Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-03-31


prominent parliamentarian. he had ne
difficulty IN securing the reeersiou of TIE
pJ operty TO himself. Notwithstanding the
fact that the viii was dated several wears
prlsr to the birth of the young Deverell.
Reginald Devereil could never secure an
acre OF his ancestral estate, though he
fought stub5orniy at the courts for many
Years. He left a son who became a stew
ara on the estate of his fathers. and the
family continued In that humble position
TIL near the middle of the present CEN
tuTy.
One bright afternoon Z boy Of sixteen
stood on the terrace Of the old castle. He
was bright, lad, winsome with sturdy
form and brave blue eyes-tbe steel blue
eyes he had inherited from the old Dever-
ellis, for this hoy was the heir in a straight
line of brave Sir Marmaduke.
Guy Deverell stood looking at the anceS-
ira! pile with an expression OF sadness on
his young face, when his sister. a little
girl OF nine or ten years ran up to him on
the terrace.
"Ob, brother, se3 my new ostricL
pune! Is it not pretty? And l am to
wear 1t with my yeives cape to church on
Sunday. But do loos at the ravens!" she
continued. There are hundreds Of them,
and see how tame they are.
Yes, they seem to have taken possess
sion of the old castle. They have always
made the place their home | suppose
the fact suggested the name TO Sir Ralph
when be added that old Tudor tower to
the abbey"
The girl pulled off her plumed hat,
Placing 1t on the ruined wall. and thea
ran eff to low arch, where she stood on
tipt0es to gaz- out over the river. Her
brother followed her
1T is a glorious old place, and it ought
to be ours. If only the will could be found
which Sir Marmaduke mcst have made
after that earlier one. But It's useless, of
course, to think of fading it now after
two hundred years, and so we shall always
be poor. It's too bad, isn't it sis?"
oh, GUY" cried little Magdalene.
suddenly, - raven has carried away my
new ostrich plume. What can it wan
with it? See! there the bird goes into
yonder tower
yes, there's rent in the wall that
can see where the lronsides' shot knocked
out a stone. The raven probably has o
nest there. But the ostrich feather is
most too valuable FOR ravens nest |
think | can gel II for you again"
The brother and sister ran in over the
draw bridge, through the great hall, and
up the stone staircase to a high window
in the tower, and looked down.
Its farther than thought; but never
mind, Magdalene, | will We it yet
Running back to the kali, he soon re.
turned with a line of strongly twistCd
rope. This he fastened securely TO heavy
iron ring in the wall.
Now don't look down. sis, " be sail. as
he mounted the window sill and lowered
himself by the rope. when speak YOU
can look out.
1t was rather Il daring feat, bat he had
no fear. Carefully he descended. swing
ing by his trail supper in mid air, the
terrace OF tho castle forty ZEE, below him
The ivy cidnbered around the old crumb-
ling walls He secured a footing on one
OF the tendrils Of the plant, and support
ing himself with one hand reached in with
the other and explored the recess.
Something touched his fingers and he
pulled out the feather plume which he
placed In the pocket of his Jacket. A
sudden thought impplled him to search
the rFcass again. Just as be was drawing
his hand away his fingers touched a piece
of crumpled paper This be also drew
out, 1t was Old, creased and disc3!oYed
by age, out "a signature caught his eye
that of Marmaduke Deverell, Baron.
His face was so grave and serious when
he reapDeared at the window that little
Magdalene was awestruck for the moment.
but the Hash OF his eyes and the ring Of
his voice treasured her.
Here is your ostrich feather, "aeda~
lene, he said, as he landed inside The
cham Der, ''and | have found something
else that may be worth a great deal
more. Ii islt is Sir Marmaduke's lost
will "
He held the piece of crumpled, dingy
paper before her eyes, dancing up and
down like one possessed.
Strange as it may seem, the lost will
bad indeed been discovered. The ravens
had probably purloined if from some for
gotten recess, and had carried it to their
nest.
1t was soon placed IN a solicitors hands and
proven in count. The EIyrntons made no
objection to the claim IF the young heir
when they found it backed by an instru-
rnent in writing of such ancient date.
They quietly yielded up the rent rolls of
the old manors, shook hands with young
Sir Guy, and wished him God speed in his
heritage.
Ravens Crag stands to-day one of the
proudest castles of the north, and the
Deyerells still live there, proud of their
wealth and of their untarnished honor,
all of which they owe to the providensial
occurrence we have just recorded, and
is one of the most remarkable incidents in