The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-05-08

niaces oF gold he had gone to join the
cror-ears In London, and to receive his
reward as a robed head spy.
Brave Lady blanche refused to be-
lieve Franks dishonor. Nellie only
went and was silent. A year after that
The steward fled with whole years
rents. and was said to have been seen
| in the puritan camp at Worcester, when
the fatal blow TO the cavaliers was
shortly after struck.
Soon after Cromwell became protec.
tor. Wardour castle was dismantled by
the puritans. Lady Blanche flying to
France to join her husband, the steward
returned and became magistrate and
the great man in Wiltshire. Poor Mel
"! now and then letter came to her
from Frank, saying that he had enlist
ed in Germany after the death OF the
king, and had become rich captain {;
but he dared not return, for he had
been exempted from the pardon. He
was still true, and only prayed for bet
ter times. But what was singular, from
the very day puritan servant of the
stewards became postmaster at War.
dour, no letter from Frank ever reached
poor, faithful, hopeful Nellie.
v,-uoME IN THE TWILIGHT.
Twenty.six long years had passed.
great for good or evil, had died and
been entombed among the kings. The
irresistible cry had risen over England
for the old race. Charles landed at
Dover amid a tumult of delight. that
no reign, however beneticent, could af-
there were great rejOiCings at Wardour.
Young Lord Arundel AID Lady
Blanche, his mother, were to return.
Bells were ringing; there were arches
covered with flowers; every body was
in his holiday trim. The old retainers,
who had fought at the siege, were all
there, ready to escort the family home
from Westminster. The steward, now
a crippled, paraly zed old man, glover
ed at the whole thing from the window
of the miserable cottage to which he
had sunk for no good, after all, had
ever come of his ill-gotten gold. He
was the only unhappy man in War
dour that day.
Nelly-now comedy woman of over
forty years of age, sorrow-stricken, but
bearing her sorrow with religious COM
posture that touched every heart, gravely
cheerful, had taken "a cluster of neigh
bors' children to the village green to see
the soldiers. The children strayed
away, playing with their companions.
The procession had just passed, the
swords were cleaning in the distanc,
the banner were fast reCedinR in the
twilight, when stranger, dressed like
foreign soldier, accosted Nelly, who
village church.
"Can you tell Inc, fair Mistress" he
said, dot1ing his hat, whether one
Frank Hilton is still living ?''
Nelly gave a great sign that arose
from the very bottom of her heart, and
said:
81 knew him once, but there is no
one here of that name now; none. He
served the late lord in the wars, and
went to Germany. Since then his
friends have had no tidinRs of him."
81 knew this village years ago." said
the stranger, land remember some OF
the good folks here. "Are the Burtons
still living"
mo" said Nelly. "Ned Burton fell
at Naseby, and his father at Worcester.
The mother died four years ago."
"And the Goodlakes: are they still
living Pr
The stranger said this in lower and
more subdued tone than he had pre-
viously used.
Nellie turned her head away, and cast
her eyes upon the ground. odd Far
mer Goodlaks and his wife are both
dead,' she replied, and tears came into
her eyes. did you know them?
stranger, 'and there was, remember
well, daughter-a pretty girl whom
all the village loved-Nelly Goodlake.
Did she-did she ever marry?'
Mono, she never married.
rs she still-aliVc?'
The twilight was gathering fast.
Even while they spoke: the last rose
tinge of sunset retlectedin the east had
grown fainter. The elms by the stile
we're now mere black, shapeless masses.
Then there came mere pale, yellow
CLEAN where the glory OF sunset had
been.
Nelly did not reply for moment, for
just then some troopers from distant
hamlet came down the lane to the viii
lage, and the children ran up to call
Nellie's attention to them. When they
had passed, Nellie replied:
Nellie Goodlake, l think you asked
sir, is still aIive2 Yes, she is.'
sAnd where is she? Tell me, tell me
where Is she p. replied the stranger pas
sionately Selling Nelly's hand in the
almost unconscious eegerness OF his
question. rs she still here? Would
you go to her for me, and tell her that
a friend waits here to see herr Go, tell
hcr!'
Your name, STRIP said Nelly, scan
ming the strangers face eagerly in the
dim light.
Frank Hilton
Nelly made no reply but one faint
sob, and sank to the ground as if she
had been struck dead by those two sim
pie words.
The stranger bent over her, hurried
to the brook that ran at the foot of the
churchyard, brought water, and sprlnkl-
ed her face. Slowly she recovered, and
the first word she murmered-and oh,
with such ineffable tenderness WAS
frank
Nelly he cried In moment his
arms was around her. and his lips
pressed to hers. Oh, the bliss of that
moment. It was a payment for even
the long dreary absence, and the bitter
anguish of those years.
Home in the twilight she murmur-
ed-'home in the twilight. 1t was in
the twilight, Frank, we first plighted
troth, and in the twilight we meet
again.
And meet never to part, Nelly;
never, never to part,' said Frank.
That day week the true lovers mar
ried. In the even-tide there was light.
The happiness was only greater for the
long probation. The steward, when he
saw the bridal procession pass to the
church, fell back In fit OF rage which
turned to paralysis, from which he
never recovered. It was he, Of course,
who had forged the handwriting of
Lady Blanche, and who bad done all
the evil. 1t was he who had intercept
ed Franks letters from abroad. A bad
man lad long delayed the happiness of
two loving hearts. but just heaven had
sent Frank and Nelly peace and joy at
last.