Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-09-18

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", h, as for that. you a.e a ite mstak-
en-" has.i Y intcrpOSel Ac ri gton, his
bright cyos cmi ting fash which might
well have intim datol tho audacious
cs cr. 81 am scarcely q TT guest for
aides SlEca 5oudoirS; | shah with al
ny heart acc pt your kindness, admiral,
for few days banking yo all the
same squire, for 20 If hoSpi able offer
This matter arranged, the gentlemen
joined tho ieSt of the company, who
wcro now stlOling about the long suite
Of reception rOOI s
Aubcron's gifts were arranged IN a
pretty little cabnct-chambcr, brilliantly
illuminated aud decked W tn flowers.
Conspicuous among item was Go lnel
AccrihgtOR's 9 Offering.
This was a curious specimen Of Japan
csc art-a small daiS or stand gold
lacque:ed and pearl-inlaid, SUPP orted by
a beet.ing crag with ocean waves foam
ing around its tase wrought in gil, ten
ing or; and on the topmOst pinnacle
OF the crag posed stormy petrol cut
out Of mother Of pearl, holding in Its
claws O ro crystal ball as large as an
ape, and polished to such Splendid
luster that the eye could scarce endure
to gaze upon 1t. A crystal drawer in
the face Of the stand held a handful OF
these same rock crystals, varying in size
from pea to IigeOn'S egg, as round
and lucid as drops of dew. An open fan
Of elaborate japanese design and largest
Il c was set up Cehind the silver rock,
with an explanation o. the whole work
written upon it in golden fluid by a
priest OF Bhuddist tcmplc; for the
rock crystal GU les high ground in
japanese my biology.
As Crccy, Accringt0n and the others
approached, they found Mrs. Crecy, with
her son Auberon and Loycday Della
mere, standing before it lost in admir.ng
wonder.
"Who could ha sent such superb
gft?" Loyeday was cXc'aiminy at
must have been 4 great travo CT, for
where could he have picked up such
curio except in Japan? 1t must have
been 4 mystic, for who else wou d have
thought Of presenting to AubcrOn
number Ct mems souls to cke out his
own? Trayeler-mystic-a million
aire; who is all that, Mrs Crecy?"
Mrs Crecy did not answer; she looked
disagrccaby startled. AuberOn was
b I,y decipherihg the inscription on the
face, which, he:ng written III japanese
Court English, was somewhat obscure.
Accrington tOincl tho group, q faint
glow on his tawny che k.
"MiSs Dellamere has not quite for
COTTON Colonel Accriu gt0n, who used to
teach her how to manage her fiery pony
five years ag0?" said he, with soGtcSt,
&c test courtesy
She started, this pure-heartcd. inno-
cont girl, who knew no evil, and raised
Eer winsome eyes fcarlcSsly TO his, Won
dcring at the carneStnes5 she saw there
Grdvely and kindly she gave him her
hard-he wa; in no hurry to relinquish
it, Colonel Accrngton was feeling that,
much as he lad loved in the past, he had
rcVer met a woman whom to love wOuld
b. such triumph over the past, with
all it's failure and rcmorsc. This girl
was pure, joyous, and free; to win her
whole love-what unmiXed felicity! And
how weary he was of rcnOrSe and Of
vindctive anger, For five years a griev-
Gus memory had isolated his heart from
women-the barrier was removed when
he met this rad ant LOycday's winsOmo
eyes and held her dainty hand
81 shall marry this GIRL" he SwOre in
his heart; and the fixed gaze OF his black
eyes awOke her feminine consciousness
for the first time. She wou think OF
him again,
She recalled his former visit to Sa'-
ford rather dubiOus'y; she owned that
she used to feel profound awe toward
h N in those days, when he rode over
10, IL 81 l,ot.
namma and her in the gardens around
their home She was then needless
spirit of twelve, bound up in her play
mate Aubcron, and very shy Of the gal
liant officer who SC often strode by with
out glance at her
md you, Monsieur AuberOn; have
you any remembrance of mc?" smiled
AccringtOn, with unconscious condeScen-
SION
AuDeron had lit le to say, his mild
eyes were searching out the spirit Of
this dark being very seriously; he never
felt more unrespOnsiye.
Mrs. Crecy drew attention to the for
eign bit of yirtu before which they were
S anding.
"Am | mistaken in que sing Co onel
nficent gift?" &c handed she, haughtily. |
He bowed with humble and depre-
eating air.
"Madam, may you never know the
of the exile" said he, in
sad, mOurntul zones, which impressed |
like some heart touching minor
air "Thcrc is no sorrow 50 subduing, |
so lingering. Then one learns the mean
ing of slecplesS nights, when the whole
heart turns back to England with mex
regrc when the faces we
have left behind Us hover forever before |
oar eyes, and the faults-the omissions |
We may have lccl guilty Of-aro re- |
p ntcd of W til strong crying and tears
In such a mood | entered RhuddiSt |
'cmplo in Japan, and Jaw these fawle s
or. stalS-they called them ewelS. 'Tis |
a wild cOnceit: may rehcarsc it to these |
children?"
Who could les st Inn? His eyes were
humid, his air was gentle and depresS ID; |
and nothing cCul be more wistfully |
sweet than the glance and the tone with
which he named thcm "Childrcn.
Mrs. Crety, utterly unimpreSsed, how |
ever. gave him the permission he sought |
by an impatient wave of the hand.
at is part of the japanese religion"
said Ac, ringtOn, delighted with the OPP
portunity of po ing before all Stafford as
thc deeply int resting friend of the pop
uIar Mrs. Crecy, "tO believe that good
mans 50 rit pa ses in death into rcck-
crystal, the comparative purity of which
DEFENDS upon tha Sanctity of the mans