The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-01-10
Selert gtorg,
THE LADY PENELOPE.
From Longman's Magazine

lying road which eventually conducts to
the town of Ivell, you see on the right
hand an ivied manor-house, fanked by bat
tlemented towers and more than usually
distinguished by the size of the many null
lioned windows. Though still Of good ca
pacity the building is much reduced from
its original grand proportions; it has, more
over, been shorn of the fair estate which
once appertained to it, with the exception
of few acres of park land Immediately
aronnd the mansion. This was formerly
the seat of the ancient and knightly family
of the Drenghards, or Drenchards, now ex-
tinct in the male line, whose name, accord
ing to the local chronicles, was interpreted
to mean StreRnuS Miles, rel PofdtOr,
though certain members of the family were
averse to the latter signiication, and a duel
was fought by one of them on that account,
as is well known. But this is beside the
story
In the early part of the reign of the first
King James there was visiting near this
place of the Drenghards a lady of noble
family and extraordinary beauty. She pos
sessed no great wealth, it was said, but was
sufficiently endowed. Her beauty was so
perfect and her manner so enhancing that
suitors seemed to spring out of the ground
wherever she went-a sufficient cause Of
anxiety TO the Countess, her mother, her
only living parent. OF these there were
three in particular, whom neither her meth-
er's complaints of prematurity nor the
ready raillery of the maiden herself could
effectually put off. The said gallants were
a certain Sir John Gale, Sir William
Hervy, and the well-known Sir George
Drenghard, one of the Drenghard family
before mentioned. They had, curiously
enough, all been equally honored with the
distinction of knig ghthood, and their schemes
for seeing her were manifold, each fearing
that one of the others would steal march
over himself Not content with calling on
every imaginable excuse at the house of the
relative with whom she sojourned, they in
tercepted her in rides and walks, and if any
one of them chanced to surprise anotherin
the act Of paying her marked attentions,
the encounter often ended in an alteration
of great violence So heated and impas-
stoned, indeed, would they become that the
lady hardly felt herself safe in their COM
pany at such times, notwithstanding that
she was brave and buxom damsel, not
easily put out and with a daring spirit of
humor in her composition, if not of coquet-
ry.
On one of these occasions which had
place in her relatives grounds, and was
unusually bitter, threatening to result in a
duel, she found it necessary to assert her
self Turning haughtily upon the pair Of
disputants she declared that whichever
should be the first to break the peace be-
tween them, whatever the prevocation, that
man should never be admitted to her pres
ence again; and thus would she eFectnally
stultify the aggressor by making the pro
motion of quarrel distinct bar to its
object.
While the two knights were wearing
rather erestfalleu appearance at her re
primand the third, never far of, came upor
the scene, and she repeated her cayeat td
him also. Seeing, then, how great was the
concern of all at her peremptory mood thu
lady's manner softened, and she said, will
a roguish smile:
"Have patience, have patience, you fool
ish men Only bide your time quietly
and, in faith, I will marry you all in turn.
They laughed heartily at this sally, al
three together, as though they were tn,
best of friends, at which she blushed, ant
showed some MISUNDERSTANDING havin;
realized that her arch jest would hav
sounded so strange when uttered. TIL
meeting which resulted thus, however, ha,
its good effect in checking the bitterness o
their rivalry; and they repeated her speecl
to their relatives and acquaintance with
hilarious frequency and publicity that tn
lady little OWNED, or she might hav
blushed and felt more embarrassment still
In the course of time the position re
solved itself, and the beauteous Lady Per
elope Gas she was called) made up he
mind; her choice being the eldest of th
three knights, Sir George Drenghard, owne
of the mansion aforesaid, which thereupo
became her home; and her husband, bein
a pleasant man, and his family, thong
not so noble, of as good repute as her owl
all things seemed to show that she reckone
wisely in honoring him with her prefe
ence.
But what may lie behind the still an