The daily gazette., 1879-11-24
ANNA D'ARFET.
BY 8. T. d.

During the reign of King Edward Ill
Anna d'Arfet, the handsome and wealthy
heiress of a noble French family in
England, fell violently IN love with q
young man of low birth, though rather
well of in point Of personal and landed
attractions.
They exchanged mutual VOWS upon u
crucitix that each would marry the other
and none else.
The relatives of Anna not only for
bade Robert Macham the house, but
made arrangements TO marry Anna
without delay TO Bristol merchant, and
by duress forced her TO consent.
Robert Macham, not being the man to
submit tamely 10 such proceedings,
quietly converted his property into
money, and notified his faithful Anna to
secure her jewels and prepare to elope
to France with him but before the
elopement could be carried out the we'd
ding took place, and Anna was the bride
of another.
This unexpected disaster only strength
ened Robert In his determination to car
ry off the object of his affections but he
found 1t necessary to enlist .one of his
friends in the enterprise, who aided him
in plan, which, however, nece, STATED
his entering the service Of Annals hus-
band as groom.
Anna was in the habit of taking a
daily ride ON horseback In the environs
Bristol, and the pretended stable-boy
made use of this circumstance to carry
| out his wild object.
Robert had charted small yacht, and
kept her ready provisioned, so as to be
| able al any moment to sail.
One day, when the wind invited fight,
a lady was seen riding at furious gal
lop toward the sea, pursued by band of
| horsemen.
The mettlesome steed carried his rider
into the midst of the waves, far from the
beach, where the pursuers halted, and
toward yacht, from which small boat
had put as soon as the lady had appear
ed in sight. 1t came closer and closer,
till the fair Anna, for she it was, stepped
from her stirrup into the boat, and of
she went to the yacht.
1t seems that very cruel trick had
been played upon the horse to make him
run into the sea. For three days preyi-
tress' favorite horse prey to thirst, SO
|
die TO ride with her husband, the horse
ran away toward the sea, whose waves
could be heard from her husbands
| villa.
by misunderstanding between Rob.
ert and his confederate, the major por.
tion Of the crew, comprising all who were
we'll posted in navigation, were on shore
carousing.
No time could be lost. The pursuers
had fastened to the city to obtain boat
to give chase. 1t was absolutely neces.
sary to set sail at once If they would es-
cape. No one thought of the least de-
lay. The main sail was hoisted, and
away to the southwark sailed the
yacht.
BY daybreak they were far away from
England, but the shores of France were
lot II sight; around them nothing
could be seen but waste Of waters
The wiud was rising, and none or
board the yacht knew whittier they were
sailing.
Several days passed. Still to the
south the white-wlnged yacht few be.
fore the north wind, still no one spoke
Of his misgvings, still all went well Oh
board but the suspense was becoming
terrible to bear.
At last on, the thirteenth day out, just
as the day was dawning, they saw il
front of them long line In the mids
of the world of moving waters. 1t wa.
land at last as they drew nearer, ant
nearer, the perfumes OF strange flowers
saluted them, giving fresh life to all
and making the new land seem a para
disc.
The sails are lowered, the anchor rat
ties down with splash and a hollow
plunge, and the motion of the yacht Il
arrested. Anna insists on going ashor,
in the first boat. A scouting party sen
out by robert Immediately returne,
without having discovered any signs o
habitation. The weary travellers i'm
mediately set up an altar, on whicl
Annals c-ucfix was placed, and gav'
thanks to God for their deliverance.
Robert Macham found himself unabl,
to console her, and gradually became tn,
victim of despair, 50 that when ANN
died, only three days after the disappear
! ance of the yacht, he did not survive he
loss more than five days. His last wisl
was strictly carried out he was interre,
IN the same grave with Anne d'Arfet
with wooden cross at the head. H
left Latin account of his adventures.
The island thus rOmantically discover
! ed was Madeira. The companions O
Robert resolved to quit the place at one
in the yawl belong ng to the yacht, whicl
| had been safely fastened to the shOr
when the larger vessel was blown ava
/ by the violence of the storm. They ha
/ in a supply of smoked birds and water
but when two days out, were capture
by the Moors and sent as prisoners t
Algiers, where they found their forme
companions.
After long imprisonment they wer
all ransomed ny the Spaniards, and Jua
, de Morales, Spanish sailor, who ha
learned their story, give his goverrmer
Information of the luxuriant island.