The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-03-23

city on some business the uay DeIoTe
About three o'clock in the afternoon
Raw arrived at this cool, shady coun-
try homestead very warm and dusty
from his ride, and he felt rather weary
and sad that day OF course he was
sorry to hear that his friend was not at
home, and vet he was rather pleased,
for it gave him a good chance to rest
for few hours He was taken to his
apartments and after removing the
dust as well as possible, he threw him
self upon sofa and soon fell asleep,
and did not waken up until just short
time before dinner.
OF course he was awfully hungry
who is not after long drive in the
country and then especially if you are
able to sit down to such dinners as
Lady Willoughby serves. Ray did full
Justice to the meal, and after it was
over he had very pleasant chat with
his hostess.
THAT shaded drive down there looks
too cool and tempting, and if your
ladyship will permit l will take a short
stroll under those leafy branches.
Perhaps by time | return, Sir Charles
Will nave arrived.
Il am sure | have no objections,
Lord Bristol, and you will certainly
enjoy the walk, for it is very tempting
indeed That is the drive that leads
to Churchill Castle, and the old place
is exceedingly charming now, since the
new lady arrived.
Ray had recently fallen heir to the
title of lord, and would now be COM
PEELED to spend most of his time in
England.
Ray took his hat and cane and start
ed down the cool shaded drive toward
the castle, wondering all the while
who and how old the "new lady" was,
and who was her husband, or whether
she was unmarried.
Many strange thoughts passed
through his mind as he walked on.
Suddenly he looked up with a start
for he was no longer under the shade,
but the bright rays of the setting sun
shone full on his face. He looked to
the east, and there in the distance
stood the old Churchill Castle.
"Ah | did not think ] had gone so
far, but as | am so near to that grand
old place I'll just walk around here
and take a peep at the West Park
they say the lakes are full of swans;
and it always does, for some reason or
other, rather soothe my nerves to see
them swimming over the smooth dark
water.
There were a number of parks on the
estates, but this West Park was noted
for its many swans, and Ray soon
found himself again in the dep
/ shadow, and the grass under his feet
was like the richest moss. He wa lked
some little distance, past some very
rare flowers and large towering statu
airy until he came to one of the lakes.
As he passed along occasionally he
would catch a glimpse of a swan gid
/ ing over the waters, through a small
opening of the foliage of the bushes
along the edge of the water
| As Ray stood there in the dark shad
ow of the heavy foliage, his large,
/ handsome eyes feasting on beautiful
nature, there came over the lake to his
/ ear sweet music!
| All! H listens, while his heart
stands still in his bosom; the music is
sweet voice that he thinks he has
! heard before, and the singer is playing
a guitar.
Hark! 1t becomes louder; tie voice
/ comes nearer.
Gam l draining, oh, spirits, or do /
hear with my natural ears?"
He tremblas in his excitement as he
Stops to separate the bushes and peep
through at the Like, f f3F It seems that
/ the sweet voice is there.
! All What do his eyes rest upon
! thaj so fills this mans soul with Joy
/ that he drops his cane and lift his hat
/ from his head; he kneels there upon
/ the grass and thanks God, with happy
smile upon his face.
1t was this that lie saw through the
/ bushes.
About half way across the lake came
/ two large, spotless swans, swimming
/ side by side, and each had on a har-
ness made of gold cord, and each was
refined with a gold cord; they drew,
as they glided over the water, swan
shaped little boat just large enough
| for one; this little boat was gilded and
! looked like some fairy structure. La
the back part o. The boat sat beauti-
ful Young woman, with long, golden
ours that fell caelessly over her
! shoulders, and the dress she wore was
as white as the down on the swans
back; the little tapeiing fng rs were
( picking the strings of the glitar, while
| from the little rosebud mouth came
! the sweetest sounds that Ray ever
heard.
The song that this little fairy sang
Ray had often heard before, and the
voice he knew also, bat there was n
! tinge Of sadness in it now that lie had
not heard before, and how eagerly did
/ he watch tn It sweet face as it came
across the lake toward him.
"Oh, God in your goodness YOU
gave me the bitter that | might enjoy
the sweet; could / but this instant
clasp her to my bosom. it seems that [
could die the next minute, for this little
fairy is my Ion g-lost Lima"
Ray had at last found his wife, and
how sweet to his ear did that voice
{ sound, as il played upon the still wat
ers; he was too thoughtful to rush
from his hiding place and call her to
him, for he knew that she would be
frightened, and perhaps fall from the
BOAT INTO the water, so he patiently
waited until she came quite near, and
! then he began to sing with her, as they
had done in those happy DAYS At first
she did not seem to hear the voice in
the bushes, but by and by her ear
caught that voice; she listened, but
heard nothing; she began to sing
again, and her great dreamy eyes We're
4 gazing up at the dark blue sky. she
heard the voice again, and the guitar
dropped from her hands, and her eyes
were cast toward the bush where Ray
stood, but she could see nothing.
oh, sweet voice, the sweetest of all
| ever heard let me hear you again; it
/ sounded so like my darlings. Perhaps
he knew that l was thinking of him"
STOPPING over, she took those deli
cate reins in her hands and guided the
swans to the bush where she thought
the voice came from; the little boat
stood still, and she Eeeped into the