The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-01-07

- ~, r,,sho- o,,uipod with PUSHES and
= flowers crosses, hearts, and "red'hs' her
{ and there interspersed Win 10 80 ~ lne
infant Moses I'm the bulrusaes, anu Then
= all the sturdy UmbrIan folk, WIN hahdtlll
/ OF rushes and flowers, had gally ioiiowed
r on. The throng had wound III ana out
1 OF the few narrow village Streets ana had
, halted at the churchyaId entrance Whera
the band ceased playing and where a
thousand solemn voices had joined In the
noble hymn to st. Oswald. Ihus the
quaint old church had been filed; and the
multitude still singing soft and low. had
sIeWn flowers and rushes in crumbllng
porch, In shadowy loft. I'm ghostly belfry.
on grim old Norman tower in aisle and
pc" ana chancel. and at last upon the
sdcred altar OF the hallowed pile, as the
sweet old hymn was done
Aarsery had been the vertable sunshine
gnu NE IN these simple and venerable
lHes ana observances OF ST. OswalFs
iestai day, as she hal been for years.
nau ied the t"ndeI Grasmere even-s0ns
si"sHs as she had never sung before.
80 sNeh glad gaicty and zest to that last
an "eiIlest ancient custom Of the dav
nc idushter-making distribution OF gin
s'rDread and sweets. John Oldgarth. az
ner Didding, serving the generous portions
win mirth-proyoking jests; and as the
august evening fell, and the happy-heari-
ca peasant folk were numbering up the
mountain ways TO their quaint, old. rock
punt homes, she had hidden her betrothed
al anectionate goodnight at the gate Of
the rectory where she was to remain until
! morning, In the knowledge that he was
10 pass the night with some American
tourist friends at the Prince Of Wales hos
telry beside the lake.
In all this long and happy day II Mar
serVs heart had ached, it was unheeded
by any. save the five arch conspirafors
who gathered, towards mid-nigbt ar Cpr-
sty harris cottage, rOundlv swearing
mat "suni'et mum be dinp while nursing
their fading courage with generous drafts
or ale Huge cudgels stood against the
wan; and their brave plot, determined at
the last moment after such friendly
Wraneling was that Curtsy Harris, Willy
benn, Jenny Railton, and Tommy Ban-
thet, were to proceed TO the Wishing
Gate, 10 rescue Margery, and engage the
agile and powerful ghost at all hazards
until Geordie could hasten 10 the scene
with John Oldgarth TO render fitting as
sistance TO Miss Margery. and give color !
In her eyes to their traitorous though af- |
fecuonate and chvalrous interference.
a little before midnight Margery, still |
clad rs at the Rushbearing. set out from /
the rectory along the old highway leading
across the holt. She had hardly reached
the little cottage at the hillside, when she
became conscious of being followed. "Ah,
Geordie Geordie' she reflected, you have
played me false at last.'
She halted a moment, and the skulking
figures also stopped. She advanced to-
ward them and they retreated. She turn
ed and proceeded up the hill, when they
again followed. She increased her pace.
So did those behind. When alongside the
cottage, she suddenly left the hill. and
speeding along the hedge to the highway
at the lake edge quickly disappeared.
one OF her pursuers whispered, "Lans a |
marcy. She hev gied oop tn ghaist;" then
the group huddled al the edge Of the holt
copse, shuddering and wondering what !
wisdom and valor would next suggest.
They had not long TO wait. Marsery had
made the half circuit Of the little hill
n few moments Gliding past the
Tread Wishing Gate. without even a
glance Of interest or fear. she grasped a
handful Of pebbles and mortar from the
,rumbling coping OF the wall; and, dashng
Town the steep holt-side. she appeared be-
ore her startled rescuers so suddenly and
lelted them with the missiles so sharply
hat all these alebefuddled Don Quixotes
# GraSmere with cries OF superstitious
error, incOndnenty took 10 their heels.
ever checking their mad flight until
arred safely from all ghosts and terrors G
'ehind their humble cottage doors.
Almost laughing and crying at the
out Of her pursuers and the erewsorne- !
less OF her situation, I'm moment more D
he had reached the Wishing Cate. The {
noonlit scene below was tranquil and So l.
enc AS she leahed against the old love- v
brine, whose bars are cut with names {
nd dates by countless pilgrim hands. she Z
lused aloud. What should be my dear v
81 wish, beyond laying the ghost-if one {
yer really comes here,-this strangely %
weet st. Oswald's night?"
ITO be John Oldgarth's happv bride,
Cd bless YOU Margaret Carew. I knew
on would come at last" spoke a voice
ose beside her i'm tones 50 thrillinelv a
Ike her lovers that she turned in clad q
irprise-to find herself clasped tenderly al
the arms Of the dread ghost she had Ii
)me to lay, >,
just as the first morning light was -
unity stealing over the higher mountain 80
saks, an old white-haired and white ~
'arded man was reclining I'm Margery's -
lsy chair In her own room at Rosedale ~
anor-hOuse. lie rested in an inenfaLle H.
;ht and calm after half life time Of ut -
r night and storm. one hand held that -.
Batthew Seacroft firm and sure and =,
'ue. The other lovingly stroked the -
ir head Of a noble woman beside him
Is deep, kindly eyes fell now upon y,
g portrait on the wall now upon Mar ,s
rvs smiling, uptuued face, again upon ce
argery's lover standing near, and even ~
sted benignly upon trembling old Geor- In
p. covering in the shadows behind. III vi
lily the old man spoke. "a,
John, your father gave out that
Is dead. But 1 am the elder brother an
II. Thank God and Margaret, I am -
ain the master Of Deepdale Hall; and CIR
shall remain a John Oldgarth's after h.
I'm gone. Margery here" and his voice bu
nix for a moment, has made us one 90.
ID family at the end" an
IS the sun swept bright and clear into q
Umbrian valleys. and ST. Oswalds Al
tinchme stole swcetly on them there. I'm
Boyle Of the Wishng-Gate without an
aid Of Cursty Jenny. VIII, and TAM eal
s thus happily and forever laid IN.
Sa