The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-15

for the Dukes of Rutland. they have been for centuries more proud of Do- rothy and John than of all their other noble ancestors and ancestresses put together. and would rather give up Belvoir castle than the story of their elopement.
 NIR GEORGE VERNON, the last
 male representative of that an 0 cient family bearing the name, was one of the most magnificent men of his time. At Haddon Hall, his Derbyshire home, he kept such state that he was generally known as the King of the Peak-the allusion being to that well-known mountain in minia- ture, the Peak of Derbyshire. This was In the reign of Elizabeth. and our story opens in the year of grace 1560. Eliza beth looked upon the last of the Yer mons with suspicion, knowing that he was inclined to the old religion and to the claims of her cousin. Mary of Scot land. to the British throne. It was only the handsome person and witching tongue of Sir George, people said, which prevented Queen Bess from abridging his provincial designation with the headsman's axe.
 Sir George was given to hunting and hawking, his chase dogs were of the most famous sort and his falcons had the fairest and most certain flight of any in England. That foreign weapon the arquebus was just coming into gen. eral use, but Sir George would have none of such new -fangled contraptions and hunted with the bow and arrow as his ancestors had done for 1000 years or more. And well he might. for he drew the strongest bow and shot the truest arrow of any man In England. Then he delighted in jousting, and 1t was a matter of indifference to him whether the lances were blunt or sharp. Stately of form. with a noble, free and natural grace of manners. there was not the like of Sir George Vernon ia camp or court and the unimpaired baronial style of his living at Haddon Hall was known everywhere, even be- yond- the seas, and attracted many a noble guest to his doors.
 But the magnificence of his establish ment was not the only lure of Haddon. Sir George had fair daughter, Dora, or Dorothy. Dorothy was a beauty, and many a lord and knight came wooing her. She was a girl that held her head high, was willful and impatient of control. having inherited her fathers spirit and being quite a match for him when 1t came to the question of having her own way. Dor othy was girl with skin like ivory, and her shapely head was crowned with a mass of hair that was in color like molten gold alloyed with copper. Her eyebrows and her eyelashes were dark; and dark were her eyes, which would shoot out imperious glancA of command or melt with deep tenderness as the mood came and went with her. So high in birth was the family of Vernon that even royalty might have married with Dorothy without demeaning itself, and Sir George oc- cupied much of his spare time in picking out suitable matches for his lovely daugh- ter.
 But Dorothy had already made up her mind-she was going to marry Sir John Manners, the son of the Earl of Rutland. Now, If there was any one person for whom the Lord of Haddon had deep seated hatred 1t was for the Earl of Rut- land The earl and Sir George had had a lawsuit together and Sir George had rot the worst of 1t, whereupon he had taken to drink and hatred. Sir John lived much at court, where he was reputed to be rather wild fellow, and Dorothy, like dutiful daughter. had thought it her duty to hate him and all the Manners family. But Sir John making a trip to ha nd L. ly met.
 The thing was done; they fell in love at first sight. One of the handsomest men of his times, Manners could but love the most beautiful woman of those times. Of course Manners could not come to Had don Hall to sec his charmer. However, there were servants who could be bribed h those days as well as in these and love laughed at locksmiths then as now. Many a secret meeting did Dorothy and hor lover have beheath the great oaks of the Chase of Haddon. where they carved each others initials on the bark of the trees and swore eternal fidelity to each other.
 My dear Dora." said Sir George to her one day, 'it is high time you began to think of marriage Many suitors have been here seeking your hand, but, child, you seem hard to suit. Now, will pick husband for you. You will please to marry Sir James Stanley, son and heir of the Earl of Derby" T will not marry the son of the Earl of Der by," replied Dorothy. T will only marry with the man love-and I do not love Sir James Stanley" "Wench! wench!" cried the old man, in a. rage. take care what 'tis you say. You cannot de- ceive your father. There is more in this than seems. What springald have you got into your head now? Who is it? Stanley Is about the tenth man I have proposed for you and never yet was maiden so hard to suit but had already made her choice. But come. daughter, my anger oools. You are a good girl, after all, though too much of your father in you to be managed easily Come, tell me who the gallant Is, and If he is of suitable birth-why, take my blessing along with him, my Dora.-
 Dorothy blushed, but looked her father straight in the eyes as she r5- piled: Well, sir. what say you to Sir John Manners? Surely he is of sufl, lent