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

Adjoining the ancient paneled hall
: ROsedale manOr-hOuse were two lars
apartments with huge bay windows. The
were each half chamber, half sittng-rooi
and looked out past masses Of hower
melodious fountains, shaded paths an
driveways, over ali the sweet Grasmer
vale, with its sleeping hamlet. lake an
the blue, circling mountains beyond.
The masta~ Of Rosedale, Matthew Sea
oIoft, an invalid since the death OF hi
wife Margaret remained almost constant
" in one Of these rooms. looking acr-s
his many acres with patient pain an'
longing; pain at TIE fear Of ever leaving
the living image Of the dead behind him
longing through that living image "a
call again his own the deathless image
beyond the grave.
he other bayed room, which had been
his wifos, was now his daughter Mar
eery's. as she was called in loving famil-
iaritv at Rosedale and in the valley homes
below. The toast Of the country gentry
for years, ito the bravest woman In
Wcstmorcland, and the tenderest." had
been 10 this fine fair gentlewoman, with
| auburn hair and hazel eyes. Such the
rover Of a pure. calm soul shining
through steadfast. kindly eyes upon hui
mankind, that Grasmere peasant folk had
the common saying, when Miss Margery
claps cen on yam, yell ma LANCER hide yer
| howts."
Rut q few hours had passed since the
ravens were croalSing beside the Grasmere
inn Nargerv was in her own room at
| rosedale. her fingers listlessly but fondly
wandering over the keys Of her piano; her
eyes fixed upon her mothers portrait OPP
poste the huge carved oaken bed; and
| her whole attitude that Of one gently but
| aiixiorsly awaiting the outcome Of some
fondly cherished project.
And well she might; for that very morn
ing she had won from her father the only
reluctant gift of his life-a letter to her
lovers fatber Ralph Oldgarth, asking IN
no measured words that the past might
be forgotten; that their children might be
spared the shadow Of hate between them;
and that the Oldgarhs and Seacroits
might henCcforth be known I'm dear old
Wcstmoreland only as friends.
Old Gcoidie. when ordered TO deliver
this letter at Deepdale Hall. had for the
first time come close to rebellion. lie
bothered about long before going, and
muttered ominously TO himself when final
" setting out In fair weather. like this.
his errand 10 Deepdale Hall. which lay
Just over the brow Of Fairfield. should
require but en- hour: and Margery was
row awaiting the old mans return She
unused thoughtfully over her piano; passed
now and then into her fathers room for
a moment: but always came back to tie
window looking wistfully over the hedg-
es 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 melo- !
dy and words of that grand old hymn 10 |
St Oswald. which had been borne aloft |
through the black-timbered vault or the |
ancient Grasmere church by thousand |
voices, led by her own, for many past |
Rushbearing-Da 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 exerti0n and over
come by terror and rage. Margery. with
out an exclamation, but almost as quick
as thought, with a warning gesture OF
silence to Geordie, had softly closed her
fathers door. got the old servant into
her own easy-chair and herself close aud
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. I'VE let
none Of these grow on our side Of Fair
field, de we Geordie?'
INA, 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 t Lord! I'd murdert ee
on'y fur loave o. yersel an aud master
theer!' broke in Geordie viciously and
passionately.
Murder is a dreadful, dreadful word.
ieordie And then, you felt so badly
about disappointing us. that you hurried
away. Ceofde"
Hurried awa,-hurried ava, Lord Miss (.
\argcry, tn aud curse loosd tn houns' :
IN mea, afore I'd med tn geat. cloard ,
Ia gedt at Il boun. fur my leaf; an as ,
toorned L heeze a powder at L pack :
-ansl wha met my cen oop theer l. tn J
iuld Hall window. aboon tn poarch. bit I
h. Boyle o tn Wush'n Great, glowerin
m clutchin like eed lowp tn houn's an Z
eat an a, an my vera leaf. oh, Miss I
iargeryl whined the old man piteously. r
yer deed oomnn. If ye gaze Z Geat v
morrer meet. Yen be snashered { bits f
II oulu JONN AllisdrtnS ChalSfi' a
Margery raised Geordie TO his feet and. il
itn a parting Injunction to secrecy. dis Ii
Used him as graciopsly as though her a
vn heart were free from pang or storm. b
hen the door had closed behind him. II
he pressed her face agairst the window q
ines toward the peaceful vale below. m
nd again upon the paneS towards the n
Id mountain path above She listened cl
moment at her fathers door From N
is she turned her white. hurt face now a.
led with unutterable childish longing, OF
the mute m0ther-face scainst the
all. Then she threw herself on her pr
Ech. giving way TO sobs and tears; while a
e deepening shadows OF the evening re
thered close and chill over hamlet. Sc
le ana hall. W
rhe ext day. the famous Ri.ghbearinc-- on
~ In Grasmere. had come and almost IN
n. The pleasant folks for miles around Sc
Il trooped into the old hamlet. as had 70
Fir forefathcrs for hundreds of wears TO
fore them. All the ancient merrvmak-t OF
; and rustic games OF football cricket. Tel
estlng and putting the stane" had rel
IN enjoyed, as Of yore, by the strcng FOL
nbrian men and youth: while the lustv
untain lasses had gazed with unstinted
Q on the 'vagrom" shows, had Haunted
ir conscious beauty and coquetted IN OF
'.r hearts content. Old and young III
! joined the inmemorial procession J
zen always forms at the messy Rothay de
lse Ihe village band. piping the en- th'
.A,i's oraihs OF Jenny Dawson's VIC
rch. and four maidens In white win y
rgery ~ their bead - wss her ve0t. NO
-, 49,. .n no"eis' ana carrying a en-
en rose-bordered scarf filed with green IN