The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-05-03
THE OLD INN.

"No, Ned, I will never give my con-
sent to your marrying her. She is your
inferior in every way, both by birth end
social position. 1t shall not be said
that Feversham married beneath him,
if can help it"
Old George Feversham was a retired
banker, wealthy and most aristocratical-
Iy 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 ken
nels near his stables.
That his one son Edward, the spoiled
heir to all the bankers wealth and hered-
itary estates of Feversham Place, should
stoop from his exalted position to select
a wife from that circle so far below him,
was an idea not to be tolerated for an
instant. Feversham determined 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,
am not of age, sir; therefore, in this
matter, tilial duty compels me to obey
you. But when the year is up, if my
love loves me, shall make her my wife,
regardless of outside opinion"
The old mans brows gathered blackly
Tor a moment, then he smiled.
"Young men are apt to change their
tastes in so long time as that" said he;
"therefore / am content. But, as you
have marked out your course of conduct
as soon as you attain your majority, the
one year that intervenes belongs to me,
and L desire you to spend it in travel.
Won el.oII Cd xkn
arrangements can be made"
Ned bowed, and left the room.
Miss Allonby was the daughter of the
Allonbys of Wolfden-a queer, uncanny
place, quite in keeping with it's owner, a
hideous hunchback, who, with his vixen
ish wife, was the terror of the neighbor-
hood.
How so horrid a couple could have
produced such graceful and altogether
lovable and lovely creature as Sybel
was a question often asked, and pom.
dered over not little by those who saw
the remarkable family. Not the slight
est resemblance did the girl bear to her
reputed parents. She was small as
fairy and dark as Spaniard with big.
shining, starry eyes, and long, glittering
masses of ebony hair, that foated un-
confined over her shoulders.
1T was on 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 hesdlong into
the ditch. Like the gallant gentleman
he really was Ned rushed to the rescue,
and, 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 young gentleman made known
his growing passion, to find himself an
accepted lover. AS Ned was too whole
souled and high-toned fellow to keep
his attachment secret, he acquainted
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 trav-
els.
The first six months passed dragging.
ly, and found him, with two brother
tourists, exploring the picturesque
scenery of Scotland. Along its winding
streams and quantity beautiful land
scapes Ned dreamed and whiled away
the days that INTERVIEWED between him
self and the appointed time of his re-
turn. But there was something in store
that he aid not expect.
One afternoon, in turning sharp
angle in the road, the young men came
suddenly upon an old ruin, standing in
bold relief upon q rock, at whose base
flowed turgid stream that emptied its
waters in deep, dark tarn in the glen
below.
The building was long and low, with
a slanting roof, over which two tall, mar
row chimneys rose grimly upright, like
,sentinels keeping guard over some de-
serted field of carnage. The windows
were short and wide, and the doors
heavy and deeply set in massive frames,
suggestive of strength and long-con-
tinued endurance. The castings and
sills upon which once had been the
deep coating of dark green paint were
now faded, and the old building wore an
air of gloom and desolation not often
seen in these modern days. Over the
entrance way still hung faded sign,
which creaked and groaned dismally in
every gust of wind, proclaiming that the
que er old structure was once known as