lives upon love
just now; but he'll care more about his bill
of fare few weeks hence" chuckled the
landlord, as he left the public parlor to ex-
ecute his guests orders.
The bridegroom was no sooner left alone
with his bride than he seated her in the
easiest arm chair, and began with affection
ate zeal to unite her bonnet strings and un-
clasp her mantle.
''You make my maid a useless ap-
pendage, 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 r' she
muttered in long, deep, shuddering tone
"Why, Sybil, my wife-you beautiful
mad creature! You are true daughter of
your house ! A Berners of the burning
heart! A Berners Of whom it has been
said, that it is almost as 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
listened.
The sound seemed to come from room
on the opposite side of the passage to their
own apartment.
"What is that?" inquired Sybil, look
ing up in her husbands face.
cit seems to be some woman in distress, -
answered Lyon.
ooh see what it is, DEAR will you?" en-
treated 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
,,I {0 fla alN5 q h. IL
would have held Lyon back, as with the
grip of fate, from the mission on which she
now sent him.
For the weeper was beautiful woman
a deserted wife named Rosa Blondelle
who, although but few days landed from
the vessel which had brought her from
Europe, had been robbed of her jewels
and money 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. BIon-
delle 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
arrangement Mrs. Blondelle was SO en-
chantingly 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 inextinguishable flame.
And no Berners had ever been known to
give an object of jealousy.
Black Hall the abode of Mr. and Mrs
Berners was a palatial old Virginia mansion,
Ii H. / ID
few miles from Blackville, the country
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 mask ball for the en-
suing All-Hallow Eve, and at once set
about getting all things in readiness
One day while she was absent at Black
vile, making purchases, Lyon and Rosa
became so absorbed in one another, as to
become oblivious of the entry of Mrs
Winterose, the old housekeeper, who
found them sitting closely side by side
her hand elapsed in his On SybiPs re-
turn, the old housekeeper described this
scene to her, with many exaggerations.
The revelation seemed to freeze Sybil into
ice.
'sOh, ma heart! MAJ heat!" she moaned,
turning deathly pale. And then, after a
long silence, she bitterly added, Deceived
Betrayed! Scorned! Laughed at s.! Well,
well| she continued, nodding grimly;
''well, we'll, since deceit is the fashion of
the day, too will be in the fashion; l too
will wear q mask of smiles But behind
that mask, I will watch oh, how [ will
watch Not at my fancy-ball alone will
play part, but before it, and, perhaps,
after 1t! None shall ever know how [ watch,
what [ see, until [ descend with the fell
swoop of the eagle. And henceforth let
me remember that [ am daughter of the
house of Berners, who never failed friend
OF spared foe And oh, let the spirit OF
my fathers support me, for [ must ENDURE
until can AVENGE y
And OH! could those trifiers with sacred
love-those wanderers on the brink of a
fearful abyss-have seen the look of her
face then, they would have fed from each
other forever, rather than to have dared
the desperation of her reused soul.
But they saw nothing, knew nothing,
suspected nothing!
And thus all the three drifted towards
the awful brink of ruin.
CHAPTER IL