Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-09-08
ON THE BRIDGE;
BYyRANK CosTIGAN.

BYyRAHK cosTIGAN.
Written for the IHTKILIGEScER.
Down by st. Cuthbert's creek, in the
shadows of the giant oaks, once monarchs
of . forest primeval, lay the quiet village
of st. Cuthberts. A quaint old town with
scattering houses, whose slanting gables,
mosaicked with soft, green moss, testified
that the hand of Time had fingered Low.
ingly on the place, hiding with emerald
bands, the ravages it had made.
There was a charm about the spot, a
shadow of peace and rest. Tho church
bell rang the Angelus softly, and the
sound .dwelt upon the AIR, as If conscious
that in pausing it would ascend on the
wings of softly breathed prayer amid the
flood of rosy light, which, striking across
the gray church tower fell athwart st.
CuthOert's bridge, now half in ruins, and
almost hid from view by the dropping
boughs of cypress and graceful festoons OF
the trumpet flower and clematis, which
formed q bower "wOrthy of maiden s
dream. or of poet in his youth"
Half leaning on the railing and idly
scattering the white bloom of clematis on
the sun-kissed waters, stood Ruth Arm
sted, q slender girl with flower face
and great dark eyes, now lowly dropped
beneath Jasper Ingram's tender gaze.
As the last tones of the Angelus died
on the evening air, the young girl raised
her eyes to her companions, and said
laughingIy
'And this is our ten minutes talk on
tho bridge. DO you know two trains
have stopped and passed the station while
you have been waiting for One?"
"No, know nothing of it." answered
her lover, impr,soning her flower-laden
hands in his. "Why should ? Have you
not bewitched me? have been for the
last ten minutes-yOu say it is two hours
in q trance, unconscious of murmuring
waters, waving boughs or passing bells,
only knowing have won what two short
months ago dared not dream might be
mine. little thought when l wandered
here this evening was to find my long
sought treasure
"This is q fayOritc resort of mine,' she
answered. 81 come here every evening to
listen to tho Angelus. cannot tell how
dear this spot and the old church bell have
become to me. 1t always rings in the
evening as reach the bridge and it seems
q different bell from that which rings for
our woes and joys. A mystic spirit voice
that haunts alone this fairy nook"
elias it ever rung SO joyous peal ?
Has its voice ever been so prophetic of
Joy and gladncss as Tonight, Ruth ?"
asked Jasper, bending to gaze in the
blushing face half turned away.
The reply was low, 30 low that he drew
her still closer to hear it.
''Never. The sound seems to hover over
and around us-tO pause as if it fingered
to bear our vows above. Yet," she
added almost sadly, as the last sound
faded afar of in the distance, sit seemed
to blend with the sad moaning of the
pines. felt as if it was too JOYOUS peal
ever to fall upon my ear again.
"Put aside such sad fancies, love-" hc
said cart ssingly. Hencefcrth St. Cuth
bert's Bridge will be to mo shrine, and
when win my fortune shall erect, here
tic though be, yOtive altar in thanks.
giving for a prayer granted here, while
st. Cuthbert's belfry shall have such a
new tangled set of chimes that he will be
wanting the Angelus rung all hours in
the day."
"By the time your fortune comes, JAS
per, +" was the laughing reply, "You may
think you owe st. Cuthbert no debt of
gratitude. Potruchio's Kate may be a
patient Griselda compared to me-"
"Pll take tho risk, darling. l wonder
what you raw in such a penniless scrape.
grace as l am, to prefer me over Roger
Fenwick Ho has every thing in his favor
wealth, station, fame, and the bravest,
truest heart that ever beat in mans
bosom. While l am minus all that q
fond mamma would desire in a son-in-
law" he added teasingly, not noticing
how the fair girl paled and trembled ut
the mention of Roger Fenwick's name.
DO you know, little one. would long
ago have put my fate to the touch, but
my gratitude to Fenwick sealed my lips
know that he loves his little ward with
all the strength of his strong, proud ma
ture. 1 fancied you might love, or
learn to love him /; SO hid my feelings :;
or at least tried to hide them" he added,
Interpreting the saucy glance of her bright
eyes land resolving never to stand be-
tween your guardian and the most cher
ished wish of his heart, for owe him as
heavy debt of gratitude as man can
owe another.
- 1t is a sad story" he continued his
vOicc trembling with emotion. "a mere
youth, was tempted almost beyond my
strength, when he stepped between me
and crime-cternal disgrace to my name
even death. Don't tremble Or shrink from
me, my darling. Through him l was
saved from the sin. the misery of the deed
that would have blackened alike both soul
and life. owe all to him, and when l
realized the gulf from which he had
drawn me, made q vow that if ever I
could serve him-life's dearest wisles,-
yea, even life itself should be sacrificed if
1t need be, to do 80. You now know why,
loving you rs I do, I never spoke until
You told mo his hopes were vain. /
could not break the VOW / made. The
deep obligation 1 owe him, even now.
makes me feel Es if I am wroncinc him
in trying to win you from him"
''Jasper, you do not know how hard I
tried to love him." Ruth murmured
her tears. lie has been all
that q brother could he since the hour nv
dying father placed me in his charge.
Tender and loving, watching over me with
almost a woman's care - and. - and
when last night he asked mo to be his
wife, and would not hear my no, but said
he would wait in hopes OF success. tried
to think loved him, but-but.'
But you knew your heart was mine,
mine alone, to have and hold until death
DO us part" Jasper said with almost
fierce joy, as he pressed his farewell kiss
On her trembling lips.
As ifin answer to his words there broke
upon the air the sound of St. Cuthbert's
bell. Not a joyous wedding peal. Not
the measured strokes of three times three,
That spoke of Gabriel's greeting unto tho
hand maiden of the Lord-but the slow,
solemn tollinS of the passing bell. Deep
and slow the sound smote the air, driving
before it the lingering rays of the dying
in darker doonor