The Washington critic., 1886-10-28

for n while. Parson Cole suddenly
turned TO Ellen, saying: But, my
dear, where's your present for the
QuccnY
"lndeed" answered Ellen, 81 had
totally forgotten 1t; was so amused by
your reverend rival there. Where on
earth did 1t come from? l never saw
IL beforel"
did any of you?" asked the parson.
"Tell me truly, my beloved pupils,
have any of you seen the bird before2
How comes 1t that IL did not excite
your curiosity, and that none of you.
except Ellen, stopped to question it?'
Father" said Miss Agnes Thorpe
n proud, majestic beauty-"father, will
| you forgive me, and still call me
| daughter2 VIII you love me still2" con.
| tinued she, the tears starting In her
| eyes and her frame heaving with evi
| dent emotion; II have disobeyed your
| orders, but God only knows how have
suffered for It.. have been miserable
| ever since | can bear IL no longer, and
! feel that IL Is relief to me to confess
my crime before this whole assembly.
| ] was tempted-l could not restrain my
| curiosity, and In an evil hour / looked
| into the haunted chamber. AS soon as
] opened the door saw that bird sit.
ting on your arm chair, and his ques.
tions so frightened me that / ran down
stairs and have never yet got over my
alarm. When | saw 1t yesterday |
thought the bird knew me and knew
my guilt, and avoided it. VIII you
forgive me2 know viii never again
disobey."
| "And l know 1t, too" replied the
| Parson, the tears streaming down his
checks as he took Agnes in his arms;
daughter, l will say to you as one
more mighty and more holy said to one
of your erring sex, thy sins are for.
| given thee, go and sin no more.
There were now other and similar
confessions to be made; the example
of Agnes inspired her more timid com
panions with moral courage, aud soon
II appeared that every one except Ellen
Saunders had taken a peep into the
haunted chamber.
| "And how comes it you never trans
| grcssed?" asked the parson of Ellen;
"were you afraid of witches and COB.
Inns, or had you no curiosity "
II never thought the chamber was
haunted" answered Ellen; 81 supposed
| you did not wish me to intrudc into it
and though my curiosity was great |
restrained IL, hoping that before | left
school you would let me see the curl
osities of which had heard SO many
strange reports"
"And so you shall you shall all
look now to your hearts content" re.
piled the Parson, who accordingly
led his pupils into the haunted chamber.
All, of course, were gratified, and all
were happy; but Ellen only with
lively relish turned over and examined
with increasing delight the many curl
Gus relics and specimens of art and
nature, that gave strange, mysterious
air to the Parsons study.
"And now," said the Parson, after
they had left the haunted chamber,
"who shall we make Queen p
Miss Agnes, of course cried Ellen,
who sympathized with the sorrow that
still hung Its sign in the bright eyes of
Miss Thorpe.
What say you all ?" asked the
Parson.
II say Ellen Saunders, " replied each
girl at the same time.
II thought once she deserved II,
said the Parson, "but I've changed my
mind. The first to abase herself shall
be exalted highest" continued he;
"Miss Agnes shall hold the first station
on that day, Miss Jane the second, and
so on in the order of your confessions;
and you, Ellen, will bring up the rear
attended by Mr.. Williams. What say
you, are you all content 2"
They certainly all were, and none
more so than Ellen Saunders, who very
heartily joined in the laugh at her own
expense, although she could not but
feel touch of pity for Mr.. Williams,
when she saw how much fun his name
excited.
"a good conscience is a sufficient
honor" whispered the latter to Ellen,
while the girls were too busy to notice
him.
II know it," answered Ellen, and
therefore | think 1t right that my rank
should be lowest. Indeed, | wish only
that all the others could be as happy as
| am.
They'll never be-" returned vii.
liams; sin your heart is fountain
such as their breasts do not contain; a
fountain that will bless you and bless
all about you. Green and bright and
fresh in the bloom Of loveliness which
it will forever produce, and thrice
, happy will he be who will be allowed
to garner for himself the immortal
sweetness of tiny naturel" Ellen's
/ face turned scarlet, but she did not
, even turn her head toward the speaker
but hurried off to join her companions
Need we describe the preparations
made to celebrate the first of May a
T the house of Parson Cole Shall We
, picture the green, enameled meadow
in which, beneath the shade of aged
oaks, the May Queen was to be
. crowned? Can we describe the ilora)
decorations of the seats, and especially
of the throne? Can we tell how tht
, birds were singing-how the skies
smiled, and all nature wore nn air OF
soft repose Shall we tell OF the grea
crowd of people that came to witnes.
the ce1emony-of the songs that rang
, so sweeily In those old woods, and o
, the delightful sports that made the day
, one of the happiest that anybody hat
ever seen.
! Wen leave all these things TO the
, readers Imagination, and we will
| leave him or her to fancy If they can
the unutterable emotion of the beauti
| full and majestic queen, as she sat upor
+ heI throne of flowers. expecting every
V moment TO have presented to her sub
r iect whose arrival had that morning
c been announced At length the Par
Q son came, leading up an extremely
g handsome and elegant young man, anC
i approaching the royal seat said, 81 pre-
5 sent to your majesty my nephew, Ell
S ward Cole. The queen, as queens ough
e not to do on such occasions, trembleC
g violently, and felt as If she would
t faint. Her senses rccled, her eye
Y grew dim, and when she was finally
d able to look cNlmly about her, tlI