The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-12-22

two years." replied Julian, family
smiling. "In London, at least, oul
disgrace will pass unnoticed.'
is there no hope--no chance Of"
MY DEAR" interrupted her husband
cynically, "the age Of miracles is past;
else might Kilvert give me back the
Tawleigh house and lands" He paused
and then went on, trifle bitterly: at
is pity YOU did not marry him, Dora
you might have lived at the Court had
you done So"
mo, Julian!' she cried with energy;
chad | married John Kilvert he would
not have foreclosed those mortgages;
and you would have kept your own
until the rents paid off the moneys be
lent on the land. 1t was because |
loved you and hated him, because
chose rather to be your wife than his
that he ruined you as he did"
II think my father ruined me, rather
than Kilvert," returned Tawleigh in
gloomy mood. What estate could
bear the burden of his extravagances!
And | was brought up in ignorance ol
it all. Only when he was dead-when
| was engaged to you-dld learn the
grip Kilvert had on our property.
But l thought to recover all, with time
and economy"
GAS you would have done, my poor
Julian, had not Kilvert revenged him.
self upon us both, because of my re.
fusal to marry him. But that is fif
teen years ago"
Fifteen years Of drudyery and pen.
ury and sinking deeper into the Slough
of Despond," said the man. "Here VIC
are, with three small children, starving
at our own park gates, as one might
say; and John kilvert sits by my
hearthstone. But this is the end,
DEAR" he added determinedly. ''Afte1
the New Year we go to London"
"Our last Christmas in Devon,
sighed Dora Let us make it a happy
one for the children, Julian; they have
so few pleasures"
'They will have none in London,
said Julian grimly. 'However, we
will wish them a Happy Christmas
next week, and do our best to realize
the meaning of the greeting"
And then husband kissed wife, anC
wife comforted husband, till their sor
rows grew lighter, and they left the
room fairly cheerful. But behind the
curtains wept Herry, and her tears
blotted the fat black letters which sci
forth the tale of the Christmas Luck
The ancient legend-the recent convcr
sation, child as she was, Herry vague
ly felt the irony of the contrast. She
kept her thoughts to herself, and said
nothing; but all that week she won
dcred if the monkish miracle could be
reproduced in these days of disaster
and struggling. On Christmas Eve
she reminded her father of the promise
given to Amyas Tawleigh by the two
saints. Alas! good Catholic as he pro
fessed to be, Julian disbelieved in such
miracles, and smiled ut the hopes o
the child
"But you can read us the story, my
little girl SAID he; sit is a seasonable
legend for Christmas"
The younger children, to whom the
tale was as one of fairyland, clapped
their little hands with glee when they
heard this permission. 1t wanted an
hour to their bedtime, and, wearied OF
romping, they sat breathless, expectant
of monkish marvels and knightiy
prowess. Husband and wife smiled at
this childish enthusiasm, but they also
were interested in Herry's reading.
Right So" began the veracious
chronicle, "the good knight Sir Amyas
Tawleigh departed, and lightly rode
through the land of Heathencss, and
then was he ware how there came rid.
ing Paynim of great stature, richly
Digit in armour of proof Which when
Sir Amyas spied, he set lance in rest
and commended his soul to the keeping
of Christus our Lord. Herewith the
Paynim dressed him to the joust, and
aventred his spear on Sir Amyas, and
Sir Amyas smote the foul Paynim
that horse and man bare he to earth
and being brast in pieces, the Paynim
yielded him captive to Sir Amyas
With that the Paynim mourned pass
ing sore, saving, 'Lackaday, sir, that
my little child should lose father.
Then Sir Amyas bethought him of the
child of his body which abided in
Anglcland, and saith he: 'Prradvcnture
the like may beIall me- Go in peace
thou intilrl.' Right so the Paynin
gat him hence eagerly, and Sir Amyas
rode full soberly to IIierusalem. AnC
when it was come noon he layed him tt
sleep, and so sleeping he was ware o
SS. Peter and Paul, all glorious il
heavenly light. And said they, For
asmuch as thou hast learnt the saying
of Christus our Lord, that men, the
one to the other, are brothers. this will
We give thee for sign: Safe wilt thor
fare to thy roof-tree, and there will
thou raise a fair chapel to our names
| Sith We ask 4 boon at the altar thcreO