Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-13

Wlff fiHI WIS I never Ittdlu. Dub ~ blOht
the old peoples hearts"
an nv uncle said was My God Ny
God :"
He shook hands with the old woman,
and gave her a sovereign, and told her that
he would not forget her; and took her
address.
ii.
During the rest of that day and the
whole of the morrow my uncle was tacl-
turn. On the third day he said TO me
Bob. we will drive over to Northbrook.
Il is not far.
| was disposed to dis 'uade him. for
could not see that the expedition would
do him any good. But he had set hls
heart upon il. SO the next morning we
went.
During the whole Of our drive nv uncle
smoke only once. and then rather to him
self than 10 me. ITO NOrthbrook once
more. after all and as Jessy said. unex-
pectedlvi" After we had driven some
eight miles we turned into country lane.
As we approached the brow Of hill NV
uncle said; TELL the driver to stop. We
VIII walk the rest Of the way. The car
race can Join US at the church"
We alghted and proceeded on foot. A
slight ascent soon brought as to the crown
of the hill. NV uncle stopped. and resting
both his hands on his stick planted before
him. seemed 10 reflect upon his reminis-
cence of the view. Before US on the slope
of the hill lay little country town. To-
ward one end Of il stood fine old church.
with a low square tower rising among
some trees. Near the church we could see
q few houses of q modern date. Less than
a hundred Yards from US path across the
fields seemed TO lead from the lane to the
church.
Nv uncle took nv arm again and we
went on. When we reached the path
across the fields ho said: We 60 this
way"
''You were familiar with this part of the
country once uncle?" asked.
NO; never came here but once, Bob,
Only seventy years ago."
Soon he stopped me again.
Wait" he said. Here you can Just
see little wicket. and then the path turns
under the trees"
That was so. suppose the old GENTLE
man stood nj this spot quite five minutes.
Then we again went on, this time rs far as
the wicket. There we made similar halt.
NV uncle laid his hand on the little
wooden gate.
This cannot be the same gate" he said
musingly. "Ah, no; the bars used to be
the other wav
"Three-score years and ten, Bob" he
said as wa resumed our walk I" ] was
then a younger man than YOU are now. II
anv one had told me that morning that
should come this way but once more, and
that not until after seventy years had
passed away, 1t was morning inst such
as this The young leaves were on the
trees and the rocks cawing IN the tall elms
as you can hear them now. How well l
reIne1u Der it IL seems but yesterday"
Presently he stopped once more. We
were approaching the backs of some mod
ern houses. Saving nothing. my uncle sur
viewed the place where they stood. recon-
structing in his mind, | imagined. the van
ished COTTAGE. Then we again went on.
After we reached the road il was but
short distance TO the church. ! had writ
ten to Ann, and she met us at the lych-
gate.
Ann. want YOU TO show me where they
buried her" SAID my uncle.
The old woman led rs across the church
ward. As we followed her lettering steps |
could not help thinking of the Ann my
uncle had been describing TO me the pre-
vious evening, bright, saucy-eyed serving
girl; ,......
said the old crone as we picked our way
amidst the graves along the wall of the
church. THE third buttress from the
end Inc Olu gentleman u5cV W tOuic uuu
lean his arm against the buttress and crv."
We we're close TO the third buttress. Ny
uncle took off his hat and the sprng breeze
PLAYED in his few thin white hairs.
Only against the third buttress there was
no mound, but big altar-tomb III good
repair. with the dates 1889, 1893, 1901, 1903,
freshly repsinted.
Leaning on my arm. my uncle stood silent.
trembling slightly. HIS eyes, were liked
4 nc n
zled.
I've come to poor Miss Jessy's grave, 50
onen-she pointed TO the atar-tomb-
was always here. 1t is the one next to
this"
She led us on to the next buttress. There
was little chantry door near II.
"No." she said again; " II was not here
by the door. Ii must have been the other
wsy-the second. No, wasn't nth, the second
| know. Perhaps twas the fourth"
"How long is it SINCE You came TO Mrs.
Morgaus grave?" asked my uncle. He
had put on his hat.
The old dame shook her head.
Il used TO come very often, sir, at first"
she answered. slowly. But the last time
well. sir, it's many years ago. But" she
resumed more quickly, I'm sure han,t
forgotten. Ii it's not by the fourth but
tress. II must be bv the fifth for Pm near
certain 'twosn't tho second twas by."
"She has forgotten, Bob" SAID my uncle
gently. Let us CO."
So we returned to the carriage.
Taking last look at the gray old church
my uncle sighed, Poor Jessy !" and then
we drove away.
In nv letters homo / said nothing about
our visit TO Northbrook. l had no instruc-
tions to that effect from my uncle. but l
could divine the old genleman's. wishes.
However, as | had anticipated, his visit
TO Northbrook did him no good. He be-
came restless, and before the end of the
next week we returned home. His arrival
there entirely upset him. After dinner he
expressed wish to be alone, and so we
left him by the dining-room FIRE. At halt
past eleven, having neither seen nor heard
anything Of him, We became anxious and
went to seek him.
We found him in the chair in which we
had lett him, apparently unable TO rise.
lie was pale and very agitated and gave us
TO understand that something had hap
pened which he was unable TO explain.
but he was ANNOYED at our having come.
We were naturally alarmed aud persuaded
him 10 spend the next day in bed and TO
see the doctor. What had happened we
were never able 10 understand, but 1t was
some time before the old gentleman LETT
his room. When he was llttlo better his
old friend the Dowager Countess OF K
sent him al Invita- on to spend fortnight
with her in Warwickshire. The prospect
of the visit cneered him wonderfully. The
invitation was accepted, and he and l
week later went down TO the old Coun-
TESTS
We must have been in Warwickshire
about ten days when it happened that one
afternoon our conversation fell upon the
subiect of a recent murder in certain
noble French family. All our little party
were that afternoon assembled on the ter
race. sitting under the shade of the trees,
whose foliage spread above US dark against
the deep blue sky; for it was now high
summer. Many things were said about the
murder, and some one remarked how
dreadful 1t WIS that il should be possible
for a man at the end Of long, innocent,
and honorable life to commit so great Q
crime.
The old Countess shrugged her shout
ders.
"A great crime at the end of an innocent
and honorable life!" she remarked, IN
credulously. You young people believe
IN itY dare say you do. Tho world
grows ignorant apscs since you have all
gone crazy about education. And you