The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-03-01
BY SIR WAETER 4VOTT

s%tairs % If is another proof of the old trnisrn that no imagination can com ceive situations more wonderful thar real life produces. If the incident of established history. Scott no doubt would have been criticised many times for having introduced 50 wild and i'm spset from sssns sss VI mno s s sSsy the author has given tie world a famous character in Caleb Balderstone the sen- eschal of Wolf's Graz. whose fierce so- iieitude for the proud name of his adored house of Ravenswood leads him Into the most amazing subterfuEes to
 For the rest. .'The bride Of 'Iammer- moor" is hardly a novel. but rather most fascinating story whose many In ssidsnts play only loosely around the Tdsar eeRsrs Ravsnswoos Sss. FSsSe s is lack of the intimate intersection of Incidents and characters that is needed to make from the value of the story as story. though the book has little of the changing lights and the slowing wooI of such of ecott's novels as T1vanhoe." ssThe Heart of Midlothian" etc.
 ff the gorge of mountain pass com fhasding the road between the Merse and the Lothians. in southeastern Scot land. there stood through many cen
 
 Lords Of Ravenswood. were of race of powerful barons fntermarried with the Douglasses, Swintons. Hayses and most other families whose history Is woven into that of Scotland. But the Family gradually fell from it's high co., tate By the middle of the seventeenth century the castle had declined greatly from it's splendor, and toward the pes riod of the Revolution the last propri- etor was compelled to part with the an- cient family seat and to remove himself to Wolf's Graz, the last remaining pos 2 session of his family. q sea-beaten, lonely tower facing tho bleak German ocean. -8s
 There he dweIt. bitter. vindlctive. giving himself up to hatred of men and of one man particuIariy-ASir 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 family much less ancient than {. that of the Ravenswoods having risen 10 wealth and importance only during the civi1 wars. Sir William had been trained to the bar and had held high ofiieea. maintaining through life the profitable position of q fisher in trou- bied waters till he had attained at last 10 the high rank of Lord Keeper
 He had been, helped materially ivl ilis ambitions by his wife. who was of a gfeater family than hts. and who ruled all about her with only one object in her riind--that of satisfying her am bltion for rank and her lust Tor power. at any cost
 Feariess and innperfous. with tAs hot blood of the Doneiasses in her veins, she noted with IisdaiT the storm of hatred that iapped around her hus- bands ears when he took possession of,tbe ancient posseaalon of the ancient eststee. and she sneefed at the fury of Ravenswood. Her husband. rever bold man at best, did not share Lady Aehton'e naughty contempt of the Eav- engwoods, but listened with perturbed spirit tc the dark sayings of the cour- trgaf0e and % the grim talan told by tha old gossips of the black venaeaneea and bloody deeds Of the fallen fouse.
 His fear was not 1essened bv the death of Lord RAvenswood His Lord ship expired breathing curses aeainst the usufper. and his son listened to them as If they conveyed to him legacy of vengeance. At the funeral. which was surrounded with pomp to which the living man mad long been stranger an ofiicer of the law, bearing . warrant signed by the Lord Keeper, srisd to prevent the conduct of the ser- vices by an Episcopalian clergyman, which was contrary to the law Of the time
 IEnnediateIy young Edgar Ravens. word had out his sword and d hundred others dashed response in the hands of his cavalier kinsmen and friends.
 The next day the outraged officer iaid his story before the Lord Keeper, with the additional Information as to the Inenaces in which the angry party had tnduiged after the funeral. The I,ora Keeper saw that the young Master of RAvenswood. by his own ufteranees no lehs than those of his friends. had delivered himself Into his hands. for they had spoken open treason against the ruling party of Scotland, which the cavalier families hated most cordially.
 Yet Sir William Ashton hesitatsd about laying the lnformation before hls colleagues Of the Privy Council. He was oppressed by the crest of the fam- fly, that looked on him from all parts of the castle--the black buil's head with the sinister legend. n bide my tlne.' Despite his anxiety to -elnOvo the last of the Ravenswoods from his path he dared not tako the decisive step.
 His Indeeision was enhanced by the absence of his wife, who would have seized on the opportunity without a moments hesitation. AS Is waa she Lord Keeper pohdered, bew.idered be- tween two. issues: one the ever.pres- enI 0anBfr thaI the H3aHfer or Havena- wood might gain the ear of the British House of Peers. which, under the Treaty of Union, had jurisdtction over many Scottish matters, and which would be all too willing to restore the estates of Ravenswoods. and the other, the still more imminent danger of bodily harm from the fiery. gloomy young mo- bleman, who was known to fear noth- ing.
 The end of his troubled reflections gas that he locked the charges in his @esl< and sought distraction by walk fng in the park with his daughter . Lucy, on whom he bestowed all the love that such calculating natures as hIs could own. He looked at her exquis- ite beauty with delight as. indeed. did all who saw those gentle. timid fea- lures that seemed formed to express peace of mind and indifference to the tlnseI of the world. Her hair of shadowy gold lay like dream of pal. fl.l sunshine on her brow. There was something of the Madonna about her. and the softness and yielding nature of her mind increased the love which her wary and worldly father felt for her fr equal measure with her proud, arrogant soldier brother. who worshipped her more even than the distinction for which he lusted.
 The two wandered far through the wooded afsIes of the stately, sombre dorsafn Thsv had a0na q mile ar more