Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-09-10
IN THE ABBoT's SEAT.
Argosy.

Arg0sy.
Locking the very impcrsonation III
contcnted idcncss, Frank Cnrew lay
on the hillside above the ruined
Abbey OF Furness, and pondcrcd the
embodiment in canvas and pigments
of the fanees with which the June sun
set had inspired him. For three ofthc
brightest of summer weeks the young
A. X. A. Ind abbey ruins until scarce
~ II feature of their beautiful decay but
was lodged in his portfolio. The chapel
was there, rooHess, windowIcss,' its altar
gone grass elasping closely the few
gravestones that remained; but ~
Frank occupied himself in multiplying
sketches Of the relic in its dcsolation
rs ever il had looked in those days Of
Catholic prosperity when the Cistcrcian
monks of Furncss chnntcd prayers for
the souls parted from that dust over
which their feet were treading.
Cnrcw lny dreumingly under his
favoritc tree. looking down on the gray
stiffness Of the Abbey, and trying to
give substance To the shadowy fnncics
that connected themselves in his mind
with the cawing of the black choristcrs
opposite At length he started up with
I'M exclamation
II have it, hive it! Time, mid
night, the moon nj its brightest the
ghost of old King Harry just stealing
into the chapel, and II crowd of rocks
porched on the sedlln, and cnwing
curses ON the rubber who left the ccn-
trnl niche Of the three seats empty ofnn
Abbot. King Harry the Eighth Visit
ing the Abbey Of Furncss' If my
right hand remembers lts cunning, IN
hold my own IN the Academy next
May
a downward scramble among trees,
bushes and bits Of crumbling masonry,
and Curew crossed the nrch into the
ruins. A light laugh struck upon his
cnr
He sprang up the wall and looked
toward the scdila. Apparently, the
scene actually revealed was more salts
factory than that for which the laugh
had prepared him, for he ut once
lcupcd down into the chapel and
walked toward the stone steps to his
left.
A figure in ne way ghostly had al
ready risen from the central niche of
the three worn reecSSes that still ndorn
the ruined chapel Of Furness; and
with great brown eyes bent shyly ON
the intruder, seemed doubtful whether
To remain or not This successor to
the ahhots Of old days wore ms unprc-
tendingly tasteful II dress rs m English
girl Of eighteen summers could figure
IN, and had incc of the order that
one hcstatcs whether tu cnll plain or
handsome, and ends by pronouncing
sgnally attractive a Madonna done
in marble might hnvc had those tint
less checks and that look of serious
ness,
$50 il was YOU that laughed Miss
Margaret, snd Carew "ll's sin to
waste such sweet sounds ON the Abbey
ghosts protest I'll paint You rs Me
dusa, if You go on keeping tryst and
making merry with the Furncss ghosts,
while everyday mortals like Frank
Carew can't get SO much rs II smile
from YOU
I've known Furness and lis ghosts
and its legends ever since | was old
enough to walk from our cottage To the
ruins, suid the girl somewhat coldly,
MIR. Carcw and have only boon ne
qunintanees fort mattcrof three weeks
pnst.
"fhc plnasnntcst weeks III Mr. Car
cw's life was thinking to have ended
my stay here IN anothcrth three weeks or
50, but something the Abbey spcrtrcs
WhiSncred Ia mo inst before | utwlucu
Oh you inclines me To make the three
weeks three months. Will you he rs
hospithle rs your friends the ghosts o.
How hospitahleg'
Twill yeu join with them in inviting
me To RENAME
ooh no.
The negative was So disdainful, and
the girl turned AWAY with SO abrupt u
haughtinrss that she was ut the further
end of the chapel before Carcw had
sufficiently recovered from his astonish-
ment 10 stir tongue or foot, In the
twilight glowod for u single instant the
apparition Of II dark blue dress, pale
cheek, and certain dark curls falling
with graceful deeorum on the whitcst
Of necks; then sunlight and the shadow
in question faded away together, and
without the ruins I'LL WAS blank and
gray.
Carew walked toward the scdilm, and
sat down where the departed appariton
Ind, ten minutes earlier, hecn mcditat-
ing
He sat for few minutes thinking
silently queer expression Of mischief