The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-01

Dalryn1ple. first Lord stair 1t is anothe
proof of thc old truism that no ina inatio
real life produces, If the incident Of tn
wedding night were not n part OF estnb
been criticized many times for having IN
roduced wild and ''lmprobnbe'' seen
IN his story.
Apart from this, which Is really the nc
ti,stns motive of the whole book. the au
thor has given the world famous char
deter in Caleb Baldcrstone. thc senescha
OF Volts Cras. whose fierce solicitude .fol
the proud name OF his adored house OF
Ravenswood leads him into the most nmaz
Ing subterfuSes to hide the poverty OF Ill,
CASTLE
- hardly novel. but rather most ras-
Grating story whose many Incidents play
only loosely around the two central fig
urcs Lucy Ashton and Edgar Ravens wood
There is a lack of the intimate interaction
% incidents and characters that is needed
to make novel; but this fact docs not de-
tract from the value of the story as IA
story. though the book ha, little of the
changing lisnts and the glowing woof of
such of scott's novels as "1yanhoc," ''rhc
Heart Of Midlothian" etc.
IN the gorge OF mountain pass
commanding the road between the
Merse and the Lothians, In SOUTH
II eastern Scotland, there stood
through many centuries a great
castle whose owners, the Lords of
Ravenswood, were OF race OF power
full barons internnrried with the Doug
1asses, Swintons, Hayses and most othe,
families whose history is woven into
that of Scotland. But the family grad
ually fell from its high estate. BY the
middle of the seventeenth century the
castle had declined greatly from its
splendor. and toward the period of the
Revolution the last proprietor was
all IN 4. ~. l..
family seat and to remove himself to
VOLTS Crag. the last remaining pos
session OF his family, sea- beaten,
lonely tower facing the bleak German
Ocean.
There he dwelt, bitter, vindictive.
giving himself up to hatred of men. and
of one man particularly-Sir William
Ashton. who had become the owner of
the Castle of Ravenswood after many
involved pecuniary transactions with
Lord Ravenswood.
Sir William Ashton was descended
from n family much less ancient than
that Of the Ravenswoods, having risen
to wealth and Importance only during
the civil wars. Sir William had been
trained to the bar. and had held high
offices, maintaining through life the
profitable position of a fisher in trou-
bled waters till he had attained at last
TO the nigh rank of Lord Keeper
He had been helped materially In his
ambitions by his wife. who was OF a
greater family than his, and who ruled
all about her with only one object in
her mind-that of satisfying her am
bition for rank and her lust for power,
at any cost.
Fearless and imperious, with the hot
blood of the Douglasses in her veins.
she noted with disdain the storm of
hatred that tapped around her hus-
bands ears when he took possession Of
the ancient estates and she sneered ut
The fury of Ravenswood. Her husband
never bold man at best, did not share
Lady Ashton's naughty contempt of the
Rayenswoods. but listened with per.
turbed spirit to the dark sayings of the
countryside and to the grim tales toldi
by the old gossips of the black ven
Seances and bloody deeds of the fallen
house.
Ills fear was not lesscned by the
death of Lord Ravenswood His Lord
ship expired breathing curses against
the usurper. and his son listened TO
them as If they conveyed TO him
legacy of vengeance. At the funeral
which was surrounded with pomp to
stranger: an officer of the law, hear
Ing variant signed by the Lord
Keeper, tried TO prevent the conduct
OF the services by an Episcopal clergy
man, which was contrary to the law
of the time.
Immediately young Edgar Ravens
wood had out his sword and a hum
dred others flashed response in the
hands of his cavalier kinsmen and
friends.
The next day the outraged officer
laid his story before the Lord Keeper.
with the additional information as to
the menaces in which the Angry party
had INDUCED after the funeral. Tho
Lord Keeper saw that the young master
of Ravenswood, by Ills own utterances,
no less than those of his friends, had
delivered himself into his hands. forI
they had spoken omen treason against
the ruling party of Scotland, which
the cavalier families hated most cor
daily.
Yet Sir William. Ashton hesitated
about laying The Information before
his colleagues of the Privy Council
He was oppressed by the crest of tho
family. that looked on him from all
parts of the castle---the black bull's
head, with the sinister legend. II bid
my time Despite his anxiety to re.
move The last of the Ravenswoods from
his path. he dared not take tho decisive
step.
= His INDIGESTION was enhanced nv the
absence of his wife,who would have
seized oil the opportunity without
moments hesitation. AS II was, the
Lord Keeper pondered, hewildered. he
tween two issues: one, the ever present
danger that the Master of Ravenswood
might gain the ear of the British
House of Peers. which, under the Treaty
OF Union, had jurisdiction over MANY
Scott1sn matters, and which would he
all too willing to restore The estates
10 we Ravenswoods, and the other, the
sun more Imminent danger of bodily
3harm from the fiery, gloomy yo,lnts
nobleman. who was known ia fear
nothing.
The end of his troubled reflootions
was mat he locked the charges I'm his
oesh and sought distraction by walk
ing In the park with his daughter
Lucy, on whom he bestowed all the
love that such calculating natures as
his could own He looked as-her ex-
auisite beauty With delight as indeed.
B dld all who saw those gentle, timid
features that Seemed fnrmaa ~ III