Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1903-06-17

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mothers knee. petted by her father
and the idui Of her brothers. Two Of
her brothers fell fighting by the side
of Prince Rupert, her mother wept
herself into the grace for them, her
father is still nursing the wound he
got at Naseby, and her only brother,
Stephen, Is with Charles Stuart, wher.
ever he may be- II such troubles did
not change a girl she would be hewn
from the very rock Of selfshness"
On her way home Matilda sat erect,
lost in thought, and her eyes had
look in them full of anxiety and sor-
row. The sadness Of an immense dis
illusion was over her. Her life had
gone to ruin, but she trusted that
some miracle would restore It. All
her old friends had departed. The
grave had some; others had taken diff
ferent ways, or battle and exile had
scattered them BY the side Of her
sick father she stood alone. Oppressed
by such considerations, she felt like
child that suddenly realizes 1t has
lost its way and is left alone in
wilderness.
Nothing in her surroundings offered
her any help The road was nat and
dreary; q wide level intersected with
deep drains and "droveso-a poor,
rough, moist land, whose horizon was
only broken by the towers Of Ely, vast
and gray in the distance. Large iron
gates admitted her to de Wick park.
The house was quadrangular build.
ing Of various dates, and gray walls
rising from trim gardens with box
edged flower plots and clipped yew
hedges. An old-world sleepy air, lone
ly and apart and full Of melancholy,
pervaded the place,
The door stood open, and she passed
without delay into the wide entrance
hall, and went leisurely up the broad
stairway Her hat with its moist
dropping feathers, was in her hand;
her hair hung Imply about her brow
and face; she was the very picture Of
beauty that had suffered the touch
of adverse nature, and the depression
of unsympathetic humanity.
But the moment she entered her
own room she had the sense Of covert
and refreshment. She put off her
sense of alienation and unhappiness
with her damp clothing, and as the
comfort Of renewal came to her out
wardly the inner woman also re.
gained her authority; and the girl
conscious Of this potent personality.
erected herself in its strength and In
diyiduality She surveyed her fresh
ly clad form In its gown of blue lutte
string; she turned right and left to ad-
mife fresh arrangement of her hair;
she put around her neck, without pre-
tense Of secrecy Or apology. the rosary
OF coral ANA HAD admired the
tint and simmer of Its beauty on her
white throat. Then she asked
WAS any stranger with the Earl
at dinner Delia?"
my lady, he dined with Father
Sacy alone"
And pray what did they eat for
dinner7
There was a sucking pig roasted
with juniper wood and rosemary
branches, and a jagged hare, and a
pullet. and some clotted cream and a
raspberry tart All very good, my
lady; viii you please to eat some
thing?"
Yes win have some jagged hare,
and some clotted cream, and rasp-
berry tart-and a glass of Sapnish
wine, Della, and pitcher Of new
milk Have them served as soon as
possible
She took one comfortable glance at
/ herself, and in the pleasure of its as
surance went downstairs. Her step
was now firm and rapid, yet she
paused moment at the door of the
room she wished to enter, and called
up smiles to her face and sort OF
cheerful bravado to her manner ere
she lifted the steel hasp that admitted
her. In a moment her quick eyes took
a survey OF its occupants. They were
only two men Earl de Wick, and his
chaplain, Father Sacy Both were
reading; the Earl Sir Philip Sidney
'Arcadia"j the chaplain, the evening
service IN the book Of common prayer
Neither Of them noticed her entrance
and she went straight to her fathers
side, and covering the open page with
her hand, said in a merry tone
Here is noble dwelling in Ar
cadia, while the great captain-General
Cromwell
"The DEVIL"
is going up and down and to and
fro in the land, seeking whom he may
devour. ] have been at ely and at
Swaffham, gathering what news can,
and / assure you, sir, there is none
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