The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-05-28
A GILDED SIN
BY CHARLOTTE II. BRBAMG.
CHAPTER !.

ing. than these.
So Sir Jasper Brandon thought on
this Christmas eve. When the mystery.
the beauty, and tenderness Of Christ
mas seemed to stir the quiet atmoS-
phere Of Queens CAace. He sat alone
in his library Outside the SKY was
clear and blue, the air colo and biting:
the hoar-froSt lay white on the ground
the trees. the hedges, and the ever
greens were bright with it. Through
the silent frosty air came the Joyous
music Of ofChriStmaS bells. What poe
try they held. those Christmas bells
What sorrow. what pain, what lost
love, what dead hopes, what pathetic
happiness. He listened, and his face
grew sadder as the music came Sweeter
and clearer. Other music as sweet and
hopeful came to h:m-the sounds OF
laughter and song. for Queens Chace
was filed with visitors. and they were
keeping Christmas right Loyalty. He
wished the bells would cease ringing:
there was some mute reprOach to him
in the sound. He wished that Christ
mas were over: it brought him sad and
sorrowful memories. The one folly Of
his youth had grown intoa lash which
,scourged him, which brought deep lines
of pain and sorrow into his face, which
darkened the bright world and caused
even Christmas to be full OF sad memo
rieS.
As he sat thinking it all over, it
seemed to him that one folly was to
him the dearest part Of his life. Even
now, when years had closed over it,
when time should have almost Obliter-
ated it-even now it was the brightest
recollection he had; it stood out a
golden memory from the background
Of dark life-a love so sharp, so sud-
den, so beautiful, so keen, so passion
ate, that the dead ashes OF it stirred
the life within him. This was the
story of his folly and his love.
He, Sir Jasper Brandon, was the only
son Of his parents. His father, Sir
Francis, married late in life: his
mother, Lady Maud, was young: he
was their only child, and he was wor-
SHIPPED after fashion that could have
naught but evil results. The anxiety
with which his mother watched by his
little bed, her agony Of fear if even his
finger ached, his fathers equally
speeches. pride and JOY in him, were
almost piciful to behold: they would
fain have regulated even the very
breath Of heaven which blew on him.
No child was ever so surrounded with
love and care. He grew up the very
idol Of their hearts and what seemed
wonderful was that the boy returned
this love by one equally passionate and
devoted.
The BrandonS came Of a Norman
race, courtly, passionate, and silent
a race capable of grandeSt deeds, but
silent and reserved, imperiouS IN love.
implacable in war-Swift, keen, sure.
silent--a race that led hidden lives
that the world never knew. They were
all alike, these BrandonS 0f Queens
Chace, dark, proud, naughty, passion
ate men, swift to love, and loving with
terrible intensity; swift to hate, and
hating with bitter animosity-men OF
strong passions, Of great virtues and
great faultS-handSOme men, all OF
them, with dark, clear-cut proud faces
faces too that men trusted and WO-
men loved.
The young heir, Jasper Brandon,
was in no way inferior to his ancestors.
In his twentieth year the manhood
mlUlIll IIttu SSCulSu SUNlISIlLN w ahOASL4
to life. He would have no more indul-
gence, no more petting and humoring.
They might love him just as much.
even more if they could. but he must
assert his rights. He told his parents
that he was going on a tour through
Europe, and that for the next year or
two they must be content to trust him
to himself; yet, when the time came
for bidding them adieu, he almost re-
pented of his decision. His mother
clung to him, her tender arms clasplng
his neck, her tears falling on his face
bis father held his hands.
You will remember, Jasper" he
said, THAT you hold my life in your
hands. I should never survive any
wrong-doing Of yours"
He smiled to himself, this proud
young heir, thinking how improbable
it was that he would be guilty Of any
''wrong-doing."
If you live until l grieve you,
father,n he answered, you will never
de-" and those were his farewell
words.
He travelled through Norway and
Sweden, through Germany and uol-
land, through fair France and sunny
Spain; but he fingered longest in fair
and fruitful Italy, where ii seemed to
him that his soul first woke TO its full
and perfect life. Venice had the
greatest charm for him: imperial
Rome, gay Florence, ancient Verona,
time-honored Milan, were all beautl-
full, but Venice charmed him: he loved
it as a lover loves his mistress. All
the poetry and passion of his nature
woke to life there. The dark old
palaces, the silent canals, the tranquil
waters, the swiftly gliding gondoiaS,
were all 50 many poems to him. lie
stood one day musing as he looked at
the sculptured walls OF ducal palace
muSing on the grand old Eeronese
tragedy OF Romeo and Juliet. think
ing Of the balcony scene, and the love
that must have ShOne in the glr! 5 face
there, when suddenly from the lattice
Of a window near girls face .peeped
Cut-a girls face-and he saw 1t only
for one minute, yet in that minute
the whole current Of his LIE was
changed. Before that he had thought
that at some distant time be should
marry. and that fair children would
grow up around him. but he had given
no thought to love. Now a swift deep
love took possession Of him: he felt that
that girls face was the star OF his lie:
1t was only girls face. with hair OF
light gold, and eyes OF darkest hue-a
face with 4 beautiful mOuth-l face
that, once seen, could never be forgot
ten. The girl looked slowly up and
down the broad waters: then her eyes
fell on the face upraised 10 hers. and
she disappeared.
BY dint of perSeverjng inquiry he
found out who she WAS. and learned
her history: he resolved that he would
marry her Her name was CHUNG dl
Cynthia. and she lived alone in Gull.
gloomy, half-ruined old palace with
her elder sister AsSunta. They were