National Republican., 1884-04-07
GLENALPINE's OATH.

story OF Trial and Adventure on Shore,
ut Sea, and ira tho Jungle.
Tho Manor of Birchmear was one OF the
oldest and most extensive in England. The
Manor house was grand old mansion.
The domain was ample. There were fair
lawns and gardens, and extensive parks and
preserves, broad meadows and fruitless slopes,
and many u mile of dense old forest.
It was toward noon of q pleasant day late
in the summer that two men stood by the
lodge gate of Birchmear park. One of them
was Peter Brun, the keeper, and tho other
| was Jason Smart, an old friend of Peters.
| Both were mon past tho middle age.
As soon as they had exchanged greetings,
Jason said:
"Now, Peter, want you to tell me about
tho family. Let me see. It's almost score
\ Of years since l left Birchmear. Sir John
was then hale and hearty, and full so years
old; and we thought he never would marry;
but hear he has done it,"
"Yes," said the keeper. slowly, "he has
done it twice-which was just once too
much.
"You remember thnt his lordship lived
those many years bachelor on account of a
bitter disappointment in early life. He had
made up his mind that he would never
| marry; but he found reason to change his
| purpose. Out in India there was certain
Tom Rainsford, to whom his lordship was
particularly attached. This Tom Rainsford
was a colonel, and he saved tho division of
Sir Jasper Wallace at Hajop. by his own
individual forethought and daring. But
he himself fell-shot just as the victory was
won.
"Sir John heard of the death of Col. Tom
Rainsford, and bo also heard that widow
had been left; and he sent out word to the
widow that she might come and find q home
at Birchmear if she wished. 1t seems that
Col. Tom had been q rollicking free hearted
fellow, and had left nothing of property--not
even enough to pay his debts. So his widow
accepted Sir Johns offer, and came home to
| England and to Birchmear. She had one
child--a boy, 3 years od-a boy named
Arthur--and one of the brightest and keenest
little fellows l over saw. The servants all
fell in love with him.
II saw Isabel Rainsford when she first
came, and a sweeter creature never laid my
| eyes upon. Sir John took to her at once;
and she in turn was devoted to him. At the
end of two years Sir John offered her his
heart and his hand, and sho accepted both,
and thus became Lady Birchmear of Birch
NEAR. And he gave tho boy his own name
| and called him Arthur Berwick.
THOR married life was q happy ono. Sir
John loved his young and beautiful wife with
| all his hearty and she was sincerely attached
and devoted to him. But their happiness was
marriage Lady Isabel died, and for time Sir
John was like ono distracted. About this
time the government had occasion to send a
commissioner upon important business to
| India, and Lord Birchmear was selected for
the Office. He accepted without hesitation,
| and at once made preparations for his depart
ure He left the manor in charge of his sister
! Agatha, and in her keeping also he left
4 Arthur, now grown to be 10 years DID,
| "Sir John went out to India, and there fell
in with Lady Helen Travers. This woman
was the widow of a Sir Theobald Travers,
| who had gambled away u fortune, and died
deeply in debt. She was past the middle age
| somewhere about 50-but of that peculiar
| vital temperament and of that tenacity of
vigor and healthful flow of blood, which pre-
serve the stamp of youth for into the meridian
| of life She was handsome, and she was bold;
and, above all, she was clear-sighted and cal
| culatinR. She had son, named Harold, in
the army, with captains commissions; and
for some years Capt. Harold Travers had
managed to mako enough at the gaming table
to give his mother a seemingly comfortable
support
alt was said by those who PROPOSED to
know that much of the captains good luck
at whist and ecarte was due to the covert aid
| of Lady Helen. won't pretend to assert any,
thing about Lady Helen's aptness at cheat
ing at cards, but l can swear she played q
strong game with Sir John, and if she didn't
blind him then she must have taken him
upon very weak side. In Just five years
from the death of the sweet Lady Isabel he
made wife of this woman-this Lady Helen
Travers. But her whole game wasn't played
when she had won his hand and his name
She wanted something for her son.
This Capt. Harold Travers was a man
very much after his fathers stamp. He was
reckless and heartless and had enough Of
polish to make his way In society. He went
at work upon Sir Johns good graces, and
found his way into them. And when his
lordship prepared for his return to England
he allowed the captain to sell his commissi on
and bear him company. And he did more
he allowed Harold to drop the name of Trav-
ers and to take that of Berwick in its place,
thus recognizing him rs an adopted son. You
must understand that Sir John was now past
| CO. and more easily worked upon than for
merly. He fancied that he was never 80 firm
of will, and never SO independent; but there
was ono aT the helm that knew how to gov
ern him.
"Whcn his lordship, with his new family,
| reached home Arthur had grown to be a youth
| of 16, and he was acknowledged by all who
knew him to be the handsomest and the
bravest and the strongest boy of his years in
our riding. He had cut up some wild pranks,
| to be sure, but nothing that came of an evil
disposition. The new Lady Brchmear pre-
| tended u strong love for him, and Harold was
openly very kind to him. Within q few
months after Sir Johns return Arthur was
| sent away to school at Oxford, and there he
has been most of the time until three months
ago. when he came home with the resolution
to study no more.
"At first Sir John had only planned that
Arthur should pursue a course of study that
should flt him for public political life and
then we fancied that ho meant to make the
lad his heir-Cor you will understand that his
lordship has had no children Of his own-but
| after q time, in three years from the lads
| hrst entrance at college, Sir John changed
the plan and wanted him to prepare for the
| church. Whom tho old servants heard of this
and they heard of it when Arthur came
| home at vacation-they were sure that Lady
| Birchmear had been ut work, and that the son
| of Isabel RainsfOrd was not cure of inheriting
the manor
"However, Arthur resolved that he would
not be Y churchman, and when Sir John was
| satisfied that his opposition could not be over
| come, he proposed the bar instead. But the
| youth would not have that either. H would
enter the army. In fact, it was his earnest
wish TO join the army, and he once said to
me, said he: Peter, when my school days are
| over | shall go into the army. would rather
go in as q private, and carry musket and a
| knapsack, than be u hanger-on at this place.
aud in this company / knew very we'll what
! ho meant. | knew that he knew that Lady
Birchmear hated him, and that Harold, with
all his smiling surface, was bitterly jealous of
him.
"But won't spin it out longer than can
holp. Three months ago Arthur came home
from college, and he came home in debt. He