Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-09-26

With another meek ssyes, sir, James
| glided out of the presence of his master,
and downstairs as If the evil genius of the
| Hall was at his unfortunate heels.
Lord what a passion the master is in, -
| communicated he when among his fellow
servants in the wing once more. And ex-
| citedly, and perhaps with some exaggera-
ton, he repeated Sir Rupert Percivaps
words.
"Howly St Pathrick," groaned old Ancil
| Clarkson from his corner, where he sat
with his accustomed mug of ale on his knee,
| forgetful, for the time, OF its deliciousness
in the blood-curdling topic Of the masters
wrath"
"You may go down now, and if need
you win ring for you; otherwise l want
no one near me to night Sir Rupert said
| an hour later, as the puuctual butler set
down the tray at his masters elbow. aair
James was not summoned again that
evening, and feeling relieved he joined the
servants circle once more, and around the
wide chimney, whose pickering flames and
glowing embers lighted up their earnest
faces, they sat and specialized as 10 where
this last arrangement would lead.
The next day brought great change in
the manner of the master of Heatherieigh.
1t was as If he had gone through some great
sea of sorrow. Absent and softened In tone
and gesture, he wandered aimlessly about
the Hall, thinking.
He opened Lady Percival's apartments
and walked through the long-silent rooms,
touching little mementoes of her care here
and there gently, as II in communion with
the dead.
After this, he took down Miriam's portrait
from where it hung by her mothers, over
tIa,K ant.l.l M tsn -
vate parlor, and carried il away to the
lonely gallery. Pausing at the end of the
row of fated portraits, he looked long and
earnestly on the clear, fine features Of his
beautiful daughter, and then said half audi
bly,; "Miriam my daughter, Miriam, | am
alonel am unable to undo what have
done and, too, Percival never eats his
words.
"Iwould have saved you, my child, could
have done so; but the fatality of the family
has oVertaken you, and what could your
poor, desolate fatherdol You have forsaken
Heatherleigh for poverty-stFicken com.
panion, and nave gone with the choice OF
your heart, as did Allan here Alas Allan.
that have now no brother Alas Miriam,
that now have no child. Henceforth YOU
are dead to me; ood-bye-aye, worse,
FAREWELL"
Having kissed the portrait Of the proud,
willful child, he hung Ii up for moment for
another view Of the sweet face. Truly
she was regal then,n he said, with deep
sigh. Then he turned the face of his
daughter TO the wall with a shiver, and
sealed the doom of his motherless child.
After this he tottered upstairs to his
apartments with much feebler step than he
had ever known. Surely this was, by far,
the greatest sorrow Of his long, loveless
existence. All yes, it was the hardest
blow he had ever experienced.
Bereaved of his beautiful wife, whom he
loved tenderly, how crushed and sorrowful
his days had been in the great, lonely Hall
But he knew where she was resting; this
other bereavement, why, this was so differ
emit, so different Poor Miriam he knew
nothing of her wandering away; perhaps
might never know aught of her more. The
rest OF them went that way-Allan did.
The curse of temper and circumstance
was worse than death. Yes, in comparison,
death was kind!
The threatening breach had now widened
beyond repair between Sir Rupert and his
child, and "too laten was written across the
seal of her DOOM He must bow also to the
inevitable.
And that day on which the master Of
Heatherleigh buried his daughter in his
heart was but precursor of many drealy
ones TO follow. The same silent, Grape
shaded routine, admitting of scarcely any
variation, went on. A lonely breakfast in
his own apartments; long, eompanionless
walks about the grounds with his hands
behind him and his eyes bent on the ground
as If in deep study; the silent dinner hour
next, and lastly, solitary evenings, on
whose mournful hours none were allowed
to infringe by trying to be companionable.
About this time the servants began 70
show signs of a general revolt. Sometimes
they declared that this prison-life would
materially shorten their days.
Ancil and Peggy reminded them that they
would be substantially rewarded some day
likely If they would only continue TO be
faithful.
But the mutiny of the western wing of
Heatherleigh boiled and effervesced until,
at the close Of very trying day when
Sir Rupert had been unusually contrary
with them, the gardener and cook said,
meaningly, that if the master was found
dead In his bed in the morning, why. it was
nobody's business-but-'' And they
wagged their heads ominously.