The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-04-27

Inc pleasant vices Ot your youth
make lashes which scourge US in old
age !" No words were ever more true,
more full OF wisdom, more full of warn
ing, than these. ~--Ne4
So Sir Jasper Brandon thought on
this Christmas Eve, when the mystery
the beauty, and tenderness of Christ
mas seemed to stir the quiet atmosphere
of Queens Chace. lie sat alone in his
library Outside the sky was clear and
blue, the air cold and biting; the hoar-
frost lay white on the ground-the trees,
the hedges, and the evergreens were
bright with it. Through the silent
frosty air came the joyous music of
Christmas bells - what sorrow, what
pain, what lost love, what dead hopes,
what pathetic happiness! He listened,
and his face grew sadder as the music
came sweeter and clearer. Other music
rs sweet and hopeful came to him-the
sounds of laughter and song for Queens
Chace was filed with visitors, and they
were keeping Christmas right loyalty.
He wished the bells would cease ring
ing; there was some mute reproach to
him in the sound He wished that
Christmas were over; il brought him
sal and sorrowiul memories. The only
folly of his youth had grown into lash
which scourged him, which brought
deep lines of pain-and sorrow into his
face, which darkened the bright world
and caused even Christmas to be full OF
sad memories.
As he sat thinking il all over, IT seem
ed TO him that that one folly was to
him the dearest part of his lie Even
now, when years had closed over it,
when time should have almost obliter-
ated it-even now il was the brightest
recollection he had; it stool out
golden memory from the background of
dark hfe-a love so sharp, 50 sudden,
50 beautiful, so keen. so passionate,
that the dead ashes of it stirred the life
within him. This was the story of his
folly and his love.
lie, Sir Jasper Brandon, was the
only son OF his parents. Ills father, Sir
Francis, married late in life; his mother,
Lady Mau !, was young; he was their
only child and he was worshipped after
a fashion that could have naught
but evil results. The anxiety with
which his mother watched by his little
bed. her agony OF fear if even his finger
ached his fathers equally speechless
pride and Joy in him, were almost pitiful
to behold; they would :ain have regu-
lated even the very breath of heaven
which blew on him. No child was ever
so surrounded with love and care. He
grew up the very idol of their hearts
and what seemed wonderful was that
the boy returned this love by one
equally passionate and devoted.
The RrandOns came of a Norman
race, courtly, passionate, and silent-a
race capable of grandest deeds, but 81
lent and reserved, imperious in love,
implacable in war - swift keen, sure,
silent-a race that led hidden lives that
the world never knew. They were all
alike, these Brandons OF Queens Chace,
dark, proud, naughty, passionate men,
swift to love, and loving with terrible
intensity; swift to hate, aud hating
with bitter animosity - men of strong
passions oi great virtues and great
fauits-handsome men, all of them,
with dark, clcar-cut, proud faces-faces
too, that men trusted AMI women
loved.
The young heir, Jasper Brandon, was
in no way inferior TO his ancestors. In
his twentieth year the manhood within
him seemed suddenly TO awaken 10 life.
He would have no more indulgence, no
more petting and humoring. They
might love him Just as much, even more
If they could, but he must assert his
rights. lie told his parents that he was
going on a tour through Europe, and
that for the next year or two they must
be content to trust MIN to himself; vet,
when the time came for bidding them
adieu he almost repented of his decision.
His mother clung TO him, her tender
arms clIsping his neck, her tears falling
on his face-his father held his hands.
"You will remember, Jasper" he
said, that You hold my life in your
hands should never survive any
wrong-doing OF yours"
He smiled to himself, this proud young
heir, thinking how improbable it was
that he would be guilty of any wrong
doing"
'If you live until grieve you, IA
ther," he answered, "you will never
die" and those were his farewell words.
He travelled through Norway and
Sweden, through Germany and Iiol-
land. through fair France and sunny
Spain but he fingered longest in fair
and fruitful Italy, where it seemed to
him that his soul first woke to its full
and perfect life. Venice had the great
est charm for him; imperial Rome, gay
Florence, ancient Verona, time-honored
Milan, were all beautiful, but Venice
charmed him; he loved it as a lover
loves his mistress. All the poetry and
passion OF his nature woke TO life there.
The dark old palaces, the silent canals,
the tranquil waters, the swiftly-gliding
Condolas, were all so many poems TO
him. lie stood one day musing as he
looked at the sculptured walls OF n ducal
palace, musing on the grand old Veron-
ese tragedy of Romeo and Juliet"
thinking OF the balcony scene, and the
love that must have shone in the girls
face tpere, when suddenly from the lat
tice OF a window near a girls face
peeped out-a girls face-and he saw
it only for on minute, yet in that min
ute the whole current OF his life was
changed. Beiore that Inc had thought
that at some distant time he sholld
marry, AMI that fair children would
grow up around him, but he had given
- IL. L.. ~ q, .,.-:sa In.