Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-02-14
CHAPTER XVIII.
REoUIESCAT IN PACE


REoUIEsCAT IN PACE.
1t was brilliantly clear afternoon to-
ward the end of March The weather
had at last changed. Spring was in
the. air. and her breath was redolent OF
the promise OF coming days of bright
ness. Birds were singing. The first
early primroses were peeping palely
through their leaves on the grassy
banks. There was CAV show of many
hued crocuses and snowdrops in the
ribbon border which edged the drive.
and these flowers seemed to smile up
ward as the Squire and Margaret Bar
rington rode slowly from the house to-
ward the high road. He had long prom
ised to ride with her into the country
there could be no doubt as TO the fine
ness of this afternoon.
Mrs. LascelIes and her daughter were
going for drive in another direction.
Rupert, when asked what he intended
to do, said that he should most likely
stay in, or, If disposed, summon John.
and take a turn in the garden. They
therefore left him, thinking it likely
that Louis Baldwin would call.
That was pleasant ride through the
seriousness of the awakening spring
everywhere in the air; the twittering
birds, the gay blue sky, the sea in the
often on such days as thes that the sad
dest fancies arise in our minds-the
most sorrowtul thoughts steal into our
hearts, just as a.
"Our sweetest songs are those which tell of
saddest thought
1t was thus with Margaret. Barring
ton, as she rode by Mr.. Lascelles' side,
and looking over the brown hedgerows
on which the first exquisite yellow
green network was appearing, beheld,
beyond the rolling downs of grass, the
sea; and, despite the radical Brightness
of it all, some strange and melancholy
lines would steal into her head, and re-
peat themselves ina kind of tune, the
rhyt of which was kept up by her
horse hoofs-those lines which tell
how
8 rail, t..
And looks seawarl:
The waters in stripes, like snake, olive
TO the leeward
On the weather,side black. spotted white
"Good fortune departs and disasters behind
Hark the wind with its wants and its infinite
wail!'
She remembered the drowsy summer
afternoon on which, months ago, in
happy times, LouisShad read the poem
to her and Rupert, and she sighed,
while still her horses hoofs marked the
rhythm of the words: ~
" Good fortune departs and disasters behind
The ride was such long one that it
was almost dusk, and after six O'Clock,
when-at last they turned in at the
Grange gates. Slowly they mounted
the slope, and as they arrived at the
door one of the grOoms, who seemed
to have been sitting in the porch, came
forward to take their horses. Even in
the twilight Margaret noticed that the
lads face was grave, even to de e :tiOn.
AS Mr.. Lascelles lifted, her from her
horse the groom said to his master:
eff you please, sir, l was to say that
Mr.. Baldwin is within and wants to see
You. Mr.. Rupert has had an accident
"What?n cried Mr.. Lascelles, his
hale cheek paling, while Margaret, with
a sudden terrible dread at her heart.
looked speechlessly at the lad, and saw
in his face which made her
glad Mr.. Lascelles had hurried forward
into the house. She followed him. As
they went into the hall, the school
room door was opened, and Louis Bald
win came out, shutting it afterhim, and
motioned them into, the drawing room.
Even then-even in that moment of
great dread and Acknowledgements per-
ceived with a sudden, quick pang, the
change which had passed over Louis
face 1t could not be that all that hag-
gardness, that worn and pallid look,
and those sad eyes. could have
been called there by the ACCIDENT of
this afternoon only.
whats the matter? What ais my
boy, and has my wife come in9'' asked
Mr.. Lascelles, hastily. r
IT hardly know how to tellyou what
has happened, said Louis, but i think
it best to make no delay about it.
While you were all out, Rupert told
John that he was not going out this
afternoon, and that, if John liked, he
could 90 out himself, which he did.
But Rupert must have changed his
mind, for some reason, afterward. Per-
haps the beauty of the afternoon tempt
ed him. At any rate, he must have left
the house and gone into the garden.
He had made his way down the slope to
the bridge ,
"The bridgel"> echoed Margaret.
"And they think--John thinks Che
was not out long. and it was he who
found him)-he may have been trying
to gather some Of the flowers on
the bank-at least, he lost his bal
ance and fell in HeAtheg poor
boy was drowned-dead," said Louis,
speaking with almost passionate grief.
They fortunately got him into the
house and had me here before his moth
er returned
"Ah, his mothern' gasped the Squire,
who had been leaning trembling against
the wall. !" My wife-where is shepn
'sThey carried him to the school
room,'' said Louis. She is there; and
no one can move her. I have been with
her, but she neither looked at me nor
spoke
But Mr.. Lascelles was gone, Louis
did not finish his sentence. A sob
choked his voice. He turned away to,
one of the windows, and raising his arm,