Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-07-17
SIR LEICESTER.

had just finished my next Sunday
sermon When,my study door opening, my
wife entered.
George" she said, "Jinks says he thinks
something is amiss up at the Priory for,
as he passed while ago, he saw the old
steward, who looked terribly scared.'
"Why did he not ask the cause, my
dear" I rejoined.
"He did; but he says the old man mere
ly shook his head, wrung his hands IN
the deepest distress and hurried away.
Digging my pen in my desk. to the
humiliation of it's nib, I reflected over
my wife's statement. Finally I said
MY love whatever it is, it is evident we
can do nothing. Sir Leicester Coming
ton is not man with whom even clergy
man can interfere"
ole is mad as a march hare, that is Ger
tain,' remarked my wife.
IN Y love-my lovc!' I cxpostulated.
"Well,Gcorgc, say mad. If we were
in the fifteenth century, I'd say he was a
dealer in the black art'
Gas true as most such accusations OF
the period"
"Pcrhaps, therefore, as we are III the
nencteenth century, | protest, mad.
James Morgan declares the other day he
came upon him lying among the ferns in
the ~ood, talking like maniac to some
thing he had in his hand. Then he
laughed, then he wcpt, then he wr1thed
on the grass In agony, utterlng strange
wolds; then lcaping up, united his horse
and rode off, like the Earl King him
self"
''All true, my dear. Certainly, the
poor gentleman has something on his
mind, but Of what nature"
My observations were cut short by a
violent ring at the bell. The next mo-
ment the servant entering, announced
that the steward from the Priory wished
to see me immediately.
"Show him in here" said my wife
quietly.
If my wife desires to obtain any infor-
nation she was gratified; for, on the old
stewards entrance his appearance fully
confirmed Jinhs statement. He was pale
to degree and his features depicted
suppressed but intense distress. Bowling
Respectfully, nc az 'nCe utl1VcIeu HIS
message
Sir Leicester IS sorry to trouble you at
this hour, sir, he said, but he'll take it as
favor If you will come to him at once
for he is dying.''
"Dy,ngH' I cried, surprised; for only
that morning had seen him pass my
study window, looking as we'll as usual
"Dy1ng" calculated my wife, in hor
ror. ooh, what can be done?"
"Only, if you please, If Mr.. HartoE
will see him."
"Ccrtainly. Dear, dear mer' l ejac
ulatel. Come, my man, let us co.
believe my wife would, if possible
have liz ed to have accompanied us; bu
she whispered to me to return as soon a
could.
AS we proceeded, inquired Of tn
steward the nature Of his masters sud
ilcn malady.
'Sudden!' he repeated. "Sir, it's beer
of years duration. Now the end ha
come. My dear master-you will hea
all, Mr.. Hartop, from him.
The old mans grief was SO eviden
that l forbore to question him further
and went on silence.
Kenelm Priory was a fine building o
the Elizabcthan era. Five years previou
to this story it had been taken by ST
Leicester Connington. The gentry " Ell
delighted at the addition to the neigh
borhood, especially as the baronet wa
unmarried, and not much over thirty
But it was soon found Sir Leicester in
tended to keep no society. With hin
came two scrvants-thc old steward AM
an elderly SUI erior female d omest1c. TIL
other servants were engaged from town t.
town and only employed in t: osc menia
offices which never brought them in con
tact with their master.
The visits that were made at the Prior
were never returned. Sir Leicester LEI
the life of rcciuse. For months togeth
err he never quilted the house; then h
might be seen riding on a superb hors
about the country, with the recklessnes
Of maniac, or, as my wife had remarked
like the Earl King himself. He neve
crossed a neighbours threshold, and NJ
strange foot crossed his.
For my own part, imagined Sir Lei
cester had committed some grave sin ant
was thus expiating it by remorse. It ma!
rious and a little anxious at the though
of hearing the truth from the dying
mans lips.
On entering the Priory, expected t.
be taken up stairs to the upper floor
where l knew were the bedrooms; bu
instead, my conductor, crossing the spa
cious hall, opened the library door, ant
ushcred me into Sir Leicestcr's presence
where l stood surprised, motionless, con
tcmplatlng the "dying" man.
Dressed as was his wont, looking a
usual, pale and sad, and careworn, tn
baronet sat writing at the table, as unlik
dying man as any had ever seen.
On hearing my name, he arose, and
with grateful expression, advancing, too
my hand. He was tall, we'll made mar
gentIemany in the extreme, and I no,
saw was not only good looking but re
markably Misunderstanding the dar
eyes, piercing at distance, found wer
sad, soft and gentle as woman's.
''It is very good Of you to come thu
speedily, Mr.. Hartop," he remar. ed, "
thank you nucl.' ,"o
MY time is ever at the service of IN
parishioners, Sir Leicester I said, tax
ing the seat he himself placed for MT
II am glad, hoa ever, to find that you
need is not so grave as I was led by you
steward to believe" j. ~ -,
y He regarded me, as he laid back j
his chair opposite, with a faint, transfer
smile. 5sS 49,.
r., sit is quite as grave, can assure you
he ans xered. Morrison did not exagg
Z rate. am dying, as he stated. In LEI
"a than two hours L shall have ceased
.1s i've" 49, ..@ss..ss..f. ...
II started in .amazement,- while m
= wife's assertion seemed to gain confirms
&Es ton. To me, Sir Leicester had seldo,
~ looked better. s5Es@ 81. a.fSt@
4is # is scarcely to q clergyman I shoul
make a confession 4 am about to-
proceeded. But the name you bear, f
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