The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-12-09
THE RETURN.

Five minutes ago l drew the window
curtain aside and let the mellow sunset
light contend with the glare from the
girandoles. Below lay the orchard of
Vernon Garth, rich in heavily lowered
fruit trees-yonder medlar, here a
pear, next a ounce. AS my eyes, unac-
customed to the day, blinked rapidly,
the recollection came of a scene forty
five years past, and once more beneath
the Oldest tree stood the girl loved,
mischievously plucking yarrow, and
despite its evil omen twining the
snowy clusters in her black hair.
Again her coquettish words rang in
my ears: "Make me thy ladyl Make
me the richest woman in England, and
promise thee, Rupert, we shall be the
happiest Of Gods creatures" And / re-
membered how the mad thirst for gold
filed me; how trusted in her fidelity,
and without reasoning or even telling
her that / would conquer fortune for
her sake kissed her sadly and passed
| into the world. Then followed a COM
plete silence until the Star of Europe,
the greatest diamond discovered in mod
ern times, lay IN my hand-a rough, UNI
polished stone, not unlike the Jumps of
spar had often seen lying on the sandy
lanes of my native country.
This should be Roses own, and all the
others that clanked SO melodiously in
| their leather bulse should go toward full
filing her ambition. Rich and happy
| should be soon, and should not marry
an untitled gentlewoman, sweet in her
prime? The twenty years interval of
work and sleep was like fading dream,
for was going home. The knowledge
thrilled me 80 that my nerves were
strung tight as iron ropes, and laughed
like a young boy. And it was all be-
cause my home was to be in Rose Pas
| calls arms.
Icrossed the sea and posted straight for
Halkton village. The old hostelry was
crowded. Jane Hopgarth, whom 1 re-
membered as rudy faced child, stood
on the box edged terrace, courtesying
in matronly fashion to the departing
mail coach. An alteration in the sign
board attracted my attention.; the white
lilies had been painted over with inter
and the name changed from the Pascal
Arms to the Lord Bishop. Angrily,
aghast at this disloyalty, cross ques-
| toned the ostlers, who hurried to and fro,
| but failing to obtain any coherent re-
plies was fain to content myself with
! a mental denunciation of the times.
Twilight had fallen before reached
the cottage at the entrance of the park.
This was in a ruinous condition; here
and there sheaves in the matched roof
had parted and formed crevices through
which smoke filtered. Some of the
tiny windows had been walled up, and
even where the glass remained snake
like ivy hindered any light falling into
their thick recesses.
The door stood open, although the
evening was chilly. AS l approached
the heavy autumnal dew shook down
from the frs and fell upon my shoulders.
A bat, swooping in an undulaGion, struck
between my eyes and fell to the grass
moaning ENORMOUSLY. l entered. A
withered woman sat beside the peat fire.
She held pair of steel knitting needles
which she moved without cessation.
There was no thread upon them, and
when they clicked her lips twitched as
if she had counted.
Some time passed before l recognized
Roses foster mother, Elizabeth Carless.
The russell colors of her cheeks had
faded and left a sickly gray; those
sunken, dimmed eyes were utterly IN
like the bright, black orbs that had
danced so mirthfully. Her stature, too,
had shrunk. was struck with wonder
Elizabeth could not be more than fifty
six years old. had been away twenty
years; Rose was fifteen when left her
and had heard Elizabeth say that she
was only twenty-one at the time of her
darling's weaving. But what changed
She had such an air of weary grief that
my heart grew sick.
Advancing to her side l touched her
arm. She turned, but neither spoke nor
seemed aware of my presence. Soon,
however, she arose and helping herself
along by grasping the scanty furniture,
tottered 70 window and peered out.
Her right hand had crept to her throat;
she united the string of her gown and
took from her bosom a pOmander set in
battered silver case. cried out. Rose
had loved that toy in her childhood.
Thousands of times had we played ball
with it. Elizabeth held it to her mouth
and mumbled it as if it were a baby's
hand.
Maddened with impotence, caught
her shoulder and roughly babe her say
where | should find Rose. But some
thing awoke in her eyes, and she shrank
away to the other side of the house
place. l followed. She covered on the
floor, looking at me with strange hor-
ror. Her lips began to move, but no
sound issued. Only when crossed to
the threshold did she rise, and then her
head moved wildly from side to side,
and her hands pressed close to her
breast, as if the pain there were too great
to endure.
] ran from the place, not daring to
look back. In a few minutes l had
reached the balustraded wall of the hall
garden. The house looked as if no care
full hand had touched it for years. The
elements had played havoc with its
oriels, and many of the latticed frames
hung on single hinges. The curtain of
the blue parlor hung outside, draggled
and faded and half hidden by a thick
growth of bindwood.
With an almost savage force raised
nv arm high above my head and
brought my fist down upon the central !
panel of the door. There was no need
IOT SUCH N1O1eACSJ 4OH llO OSSdS O0 AoS-
Jennings made no resistance, and some of
the rotten boards fell to the ground. |
AS / entered the hall and saw the
ancient furniture, once SO fondly kept, |
now widowed and crumbling to dust, |
quick sobs burst from my throat. |
Roses spinet stood beside the door of |
the Withdrawing room. How many |
carols had we sung to its musicl AS l |
passed my foot struck one of the legs, |
and the rickety structure groaned as if |
it were coming to pieces. / thrust out |
my hand to steady it, but at my touch
the velvet covering of the lid came off
and the tiny gilt ornaments ratified |
downward.
By now the full moonlight pierced |
the window and Quivered on the floor
As gazed ON the tremulous pattern it
changed into quaint devices of hearts,
daggers. rings and a thousand other to-
kens. All suddenly another object
glided among them so quickly that !
wondered whether my eyes had been at
IL, 80