Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-01-06
THE CAVALIERS ESCAPE,


Ny Aunt Augusta Wilberforce
lived in a little New England town on
the sea coast Her house, standing
we'll back from the street and sur
rounded with magnificent elms, was
one of the oldest and most aristocratic
in the village.
1t was a delightful place to visit,
and particularly for child of dreamy
and imaginative temperament, and its
attractions we're endless.
The garden, with its box-edged
walks and old-fashioned Aower-beds,
and the house, where everything dated
past one generation after another,
had equal charms for me.
Aunt Augusta lived entirely in the
past; the friends she had lost long
years before lived for her still. l
used to think she took more comfort
with them than many people do with
their living ones.
Her walls were hung with portraits
and some really fine paintings
Among them was one of which l was
particularly fond, called "The Cava.
liars escape"
A handsome young man, in slashed
doublet and long purple hose, was
creeping up the stone steps, from a
gloomy dungeon, past his sleeping
jailer. His boots with their long shin
ing spurs he carried under his arm,
and a beautiful maiden waited for
him at the top of the shadowy stairs,
with the great castle key in one slen-
der hand, while the other was lifted
warningly, her frightened eyes fixed
on the jailer's unconscious face.
| speak of the cavaliar as young
and handsome, though, truth to tell,
only the back of his head, with his
long auburn love-lock, was visible in
the picture but notwithstand ing
this fact, l have never been able to
get over the idea that once ! saw his
face. But I'll tell you how it hap
pened.
l was paying my usual summer
visit to my aunt, and spending my
time very satisfactorily to myself in
reading and dreaming. | was thir'
teen years old, and considered by my
friends to possess more imagination
than was good for me.
But on the particular day of which
l am telling you my meditations were
interrupted by one of the neighbors
who came in to beg my Aunt Augusts
to allow her to examine my great
grandmother's wedding.dress Her
daughter was going TO take part IL
some tableaux and wanted all inspir
alton for her costume.
The wonderful gowns that my
aunt kept hidden away in the dark
recesses of the "spare-room wardrobe
| looked upon with delightful awe, OF
the rare occasions when she would al
low me peep at those treasures =
But l was never permitted to touch
any of them, though it was the desire
o f my life to see myself in my great
grandmother's wedding-dress. The
very mention of such a thing woul(
have caused Aunt Augusta to fam
with horror.
After Mrs. Woodfern had gazet
and admired to her satisfaction, my
aunt folded the beautiful satin ant
lace, locked them away again out O
sight, and gave me the keys to pu
back in her desk, while she accom-
panied her guest down stairs.
l was obediently on my way to he
room, when something Mrs. Woodferl
was saying caught my ear.
"Three houses have been entere,
already, Miss Wilberforce. Do yo'
think it is safe for you here, with n
man to call in for protection? You
have so many valuable things to at
tract burglar"
Il am not nervous" Aunt August
answered as they passed out of sight
but / felt / must hear the accoun
Mrs. Woodfern was giving of tn
burglars desperate deeds, so ! drope
the keys in my pocket and hurrie
down, meaning to come up at ono
and take care of them after MIR;
Woodfern was gone.
There was full moon that night
1t streamed into all the windows aD
lighted up the room with its splendol
Aunt Augusta went to bed early wit
a headache, and wandered about tn
house by myself, indulging in fancie
of the widest nature.
The portraits looked at me solemn
from the walls, and thought of Han
Andersen's stories. and wished the
would come down and talk to m,