Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-12-27
and choose cursing for blessing and
e.

she would have learned a royal
lesson. And Abelard might well
have sat ut the feet Of Galahad,
making organs with his grimy
hands. And if Eve or Isaac had
wandered into the first door front,
or second back corner OF l64, on a
lonesome, rainy evening, they would
have wept for pity, and smiled for
blessing, and mused much.
Now, it was upon rainy evening
with melting snow upon. the ground
and melting chil}s upon the wind,
that the Lady Rebecca, crooked and
crouching by her little lamp, sat
darning stockings for Sir Galal.ad
"a questionable exercise OF taste
we must admit. She had not even
offered to embroider him banner,
nor net him a silken favor, nor to
fringe SO much as a scarf for the
next tournament to besheld ip Prim-
rose Court. She had only said:
"Will it be proper?" And he had
said: "Ask the landlady." And the
landlady had said: "Law, yes!"
And the Lady Rebecca had said:
s'Bring all you have" And Sir
Galahad said: II haven't got but
two pairs to my name." And so
here she was, crouchlng and darning
and crooked by her little lamp,
when knock startled the door OF
the second back corner of l6t till
it shook for fright to its sunkcn
hinges, and the Lady Rebecca
shook for sympathy till she opened
the door, and shook OIL her own &C
count when she bad.
For Sir Galahad Holt stood in the
door erect and pale.
81 did not hear you on the stairs!'
gaspcd the Lady Rcbecca.
81 couldn't come up them stairs
in my boots, someway," said Sir
Galahad, very huskily. Now the
Lady Rebccca did not altogether
understand in her own mind what
Sir Galahad meant; but she saw
that his feet lay bare and white
upon her threshold-since, indeed,
poor man! she had his stockings
and fancy as of patient pilgrims
came to her, and !. dream OF holy
ground. But she said:
"Did you come to get the stock
ings?" But Sir Galahad answered
solemnly:
"Did you think I'd cross the stair
way till / came for you? Merr,
AIMS down stairs, Rebecca. Will
ycu be afraid to step down with
me?"
Where would Rebecca have beer
afraid to step with him? She fol
lowed him down the stairs, which
would have crcaked, it seemed, but
could not, beneath Sir Galahad'i
solemn, shining feet.
Merry Ann was below, indeed
at length upon Sir Galahad's floor
before the cook stove. a sickening
silent heap. A little shawl was
tied about her head, and her face
was hidden on her arns. -
81 but just come in and found
her." said Galahad, in his common
place, unromantic way; "and
thought I'd tell you what has hap
pencd, Rebecca, before the coroner
was called. She'd walked u dis
tancc, I can't but think, and hoped
to have catchcd look at me. Poor
Merry Ann!'
"Poor Mary Ami" said Rebecca
Rock, with all her heart. She had
fallen on her knees beside the dead
and had dropped her face into he'
hands. q
"And now, Rebecca," said Sir
Galahad, Snow, Rebecca-." But
when he saw her on her knees, he
dropped beside her and said no
more. And when the landlady
came in they did not ask her II ii
were proper; but she said, Claw,
yes!' rs il they had, and turned her
face away.
"And now, Rebccca," said Sir
Galahad again-''now the grave is
covered decent, and the room is
swept, and the storm is over and
I've waited four years for you, hon
est in the sight of God and the stars
- heaven, and Christmas comes o
Monday"
"Very WE'LL" said Rebecca.
81 don't seem," said Sir Galahad,
"to have the words l thought | had
to say, my girl. I'd got SO used to
waiting; hadn't you? lido not right.
" see my way to take it natural and
safe. Think I'd not like, nor dare,
my dear, to have it any other day
than Christmas Day, would your"
was glad there was no wind on
Christmas, and that the snow lay
drittcd over from a little, laughing
storm; and that the sun brooded
with golden wings in Primrose
Court; and that the town was full
of holly; and that the Lady lsebecca
had spray OF myrtle in her large,
firm hand, when she walked with
Sir Galahnd in the minister's front
door. 3ts
And when met Sir Galahad at
the fneat-stall, buying steak for dim
ner, and saw't the eyes and smile he
carried in the sight Of God and
Christmas day, l bcthought me OF
the records Of the spotless knight;
how he-tried, stainless and alone
was found worthy Of being the
guardian (purc in thought and word
and deed) of the blessed cup from
which our Lord drank the last wine
which should touch his lips till he
drank it new in the kingdom Of his
father; how his mortal eyes behcld
it, pallcd in red samite, treasured
by ga great Fellowship Of Angels"
how his mortal hand laid hold of it
and Heaven, and his mortal name
grew to be a holy thing upon the
lips of men forever; and how since
then "was there never one 50 hardy
as to say that he had seen the Sang
real on earth any more"
"Sir Galallad," said 'you have
found the Sangrcsl, and | have
found you.'
But he smiled and shook his