Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-09-02
The Mystery
of the Towers

fore her And was right" Ana In my
eyes the regal crown could have had no
more At wearer than Lady Isobel Lang
ton.
.See, Madeline" she said, unclasping
the necklace and holding it so that the
full light Of the lamp fell upon it. els u
not beautifully"
'.Let us see how it would suit fairy"
said Sir Philip and taking the necklace
from his wife's hand he bent over Mado-
line as she sat in a rocking-chair, her head
resting back on the satin cushion, and
clasped them round her snowy throat
To my, indeed to all our, SURPRISE
Madeline pushed his hand aside, tore the
necklace SO roughly that 1t must have hurt
her from her neck and flung it on to the
table.
Madeline, cried Lady Isobel. aghast
what is the matterH"
81 hate Jewels" said the girl her face
crimson with sudden unaccountable
anger. ''They are SO cold, they remind
me of artificial flowers"
A rather awkward pause followed
which Sir Philip with his ready courtesy,
hastend to cover.
He was standing with his back to me,
refastening the jewels this time round
his wife's throat
~ am afraid Isobel Is not 80 fancffulS
but since you say you hate these pretty
things, will not offend you by Offering
them to you. But speaking of flowers
that reminds me, have verify believe
the very thing to please you"
Pedro was summoned again and dis
patched to seek this present for Madeline
''1t is a flower with legend bought
It of an old Indian woman who told me a
long story of how beautiful but proud
English lady had been beloved by poor
native slave. She would not condescend
to notice him until one day she fell Ill and
day by day wasted away, and the doctors
gave up hope. The young lady, however,
declared that breath of her native land,
q sight of home, II only a flower from 1t.
would do her more good than all the
medicine in the word. You guess the
restl The poor slave heard Of this
wish, braved all dangers to come
to England, and just when friends
and relatives were standing around the
girls dying bed, q half-fainting wretch
dragged himself into their midst, and laid
upon the pillow round which they stood a
single white rose of great beauty. OF
course the young lady revived. In a very
short time was well again; and strangely
enough with returning health the love
which the poor slave had risked SO much
for awoke in her breast. The two were
married and lived happy ever afterwards
But that Is not the strangest part of the
bGOEy buG TOs0 WHICH uAu DOTnS bl6 1OQR
journey SO well never afterwards lost it's
freshness nor fragrance. 1t was kept in
the family for generations. The gift Of It
was sure to insure a deep affection
between glver and receiver. How 10
got into the old woman's hands
from wAom I bought it am un-
able to say; but though the legend IL
pretty enough, happen to know of means
by which artificial freshness and fragrance
r,nv ha yol IL a.
gerous drug to use, for although not
actually poisonous even in the smallest
quantity 1t will produce q sleep so closely
resembling death that the most skillfm
will not distinguish between the two.
The old woman told that In this rose there
was enough Of the concoction to ensure
that heavy slumber for 40 least four-and-
twenty hours. l can moreover vouch for
the truth of this matter, for q friend OF
mine, young Spaniard, had tried the
effect of the drug upon a servant of hia
whom his relatives persisted in burying,
SO nearly did the sleep resemble death and
the master had to 'tresurrectioniSe" hts
valet who was none the worse for the en-
pertinent. But it must need an iron viii
for one to stand such q test" AS with
light laugh Sir Philip ended his tale Pedro
re-entered the room carrying with a rev.
erent care, which provoked a smile from
AASp u A1Gt40 DOA ia 5dL4dA WOEA
carved.
"Ah," said his MASTER 'this will please
you, perhaps, Sister Madeline"
He stretched out his hand to take IL
from Pedro, but with a sudden dart the
little man bounded to Madolines side. AS
he did so his foot caught in the rug, and
in trying to save himself, his burden fell
to the floor.
An angry exclamation in Spanish from
h,s vi
made him turn hastily and leave tbs
room, while Madeline herself picked the
sandal wood box from the floor where 10
had fallen, and she at once began admir-
ing the rose within, which indeed was so
skilfully preserved as to look as though
but freshly gathered.
A moment later l made some excuse to
leave the room, feeling, knew not why,
In want Of no company but my own
"Wiu you excuse me retiring pr asked
Lady IsobeL al must start you know,
early in the morning."
Permission was given. bowed good
night all round, and with tagging step
was making my way to my room when
l suddenly altered my intention, and stole
into the mushroom. Here all was dark !;
but would not ring for lights, but restless
and excited with thoughts of my journey
on the morrow, paced increasingly up and
All here was gloom and silence save
when from the dining-room below peals
of gay laughter echoed from the merry
party had just left
! know not how far my fancy had
led me- but was just for the hun
dredth time trying to put from
my mind the thought of how dreary the
morrow would seem, saying over and over
again, Goodbye. goodbye. | wonder
will they think Of me when I am Ronep'
Yet why should they, and why should I
presume to think they wouldP No, they
will not care, nor do care that they do
not-I-
A peal of silvery laughter, louder,
clearer, and more full of Rlee than before,
came floating up from below.
Ipaused in my walk and fell back step
or two, as though some one had struck
me.
A moment stood with bated breath
| till the laughter ceased, then the sensation
of pain which had filled me died away,
| and in its place came another very differ
ent feeling feeling strove with might
and main to crush-a feeling which filled