Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1910-05-11

The lady of Castle Cliff was weary,
SO weary that she had slipped away
from the magnificent ballroom where
flashing lights and dreaming music,
superb Jewels and rarest flowers ran
riot in beauty and color. and sought
the wind and wave swept shore, wan
derfng among the rocks and cliffs that
like grim giants guarded an enchanted
coast
How calm and grand and beautiful
it all was, From the Castle on the
Cliff floated the strains of wonderful
music, down, down. until they min
gled in an almost fairylike sweet
ness with the rush of the silver tlde
From every castle window blaze OF
light streamed far out on the due
shimnaering waters. Many times had
sailors blessed the Lady of Castle Cliff
as they called her when. battling Tor
their lives in the angry storm waves,
they had come in sight of the bril-
liantly lighted castle and of the i'm
mense electric star that seemed to
hang suspended in air. although he4d
by a giIded statue on the tower, ana
that flashed a message of hope and
courage to the heart-weary men,
Little paths of silver rippled over
the blue quivering waters, tiny, gold
en- stars embedded in their hearts;
perfect replica of the starry heavens
above.
One could not imagine a heart I'M
happy on such a night as this, and es-
pecially one for whom life seemed to
sold SO much as the lady of Castle
Cliff And yet it was not the sweet
night wind alone that sighed as 1t
gently ruff1ed the foam crested waves.
neither was it the answering echo OF
the restless. shimmering waves, for
it broke from the lips of the girl on
the shore, her burning cheek pressed
close against the greateful GOODNESS of
projecting cliff. And yet. there was
no one to blame for her present un-
happiness but herself.
When the crash that swept
away every penny of her fathers for
tune, John Lyndon, his hfelong
friends, had come quickly to his as
sistance. and placed him firmly back
gain among the men of his world
Then he asked his daughters hand IN
marriage, and Edith Mayberry, just
home from school, the world stretch
ing broad and beautiful before her,
and filed with the romantic idea that
she was saving her father from pow
erty by this marriage. consented to
become his bride.
John Lyndon. shy and reserved. but
with a heart of pure gold, soon found
he was no match for his beautiful,
pleasure loving wife. She craved the
Wild excitement of travel and society
and laughed at his sometimes awkward
show of affection. But after the first
few months of their married life he
never spoke of love to her again. he
made his books his companions and
although ever kind and gentle, humor-
ing her every whim, she felt that
something had gone out of her life,
and the day came when she hungered
for the love she had scornfully thrown
away She knew that she herself had
killed his love for her, and her mighty
pride forbade her giving utterance to
the affection that was daily growing
in her heart for her noble husband
And above in the Castle tonight,
while her guests drank deep of the
chalice of pleasure and happiness, their
hostess wandered among the rocks on
the sAore. drinking deeply of the chal-
ice of misery and discomfort.
But evidently she was not the only
enc abroad on the beach that night,
for even then footsteps sounded on the
rocks above and two men. one OF them
her husband and the other his college
friend seated themselves a short dis
lance away The rocks hid her from
their view and her presence there re-
manned unknown.
This reminds me of the nights at
Cliffhurst," her husbands friend was
saying. II could almost wish that
some kind fairy would wave her wand
above US and transport us back to
Cliffhurst and our boyhood days. What
say YOU Lyndon? For what would
you ask the kind fairy?'
"Only one request would 1 make of
her gracious majesty.
And that is"
The love of the girl who bears my
name"
The other whistled softly, but John
Lyndon was on his feet in an instant.