The record-union., 1891-12-26


great distance from me, on moor
named Marston; that his mistress had
found him in an Old barn near the Held
of battle (yyhither his servant had carried
him, and had borne him. sorely wounded
as he was, to the shelter OF this wood by
some fatality ii seemed that the father
and brother of the young lady were MP
holding the opposite cause, whereat
marveled greatly, seeing that she ap-
peared Of gentle nurture, and l knew
that none but the unworthy could wage
war against the king of the realm. j felt
this keenly, inasmuch as | and my fam
lily had from time beyond count been
surnamed monarch OF the forest, there
fore it seemed TO me that this poor
warred-against king must be human
kinsman Of mine.
The forsaken man sighed oft and pite-
ously as he watched his hearts beloved
disappear, and a great despair seemed to
fall on him. Before her departure Mis-
tress Dorothy had bandaged his wounds;
perchance he sighed from pain Of them,
though to me it seemed as If twere from
some deeper grief. / had hoped that the
kind rain would have fallen, having
grateful remembrance of how it had COM
forted and healed me when | was sick of
my broken limb, but twas not to be; and
when the dusky night crept over the
forest and the stars came out, he grew
garrulous, speaking aloud, as If he could
no longer restrain himself He called
on Dorothy! Dorothy!" as if seeking
to comfort himself by the sound of her
name, and sang her praises in measures
whose endings had one and the same
sweet sound that ] thought comparable
only to the melodious tinkling of the
brook which the wind sometimes watts
to me. l believe, though | know not
whether it be really SO, that men call
this sweet, running, ripping sound
poetry"
/ bent my head with its crest of leaves
my crown It's called by the other tree
over this poor, forsaken lover, and the
breeZes sang him lullaby; and when the
night grew darkest the FREELY brought
me word that he slept.
That night there fell prodigious
silence over the forest, nor had | ever
known it to lie so hushed. Twas as ii
some subtle sympathy with the pain and
despair OF the poor human soul had awed
my kinsmen. | would fain have thanked
them. IT'S strange how trust begets love.
l now felt a great and protecting interest
in these two poor souls, though they
were so lately known to me. They have
long left this beautiful earth, yet there
still remains to me a remem brance OF
love and passion beyond the understand
ing of my kin. For we do not compre-
bend love, as men love, though the sun
makes it so hOtly to US every summer
tide. To be sure, he leaves US to be
chilled by winters frosts, and therein it
would seem that human love differs
from ours-Dut, there, L know so little of
it!
Twas not until two days had gone that
the lady came again. Her lover had
crawled down from his hiding-place, and,
with ears open to every sound, was anx
lOuSly listening for her footsteps. | had
so identified myself with the two that /,
too, felt as ii my mistress We're coming;
and when time passed and she came not,
/ understood the pallor of his cheek, and
almost muttered with him, ''Some mis-
chance has befallen her, or else she would
be here.' l grew dismayed whenever l
thought of the long journey that she, a
weak woman, must needs make before
she could reach her lover, for the notion
of moving frightens us trees. But at last
| saw him flush with flush that meant
joy, and saw him start and drag himself
forward; and then twas no surprise to
hear the rustic Of woman's gown and a
glad cry of "Dorothy"
But she hushed him in great alarm.
4 pray you whisper, sweetheart" she
said, in a low voice. 81 fear my coming
hither has been noticed. My father and
brother talk much of you at home; they
have never forgotten the former days.
My brother swears that you shall die;
but l have sworn you shall live, and we
shall see who will prevail"
All the while she spoke he had her
hands prisOned in mis-. They were SO like
small white doves, pretty, f1uttering
things, half-trying to free themselves,
half clinging to his fingers. Methinks he
was too spent with weary watching to
speak much, and too happy at the sight
of his beloved to greatly feel the need OF
speech, noticing which she grew gradu-
ally silent and soon ceased her pretty
babble.
Atlast he spoke. Sweetheart, thought
you were never coming to me again. You
cannot tell what | suffer at the thought of
aught Detailing you. l can think of moth
ing but you. Sweet. [ long to let my
thoughts dwell on my cause and my
country, but to no avail-you drive out
all other thoughts.;'
1t seemed that this confession did not
anger her. If it did, she concealed her
wrath, for she answered gently, "And
my thoughts are always with you, Ralph.
l have turned schemer in your behalf.
endure my cousins love-making-nay
sometimes encourage it, so it may blind
him. l have been burning with impa-
thence to come to you, and yet have been
obliged to conceal it. To-day l have been
obliged to feign sickness, and my maid is
stationed at my door giving news of me
this mOment-and | am 50 we'll, seeing
that | am with my lover'
She was SO tender and so sweet that
did not marvel at Sir Ralph's exceeding
love. He Toasted his eyes on her, and his
glance betrayed that he thought her very
fair. Meanwhile she busted herself pre-
pairing new bandage wherewith to bind
his manned foot, and whilst she busted
herself about it she babbled on, telling
htm many things that had come to pass
these last two days. AT news of the poor
king, who was struggling against the
people he loved. Sir Ralph looked grave
indeed. 1t seemed that there was moth
ing TO do but to ship to Holland, whittier
many brave and loyal heart had carried
It's broken fortunes. but | cannot leave
you, sweetness" said Sir Ralph, ''I'll die
here, gladly, too, better than live without
you"
Then she brought him to speak more
prudently, and reminded him OF his
youth, of the beauty of the world, the
flowers that bloomed and the sun that
shone, of the winds that might yet blow
the breath of liberty over the glad land.
She spoke to him of all this, but he only
shook his head. "I'll die here,p was all
he said She left him with reluctance,
and that evening he spent talking aloud
as was his wont, speaking so much of his
mistress that, had she not been so fair,
we might have taken umbrage at his so
doing, but we could not blame him, and
loves talk is pleasant to a forest at night
timewhen all is attuned III harmony to it.
So day succeeded day until nearly a
month had passed, and 1 grew accus-
toned to playing the part of host. Some
times the lady came, and then it seemed
as if the sun were shining more merrily,
the birds singing more Justify, and the
very heritage seemed to give out stronger
scent wherewith to greet her. But when
she deemed her coming might lead to dis
covery and stayed away, all around grew
dark and dreary; the rainclouds trooped
like crows, and there was no sound save
the splash Of rain drops on the leaves,
aud III q Mo If 1I,n