The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-01-02

restoring only a little of it, you know,
said Gladys, entering into the spirit of her
lovers project with surprising briskness
considering her despair of the moment be-
fore.
''The dear old place! How [ should
like to restore a little of its past glory to it
But am afraid that will never be" Rex
remarked, with regretful sigh.
"Rex, do you know that New Years
Eve is close at hand, and we are downcast
and forlorn? 1t is really very wicked not
to have smile for the last days of the old
year." declared Gladys
"Your eyes are full of tears as you speak,
you little humbug' declared her lover,
regarding her tenderly.
"Because 1 think of your going so far
across the sea. Oh, Rex, Rex, it is dread
full I should never have the courage to
part with you when the time came, you
dear old boy p
at will not come for three months yet;
the spring is the best time to start on such
journey"
"Three months That seems long
time. Perhaps something will happen be-
fore then to make you change your mind !"
"You old gray walls, why will you not
tell your secret, and let me stay with my
darling Gladys, my promised wife?" ex-
claimed the young man, suddenly raising
his clenched fist towards the ivy-grown
windows of the south wing of Fendall
Court, now visible through the trees.
0Hush, Rex, dear 7! Gladys whispered
in awe-struck tones. "In that room where
the ivy hangs thickest over the window
Herbert Fendall was seen for the last time.
His ghost will haunt you if you talk and
look so.
II wish could see his ghost and then
should know for sure that he had depar-
ted this life"
"You couldn't make the lawyers believe
in your ghost story any more than in the
other more probable tales you have told
them"
"True-alas, too true!'' acknowledged
Rex
"Now, Rex, let us put doleful thoughts
out of our heads for time and try to be
cheerful for New Years Eve-for aunt
Letitias sake, and because it is right,
Gladys said, with an attempt at cheerful
ness she was far from feeling.
X II
Tourists on jaunting- cars occasionally
drove through the demesne of Fendall
Court in the spring and summer; its long
sweep of avenue with overarching trees and
the wilderness of greenery beyond proved
a strong temptation to leave the dusty
highway; and old Tatbury, the gate keeper,
had orders to allow any respectable vehicle
to enter.
"What possibilities there are in the
place, with proper care; but it would take
a fortune to put it in order See that
beautiful sweep of lawn-a rank wilderness!
Look at the statues, broken and weed
grown! And the lake is nothing but
vast green waste. 1t gives one the shivers
to look at it |"
'True for you, your honor-it is but a
sorry place now; fve-and-twenty years ago,
when I was lad, there was not finer or
better kept estate in all the country round" :"
"The house is vacant, of course?"
"No, your honor Some of the Fendalls
still live there; but they have now only
ha'pence where they once had guineas
and they can make but sorry fight against
the wreck and ruin about them"
II am sure the place has a history?"
at has, your honor"
"Relate it, Patsy; you are without
doubt, a good story-tell-your face shows
as much.
Conversation of this sort took place be-
tween the car-driver and his ''fare," when
ever a stranger was taken through the es-
tate, and Patsy, renowned "whip" Of the
locality, was in his element when asked to
tell the story of Fendall Court. Unlike
most of the class, he held strictly to facts,
and allowed his imagination no play in his
simple recital.
"Thirty years ago, your Honor, he
would begin, "yonder house was scene of
merry-makings and festivals such as are
told of in fairy stories every horse in the
stables had pedigree, the table groaned
with dainties from foreign parts, and the
ladies had their satin gowns over from Lon
don and Paris.
"Sir Herbert Fendall, bachelor of
four-and-twenty, was lord of the manor
then. A fine handsome gentleman he was,
but rather strange in himself f-not like
other folks, and they do say the poetry he
wrote would just bring tears to your eyes.
Sure every lass in the country would have
given her two eyes for smile from him,
but never one would he look at except
Lady Irmentrude Mowbray. She was
staying at the Court, and you may well say
she was a real beauty-looked like the
young lady, Miss Luttrell, that is living at
Fendall now, Mollie Brady says. Their
families were related, so that is not surpris-
ing. The housekeeper showed me once
Lady Irmentrude's picture in the big draw
ing-room-you see two of its windows over
beyant, looking to the west-and, faith,
sir, never see such sight Her eyes
smile right down on you, and you'd think
The sun itself was caught in her gold-brown
hair, while her white neck, coming up out
Of her green gown, looks just like one of
hem lilies ever beyant in its green leaves.
"Well, sir, it was plain to be seen that
'he would marry Sir Herbert; fond enough |
hey were of each other, and fine we'll
pair, they were. So it went on
ill Christmas time, when there was great |
OK hunt. All the quality from the Court
followed the hounds, with crowds of people
rom all the country round. All, your
honor, that was sight for sore eyes It's
we'll remember it, though was but bit |
If gossoon then. Sir Herbert rode closely
1t Lady Irmentrude's side; and handsome
enough they both looked on their Fl inc blood
ID horses. Not much of the hunt did they
zee, 1 am thinking, for they looked only at
ZACH other!
''Well, sir, after that hunt there was a
,reat ball in the evening. When it was
ime to dress, Sir Herbert went up to his
,wn rooms, and, if you'll believe me, from
hat time-n thirty years ago-till this
lie was never seen or heard Of Och, but
hat was sore time for Fendall And
ong and weary was the search they made
or him all through the country; but never
trace could they find of him; Heaven only
,nows what has become of the Lord of
Fendall
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