Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-02-28

in vogue in Cornwall, and enforced upon
their fathers death with more than or
binary heartlessness, had turned upon their
ruiner and killed him, though they all
swung for it afterTard.
His miserliness made him keep up the
family tradition; it had also an effect on
this history, for he left his savings to his
daughter, which made her the richest
heiress in the west of England.
Earl PetrC OK had no very distinguish
ing vice except his ungoverHable temper.
He was member of two or three crack
fass clubs, at one of which he saw much
of Charles LIE Grey, the brother of peer
AM captain in the Rifle brigade.
How Captain La Grey lived was mys-
| terry, he had long ago squandered his pat
rimony. Lord Morvan knew this, but for
man of his temperament the captain
had strong fascination. The Morvah
blood was wild enough in all conscience.
And there was nothing in gambling or
dare deviIry that would stagger LIE Grey.
He had lived life to the dregs.
At last, IN an evil moment, the latter
thought of Lady Gwen Carbis' iojnture
as means of satisfying his creditors.
Lord Morvah was one of his most init
mate friends, and he imagined that his
consent went without asking. Hers was
a more delicate matter. She might not
think so well of a roue and debaUchee.
Making her acquaintance was not diff
fcult. He had only to learn from mutual
friends what houses she went to, and as d
member of the same set, there were sure
to be somewhere he would have the en-
tree. So it proved, and Lady Gwen
proved an easy victim. She had heard SO
much of his exploits from her brother,
and she, too, had the wild blood running
strongly in her veins. Thu pure young
girl gave her whole heart to the blaze
hero, whose exploits, it must be admitted,
had many of them been ON the battle
field.
Not so Lord Morvah.
Capt. LIE Grey might be good enough
to be his friend, but he was not good
enough to be his sisters friend, much less
Der lover.
Lady Ovens spirit was equal to her
brothers. She was her own mistress,
and marry Charles LIE Gray she would.
Lord Morvah forbade him to the house.
CHAPTER III.
On the highest point of ground of the
st. Ives peninsula, in Lord Morvah's
as one sees dotted all ever Cornwall, like
castles battered in the civil war.
One of the earls had had the resem-
blance heightened adding battlements
and putting III windows. IL did for lunch
con at shooting parties, for it saved going
down to the castle and back, and the
telescope on the top swept land and sea
for miles and miles.
| OufaIda fhia tomar ono
ing, while the mist was still thick enough
to hide everything few yards away, stood
| Capt. LIE Grey. He was kept some time
waiting, and occupied the time-for his
breakfast had been of the very scantiest
in picking the glorious blackberries
that grew across the mouth of the dis.
used and unprotected shaft. As is usual
in breakneck places, they grew to per-
| fiction, but he had to use the greatest
caution in gathering them, for it was so
hard to make out where was terra firma
and where only matted vegetation, veil
| ing the black abyss below.
| At length from out of the mist emerged
beautiful young girl having the fine
nostrils and the short upper lip, and the
slender, well poised figure and feet which
We associate with high breeding, as well
as the sky -colored eyes and sun-oolored
hair which have been goodly in the eyes
of man since Helen of Troy made them
the fashion. She flung herself into his
arms passionately.
my darling, 10y darling, they shan't
separate u.s." Then recovering herself
quickly, she held up the key of the tower
and entreated him to release her and
open it. "The mist will be off soon and
my brother may discover my absence.
From the windows of tie tower we would
mark his move nents."
'Stay" cried a voice, furious with pas
sion. "Your brother has discovered YOUR
Absence" and Lord Morvah appeared,
carrying hors0whip, attended by two or
three of his servants with cudgels. Capt.
LIE Grey was unarmed, except for the
walking stick he had used in climbing
the hill. Lord Morvah made a dash at
him to horsewhip him. The captain
eluoed the blow, and the peer fell for
ward. There was a crash of breaking
brambles, then a horrible silence, and
then-it seemed an age afterwards yet
more horrible splash.
The earldom of Morvah was extinct.
The servants rushed at LIE GREY with
their cudgels, but Lady Gwen stepped be-
tween, white as sheet, though too thun-
4
killed; you are my servants. Leave this
gentleman alone and go to the nearest
mine for relief party. Captain LIE
Grey-Charlie-gO with them, / entreat
you, and return TO town, 1 cannot see you
now. will write to you at your club"
She never saw him again. He received
the note found upon him when he died
his hero-death in Africa.
He was too proud, or knew Lady Gwen
too well, TO attempt TO alter her decision,
and as without her property his affairs
were desperate, he resigned his commits
sion and enlisted in the ranks of another
regiment as Private Harris.
A plucky miner was let down tie shaft
in bucket, and brought up the body of
the earl, stone dead, but hardly bruised,
for he had fallen into deep water. Only,
whether 1t was due to the passion in
which he had died, or to his fall through
so many feet of air, the expression on
his face was CHASTITY beyond desert ption.
| Those who saw the last Earl of Morvah
lying on tavern table awaiting the cor
| oner's inquest were haunted by it till they
died. The Castle of Doom was suffered
to fall into decay. 1t seemed TO have full
filled it's use when it's last owner fol-
lowed the tradition of his family. The
remainder of the history is contained in
two letters.
From Msjor Genera al ohm LeGrey, com
handing her majesty's forces at the bat
| tie of Wsdy Essex, TO the RI. Hon. Lord
Wexham, Hexhsm Priors, Northumber-
land, England:
My Dear Brother:-Our favorite, but
| too wild brother CharJes hos finished