Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-08-14
LEONORA.

and gloomy looking ediflce OF stone,
then occupied by an old dame, Ursula
Bond. The house was rapidly crumb.
ling to decay with age and want OF
repair.
Ursula Bond dwelt there in grim
loneliness, forcing the beautiful and
artless Leonora, only child of her de-
ceased daughter, to live with her,
and to do all those menlsl tasks for the
performance of which all others would
have demanded money.
Leonora was in her 18th year when
one evening in June as she looked
from the door ere she should bar, bolt
and lock it for the night, frank and
manly voice called out from a near
heap OF old boards where the owner of
the voice had been watching for over
an hour.
'LeoP
'Histp whispered the maiden. is it
you, Walter?'
is the coast all clear?' was the re-
ply, as q tall and handsome youth of
% years showed his activity by gain
ing the side of the maiden by bound
that cleared fully 10 feet.
1T is lucky for us. dear Walter, said
the maiden, that Dame Ursula ls not
in hearing, or that bold pate of thine
would be greeted with taste of her
staff
That for her staff said Walter, as
he snapped his fingers. But where Is
she?
Writing in her back bedroom
'Ah! adding up her gains, the cross,
mean
walter remember she is my grand
mother
Il only wish she was minep said
Walter. And If she lives long enough
she will be, won't she?'
IF you behave yoursslf,' replied
Leonora, pretending to refuse the kiss
he gave. But why have you tortured
yourself?'
by boarding so near you, eh?' said
Walter. Because you must let me
remain in the house all night. This
morning as was going to my work I
passed the open window of an ale
shop, and I heard strange voice men
tion your name. The voices in the
ale shop were speaking in French
which you know / have learned by
night study. Well heard enough to
tell me that the strangers-there were
two of them-intended to pay Dame
Ursula visit sometime between mid
night and dawn, and for no good pur.
pose. So here | am to act as your de-
fender
'But you should have told the po-
lice ,..t-s.
Bah! for the police!' said Walter
Brandon. 'Am I not match for two
men who speak bad French?'
But my dear Waller
But Walter had glided into the
house and vanished as quickly as one
OF those rats he had mentioned.
Leonora was in great perplexity,yet
as she had boundless faith in the
disception of her lover, she barred
the door and hastened to her grand
mother.
you've been very long in barring
the door, said the old woman, as she
closed her huge ledger, which was to
her what bible should have been.
Il thought I heard the voice of that
impudent young carpenter, Walter
Brandon.
please grandmother, let me have q
light. said Leonora, who trembled at
the thought of spending that night in
darkness.
"A lightl screamed Dame Ursula,
astouned at such extravaganza; away
with you; you will be asking for some
thing more to eat next
That night, as the clock in the hall
struck 2, the dame was aroused from
a.golden dream by sharp pain in her
neck and a loud oath.
Springing from her bed she shrieked
for help, and pursued by the assassin
rushed into the hall. She gained o
distant room in time to lock herself
in. At this instant her horrors were
augmented by the report of pistol,
Immediately followed by a shrill
scream and then by another pistol
shot; and ere the echo had died away
the assassin burst the old door from
its hinges and was in the room. The
horror the dame endured as she
crouched against the wall, praying
that the darkness might shield her,
curdeled her blood in her veins. But
suddenly the assassin sprung q light.
AT the sight Of this man, instead of
crouching in fear or screaming with
terror, the dame sprang to her feet,
saying:
so it is you John Bond, who have
returned to murder your wife-cow-
ardl'
sHagr Kissed the old man--yet he
was much younger than she; do you
think that you are to live forever7 Tell
me because the devil let's you live SO
long where you have hidden your
boards, and those Of your first hus-
band whom al manaaF you poisoned