The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1873-12-05
seBribes are vain, nv Lady Daneham,

Money Is very pleasant thing, but just
revenge is sweeter. No price will pay
me to renounce it"
With bursting heart, Serena tried
once more.
Colonel Kirke," she said, though the
words almost choked her, shave you for
gotten that once"
She was unable to proceed, and he
caught up and echoed her words:
Forgotten? Ny Lady Daneham, Per
ey Kirke has never forgotten, and will
never forget. He is a man of honor,
who pays his debts; and Fortune is kind
who puts it in his power to discharge
this one so fully"
He looked at her as she knelt, her
face bowed in her hands, and her frame
shaken by the sobs that had succeeded
/ her self-control
"My lady" he said, "there was
young man once who knelt and sued
in vain. Think you he does not find
the present moment sweet?"
SISTER" said Ralph, "debase yourself
no more. Kiss me farewell, and think
of me as of one who dies for cause in
which he glories, and for which he
would have laid down thousand lives"
His arms were bound, and he was
guarded; but, with woman's quickness
she bounded to him, and threw her
arms about him, and laid her head up
on his breast.
81 viii save you yet," she whispered.
81 will kneel for mercy to the king"
"And you will obtain it," he returned,
"when there is mercy in the advancing
tide or in the midnight frost"
As Colonel Kirke announced his in
tention of lying at Daneham that night,
the prisoner was removed, under, a
strong guard, to another apartment; while
the officer, ordering for himself and his
men the best food and wine the house
afforded, prepared for might of revel
IN the banqueting-hall.
Serena passed the night in alternate
prayers and tears, and hopes (Which she
knew to be unavailing while she cherish
ed them) that morning would bring
some unexpected relief OF her hus-
bands return there was uuhappiIy no
likelihood; but, as soon as her brother
was removed from beneath her roof, she
would go herself to London and engage
| powerful influence in his behalf. Vain
hopes. Even she did not yet know those
! bon q, boI 10 Iaol
The morning was already advanced
when she received a message. Colonel
Kirke had breakfasted, and would see
her, if she pleased to come. Drawing
some faint .augury of good from this
summons, and, not perceiving the terror
stricken face and the trembling voice of
1.-The servant who. had brought it, she
hastened to obey.
The kings officer sat ut table, where
were still the remains of the morning
repast, and cups half filled with wine.
Through the open southern windows the
sun poured in warm and bright; and all
breezes and the song of birds. The lady
of Daneham crossed the threshold, look
ed before her, and stopped-stopped as
though, instead of the glowing sunshine
breath from the poles had struck her
rigid-as though the carol of the birds
had been the last summons that shall
bring terror to morals. Mute and mo-
tionless, all other senses were lost in thai
of sight; and the fixed stare of the dila
, ted eyes showed her this-from the
sturdy oak-boughs swung the stiff and
lifeless body of her brother; and the
sunshine doubled the ghastly spectacle
and flung the image at her in shadow a
her feet.
?
And for her that shadow never lifted
| The mind SO rudely shaken, the hear
in every feeling of woman and sister 81
(; cruely outraged, could never quite re
a cover, and every flood of spring and au
e tumn sunshine, every pale wintry CLEAN
painted, to her eyes, the awful pictur
a afresh upon the Ioaken floor; and from
l the room whence her brother had beer
led to his swift and shameful doom
t from the room whose hospitable sanctu
D ary had been SO profaned and desecrated
n never be effaced Sir Lionel, for he
. sake, had the ill-omened tree cut dow
and destroyed, but it made no differenc
n to her. Trunk and limbs were reduces
t to ashes, but, every time her foot cross
# ed the fatal threshold, she saw thei
q shadow, and that of the ghastly frui
they had once borne, still fIckering ol
the floor Viewless to all other eyes
q the terrible memento could never ceas
n to exist for her. Then her husban,
caused the windows to be filed up, and
It while she lived, no one saw the insid
r of the banqueting-hall again.
: And, though she survived for man,
years, no one over again saw her smile
r No tenderness from her husband, no pla
= fulness of her child, could draw her fror
her utter sadness. Under the securit
:. of the succeeding reign, her son gre
;. to manhood, and loved, and wooed, an
= married, and in time she held his chill
= dren on her knee; bat interests failed I
y rouse her, or joys TO give her pleasure
!, for evermore.
n
l. The tale was ended, and the smiles o
ls the faces of the hearers had long sine
is died away. The young mans brow va
le grave and stern, and the pretty girl Iii
'e tened with blanched cheeks and parte
st lips. Who knows how much truth
y contained in the legend7 Will any or
le open the yet closed windows and asce
he tain? At any rate, none of the party
te whom have spoken felt any inelinatic
st to verify the story by letting in the SUI
1t shine, and looking for the shadow
at Daneham. ANNIE RoTHwELL.
c. "
ce A HINT FOR YOUNG MEN.-Not Ion
e, ago young man of this city had fa'