Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-11-21
CHAPTER X.

"The Shadow Was Lifted Forever
from Oldfriars."
At Oldfriars there is perfect peace at
last. Trouble and trial, gloom and
shadow, shame and sorrow have fed
the old walls forever, and perfect
peace has come again at last.
AS matter of course, the world had
found plenty to say about the mar
riage of Herman Merryweather and
Alicia Penrith; but neither of them
cared straw for the worlds opinion,
since their natural veal was complete.
perfected, in the possession of each
others love.
And the years have rolled on bring
ing manifold changes in their train.
AS soon as he had married his beau
tiful girl-wife, Merryweather threw up
his business act most sincerely
deplored from Garth to Stilborough-
and settled down at Oldfriars to the
life of a country gentleman.
He was a rich man, as folks we'll
knew, and the step was inevitable. At
OIdfriars they would dwell together
until-well, until their eldest lad
should have attained his oneand-
twentieth year. When that event
should come to pass, Herman and
Alicia had decided between them that
the fine old place must be given up to
the boy, and that they themselves
would find another home elsewhere.
The sun is dying in the golden and
purple west. The woods and fells for
miles round are bathed in mellow
light. The splendid windows Of the
ancient house are afiame with colored
fires, while borne on the fresh Septem-
Der breeze comes the wild, rapid rush
of the river. Alicia and two Of the
children-the baby Alicia is indoors
are under the trees i'll the park, wait
! ing for Herman's homecoming to
! dinner. He has been absent all day
! long, shooting with young Darlington
and Richard Blount. Alicia, never
| quite happy unless at her husbands
! SIDE fancies he is rather late.
Fair as ever she looks, though now
| a matron verging on thirty, as she sits
there in garden seat, shawl half
concealing her dress of palest pink,
her dark eyes searching the rising
ground over which Herman will ap-
pear by and by.
Mamma, mamma" presently cries
! one OF the two youngsters, running up
to her from his play, rudy and
breathless, "he has said it again-he's
always saying it now, since papa told
him the other day! Is it true
mammal"
Alicia lays her slender hand upon
the curly pate of the child.
Whatever papa may have hold your
brother Ruy, my DEAR" she says
gravely, ''is true, you may be sure
He never told an untruth in his life
recolIect, and-and, my darling,
would have you try to grow up like
him in this respect, as in everything
else. What is it, Herman, that your
brother Ruy has been saying"
.tHe says-he says" pants the young,
ster, looking up with great wondering
and still incredulous eyes, that when
he is a man he-Ile will be Ruy Pen
rith. and not Ruy Merryweather any
longer -and-and papa told him so
he says"
Then the elder boy runs up too-a
fearless, dusky-eyed little fellow, with
the unmistakab1e beauty of his lovely
mother.
Eyes, papa told me sc,'' he says
proudly 81 am to be Ruy Penrith-
Ruy Penrith' emphasis-"aE
we'll as Ruy Merryweather. And
mamma"
; At this juncture, the big-nailed door
!, in the ivied wall of the pleasaunce