The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-03-14

SIR RUPERT BEo<TUHE BADGE or DEATH
able day. On his return he had sought Sir
RuPert's apartments hurriedly, and handed
him u letter with black sea-.
His master was tying en- a couch, near the
window, in the c1sG. uncertain light of the
autumn afternoon. He turned wearily over
toward the shEmmering sunlight, and
stared at the suggestive seal of black; then
he said, hurriediy: Pull the curtain aside,
John Then with trembling fingers Sir Ru-
pert Percival broke the badge sf death, and
read the solitary line written in Miriam's
fine, laay-like kRad- Over and over the
one single sentence he went, forgetful
OF Johns presence. The servant would
have gone DOWNSTAIRS, as was his wont
after delivering Gsmessage, but in this case
his inquisitiye anxiety overcame his man
ners, and he stood with hungry eyes fixed
on the masters white, haggard-looking
face, snrewdIy EuessIng was from the
long-absent daughter, and trying TO divine
the contents of the epistle.
Presently the old man looked YEARLY.
sadly from the lstter TO the anxious face
bending over hEn.sand said, as IL measur-
ing each word iUy its sorrowful meaning:
"He is dead-FaIrfa0 Is dead, and Miriam
is widow" Then ne turned his white face
away in the shaesw of the curtain, and
motioned 10 Jofnlhis dismissal.
Miriam has wTltten,' said the tender
his eyes with his handkerchief. "Her-
husband il dead; sSes, Arthur Fairfax is
dead ~
A moan escaped the lips Of the little
group gathered about their lonely dinner at
the close Of tins neznOraDle day Poor
Miriam" and John made another applica-
ten Of the handkerchief TO hide the tears
gathering in his honest eyes.
'An' it's dead ye say ne isl Obi this
wurruld Is full of thr01ble. Dead, an not
q pairson 70 comfort the misthress. OH
OF expected IT." And Peggy bowed her
gray head on the table and wept aloud.
''Deadi" echoed Ancil, shaking his
whitened locks as he knEcked the ashes out
OF his pipe against the broad, hospitable
jamb, and came over and sat down by his
wife. AN now the masther'N be Arthur
sendin' fur the heart-bhroken misthress
an repintjn' Ov his sins,' yenturod he
further as = sort of comfort
aAn' he voe't naytherr' blazed Peggy,
aagrily, and suddenly forgetting TO sob
IN her resentment Of aRr thing humane
as expected of Sir Rupert "Niveri whIn
he let the young gintieman svurruk hisseh
into the grave, and nIver a welcome loine
could he sind-R9t even TO hs-"
As usual, Anc1 subsidized W tn his notions
of charity and devoted himself 10 his dinner,
while Peggy enlarged on the doings of the
past and wandered of INTO the future, with
very severe opinions concerning her mas
ter.
She was the ruling faction In the west
wing, and when any one of its inmates ex-
pressed the hope or belief, that Sir Rupert
would send for Miriam, or may be go TO
her himself, ''seeinE she was IN mourning
so soon again, - Peggy would shaks her cap
ruffies into confusion dire in her authority.
Her negatives usually silenced all hopeful
expectation as with she spell OF a seer,
with hAr T7fharutan climax of
''.niver bit will the haythunish uasthur
go TO the childer; he y-ld done forninst the
| DAY of puir stubborn azneness-"
And uncharitable as Peggy seemed she
was, nevertheless, rIgbS in her assertions,
I for not a word of confidence or pity die Sir
/ Rupert send TO his hereaved daughter,
| neither did he express any sympathy he
I might have felt for bar in her sore be-
renrement-
Bat Peggy, good old sosi, sent letter
! briu.ful of comfort and loving sympathy To
the sonely hearted Miriam. ''unbeknowin'
I TO the masthur," for, as s1e confded TO
! John, Syho smuggled the naissive in with
! the mail OF the Hall, 'he nes1n't think as
/ how the whole wurruld is gois' to walk in
the loiaes of his name footstheps." And so
| the ionr letter of condolences indicted to
Miriam ky the faithful Peggy was sent,
! and ali pRe servants promised 10 keep il
secret frsen the master They never forgot
/ his corrrRzclds OF four years ago, 70 never
/ mention Ariam's name in his hearing, nor
to appear concerned in her welfare for
fear of his wrath These orders they had
never broken, with the exception of the
| time when they heard of Arthur Fairfax
having gained in wealth and position In
/ keeping their thoughts far from the masters s
/ ken they had -grown wise as serpents and
\ harmless as doves"
! Some weeks after the cuckoo had sound
| cd It's note along the sunny hedges and toll
the pleasant story that spring had come
| there fell another memorable day to tn
Hall
AT winter long the inmates of Heather
leigh had lived in utter seclusion from th
| merry outside world and catered patientl
/ TO the whims OF Sir Rupert And whel
| the SHOWS vanished from park and lawn
4 aud the dry alder leaves whirled sorrowful
4 " into odd corners at sight of budding
/ life and the dark-budded elms bowed gent
/ " 10 the great English ivy which had beei
| clutching with naked arms at the weath
| er-staIned facade and dreary dormer win
4 dows in their wealth of bursting new life
1 there came n break in the routine.
; Up the long silent avenue came, winding
slowly as il in fear of intrusion, close
carriage Sir Rupert was in his own apart
ments, and the servants were lolling list
lessly about the grounds, when the sount
ofwheels came to their ears. They starte,
! mp with beating hearts as the welccmi
break in the monotony dawned on them
and an exclamation OF surprise burst in
/ voluntarily from their lips while the,
! came togelAer On the Tagging as II b.