Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-08-14
CHAPTER I.

The gray old walls Of 1.ashmnr Castle
rise In a massive pile above brond reach
Of the Mildleshirc Avon. which here
makes bold and sweeping curve. The
stream has such u languOrous How just
mt this point; the river here sprends itself
into such placid cxpansc. that one would
hardly credit the current with force
enough 10 turn a wnterinill or DRIFT a
barge. No one bnsking on the green
slope above this Rlassy stream. between
a foreground Of bulrushes and back
ground Of immcmorial onks, would sus.
pect the existence Of such place rs the
great manufacturing town Of Bruinm
within ten miles.
Yet although It's smoke made no stain
upon the blue sky above yondcr grny tow.
ers, Brumm had an influence on the In
habitants Of Lashmnr Castle. and TINT
BY no means n pleasant influence; MS wit.
messed by her lndyship's temper upon this
particular morning, us she sat ut break
fsst In the oak parlor, with her stepson.
L6rd Lashmar. and the Elton boy. her
son. Lady Lnshmar Ind almost always
had her own way, and she had almost
always been happy. When 1t plenscd
heaven to take her husband, after SIX
years Of married life, she bowed to tho
TOus SSuuy lSusuuuuT tuOuRut tuut TONS
dence would have done well to take her
husbands afflicted son md to leave her
own boy, fine healthy yOungstcr, to I'LL
the place which the dcformcd stcpson
could never hold with proper dignity.
Yes, dcformed. 1t Is ono OF those
words which are hardest to say. The
old servants who had known Lord Lash.
mar from his cradle said that his back
was q little weak; but his stepinothcr
knew that his spine had been curved In
his infancy; weakly child, born Of nm
ovcr.educated hypcr-intcllcctual mother,
and fnthcr who hnd lived not wisely
but too well. She knew that In the
yenrs TO come that bent back would got
gradually worse, that narrow chest would
invite the attack OF phthisis. She told
herself that Hubert, Lord Lnshmnr.
would never make old bones; but she
feared that he might live long enough
to marry and leave some sickly son who
should blight the prospects Of her boy,
Victorian. the very embodiment Of ply.
steal power and fresh. unblcmishc'l
youth.
She had not been unkind TO her step.
son. She was fur too clever woman 20
make thut irrcpnrablc mistake. Lnshmnr
was II when his father died, and Veto.
rian was 3, n difference Of nine ycnrs:
and Lasllmar was old for his years. He
had tra 'elcd n good denl with the tutor
and the servant. He Ind rcnd more than
most young men Of five and twenty. In
q word. he was slckly lad, who had been
brought up and nourished upon books;
but he had fine instincts and strong
humanitarian feeling. The villagers
about l.ashmar adorcd him. He drank
tea with the old women. read TO then,
when they were III, wrote letters for
young and old. talked politics or meta.
physics with the deep thinkers and car
ried the light Of . noble intellect into
every house he entered.
Lady I.ashmar was intense In politics.
She hated Radicals, and her greatest
should lie 10 Il wcrc In the very bosom
Of revolution. Brumm was Radical to thu
backbone, and Brumm was only ten miles
OF. Brumm was center Of Frcethink'
Ing and Nihilism, and Brumm was at hcI
door.
1T 10 an outrage agiast the decencics
Of lifc." she exclaimed.
"Whnt's the matter, mOtherI' asked
LashmaP, looking up at her with hi'
deep sunken eyes-th0ughtful eyes. 0i
darkest basel. rs II anything abou,
Boldw0olY'
"Of course II ID about HOLLYWOOD. Tha,
low creature has been holding forth q,
another meeting. They seem to be per
petually having meetings at Brumn."
"They have very few other pleasures,
Murmurcd Lashmar. "YOu wee. there II .
superior minority who have learned {,
think, ind who want to say their littl,
soy upon great public questions"
"YOu always TUX like u book. Lash
mar" sneercd her ladyship; II shout,
like to hear you speak In reply to this ma,
BoldwOod. at great public meeting"
"WOuld you really like to hear m,
spcakY axkesl Lashmar. smiling family
''Then will do my best to answer him to
night. There is to be COnservativ,
meeting at the Town Hall. Colonel Spill
ington, the new Conservative candidate
Is going to address the electors. 1t IL OK
pccted Redwood will be In full force an,
that there will be row. Spillington ha
asked me to support hlm-and-yes,
really should like to answer HOLLYWOOD
Mine win be very poor speech, OF course
very tame reply to BOldwOOd, who i
born orator; bat shall have education
on my side.
Colonel SpillingtOn called ut Laslma
Sustc UNIT uuy' nv WIN uHc uNcTuk
specimen Of the British Oiiiccr-bluft
outspOken, unintellectual, right-thinkin
and honest, n stanch Conservative and
thorough gentleman. He was not elate
about his election and had dark doubt
as to the power Of the Radicals Il
Brumm. Still he tried to be hopeful.
The meeting was to be ut 4 o'clock, s
the party ut the castle took late lunch
con and started for Brumm soon after
intending to be early Mt the Town Hal
1t was q delicious summer evening, calm
peaceful the atmosphere STEPPED In sun
light. the earth breathing warmth an
perfume; u delightful evening In whic
to loll against the cushions Of lady Lash
mars barouche, to be gently lulled upo
springs along the level turnpike road
lovely road for the first half Of the jour
ney.
As they ncarcd Brumm there was u
unmistakable change In the atmosphere
The fine gold had become dim. That pun
radiance of tho wsstering sun was thicI
ened and blurred, yet beautiful exceeding
" athwart the smOke-clOuds. The tn
shafts tegap to show against the blu
horizon, u veritable growth OF chimney
and soon her ladyship's splendid barouch
with Its big bay horses, white-wigge
coachman and powdered fOstman, u
emblazoned panels and braEen harness
was thrilling the souls OF operatives M
factory girls as It flushed along the ding.
"A