The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1879-12-30

cupied your thoughts
As she spoke thus she moved her sea
close to where Rurlc sat, and placed he
5 hand upon his arm,
, Tell me, my boy she added, in a low
persuasive tone, "what il is that dwe!l'
thus upon your mlnd." :.
Ruric reached ont and took his mother,
hand, and having gazcd for some moments
INTO her face, he said
II was tmnking-and ! have been think
ing much of late, my mother ol--ol--tosa-
lind Valda."
Claudia Newell started as she heard that
name, and for u while the color torsook her
cheeks.
"What, my dear boy~-what OF her have
you thought" she asked, TREMENDOUSLY.
What, but Of one thing could | think,
my mother! You have seen herr
"Yes, RUric.'
"And you have marked the grace the
loveliness the surprising beauty Of the no.
| bic girlW
Il know she is beautiful, my son; and
also that she IS goodat least, so think
"Thcn what but love could move me with
deep thought Of her! Oh, my mother, DO
love her. love her with the whole strength
of my heart and soul"
Alas, my Ruric, she will never dare love
thee
"You know not that" the youth quickly
replied, his eyes burning deeply, and his
open brow flushing. Did not know she
loved me, be sure ] would never have al
lowed my thoughts such range, We were
children together, and even then we loved,
Fate has dealt differently Iy us in the
years that have passed since those child
hood times; but yet am sure her love for
me is not changed, save as increasing age
must change all the emotions Of oT ma
lures into deeper, stronger lights and
shades
But think, my boy You, mere artisan
she, the offspring OF nobility and the ward
Of a duke--a stern, cold, proud aristocrat,
who looks upon people of our station only |
as harsh masters look upon their beasts Of
burden. fear YOU will find little else but
misery in such course OF thought
Al least, my mother, will see Rosalind |
and if she loves me as love her, and if she
would accept my hand"
"lIush, my boy DO not cherish such
hopes. Why should she mate with thee
when the richest mobiles Of the land would |
lneeI for her hand.'
Hold" cried Ruric, starting TO his feet |
his handsome face flushed, and his bright !
eye BURNING Speak not ttus,-at least,
not now tatter not myself, but claim
soul as pure, and heart rs noble, a, any
man in the land. My mind is az clear; my
hopes are as high; my ambition as true to
real greatness, and my will as firm, as any
Of them. If Rosalind seeks the love OF u
true heart, and the protection Of stout arms
and determined success, then fear not to
place myself by the side Of any sutton in
the land. But if she seeks immediate
wealth, and the glitter for some high.sound- |
ing title, then--ah, know She does not.
But let il pass now; will see her
Claudia would not oppose the wishes Of
her son, and she said no more upon the sub
ject For a while nothing further was said,
until Ruric remarked upon the increasing
force Of the storm.
clark" exclaimed his mother, bending
her ear in listening attitude. Was that
a knock upon our door,
Surely no one is out on such o night
that could seek shelter here continued
RuMc, you must have
The youth did not finish his sentence,
for at that moment the knock came SO loud
that il was not to be mistaken, The youth
caught up the candle and fastened to the
door, lie opened 1t, but the blast came
roaring in, whirling a cloud Of snow INTO |
Ruric face and cxtinguishing the light at
once.
rs there any one here" the gunmaker !
asked, bowling his head and shielding his !
eyes from the driving snow with one hand. |
Yes returned a voice from the Stygian
darkness. in Heavens name let me in,
or shall perish
Then follow quickly said Ruric, Here,
give me your hand. Thcre--now come
The youth found the thickly-gIoyrd |
hand-gloyed with the soltestsiur-and
having led the invisible applicant into the
hall, he closed the door, and then led The
way into the kitchen. As soon as the candle
was re-lghtcd Runc turned and ga2ed upon
the newcomer. He was monk and hab.
tied something like one Of the Black Monks
Of st. Michael. He was OF medium height
and possessed a rotundity Of person which
was comical TO behold He was fat and
unwieldy. and waddled about with laugha-
bic steps. His huge, black robe, which
reached from his chin to his toes, was So
cured about the waist with sash Of the
same color, and the snow, which lay upon
his shoulders and back, presented striking
contrast. Rurc brushed away the snow
with his own hand, and having taken his
visitors thick fur bonnet the latter took
seat near the fire.
Before u word was spoken, the youthful
host carefully examined his guests features;
and the latter seemed equally DESTROYS Of
discovering what manner of people he had
fallen in with. The monks face was pc
culiar one. The features were very dark
and prominent and almost angular in their !.
strongly.marked outlines. His brow was~
very fair in mental development, and his
eyes were dark and brilliant The slight
circle of hair that escaped from beneath the
tight skull-cap which he retained upon his
head, was somewhat tinged with silver,
though his face did not betray such advanced