Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-09-22
blands and full Golfers of Morbeck
Hal. ortunntely for her chernesit

BANDS and full Golfers of Morbeck
Hall. Unfortunately for her sschemesit
Takes two to make bargain, and my
nleeogS was as sensible girl as ever
stepped in shoe leather, 80 ii was open
war between them, 81 rather passive re-
sistance ON Lucy's part, and course Of
alternating nagging and wheedling on
her aunt's. knew the main reason of
the girl 8 steadfastness we'll enough-she
would tell anything to Old uncle John,
bless her! There was true love and
faithful troth between her and young
Hugh Nelson of Gilthwaite; and he was
| OF my own blood too, though not SO near
las Lucy aud 1 hadswatchedEh him grow up
| from Il bright mischief loving boy to the
| handsome, brave young 3 squire, for
whom every one had a smile and a good
word-just the man thought, to make
my darling happy. But, as 1 told you,
they could do nothing independent till
Lucy was OF age, so there was nothing
for it but to wait, and they did wait pa
tlently, whilst we three kept the secret,
and how the poor girl put up with that
old wonan's vagaries all the time will
always be wonder to me
However, the time slipped away, and
the twenty-tirst birthday came, and then,
by my advice, Hugh appeared at Nor
beck Hall, to greet his cousin and make
a formal offer of his hand and heart, and
L need not tell you that she: took him
then and there. You should have seen
Aunt Postlethwayte's face! I thought
she was going to have fit, but She
thought better of it, and after a torrent
OF abuse directed ut Hugh, some flowers
of speech specially devoted to me, and q
general peroration relating to ingrati-
tude, conspiracy, and the like, she an
nounced her intention of washing her
hands OF the whole affair and going back
to London as soon as all her boxes were
packed-and precious glad VIC all were,
| can tell You, when they we're brought
down into tho great hall ready corded!
1 fancy she managed to feather her
nest pretty we'll during these two years
So, madam having taken herself off in
dudgeon, there was nothing left to hinder
and arrangements for the wedding were
| set on foot at once. TWAS to be very
| quiet little affair at my own little church
at Gllthwalte, and of course I was to
marry them. So as it would have been
too tar for Lucy to drive in the morning,
and besides that, she could not we'll be,
married from her own great lonely house,
we settled that should fetch her over on
the previous evening to sleep at the rec
tory, and that the wedding should take
place from thence. and now comes
the sad and strange pant of the story.
1t was early i'll Febrl'ary-just week
after Candlemas, Us [ remember only too
well-when arrived, late in the gray
afternoon at Morbeck, where, T was to
dine with my ward before We started for
Githwaite rectory. The winter had
been an unusually severe one, even for
these parts; but in the last days Of Janu-
airy the frost had broken up, and it
seemed as if our old north country saying
as to a wet Candlemas was to be carried out
for ever since the End, when it had been
more constant downpour, there had
been succession OF mild, muggy days,
with an overcast sky and an incess;tnt
drizzle. AS the carriage that had been
sent to fetch me drove up the avenue in
the falling light OF the afternoon, there
was something in the air that seemed to
weigh ones heart down; a cool, dank
smell rose up from the earth where last
years leaves lay rotting under the bare
branches that lripped slowly as the
thick mist crept and chung around them.
But the feeling Of depression passed
away as we drew up at the open hall
door, from which the rudy glow Of
great fire streamed out into the dim air,
and Lucy, looking lovelier than ever,
with plaid thrown over her golden
hair, came running down the steps to
open the carriage door herself, and as
she flung her arms around my neck, her
kiss seemed to charm away all fear. So
we went in together, and before long
were seated opposite each other at as
good dinner as q man might wish to
see. How bright and CHEEKY, she was,
my poor, dear lassie, how happy in the
thought of the morrow! Her spirits
were almost wild at times. Did you ever
hear of what our Scotch neighbors call
being fey ?-that sudden flow of spir-
it's from no particular cause, which they
hold to be a presage of mishap to the
person in whom it was seen? I think
Lucy Gedge was fey that evening.
The dinner came to an end at last,
and it began to be time to think of NOV
ing; we had some way to go, and the
weather was none of the best after the
weather we had been having. Lucy
arose to prepare for our journey, leaving
me to finish my glass Of port by the fire,
when as she reached the door of the
room, she turned and said:
"Oh, uncle, I forgot to tell you; it is
such horrid weather, and the roads are
so bad, that am going to have the car
rage brought round to the garden door
that opens on the Broad Terrace, It
will save us half mile.''
Then she went to put on her hat and
cloak; it was nothing to me which door
we went from, and in fact I felt rather
glad at the prospect Of shortening our
Journey, even by half mile; SO IL due
time Lucy came back and we started out
for the carriage. I must tell you that
in order to get out Of the way Of the
Broad Terrace we hal to traverse little
used part Of the old house, and came
out at last through long passage by
small postern door, with flight of sew.
eral steps outside. The unused rooms
and the passage smelt damp and musty,
and 1 was glad to feel even the clinging
outside air when the little door creaked
open at last to let us out. As l went
down the steps, they were SO slippery
with the wet mist that it was all could
do to keep on my legs, but Lucy tripped
down after me like nymph and We
reached the carriage safely. We had not
gone far before she stretched out her
hand caressingly to me, and said, Cum
Gle John, are you sure you are wrapped
up warm enough? Your hand felt so
cold lustnow as you helped me down the
steps,"
II help you, my dear!' said I, 81
never helped you; { had quite enough
ado to keep my own legs!''
"Oh yes, uncle, don't you remember?
AS [ came through the postern,~you
stretched out your hand and let me down
the steps and it made me SILVER all
through-your hand was like ice! Are
you quite sure you wrapped up enough?' o.
+ 1 would have taken my oath in any
Icourt Of law that I had nothing to do
with the girls safe exit, and she would
have sworn on the other side; so held
| nv toncruo or1 o11oxyoI no.,