Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-10-06

Il my ialr nlt-Nc lflnlNlliA- NlAf =
hereby betrothed 10 him before God
and man
lie had stretched cut his right hand
toward heaven rs II taking a solemn
oath. The Procession hailed In amaze
mcnt and looked at the lmPciuous old
man. hut his wife was dcathly pale,
and at length she said sadly:
Husband. husband. what have you
doneg How can this fatal rashp"Ss
De- found with hair So white: Look
around you and scc where We stand.
Yonder is the chapel within which our
only son sleeps. and you have just an
nullcd Dlotwina's solemn vow o. live
and die the pure hrtruthcd Of our Sligo
bald. Which oath shall now hc broken:
Hers or yours
The old nights head sank upon his
breast. and he sighed
1T Is ever thus. Heaven confrrs It's
most precious gifts. aud man in his I'M
bridlcd delight uses them To his ruin
The whole band regarded their d.
trcSsed master SOrruwfully. Then -.
otwlna opened her lovely lips in 4
smile like that of m angel and said:
Father and mother. do not grieve.
/ | think our oaths are not so conflicting
as you imagine"
And, turning toward the old peasant,
| she continued:
How do you know that your leader
of last night was RichardE
"ln Gods name, gracious lady, who
else could 1t bc?' replied the old man.
He wore the colors Of our masters
! house and Its arms were on his scarf
and shield Even his speech and man
ner and way OF riding We're like our
| lords. And he cried out the family
name as mighty battlccry every time
/ that he Charged the cncmy's ranks.
| Indeed, he told uS that we We're fight
! Ing under n shoot of the true stock.
| Who, then, could 1t have been but Sir
| Richard? Though, in truth, no one
/ saw his features. for he kept his visor
down"
Then let me tell what happened to
me last night" said Dlotwina in q
! clear voice. "and give careful heed to
what say, for | speak the pure truth
| as n yurc maiden should. | stood at
my window. and my tears fell upon 4
! beautiful myrtle bush which In former
! happy days | had intended for my
| bridal wreath. Now it had reached the
| fullncSs of its beauty. but the feast
which 1t should hav" Gvaced was never
/ to he. | 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 sine" gone
to bed. | was afraid Then the door
was pushed half open and an arm in,
caScd In steel was thrust inside my
room. holding scarf which had en-
/ broidcrcd for my bctrothrd and which
was laid in the coffin with him. Then
/ Sigrhalds voice said:
1T is |. May | com" in without
frightening you to death"
lin Gods name cried. trembling
with fear and hope,
/ Then the pale youth stepped slowly
and gravCly 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 corpse or glowing with tender
love. as they were in NE.
ado you still need the myrtle for
your maria &c day. he asked me kind
is.
Il shook my head.
'N"vcrmGrc, trulyT
Il shook my head again.
Then, Il" begged conXinGly, gentle
and true hearted as he ever was in
life weave N" a wreath Of victory Of
it. my dear little bride. For see, it is
permitted me- to accomplish the work
of revenge and dclivcraucc in this pale,
earthly form, and when it is again laid
in its coffin it will tax" the wreath Of
victory with it,
Il bound and bound drftly and twin
ed all the blossoms into Il beautiful
wreath. My hctruthrd stood, silent and
patient. at the door When had finish
ed he knclt before me. set the wreath
on his helmet, and he rose, saying:
"'Do not he alarmed, dear love, if
you hear the din of battle in the val
leys. 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 rs | used to
do when he loft me for merry iouSt.
Only when heard him Callop away on
his horse so fast and so eagerly into
Che night did the terror come over me
again.
Now YOU know who your dcliycrcr
was, dear, faithful people. aud if YOU
will open the chapel and the coffin, as ]
pray you to do, the victor'S wreath on
the helmet oC my hetrothed will bear
testimony to the truth OF my words
The people looked at one another in
doubt and silence. The suspicion rose
IN many minds that Diotwina'S brain
had been affected by the wonderful
events Of the night, and perhaps also
by a terribl" dream; but when they re
called how calmly she had come out
of the cottage to meet them ut tn"
edge of the wood there was no longer
room for this idea, and indeed the
peasants remembered that their leader,
after he had assembled them. had
been missing for a space and had re-
turned with n beautiful wreath crown
ing his helmet. SO it was dorC as bio
tWina begged. The chapel was 0pcncu,
and the dame. who was doubtful
whether the bones of her precious dead
ought to be exposed to view so auda-
cously, was satisfied by the peasants
promise to keep guard ut the tomb I'M
til the door and lock We're made fast
again. But when it was seen what
| powerful resistance the rIlStpu door of.