News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-07-24
LOVERS OF MADEIRA.

IHe LsldIlu Oh Madeira is one OF tlE
worlds paradises. Earth contains nc
fairer spot, nor is there anywhere any
climate more soft and genial Once or
time it was my lot to pass seven Oh
eight months in that lovely isle, and as
| look back to those days of rowing and
idling among the valleys and graves OF
that magical isle, where the trade wind
from the sea ever cools the air and
watts the murnur of the surf on the
shore at the foot of the mighty cliffs,
they seem to have been literally days
in land of dreams
In one of my cruises around the ISL
and | arrived one evening at the
charming village of Machico, which lies
at the bottom of sheltered cove. The
sun was setting and threw a mantle of
gold over the landscape. In the pur-
pie shadow of the hills nestled the
thatched cottages of the fishermen and
peasants, and the mellow ring of the
chapel bell fioated on the calm evening
air
We drew the boat on the beach, and
my men found me comfortable room
for the night near the water, where the
music of the sea could sootho to health
full slunber. As we were preparing the
evening meal a tisherman's boy brought
some red muilets just out of the sea.
After capital meal | Strolled to the
water side, where there was an old
fort. The muzzles of the rusty cannon
were overgrown with spiders webs. a
circumstance which seemed to add to
the peacefulness of the scene And
there | reflected on the legend which
had given the name of Machico to that
spot. Centuries had come and gone
since the day when Roger Machim had
landed there; but l seemed to see him
there with his lady love under the
lense shade of the prineval forest and |
heir ship riding in the bay, the first |
which had ever been there
since the creation of the world.
1t was way back in the reign of King
Henry VII of England, in the Fif-
teenth century, that those things hap
pened of which | am writing. Anne
or Dorset, as some call her
name, was the daughter of titled gen
tleman whose manor was in the south
of England near the sea. She was at
tractive and beautiful and of a roman
tie turn of mind. Ladies who fall in
love with men below them in station
may be supposed to have more senti-
ment than love of fortune and display.
Among the relations of her father was
a youth named Roger Machim. From
all accounts he was handsome and chiv-
alrous in his bearing, but of family
inferior to hers Therefore when her
parents discovered that Roger loved
their daughter and that she ardently
returned his affection they at once
frowned on his suit and sternly forbade
the lovers to meet The naughty par
ents had other plans and more ambi-
tious schemes for their daughter. Roger
was dismissed with disdain, and ordered
to keep his distance from the castle.
Love laughs at locks and keys, it is
said by those who seem to know some
thing about it. At any rate it proved
so in this case. BY the means of
trusty friend Machim contrived to COM
municate with his lady love. / have
no opinion to express as to her conduct
in corresponding with him after the ex-
press commands of her parents, because
| am not acquainted with all the cir
cumstances, and the history does not
give her age 1t is sufficient to know
that a busy correspondence was secretly
carried on which resulted in plan for
her elopement. Judging from the grim
and determined character of the lady's
! father, Machin was convinced that 1t
would be useless for them merely to fly
to some other part of England. Sooner
or later they would be discovered and
he would be slain, while the lady would
be forcibly carried home to end her
days in despair
1t was therefore decided to fly to the
coast and there take ship for France.
Anne confided the secret to one of her
maids, who succeeded in winning a
trusty family servant to the lady's
| cause. Without such aid it would
have been well nigh impossible to put
the plan into execution. 1t is a sad
and serious undertaking for young
woman to forsake her home, perhaps
forever; it was doubly SO in those old
en- times, when the means of travel
were difficult, and to go to France was
more hazardous than it is now to go tc
the ends of the earth.
But having once decided the lady
did not hesitate. Her lover witt
horses saddled and bridled, was wait
ing in little wood hard by. 1t wa!
dead of night when Anna d'Arfet will
her maid stole softly down the DARK
staircase and through the winding cor
ridors to the postern gate, where the
old servant was waiting to turn th'
lock. They stepped forth into tn
cloudy, windy night and crossed tn
moat and the drawbridge. Then tn
lady paused an instant and took a las
look at the battlements of her father
house At that moment dismal ow
on turret gave mournful hoot, lik
the note of fateful doom. The lad
shuddered, dashed a tear from he
eyes, drew the mantle about her an
fed forever from her home.
Roger Machin was waiting in tn
wood with his attendants. Lightly sh
sprang on her horse, and then the CT
was, ITO spur and awayr"
Bristol was the nearest port. III
record does not say whether Machr
- chartered a ship expressly for this vo
t age, or engaged passage on one thi
a was about to sail. At any rate, tt