New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-06-19

Shadows
Have struck more terror to the SOU of Richard
Than could the substance of ten thousand soldiers
The magic emerald. did you say, Mr. Langton
hear me how cry interesting! r,
IN eId Won never hear of il before Lady Matilda
Thought that everybody knew that ola STORY,
20. one doesn't always hear Things, you KNOW
pnt tell me what does the magic emerald 90
lady Matildas companion, with NIUE sign pl
resicnation, settled his back more comIOrtaoIy
against the roots OF the enormous OAK uug
man. with skin burned 10y long exposure 10
tropic suns 20 the tint of the autumn leaves Ilat
Law abont him. lie would have been nouceabie
Scg,re AMY here but he was particularly so amid
M present surroundings. he was the KIND OF man
one would have rather expected 10 ees tbon mid
this Quiet English landscape; and ms dress Wnch
was a compromise between civilized requirements
and trOpic ease, tended 70 hereaSo sho n"'Ni"'
steSben IaugTon. like all men of any strength Of
character al all had his trends and his enemies ana
sstimates of their acquaintances do differ. But on
one pont they were unanimous; Langton was
queer That verdict had been pronouheeu OF. VI.
him very early in life, and had stuck 10 nm ever
since In the cradle, in the nursery at sen0oi, no
had differed from all other babies, from all other
children from all other sshoSloSys MS snd con
frmed the designation of his nurse aud ms school-
mates He took no interest IN any OF ,ne Things III
which the British subaltern most delighted. RE
did not bet he never touched card he dld not Drag
about his proves TO the fair sex. suspect that II
ne
the minds of his messrnates. What could yon make
of q fellow who seemed as anxious to AVOID the
Establishments Of the prettiest girls OF garrlsoni
town as though they had been as faded ana as duil
ms The lady whose commonplace bored him to
death on this glorious autumn afternoon ana
S,ephen Lanyton was worth pretty girls smile,
and might have had his choice in most bathrooms.
independently Of the advantages OF a handsome
face and figure, his expectations were thrice as great
as those of any other man In the Tooth: But Nelly
Desnapd of Portsmouth and Nelly Despard, OF
Chatham. and other Nellys and fannys innumera6le,
all of them pretty and some OF them men retIsu Ia
turn from the assault of that lmpregnaOle fortress
Stephen Langton was not marrying man. ana or
Charles Grandson himself was not more ignorant Oh
the verb TO fiITt lie especially dlslikcd any anu.
nor to his martial achievements: and If he had left
bis regiment with the Rogue's March IN ms ears,
could not have been more unwlng 10 IAN ol ns
his fine and in many village on the wild north
west border Of Hindostan the name OF Langton
gahib the Feringhee bOy-devll, IL whispered 10
this day by white-haired men, who remember WIN
what rod Of iron he ruled the district III the DAYS
Of the rebellion. But sombre as were the prevailing
shadows MANY man who was louder tongued in
sympathy lacked the depths of real tenderness that
lay under that hard exterior. 1t great tribuCe
10 the sterling worth of a man who makes but few
friends when the few who know him most thoroughly
are loudest in their praises ihere VIE e uiGSo
who could tell Of leeds of quiet heroic selisacrlnce
done bv this silent and sardOnic man on sea ana
battle field fol duty and for friendships sake.
Everybody knew at whose cost .ne a T Ro
poby the promise whispered i'll the ear OF the dying
eomrade had been fuldlled. And when poor ht.le
Tompkins, the soap boilers son, came that AWFUL
cropper over the Derby, and saw nothing before MIN
but 10 sell and retire to an eternity OF soap
boiling under tho eyes of an indignant father, II was
Ianpton who set him right, and tded him over that
disastrous time But STILL In spite OF sucn stories as
these of which his friends would tell you many, the
ordinary verdict regarding Stephen Langton was
that he was queer and the general impression be
made on most people was the reverse OF iaVoraDie.
On his accession 70 his fortune ne sq baS heSo IN
pected of hun, and LangtOn HAL had never ior
month together been empty OF guests. MS HneIaty
In this respect did not arise from any modlhcati3n
of his own peculiarites but was solely due 10 the
influence Of his sis.er. Miss Bertha Langton, to
whom. report said he psssonately attae he'd
Report was right for once, and Berthas word was
law to her brother, who concentrated upon her all
the affection that other men dissipate on the
thousand and one objects 20 which he was utterly
Indifferent.
.The magic emerald said Stephen Langton has
been an heirloom IN our family for the last Tour
hundred years. Apart from it's associations 1t Is
very valuable stone from its size ana qualify ~ 10
said under certain circumstances 10 nave the
power Of losing il tint, aud becoming perfectly
What are those crcumstancesp asked Lady
Matilda.
If it, ponscssor Ia guilty of any great meannoss or
rascality il he betTays friend, or COMMITS any
really vile or wicked action, the emerald loses its
color, and when that happens IT Is warning OF
certain punishment Inc criminal may bttNe 70
And has that ever haupencdr
Never.
Lsngton. NV forbears have either been excep-
h0nay virtuous or the emerald has Lost It's powers
Dr. never possessed them
% Mr. Langton, pray don't cast doubt on such
) really charming storyi So very romantic, 80
Truly interesting But, surprising that ts possesSor
you for instance though I'm sure, OF course that
Fou wouldn'tl--were 30 do something really dread
lal. would the emerald never recover It's colorf
Never 50 long as il remained IN my possession:
But directly il became another mans property e
you'd be as at present and would remain 70 untu
something awful.
Lady Matilda f2ade no remark In answer 10 nef
pompanion's last Speech and, indeed. seemed not to
have heard IT, She was locking intently between
he bushes behind Langton. and, as he ceased TO
peak she rose in order 20 obtain better view OF
Ihe object on which her eyes were fixed. Langton
isrned and eazed with languid curiosity in the
. hme direction. But suddenly he rose TOO, and
food beside his companion, with his teeth set fast,
hd his face paling beneath its rudy bronze. Lady
fat;lda's face was white with ill-dssembled anger
led the hand which parted the leaves was agitated
y an angry tiemor.
young man OF twenty two OF three Light haired
: sesh colonel, and looking exasperatngly cool and
him In the blazing sunlight which liz the open
pace about hu. ioungjDg mp the little hill on
shch stood the copse which hid the listeners from
ri6w. Beside him walked girl, some few years his
fnjor Rktired In Sress of diaphanouA fabric
by Etb5cns Of pale blue Her summer hat. dece-
Dfn6 like r ffeSs sha carried In her hand and q