The Republican journal., 1872-05-09


the boys laugh more than ever at that.
and say its my fancy, know it isn't. [
couldn't fancy odd noises such as never
heard before, could |, Miss May ?"
You might change natural and inno-
cent sounds, by your fancy. into mysteri-
Gus ones, dear l said, dropping the sub
ject. ''Is this Sir Rupert's room, then p"
"Yes."
We were entering large, very dimly
lighted chamber, with high, dark VAIN
scot, from the rich carving of which hung
heavy cobwebs, stretching from group to
group of leaves and flowers; while the
delicate moulding between was lost and
buried in the undisturbed dust of many
years A grand old oaken bed stood op-
poste us; but the hangings were worm
eaten and colorless, like the soft dust-laden
carpet, over which the child stepped light
ly and unwilhngly, holding my hand all
the time, and pulling me on when wanted
to stop and look at the curious and beauli-
full workmanship around me.
Come" she whispered ''don't stand
Just here among the-stains."
Let us sit down, them | said, in
this deep window-seat. ami you will tell
me why this is called Sir Rupert's room"
This is the worst place of all to sit in.
But, never mind, if you like it," said Dolly.
with an odd little attempt at feerlesSness.
"Are we to sit on this great cushion The
moths are eating it quickly. aren't they !?
o, haven't been in here before in such q
time; and-and | think we won't mind
going into the inner room to-day. will
We?'
II think we have seen quite enough for
one day. | answered, seeing she was
anxious for that reply. (Which is the
inner room? Is that great door the en-
trance to it ?'
Eyes In there is a kind of dark closet,
and when YOU are inside you can pull a
handle and the wainscot on this side
slides over the door and hides it entirely.
But papa says the machinery is all rusty
now, and will not move That's the key
Of the door hanging up beside it but
papa goes inside there sometimes, so that
isn't rusty | don't think there's anything
inside except all the big old pictures out
of this room piled against the wall there,
II see, dear; and who was Sir Ku-
pert ?r
80, I'll tell you all that story if you
like" said Dolly, in low serious voice,
As she nestled beside me on the deep
house, YOU know, Miss May, was quite
old in those times when King Charles was
fighting against his people, and his people
fighting against him; and my great great
great grandfather was one of those people
who'--here the little lips grew tight
and stern-''Went against his King. He
ought not to have been living in this house
really, because Sir Rupert was the oldest
brother; but Sir Rupert hadn't any wife
or children and didn't care to live any
where particularly, but liked to 60 about
with the King and solders-of course he
fought on the right side-so he sold this
| Abbey to his brother, who had it full Of
servants and people that were all Puritans
Then there was that terrible battle you
know. when King Charles was beaten
and all the cavaliers had to hide away
my great-great- great grandfather opened
the window and let poor Sir Rupert creep
into the house to find shelter. They were
on different sides, you see, about Oliver
Cromwell and King Charles, but of course
/ they loved each other because they were
| brothers-though papa saws all brothers
didn't love each other in those days-and
Mr. Hurst brought Sir Rupert up here.
! 1tI'l DlouSHt MN illIC W cat anu
drink, and never told any one. lie locked
that outer door upon him, and felt that he
was quite safe here but if he heard any
alarm he was to keep in the little room,
and slide back the panel OF course poor
Sir Rupert felt himself safe in his brothers
| house, and used to come out of his closet
a good deal and walk about here. But
one evening, Just at he was coming out to
! hrnut hp 1iftla frpSE air hp a
u horrible Puritan servant with short hair
Jump in softly from the window sill, and
stand there, and tell him Cromwell's sol
diers were behind. Sir Rupert knew that
the man who had betrayed him was one
of his brothers servants; he knew his
brother couldn't fight against his own side
even for him; and he knew that he
couldn't Kill Il whole troop. So-he Just
man dead on-on that very spot at our
feet where the stain is; tor he had never
ventured to 90 further in after he had
seen Sir Rupert's figure in the doorway
DO YOU know that these rooms are so far
away from the cheerful part of the house,
and the walls are so thick that nobody
heard the shot, and Sir Rupert was stand
ing quite still there, and the dead man
WAS lfluS HiltC Stlll pCiC WHCI 'Ii ilul ST
came in on one of his visits. They had
said not one word to each other, but one
brother was holding out his hand SORROW
fully. and the other was holding out his
torgivinglv-and both were very sad
when a crowd of soldiers followed their
guide thought this window. ., Miss MAY,
mustn't 1t been a dreadful sight. especially
to Mr.. Hurst, who knew that he couldn't
| +l tolr H,,+
they did not take him, Miss May, after
all. There was a terrible fight here here
on this verv floor, and they left Sir Ru-
pert dead in the doorway, just where he
had been all the time. Certainly it was
his own fault that he had been killed, as
he wouldn't let them take him alive, and
he had fired the first shot, too; but it was
shameful thing for 50 many to fight
against one Before he died he had kill
ed two of them, Miss May-two more be-
sides his brothers servant. Now you
know why the carpet is so stained oh,
isn't it terrible story? And it is that
very fight that | can sometimes hear
scutlling and struggling-and oh, all 50
distinct. Let us 60 now; shall we?'
saw that the child had wrought herself
into painful state of excitement in tell
ing the story; and so, while soothed and
quieted her, we left the room together
The months passed SO smoothly, pleas
antly and uneventtully in my new home,
that Christmas seemed to come upon me
almost unawares. l was very happy in
spite of that lonely -heartedness, which is
always, | think, inseparable from gov
erness' life; and | loved my little pupil so
dearly that, even if had had happy
home to 90 to for that happy time, could
hardly have borne to leave her Hugh
and Harry We're at the Abbey now for their
Christmas vacation, and they and Dolly
and | had grown to be firm and merry
friends together. They were bold, dar-
ing boys, pleasant and good-natured
but | never wondered that the gentle,
brilliant, beautiful child, my little one,
should be the idol of the house. Day by
day she seemed to grow deeper and deeper
into all our heartS--if she could possibly
grow deeper into her mothers than she