The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-07-07

| waited society in which he moved and few
who gaaed in admiration on the fine and
perfect face, noticed that the haughtness
which sat so well upon it was but cold
and cruel pride after all. He lived here but
month or two in every year aud then he
always had the house full of guests, and
ruled with the most lavish splendor. Be-
tween these visits he enjoyed gay seasons
now in his handsome house in London, now
on his shooting estate in Scotland, now
abroad, and now visiting among other fami-
lies lie was the mark at which all the
looks and thoughts of mothers were directed,
he was the idol of their daughters, he was
almost the unrivaled pet of society.
One day when he was staying here, with
a crowd of gay and fashionable visitors,
there was clumsy attempt made by "a couple
of burglars to rob the house. believe it
was the squire himself who first heard them,
but at any rate they were surprised before
they had even effected an entrance, and
little boy whom the villains had put through
a broken gap to unfasten the door to them,
was the only person captured. This boy was
the only child of Il woman who lived very
quiet and solitary life, in a tiny cottage
which had been given her, it was said, by
the late squire himself She was "A Spaniard
by birth, a beautiful dark faced woman, who
though she lived so near him, had never
been heard to mention the name of the rich
man who had lured her from her native
land Il woman whose silent, solitary life
was bound up in that of her child. When
she heard that the squire had locked up her
boy and sent for the police, she came up to
tn e Hall for the first time since the squire $
father land the father of her own child had
turned from her last prayer and she told
the young squire with eager burning tears,
the one reason why he should have pity on
her boy. Then he smiled his cool and hand
some smile, and quietly advise her, if she
lied at all, not to lie to her own shame.
When the police came and took away the
child, stretching his arms out to his mother,
she stood with white and rigid lips in the
great hall, not even following him with her
eyes, for they were fixed upon the handsome
face of the young squire.
The boy, a pretty, timid child of scarcely
II years Of age was brought before the mag
istrates and told his tale with many tears
He had been walking quietly home the
evening before, when two men overlook him
and wal ked with him. They talked great
deal together, though not all to him bu,
when he turned from the turnpike ready tC
go home to his mothers cottage, they bade
him walk little further with them and they
would give him, a present for his mother
? He went on-a long way he thought it-and
then they took him into an empty cottage
| and shut the door, and kept him in ther,
4 until was quite dark. They carried hin
a then into the Hail. as he could not hav,
t found his way in the dark and they pu
e him through small broken hole in win
e dow,and bade him uniasten door he woulC
y find close to him, or, if he did not, he mus
It stay there n the dark forever.
e This was all the child told, but it wa
plain to see now he had been frightened b,
!, the threats Of those villains.
It | believe one of the magistrates suggested
e that the terrible fear that the boy had un
+ dergone had been sufficient punishment to
- him but the idea was quietly smiled t
Il scorn. The child was sentenced to solitar
'e confinement for two years-aye, though tn
poor foreign woman fell on her knees befor
30 the squire and pleaded to him as she mgl
h have pleaded to her God.
5, Before the time Of the sentence was ha
| ,,I 81 Io, 10 ha
'e moved tn the hospital. "This solitary col
&c finement is most fatal for a delicate GROWN
Is lad" he said, with grave shake of h
e, head. "If he does not die, he will be
n. hopeless idiot for the remainder Of h
re life"
III That worse fate was spared him /; he d
10 die and the mother, TO whom this news hi
Vi been a deathblow, although she did II
I'd know it then, crept to the mansion here,a
he asked to see the squire.
u His servants told him, and he smiled
" quiet smile. Take her money ; nothil
IL more is needed for such as she'
She looked down vacantly upon the siier
ne money then she stepped back a few pace
he and raisiu & her hands solemnly to heave
10 called down its judgment upon the mast
of the house pleading that the punishme
" to which he had doomed her boy might VII
us him. And the caressed and ieted master
this beautiful house, looking from the wind'
ke saw this scene and smiled.
Five years went ON, and still Lindl
no Warwick lived his brilliant and luxuri0
" life ilattered, admired and sought alte
:" com mitting none of his fathers sins. on
-" leading his life of cold and pitiless self
"' diligence. But when these five years Ii
passed, he came once Unexpectedly Il
''' quite alone to his London house. lie We
" out on the morning after his arrival il
W hired cab, with his face muiiled in a VIII
silk comforter and when he had be
nu closeted for long time with fame
INC physician he returned and ordered the ho
to be locked up again, as he was going do
90 to the country.
- lie came here at once, and-even bei
~. he took of his great coat and the nut
N, that was about his tace-he summoned i
';oo his presence four old servants who had Ii
here through all his life.
1t was to this room they came, and
stood there on the hearth his face
ed turned away while he talkedto them. Il
,or- had been surprised enough at his unexpeC
les aud solitary arrival-he who used to &C
in state, when every room in the house
an been prepared for the guests who came "
yas and followed him-but what much gre
ook surprise awaited them!
lit. He told them that every servant in
,wn house was to be dismissed except themsel
un- that either of them who objected to this
hat would not obey him to the letter in wha
le. was going to require, could go at once,