The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-10-04

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band heard:
"Now By my knightly troth and hon.
or, swear that our brave dclivcrer
shall have the most precious thing
! that know upon this earth. and that
is my fair niece Diotwina. She is
hereby bctrothed to him before God
and mani
He had stretched ont his right hand
toward heaven as il taking 4 solemn
oath. The procession halted in amaze
ncEt and looked 1t the imprtuous old
man, but his wife was dcathly pale.
and at length she said sadly:
Husband husband. what have you
done: iIow can this !ata! rashness
be found with hair so white? Look
around yoi: and sec where VIC stand
Yondcr is the chapel within which our
only son sleeps. and you have just an
nailed Diotwina's solemn VOW to live
and die the pure betrothcd Of our Sige-
bald. Which oath shall Eow be broken!
Hers or yours?'
The old nights head sank upon his
| breast. and he sighed
at is ever thus. Heaven confers its
most precious gifts. and man in his IN
bridled delight uses them to bis RUM
/ The whole band regarded their dis
trcsscd nastc. sorrowfully Then Di-
otwiua opened her lovely lips in Il
smile like ;l!at Of an angel and said:
'Tather and mother. Go not %rievc.
think cur oaths are not SO conflicting
rs YOU imagine"
And. turning toward the cid peasant.
she continued:
+ ..Eow do ECU know that your leader
OF last night was 2ichard?'
'.In Gods name. gracious lady. who
else could it hc?" replied the old man.
"Hc .7orc the colors of or masters
house. ;:nd its arms We're or his scarf
and shicl:i. Even his speech and man
ncr and way OF riding were like our
io. ..nd lie cried out the family
III Is = mighty battlecry every time
that ,. charged tho cnemy's ranks.
Indeed. he told US that we were fight
ing under shoot OF the true stock.
Who. then. could it have been but Sir
Richard? Though. in truth. no one
saw his TEXTURES. for he kept his visor
down."
"Then LET me tell what happened to
me last night" said Diotwina in
clear voice. land give careful heed to
J what 1 say. for speak the pure truth
as pure maiden should stood at
my window. and my tears fell upon q
beautiful myrtle bush which in former
happy days | had intended for my
bridal wreath. Now 1t had reached the
fullness of its beauty. but the feast
which it should have graced was never
to be. was interrupted in this and
other like thoughts by slight noise
outside the door of my room. could
distinctly hear some one coming up
the little stairway with soft. light
steps, but With clanking spurs, and. as
father and mother had long since gone
to bed. was afraid. Then the door
was pushed half open and an arm in
cased in steel was thrust inside my
room, holding 4 scarf which had en-
broidcred for my betrotEed and which
was laid in the coffin with him. Then
Sigebald's voice said:
"'It is L. May come in without
frightening you to death"
.sIn Gods namc!f cried, trembling
with fear and hope.
'Then the pale youth stepped slowly
and gravely into the room clad In
armor. with raised visor. knew the
dear features well. but yet had not
the courage to gaze straight into his
helmet. so do not know whether his
eyes were fixed and hollow, like those
Of a corpse, or glowing with tender
love. as they were In life.
".Do you still need the myrtle for
YOUR marriage dayY he asked me kind
ly.
81 shook my head
'Neyermorc. truly?
II shook my head again.
"1Then,' he begged coaxingly, gentle
and true hearted as he ever was in
life. weave me wreath Of :ictory Of
it, my dear little bride. For, sec, it is
permitted INC to accomplish the work
of revenge and deliyerancc in this pale,
earthly form. and when it is again laid
in it's coffin it will take the wreath of
vic:ory with it,
Il bound and bound deftly anG twin
(, &C all the blossoms into beautiful
wreath. Ny bctrothed stood, silent and
patient, at the door. When had finish
cd, he knelt before me. I set the wrcath
! on his helmet, and he rose, saying:
..Do not be alarmed, denr love, if
you hear the din Of battle in the val
lcys. God has. given the victory into
my hand
"And then he took leave OF me, so
! sweetly that all my fear vanished, and
: had to smile after him as l used to
do when he left me for O. merry joust.
! Only when heard him gallop away on
his horse SO fast and so eagerly into
the night did the terror come over me
again.
[ "Now yoa know WHO your deliverer
was. dear. faithful people. and if you
! will open the chapel and the coffin. as |
pray you to do, the victors wreath on
the helmet Of my bctrothed will bear
testimony to the truth OF my words
The people looked at one another in
doubt and silence. The suspicion rose
in mnpy minds that Diotwiri'S S brain