Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-10-20

The GALAXY for October.
THE OLD INN.
emo, Ned, [ will never give my con-
sent to your marrying her. She is your
inferior in every way, both by birth and
social position. It shall not be said
that a Feversham married beneath him,
If can help it.
Old George Feversham was retired
banker, wealthy and most aristocrat-
ically bred. In his opinion, poverty
was crime objectionable, and the
poorer class were cared for less by him
than even the dogs that bayed in their
kennels near his stables.
That his one son Edward, the spoiled
heir to all the bankers wealth and
hereditary estates of Feversham Place,
should stoop from his exalted position
to select wife from that circle so far
below him. was an idea not to be toler-
ated for an instant. Feversham deter
mined to nip it in the bud, and the
sooner the better.
Ned listened to his fathers stern
tones in respectful silence but when
he had finished, he said, quietly though
firmly, ST am not of age, sir; therefore,
In this matter, flial duty compels me
to obey you. But when the year is up.
If my love loves me, [ shall make her
nay wife. regardless Of outside opinion. :"
The old mans brows gathered blackly
for moment; then he smiled.
ssYoung men are apt to change their
tastes in SO long a time as that" said
he; therefore [ am content. But, as
you have marked out your course of
conduct as soon as you attain your ma
iority, the one year that intervenes be-
longs to me, and [ desire you to spend
it In travel. You shall start as soon as
e-Aaan "a 1rn1,a o1nAH- Ia
Ned bowed, and left the room.
Miss Auonby was the daughter of the
Allonbys of Wolfden-a queer, uncanny
place, quite In keeping with its owner, a
hldeOus hunchback. who, with his vix-
enish wife, was the terror of the neigh
borhood. res
How SO horrid a couple could have
produced such graceful and altogether
Ioveable and lovely creature as Sybel.
was question often asked, and pom
dered over not little by those who saw
the remarkable family.
Not the slightest resemblance did the
girl bear to her reputed parents. She
was small as a fairy, and dark as Span
lard, with big, shining, starry eyes, and
long, glittering masses of ebony hair.
that hoated unconined over her shout
ders.
It was one of her wild rides, when
mounted on her black horse Bess. that
Ned had seen her first. She was in the
act of leaping her horse over bristling
fence, when her skirt caught upon a
stake, and she was thrown headlong in
to ditch. Like the gallant gentleman
he really was, Ned rushed to the rescue,
ana dragging her from the Shiny waters,
was rewarded by receiving thanks from
the prettiest lips he had ever seen.
After this, Ned managed to meet her
regularly every day, and it was not
long ere the yonng gentleman made
known his growing passion, to find him
self an accepted lover. AS Ned was
too whole-souled and high toned afellow
to keep his attachment secret, he &C
quainted his father with a knowledge of
affairs, fully expecting to receive from
him God speed in his wooing. The
result was anything but pleasant; but
as it could not be helped, he swallowed
his chagrin, determined, however, at
the end OF the year, to return and claim
his bride.
So, with one last passionate parting
with Sybel, Ned went away on his tray.
els.
The first six months passed drag
gingly, and found him, with two broth
er tourists, exploring the picturesque
scenes of Scotland. Along its winding
streams and quantity beautiful land
scapes, Ned dreamed and wh;led away
the days that intervene9. between him
self and the appointed time of his re
turn. But there was something In
store that he did not expect.
One afternoon, iii tuning a sharp
angle In the road, the young men came
suddenly upon an old ruin, standing In
bold relief upon rock. at whose base
HOwed a turgid stream that emptied it's
waters in deep, dark tarn in the glen
below.
The building was long and low, with
slanting roof, over which two tall,
narrow chimneys rose grimly upright,
like sentiaels keeping guard over some
deserted fields of carnage. The win
dows were short and wide, and the
doors heavy and deeply set in massive
frames, suggestive CT strength and
ong-contlnued endurance. The caJings
nd stills upon which once had been the
eep coating of dark green paint were
W faded, and the old building wore
air of gloom and desolation not often
cen in these modern days. Over the
st rance-way still hung a faded sign,
which creaked and groaned dismally in