The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-09-19

W llUl, lUNNl N'N HNNlh VI "
cried Montague. "Wcl, this is treat
to find one man to whom that story's
new You must know, then Gas those
fellows in Sanford and Merton keep
saying), that the estate which Harry
the Eighth bestowed upon my respected
ancestor, Sir Anthony Browne, included
Battle Abbey and the lands belonging
to it; and mighty short work he made
of the poor old monks, if all tales be
true. But after they were expelled, il
began to be whispered that one monk
still remained in the old walls, and that
he was not to be driven out by either
king or lord"
"My word" cried Burdett; " that's
Just the Black Friar of Norman Stone
over again. DO you remember with
what dramatic energy our old tutor
used to repeat that verse
"'Bcwarc, beware Of the Black Frar
He still retains his sway,
For he is stll the Church's heir,
WhOC'er may be the lay,
Amundevllc is lord by day,
But the monk Is lord by night;
Nor wine nor wassail can raise yassll
To question that friar's right"
"Well," pursued Montague, "when
my worthy forefather came into his
property, the first thing he did was to
give big dinner in the great hall of
Battle Abbey (f he found it half as
tiresome as the dinner / had to give
when came Of age, the impiety must
have been its own avenger) and they
lighted up the old place with perfect
blaze of torches, and held high reyel
till midnight. And then. all Of a sudden,
chill blast of wind came moaning
through the hall, making all the old
banners and mail.coats along the walls
clank and rustic; and the huge door
swung slowly open, and in the midst Of
the guests, no one could see whence or
how, appeared the shroudcd figure of a
tall monk. 1t glided like shadow up
to the dais where my ancestors was
seated, and said, in deep hollow voice
that seemed to make the very torches
grow pale as it spoke:
90 Anthony of Cowdray! thou hast
enriched thySef with the spoils of
Gods Church, and for that deed His
judgments are upon thee and thine.
As snow mclts in the sunshine, 50 shall
thy race decay, until the end come; and
it shall come suddenly, in one day, by
fire and by water"
it was strange enough to note how
Mantaguc'S light tone dctpened into
tragic socmnity rs the dismal tale pro-
cecded, and how the shadowy impress OF
doom on his handsome face came out
palmer and palmer with every word.
The anxious look in Marion Went
worth's eyes grew into absolute terror as
he ended; and she seemed about to
sneak when the walters entrance with
dish of fruit interrupted her.
As he entered, Mrs. Wentworth, cvi'
IDENTIFY wishing to change the subject,
spoke to him.
" Waiterl when did you say the night
illumination of the falls was to be-"
"Thursday week, gracious, lady; but
it will hardly be 50 good as the one we
had last year, when they sent big boat
over the falls, hung all round with
lanterns"
"Was there anybody in her" asked
Montague.
"What do YOU say, milord?' gasped
the old man, with Il stare of blank
amazemcnt.
"Was there anybody in the boat"
"The boat Milford? The boat went
over the fails, | tell you"
"Well, why shouldn't somebody go
with her to keep her straight%'
why" echoed Johann, goaded be-
vond endurance. Because we Rhine
landcrs are no fondel of being drowned
than other people. rve seen many q
silly thing done in my time, but Il man
shooting the SchaHhausen Falls in a
boat is thing Pve never seen yet and
never shall"
The sudden CLEAN in Montague's dark
eve and the glow ON his handsome
features sufficiently betrayed the wild
thought suggested to him by the honest
Germans last words. The significant
glance exchanged between him and
Burdett showed that the same idea was
in the minds of both, though the latter
accompanied his look with a warning
gesture, reminding the reckless viscount
of the effect which the words that were
lust about to break from his lips would
have upon the two ladies. But when
they had retired, Montague could con-
tain himself no longer.
"Glorious ideal Well do Itch,
Sedw
"Do it? should think we would !
After the 'Gueule d'Enfer Rapids in
Canada, this thing'll be Il joke! Never
seen it yet, and never shall, eh? Well
give Mr.. Johann another story to tell
tomorrow, one that'll last longer than
any of his present stock"
Our two heroes were not the men to
loiter over any enterprise, however
desperate, upon which they had once
resolved, and they lost not moment in
setting out in quest of boat. But to
find one was no easy matter. Some
were unseaworthy; others failed to
please the critical eye of Sedley Bur
dett, who, with all his recklessness,
knew better than to leave any chance
uncared for in Il match where life itself
was the stake. More than one con
scientious native, on learning the nature
of the proposed expedition, fatty re-
fused to have anything to do with it, nor
was il till late in the afternoon that
they at length metwith less scrupulous
individual, who, on receiving the full
value of his boat in advance, and Il
r.. NE hnr