Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-06-13

Catholic Nh TOr.
One of the oldest and prettiest
places in St. Mary's, Maryland, is
Crossword Manor. Time, which
destroys some things, beautifies
others, and the mansion with the
flight OF years, has fallen into 0 sort
OF picturesque neglect, which gives
| it 9 certain sadness, mingled with
an indetnable air Of mystery and
romance.
This is heightened by the unusual
ly thick timber which surrounds
the old house, clumps of elms, oak
and poplar, within whose lines are
cast strange patches of light and
shadow upon the grass.
Over all broods a mistiness and
silence that give the aspect of the
place, from a little distance, a kind
of weird unreslity.
The sun was near its setting, and
the cool evening breezes of the Po-
tomac were stealing up and over
the land, and fluttering the leaves
of the tall trees.
Within their files two ladies were
walking, and the silvery tinkle Of
their chat and laughter-low, in
deed, but yet very audible in so
quiet spot as this-made, with
the vesper song of the birds over
their heads, a very pleasant music.
One of these ladies was Miss
Phoebe Brittingham-very stout,
good natured and comely, with a
double chin, and large, round, blue
eyes and rosy cheeks-a lady who,
somehow, always reminded me of
comfortable, motherly abbess.
The other was her niece, Miss
Rachael, Ludlow, daughter of the
old general, now deceased, and
heiress of Crossword and a great
deal of other property.
1 nave nuU scvu many handsomer
girls than Rachel Ludlow--tall,
slight and dark-eyed. Her features
were exquisitely delicate and trans
parent-a little triSte sometimes
naughty and intellectual.
She was a proud girl, as the gen
eral had been, but not, like him,
eccentric and obstinate, though she
did not lack firmness. But there
was nothing of that cross grained
and selfish element in her charac-
ter which had spoiled his, and made
his life-and sometimes the lives of
others around him-so unhappy.
1t was of these whimsical moods
of his that elderly Miss Phoebe was
now discussing, with that sort of
frankness which is privileged in a
sister, and with the eloquence which
thorough knowledge of a subject in
spires.
"Well, my dear child" she said,
a little out of breath, and winding
up long speech, "it is just this
let us rest under this big oak-it is
just this : II you had been forced
to marry your cousin Oscar, you
would have been the most misera-
BILE girl alive
4 never should have married
him. | don't like him, and l hope
it is not wrong; but l hate him, -
said Rachel, with vehemence, now
seated beside her aunt on the little
bench nailed around the oak. He
is the most odious person / ever
saw, and you know very well that
all poor papa's threats to cast me
OF never made the slightest differ
ence.'
Your papa was insane, Rachel,
on that subject, and l shall never
believe anything else,' replied Miss
Phoebe, serenely. The idea of CO.
ercing a girl to wed man she de.
tests in order to keep up an old
name, and to retain a great fortune
in the one family is sheer madnes:
and cruelty
Upon this point both were agreed
having exchanged views repeatedly
and now a little silence followed.
Rachel was looking on the ground
her warmth of moment ago hav
ing quite subsidized, when the SCUM,
of wheels arrested her attention.
Miss Phoebe heard it and locke,
up.
Some one coming up the avenue,
she said. Who can it be p
why, Father CARMEL wager
cried Rachel, rising in great glee
1t can't be George, of course.
. sent Pierce to the landing, think