Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-06-06
CHAPTER XVI.

When the earliest dream is over,
And life is only pain,
Then the grave beneath the clover
Seems all that can remain.
But every breeze that passes
Takes fewer sighs away,
And the grave beneath the grasses
May wait another day"
The red room at Selwyn Castle was
a most peculiar apartment; it was
very large, having been once used as
a state bedchamber. and contained
three lofty windows. For the sake
of perfectly understanding what fol-
lows. will the reader try to imagine
long. lofty room, by no means square.
the three windows overlooking the
park? One of the Ladies Selwyn-
-Sybilla, wife of Lord Bertrand the
Cavalier-fancying the apartment too
large to be either warm or comfortable,
had ordered it to be hung with Grim
son velvet. A huge piece of crimson
tapestry was placed across the room,
so as to make it seem smaller, thus
making two apartments of one. That
portion of the red room where the heir
of the Selwyns lay was by far the
larger; it held two windows. The one
window, and was used as a kind of
ante-chamber.
1t as a room in every way suitable
for illness. Nurses and attendants
could remain in the ante-chamber
without disturbing the invalid. All the
parapheraalia of illness-medicine bot
ties. etc, could be kept there.
So the reader sees this room in his
fancy: the crimson tapestry, in which
many a quaint figure was worked,
stretched across; a large and very
handsome bedstead, with crimson
hangings, stood with the head against
the tapestry.
Any one in the ante-room could part
the curtains and look in at the sleeper
without disturbance or sound. BY the
side of the bed stood a small. round
stand wherein Mrs. Rivers kept what
was Immediately necessary for the
boys use.
Near the stand was placed an easy
chair for the nurses; the room was
handsomely furnished; there was a
large oaken wardrobe, a superb cheval-
glass. a mantel-piece, magnificently
sculptured; it was altogether cheerful,
warm AID pleasant.
The doctors sad, almost hopeless
words were soon known throughout
the house: "Unless the opiate sends
him to sleep. he must die; nothing
but sleep can save him." Lord Selwyn
sent for Mrs. Rivers. to tell her and
arrange with her as TO who. on this
night, should keep watch by his sens
side.
His lordship was in the dining-room;
my lady, holding her beautiful child in
her arms. was by his side. The ser
wants had been in twice to see if the
lamps should be lighted, but Lord
Selwyn had dismissed them; the din
iner had been carried untasted from the
table. There was gloom. desolation
and misery everywhere. Lord Sell
wyn. with his haggard face bent over
the fire, looked the very image of
utSUdlIs ne pay VI wv N+@N
room. over the beautiful lady clad in
costly velvet. and wearing cleaning
Jewels. over the lovely little child
leaping for joy in her arms. There
was no sorrow in her face. only when
Lord Selwyn turned toward her;
then there was an attempt at SYM
pathy-but not very successful enc.
Suddenly Lady Beatrice rose and laid
the boy upon the soft. thick hearthrug.
She went up to Lord Selwyn and put
her arms round his shoulders.
"vivian," she said, Il am truly griev-
ed for you. But do not sorrow as one
who has no hope; remember. even
should you lose poor Rupert, you have
little Lance and me-"
81 know" he said; you are very
kind, Beatrice. OF course, / love lit
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