The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1881-03-04
JEAN GLENDOWER.

"Dear Lady Elizabeth, will you not
redeem your promise now, and tell me
why that grand old castle we visited
yesterday is left to be the abode Of owls
and bats, while its master wanders in
foreign lands? Look--from your east
window here the setting sun is just kiss
ing the old tower and tall chimneys
goodnight. 1T is Just the hour for
story; please, Lady Morton, tell me
about it.
Ashadow crossed the face Of my beauti-
full old friend, and her dark eyes looked
sadly across the beautiful English
landscape, the fertile valleys and grand
old trees, to far in the distance, where
the silver river marked the bounds Of
De Clifton Manor.
II will tell you the story, Leda, but it
will bring a flush TO your Spanish cheek,
for one Of your countrywomen, dear, was
the cause Of that beautiful homes be-
coming desolate, and its master broken
hearted wanderer. Come, sit here by
me. little one, and do not interrupt me,
while / turn back the leaves Of my life
and read to you from the brightest and
saddest among them.
--"Thirty years ago, Clifton Grange was
the finest place in Somersetshire, and
though not, strictly speaking, the hand
soonest, preserved its prominence on the
score Of antiquity; plebeian feet had
seldom trod its wide halls and grand old
rooms. You saw yesterday what the
house is--a massive pile of Byzantine
architecture, with deep, pointed porches,
where pillars, once crowned with statues,
stand close around the outside, and
where fragments Of a stately figure are
here and there remaining. The high
old mouldering walls Of rugged sculpture
are gray and grisly now, with exposure
to wind and rain, but the old tower SO
high above them was then, as now,
covered with the deep or ange-russet
lichen which CLEANS SO lovely in the
sunset. Behind the castle were the
garden and fruit walls, where the bloomy
peach and purple grape ripened in rich
profusion, and where may be seen here
and there among the nectarine the YES
tiges of an old cloister arch or wall re-
maining. A wide terrace runs around
the west front of the house, which was a
fayorite walk of the inmates at all sea-
sons. for Of all the views around the old
home this commanded the finest. An!
my DEAR" continued Lady Elizabeth,
laying her little, soft, withered hand,
with the frill Of rich old lace around 1t,
on my head, eve were merry party at
the old Grange that month! It was early
winter. and Lord de Clifton, Just returned
from his travels, was the pleasantest host
in England. There were two beautiful
women with us-women whose delicate
feature portrayed the fairest types Of
their nationality. Lalla Darst, with her
wonderful dover of Moorish beauty-the
full. yoluptuous form and rich, red color
ing of her Spanish face-and Jean Glen
dover. with eyes like the blue-bells OF
her own bonnie Scotland, and hair
tinged the sunlight that gilded its noun
tains. There were various guests beside;
ouests assembled in honor Of the young
| Scotch beauty who was soon to wear the
| d;adem of a viscountess; for Jean and
Norman de Clifton had been bethrothed
some months, and were to be married IN
| a few short weeks.
"Never did j see two people more
completely fettered by the silver chains
Of love, he seemed to live only II
her presence, while she-my beautiful,
| gentle Jean!-returned it with a passion
rs pure as the Dowerdale blood In hel
veins; her blue eyes grew almost black
| when he addressed her. and the lovely
face was touching in its sensitvenesi
when he entered her presence.
ssWe had been at the castle three
weeks: and our visit was drawing
10 q close: three weeks spent in every
species Of pleasure and amusement tha
the grand old place afforded. Hov
happy we were then--how happy "!
werei' repeated the old lady. "Al
full of hope: I first saw Sir Howar'
that month"
She always called the now white
haired husband of her youth ''Sir How
ard''-never anything more familiar o
affectionate-an yet / never saw warm
i er, OF moro devoted, wifely love tina
she showered on Sir Howard Morton.
. nBut T am telling of JEAN ear