The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-07


tween them; and that the Oldgarths and
Seacrofts might henceforth be known in
dear old WestmOreland only as friends
Old Geordie, when ordered to deliver
this letter at Deepdale hall, had for the
first time come close to rebellion He
bothered about long before going, and
muttered ominously to himself when
finally setting out. In fair weather like
this, his errand to Deepdale hall, which
lay Just over the brow of Fair
field, should require but an hour: and
Margery was now awaiting the old mans
return. She unused ghtfully over her
piano; passed now and then into her
fathers room for moment: but always
came back TO the window, looking visit
fully over the hedges along the mountain
path over which Geordie must come.
She came again to the piano and softly
played the airs of the morrow,s sacred
hymns and songs. Soon her sweet, true
voice rose strong and clear with the
melody and words of the grand old hymn
to St. Oswald, which had been born alOft
through the blaek-timbered vault of the
ancient Grasmere church by a. thousand
voices, led by her own, for many past
Rushbearing day
''They won us peace. Thy Saints, o Lord
Even though, like Royal David, they,
Shifting and smitten with the sword
Toiled through their mortal day.
Thou makst the wrath of man thy praise
At this moment old Geordie burst into
the room, faint from exertion and over
come by terror and rage. Margery, with
out an exclamation, but almost as quick
as thought, with warning gesture of ST
lence to Geordie, had softly closed her
fathers door, got the old servant into
her own easy chair, and herself close and
quoting beside him.
''Time enough, Geordie: time enough -
she said in her grave, gentle way as she
picked the brambles one by one from his
torn clothing to divert him. 1--WE let none
of these grow on our side Of Fairfield, do
we, Geordiea"
ma, ma, Miss Margery. bit tn curs'd
Auldgarth pleace-"
There, there, Geordie. know all that
has happened. You just went to Ralph
Oldgarth with the letter, and-and--it did
not quite please him; and"
"An', fore g Lord I'd a murdert ee
only for loave o. yersel an aud maisteer
theer!" broke in Geordie viciously and
passionately.
Murder is dreadful, dreadful word,
Geordie. And then, you felt so badly
about disappointing US that you hurried
away, Georgia."
Hurried awa2-hurried avail Lord,
Miss Margery, tn aud curse loos'd thu
houns' on mea, afore I'd med tn geat.
clear'd tn geat at boun, fur my leaf /;
an as l toorned G. heeze powder at T.
pack-LanSl wha met my cen oop theer
il tn auld Hallwundow, aboon thu poarch,
bit thu Boyle o. tn Wush'n Great, glover
in an clutchin like eed lowp TIN houn's
an geaJ an a., an ha' my vera leaf.
Oh, Miss Margeryl' whinea the old man
piteously, ''yer decd CONAN, il We gaze t.
Geat t'morrer meet. Yen be snashered
t. bits wi auld John Auldgarth's ghaistl"
Margery raised Geordie to his feet.
and, with parting injunction TO secrecy,
dismissed him as graciously as though
her own heart was free from pang or
storm. When the door had closed behind
him. she pressed her face against the
window panes towards the peaceful vale
below, and again upon the panes towards
the wild mountain path above. She lis
tened moment at her fathers door.
From this she turned her white, hurt
face, now filed with unutterable childish
longing, to the mute mother-face against
the wall. Then she threw herself on her
couch, giving way to sobs and tears,
while the deepening shadows of the
evening gathered close and chill over
hamlet, vale and hall.
The next day, the famous Rushbearing
day in Grasmere, had come and almost
gone. The peasant folk for miles around
had trooped into the old hamlet, as had
their forefathers for hundreds of years
before them. All the ancient merrymak-
ing and rustic games of foot ball, cricket,
wrestling and putting the stance had
been enjoyed, as of yore, by the strong
Umbrian men and youth; while the lusty
mountain lasseS had gazed with unstinted
awe on the "vagrom' shows, had Haunted
their conscious beauty and coquetted to
their hearts content. Old and young
had joined the immemorial procession
which always forms at the messy Rothay
bridge. The village band, piping the en-
livening strains of Jenny Dawson's
march, and four maidens in white, with
Margery at their head as was her wont,
Rarlanded with flowers, and carrying a
silken rose-bordered scarf filled with
green rushes for the strewing,
had led. A motley troop of child
rem had come after, carrying tall holly
boughs-the bearings for the rushes
-entwined with rushes and flowers,
crosses, hearts and wreaths, here and
there interspersed with figures of the in
FAINT Moses in the bulrushes; and then
all the sturdy Umbrian folk, with hand
fuls of PUSHES and flowers, had gaily fol-
lowed on. The throng had wound in and
out of the way narrow village streets.
and had halted at the churchyard enter
ance Where the band ceased playing and
where thousand solemn voices had
Joined in the noble hymn of st. Oswald.
Thus the quaint old church had been
filled; and the multitude, still singing
soft and low, had strewn flowers and
PUSHES in crumbling porch, in shadowy
loft, in ghostly belfry, on grim old Nor
man tower, in aisle and pew and chancel,
and at last upon the sacred altar of the
hallowed pile, as the sweet old hymn was
done.
Margery had been the veritable sun
shine and life in these simple and veuera-
bic rites and observances Of St. Oswald's
testal day, as she had been for years had
led the tender Grasmere even-song, sing
ing as she had never sung before; had
given glad gaiety and zest to that last and
nerriest ancient custom Of the day, the
laughter making distribution of ginger
bread and sweets, John Oldgarth, at her
bidding, serving the generous portions
with mirth provoking jests; and as the
August evening fell and the happy
hearted peasant folk were numbering up
the mountain ways to their quaint, old
rock-built homes, she had hidden her be-
trothed an affectionate goodnight at the
gate OF the rectory, where she was to re-
main until morning, in the knowledge
that he was to pass the night with some
American tourist friends at the Prince of
Wales hostelry beside the lake.
In all this long and happy day II Mar
gery's heart had ached it was UNDECIDED
by any, save the five arch conspirat tors
who gathered. towards fniduiOht at