The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-04-10

IuSeu; HIS ldlnef anger was very terflDlc,
but as he gave no reason for his refusal Mr..
Fairfax let him go, thinking to persuade him
in time and with softer words. He however
made speed to our house and demanded that
my father should marry us privately. This he
would not hear of at first though Harry urged
itsaying it would be his safety; that Mr.. Fairfax
had even said the damseps brother should
call him out did he slight her.
HE spoke SO earnestly that at last father
consented to make the needful arrangements
and we were satisfied. Alas while he was
absent some rumor had come to Mr.. Fairfaxs
ear and when Harry returned home he was
made prisoner in his room and only allowed
to issue from it for his meals. Mr.. Fairfax
thought to tame him, but he knew not that
there was device whereby he might be baf-
fled. In bygone days when Harry was fain to
escape from noisy guests he would slip out at
the passage window; or if the brawlers were
too near the stairs for him to pass he would
let himself down by a rope cunningly made
fast to an iron bar that was across his own
window. thin and narrow plank was con-
cealed below the grass at the edge ofthe moat,
being held by rope loops to two pegs knocked
into the bank. Once across the ditch he was
free. for the gentlemen were too busy within
to espy him. Now, however, his father was
always on the watch, fearing lest he should
escape. We should have been in sore straits
had we not had one friend among the ser
vants-old Betty-who had seen my Harry
born. She sped away to me with message
bidding me to come at dusk and Harry would
meet me in the willow thicket across the moat;
further than that he dared not veature.
WAS wrong to go? | thought not; nay,
| think still that was right. Since the night
that Harry put his signet-ring upon my finger
l have belonged to him. How, then, could /
dispute his will? Moreover, he was in trou-
BILE, and L could not refuse to go to him in his
need. Therefore l went.
'.When it was growing late, so that it be-
hooved me to return, he led me to the edge
of the thicket and kissed me, and that was our
very last kiss on earth, yet knew it not. l
would had known, that might have stayed
to perish with my love. l hurried along the
darkening path, but before had gone far /
heard an angry voice that seemed to be that
of Mr.. Fairfax. |. feared greatly for Harry
but dared not turn back lest | should be
seen and cause worse trouble, since it might
well be that Mr.. Fairfax was only speaking to
some groom or laborer. Allnight could not
sleep for terror, and next day news was
brought to my father that Harry had disap-
peared.
'The country was searched for him, but |
knew he was dead, for had he been alive he
would have found means to relieve my anx-
iety;;,
hard, and after few days he desired that the
moat should be filled up.
"The work was begun, and that night
knew the reason.
'Again old Betty came to me, white faced
and aged by many years. She told me the
horrible thing that has never since been out
of my thoughts. | see before me day and
night the moat, the darkening path and my
Harry as he stepped off the plank and saw
his father standing before him. Old Betty
could not tell me what had passed, but Mr.
Fairfax had seen me, for she heard my name
''After many furious words, Harry said
clearly, L never will give her upl Then.
then-tlat cruel man struck him hard on the
temples with the handle of his heavy hunt
he never rose again. Mr. Fairfax knelt at
the edge and called him hoarsely, and when
no answer came he rushed into the house.
''Betty was too terrified to say next day
what she had seen, and I-can l give up
Harry's father to punishment?-I who have
been the cause ofmy husbands death ~
The writing here became unsteady and
indistinct, as though the poor girls mind
had begun to wander. Il is legible on the
next leaf
"People look at me strangely; they thought
l did not hear to-day when some one said |
was mad. Am mad No! am sure am
not; my brain is quite clear, clearer than ever,
and each thought is as bright as if it were
written in flame. know what am going to
do. The moat is not half full yet, but in q
few more days there will be no room in it. |
must get Betty to hide this paper for me in
Harry's panel cupboard; she taught him and
me the trick of it long ago. will not tell her
why want it hidden tonight; oh, no, she
might be afraid if she knew, and l must be
quite alone too. Mr.. Fairfax is drinking
always drinking. l am going to punish him;
he shall have two deaths on his soul, two
two. God will never forgive him as much as
that.
81 shall be safe with Harry; if anybody
finds this they need not be afraid for me. /
will fasten stone over my heart that the
water in the moat may hold me down tight
till find him.
81 will sign my own name to this-my
name, that no one can rob me of now.
"PRIscILLA FAIRFAX
determined, after reading this sorrow
full tale, to have the moat carefully searched
at the spot indicated by the spirit. That
there might be no lack of witnesses / in
vited both the doctor and curate of Stepton
to be present After reading the manu-
script they were to the full as anxious as
/ for further corroboration fits story. We
knew that the Fairfax mentioned in it had
died suddenly of delirium tremens and pro-
badly the work of filling in the moat was
then discontinued, for as 1 have already
remarked, it was of its original depth on
one side of the house. As the workmen
approached the bottom they dug slowly and
carefully. Complete success rewarded our
efforts, for precisely where the ghosts fin
ger had pointed we found the decayed and
broken bones of woman.
The doctor gathered them up with his
own hands, and in doing so turned over
some of the earth and espied, sunk in what
had been soft mud, heavy signet-ring
bearing the Fairfax crest. Encouraged by
our discoveries, then gave orders for the
whole of the moat to be cleared, in the hope
that we might find the remains of the poor
youth who was SO cruelty murdered.
We inferred from the MS that his room
must have been at one of the corners farth-
est removed from the hall, and our conject-
ure proved true. We found some bones,
singularly perfect considering their age, and
two or three metal coat-buttons The lat
ter | have placed with the ring and manu-
script in cabinet. To the bones we gave
decent burial, depositing them all in the same
grave. Since that day no midnight foot
steps have approached my chamber; and l
trust that the uneasy spirit has found rest
through the discovery of her fate, and that
nothing more will be seen or heard of the
ghost of Morcars Tower
A pound of bananas, it is said, contains
more nutriment than three pounds Of meat
or as many pounds of potatoes, while as a
food it is in every sense superior to the
best wheaton bread. Although it grows
spontaneously throughout the tropics, when
cultivated its yield is prodigious, for an
acre of ground planted with bananas will
return as much food material as thirty
three of wheat or over one hundred acres