Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-12-09
gu Original Storg.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
THE LADY OF LINTON
BY WALTER MORGAN.
CHAPTER I.

Linton Towers, a magnificent structure OF
the reign Of Queen Anne, standing in the Gen.
tire of one of the finest estates in Kent, and
owned by widow lady who lived there in per.
feet seclusion, was the object ofpeculiar inter
est to all the inhabitants of that part of the
country, as being the seat of a singular and not
altogether agreeable romance.
Miriam Hepburn, the present Lady of
Linton" as she was always called, had been
in early childhood, betrothed to her cousin.
Sir Roland Hepburn. the heir Of great wealth
and the possessor of noble name but his
personal advantages did not correspond with
those of his ancestral inheritance He was,
in fact, a cripple, having been deformed in in
fancy by fall from his nurses arms had
stunted, sickly frame, disproportioned head
and feeble limbs, which rendered him an un-
slightly and pitiable object. When the little
Miriam, then mere child of seven or eight.
first beheld her cousin, to whom she had, until
this meeting, been stranger, she ran to con
that she would never, never play with such
looking boy, or have anything to do with him.
"You are mistaken, my DEAR" calmly and
severely said her mother, most resolute dame.
"You will not only play with your cousin, but
he careful to treat him with the utmost cour-
tesy and consideration, and on no account al.
low him to perceive that you have any distaste
for his appearance. He is clever and prom.
ising boy, and is to be your constant compan-
ion from this time forth. Moreover, he will
one day bestow great benefit upon you, since
in making you his wife, he will render you the
mistress of great wealth, and an elegant
home But this you are too young to under
stand"
Miriam, however, did understand it, and
she firmly resolved that never, even to obtain
the advantages of which her mother had
spoken, would she submit to such sacrifice
as marriage with Roland Hepburn.
Lady Agnes Hepburn, her mother, had an
inHexible will, and seldom failed in carrying
out any purpose she had at heart. She had
usually found her daughter tractable, and
felt secure Of being able to mould her incli
nations, in this case, as in most Others into
compliance with her own. She had manoeu.
vered successfully to obtain the guardianship
Of little Roland, left, as he was, an orphan at
tha Of nd hat ,ho h,1
gained an important pointn thus bringing him
under her direct influence, and into constant
association with Miriam, his future bride.
The boy was docie and gentle in disposition,
but tinge of bitterness and discomfort shad-
owed his mind and interfered with his en-
joyment of childish pursuits Miriam, afraid
openly to disobey her mother, ceased to avoid
his mpanionship. They played and studied
together, but there was no congeniality of
mutually attached. Roland admired her, for
she was both handsome and brilliant, and
possessed some fine qualities; but he had an
inward consciousness that she looked on him
with pity, if not with absolute scorn, and was
never easy in her presence. A morbid dread
Of the future marriage, which was made no
secret of, but often and openly alluded to in
the household crept over him, strengthening
with advancing years, and he was quite as
anxious as his betrothed to find some means,
if possible, to avert such consummation, from
which, however, there seemed little chance Of
escape. The contract of their betrothal had
been solemnly made between their respective
parents and in addition to this, it was en-
joined upon him by his fathers will not to
fail in carrying out the agreement, since, by
such failure, he would not only forfeit his
Inheritance to Linton Towers and their valu
able belongings, but carry with him to his
grave the heritage Of his deceased parent: