Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-08
Annie looked the parchment down.

Annie looked the parchment down.
It had for heading in old English letters
''The Curse on Weir Abbey"
Beyond this, not being scholar as wa
the vicar, she could decipher nothing. So
with a wondering look on her face, she
turned to Hugo for information.
He was no eleverer in the reading Of old
lore than was Annie; nevertheless, he knew
| full we'll what that strange writing meant.
Had not the contents of that parchment
been to him as a nightmare for several
months past?
"The Curse on Weir Abbey" repeated
| Annie; what does it mean? Why should
so lovely place have curse, and what has
| it to do with me and Hugo?"
The vicar took upon himself the Office Of
explainer, for Hugo seemed as one bereft Of
speech.
reign Of Heury VIII. they were elected from
this pile, left a curse behind them.
| Through the centuries that have passed
since then, the curse has never failed to
work the threatened i'll on the possessors Of
| Weir Abbey and their families. Some Of
these folios you see ranged on that shelf
| give the history of the monks unfailing
vengeance descending on those who have
| usurped their rights. Hugo Burnet, as the
present possessor of the Abbey. inberits the
curse with the property; you, if you become
his wife, will have to take your share OF the
awful retribution."
Annie did not blench or faint as Hugo ex-
peeted she would have done, but she said
very simply, please read me the paper"
The vicar was scarcely 10th; his love of
expounding overcame his lear lest the
knowledge he was imparting should wound
to the quick her tender woman's heart.
He began to read pompouslY, translating
from the original Latin, used BY the monks.
1.-THE vengeance of heaven cries aloud.
Fire, pestilence and water shall be the i'm
plements of wrath used in punishment of
those who, having turned religious house
into secular abode Of sin, shall be the pos.
SCISSORS Of the abbey by the Weir. To the
owner himself shall death linger and halt,
but his hearth shall be desolate, no children
shall live to gladden. his declining years, and
the woman and wife who shall desecrate by
her presence the abode Of monks and holy
men shall suffer terrible retribution at the
hand OF Just and angered God. Fire, pssti-
lence or water.
When the vicar had finished his transla-
ton there was silence for second or two.
A rare light, as if some angel had touched
her, overspread Annie's sweet face.
She laid her hand in Hugo'A
"And shall God forget to be merciful?''
she said. "I have no fear. IT :here be
danger will share it with you, but to those
vino seek to walk Alright the curses Of men
are mere empty words"
Hugo caught the inspiration Of her trust
and faith, and pressed the little hand she
had given him. But the vicar was relent-
less, perhaps because he was annoyed BY
Annie's want of awe.
"Presumptuous child, he said, in q stern
voice; "shall a curse, think you, that has
never failed for centuries, be set on one side
Tor a mere child like yOu?"
my trust is in God," she answered.
"What shall fear if He be on my side?''
The vicar seemed rebuked, for be made
no reply, only folded the parchment and
locked it away, as though to insinuate that
he had uttered the warning, and If it had
fallen on an unheeding ear no blame could
rest with him.
But what the vicar thought or felt this
young couple did not analyze.
With Annie's stauchness, Hugo's tagging
courage and belief in the future had re-
turned.
They two together could surely defy that
curse, he was beginning to think, and so be
took his fair 6aneee in his arms and kissed
her, and soon after they went forth hand in
hand to be parted no more by fear of coming
evil, for the maiden's purity and devoted
love and faith seemed to cast shield over