Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-02-02

I and vilify everything good an
: beautiful, for the contrast It offere
, herself, made her universally fear
ed and dreaded. One talent onl
she possessed-it was for music
J but so wild and so strange wer
the strains which she drew fror
the many instruments she was mis-
tress of, and the gift so intensifie'
the dread with which she was re
garded. Near relatives she ha,
none she had lived her lonely,
loveless life from youth to mid
dle-age. When a young gir
came to the Court, no one knew
more than that she was poor rel
alton. The dark woman seemed
to look more kindly on this person
than on any who had crossed hel
somber path, and indeed, so grea
was the charm which Marian:
youth, beauty. and innocent gaiety
exercised on every one, that the
servants ceased to marvel Of her
having gained the favor of their
gloomy mistress. The girl seemed
to have kind Of pitying affection
for the unhappy woman. When
Marian had been at the Court q
year, foreign musician appeared
on the scene. He was Spaniard,
and had been engaged by Lady
Draye to build her an organ OF
fabulous power and sweetness
Through long, bright summer days
be and his employer were shut up
together in the music room, he busy
with the construction of the won
deaful instrument, she aiding and
watching his work. These days
were spent by Marian, in various
ways; long canters on her chest
nut pony, dreamy mornings by the
brook or in the village, where she
always found a welcome. She
played with the children. nursed
the babies, helped the mothers in a
thousand ways, and gossiped with
the old people. Then in the even
ings she sat with Lady Draye and
the Spaniard in the saloon. This
was but the music between the
acts; the terrible drama was com
ing. The motive of conrse, was
the same as that of every life
drama which has been played out,
from the old, old days when the
curtain rose on the garden scene in
Paradise. Philip and Marian loved
each other, and having told their
happy story to each other, as in
duty bound took it to their patro-
ness. They found her in the mu-l
sic room. Whether the glimpse
she caught of beautiful world
from which she was shut out mad
dened her, or whether she too, had
loved the foreigner, was never
known; but through the closed
doors passionate words were heard,
and very soon Philip came out
and left the house without q farewell
to any one in it. When the SER
wants at last ventured to enter,
they found Marian apparently life
less on the floor, Lady Draye stand
ing over her with a crutch uplifted
and the blood flowing from a wound
in the girls forehead. They bore
her away and nursed her tenderly |;
heir mistress locked the door rs
hey left, and all night remained
,lone in the darkness. The music
which came out without pause on
he still night air was weird and
wicked beyond any strains which
,ad ever before flowed from be-
heath her fingers. 1t ceased with
he morning light, and as the day
vent on it was found that Marian !
lad fed. Lady Draye never sc p.-
ID to notice Marlan's ABSENCE
was ever known certainly
If her fate. It was supposed she
nad joined her lover. sTae8t !
Years passed on, and with each
Lady Draye's tenn er grew flercer
md more U,alevolent, She never
luitted Ter room unless on the ami
of that day and night,
wien the tapping of crutchi and
,igh-heeled shoes were heard for
hours as she walked up and down
the music room, which was never
entered except for this yearly vigil.
The tenth anniversary came round,
and this time the vigil was not un-
shared. The servants distinctly