The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-04-17
THE MASKED HORsEfAH.

For youth, fresh youth Ii the time 70 ohei
L. THE MASKED HORsElAN. =
The battle of Naseby, which was SO iii.
astrous in its results to the fortunes of tn
house of Stuart, was, in a manner, but tn
Il eliminating of the numerous evil omen
which had for long time been menacin!
| the luckless king. @
Among the many stalwart youths OF Eng
land which the cxigcncics of the periOt
forced into tho decisions and actions o
men were three of about equal ages, ant
who, however dissimilar in form and tenn
permanent, had held each other in th'
warmest friendship ard estimation. Syl
vester King, Arthur Dale and Roger Hip
pcsley-for these were their respective
names-led thoughtless, happy life, un
| til the dissentions of party began 10 dis
turb the peace of the people and the dis
cordant trumpet of civil war TO sound
throughout the land.
The consequence of these events to oul
three friends was that the rough hand o
war soon separated them-although for 9
| period Sylvester King and Arthur Dale
| fought in cavalier regiment together
while Roger Hippesley took command
| under General Lord Fairfax. Roger Hip
pesley, the Puritan soldier, had a beauti
| ful young sister-a creature of that haugh
ty bearing and dazzling loveliness which
united with itself all that is high born
and peaceful in the air of a court that has
grated upon its severer etiquette the pol
ish and splendors of that of the French
monarch.
1t had been the custom for the three
young friends to spendstheir vacations by
turns at each others homes. Rogers was
| the only one where An attraction OF more
than an tintisual degree was to be found
| Sylvester King could give them amuse
uient with horses and hounds. Afthui
Dale, whose family lived in the wild Dor
der land, could lead them into the track
Of the deer, or bear them across the lake
in his light and buoyant bark. But IN the
graver home of Roger Hippesley there
was this magnificent young creature, who
was so'different from the stern, grave-look
| ing person she called father. and VIII ose
face grew brighter by contrast when one
looked on the serious but handsome face
of her brother.
Thus the early training of Henrietta rem
dered the tranquility of home distasteful
10 her. BY her mothers side she was con
nected with a high-born and titled Royal
ist family. This branch the elder Hippes-
ley, since he had been aroused into action,
and had taken his share, of duty, both IN
Parliament and in the field, had repudiated
with reedless acerbity. Beautiful and
vain, at the age of eighteen; hattered and
caressed at Court, and moving in the high
er circles of rank and fashion, then re
maIkable for their elegance and polish, the
dull sameness of Hippesley Hall repelled
Henrietta, and when the college holidays
came on, the presence of her brothers
friends amused and distracted her, while
at seasons of the year a continual influx ol
guests, coming and going, lightened the
mouotony of home, and so far rendered ex
istencc endurable.
The result, in fine, was that the TIVE
Young men began TO find themselves
strangely moved in the presence of the
bright creature who was so witty, so &C
complished, and who had such inconceiva
BILE destinations tor them.
Henrietta, when conversing with hel
brother about his friends (and Roger
Hippesley loved both equally as well
without having then any partiality for thu
one over the other,) could not deny tha'
she liked Arthur-respected him but ther
Sylvester was SO handsome, had such al
elegance of manner, was so gallant, danced
with grace, and in fine she showed that thu
superficial had more attractions for her
that glittering exterior had q greater hole
than any qualities which commanded NOR
respect
So Henrietta Hippesley was betrothed T.
Sylvester King, and Rodger Hippesley re
grettcd il: for several matters since had
from time to time, come to light, showing
| that Sylvester was not so worthy Of tn
love and devotion which Henrietta be
slowed upon hin, as he ought TO have been
On the other hand, the anger and thu
Indignation Of her father knew no bound
when he learned that his daughter haa
betrothed herself to q rOyalist; and a
these feelings had become embittercd By
three OF four years ef broils and constan
battles-by desperate sieges, reciproca
deeds of vengeance, and the fearful issue
\ of the stricken fields-they were only tn
more confirmed and established.
II had once happened that ever Q a des
perate struggle between party of Royal
lists and parliamentarians, the latter, be
| ing routed, in fastening from the fell
where the dying and the dead showet
how fierce the fight had been, made to
ward the ancient hall where the Hippes
| leys, as country gentlemen, had dwclt 70
i generations.
During the troublous times, too, il hat
been streng gthened and fortified sufficient
lly To resist an attack from the numerou
parties Of stragglers which had secures
the country from time to time; and know
ing the zeal of its owner, this party Q
some score or so of horse had no dout
but that there they should receive hei
and shelter.
Food and refreshments were hberall
. enough bestowed upon the faint an
weary soldiers, who had ridden long cfte
hard and iercely-contested fight; an
their leader baving made acknowledt
ment for the succor received, they weI
about TO mount their horses and take thei
departure at once, when the sound of
D trumpet and the cracking of droppin
: shot from musquetoen and petronel, add
e ed to the fierce cries of men and the ella
' ter of horses hoofs, told them that the
: were surprised, and that the cavalier
with their numbers increasing upon th
: way, were upon them.
All was now alarm and confusion. II
!. court yard became q scene of slaughter, Il
the Cavaliers fought with the rancor of d
feated hopes-this being q mere tempo
ary success-and the Puritans fought wit
: q fury as dogged and decided and viii
: some few escaped, the greater part we
!, slain or wounded, and they were about
il fire the house when hOrsemen, who
; foaming bit and steed's bleeding sid
2 told the hot haste he had made, dash,
I Z among the Cavaliers and baded them no
their hands.
mand in the regiment, and who came ,
J, lust ut the instant when the few who we
D being actually massacred-and who
bravery might have won forbearance
fvere spared, out of respect which the m
still paid toward their commando
J, officer.
= But, in the mean time, singular see
r was passing within the hal.
The Cavalier party was actually CO..