davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
A Straggler Caught

It was apparent to every one that the two seemed drawn to each other in an unusual degree. A fierce jealousy which he could not suppress sprang up In A.an- dolph's heart-and the willy Glenalvon fed the fires of suspicion artfully,
 After the attack upon Randolph scouts had been sent out to SCOUT the forces in the hope of apprehending some of his fugitive assailants.
 The real culprits they. of course. did not find; but they brought to the castle an old man whom they had found wan dering in the wood.
 He declared that he was but simple shepherd, but when the scouts searched him they found upon him some jewels of value, which articles were so out of keeping with the account he gave of himself and his condition that his case looked suspicious. f
 They thought the man was robber evidently, and, in spite of his plea that they would let him proceed to the royal camp where, he said, he had a ron, they took him to the castle.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
A Marrow Escape

Having inquired of the castle servants where Lord Randolph was. and learnin : that he had gone unattended to visit the royal camp. but was expected back be- fore nightfal. Glenalvon himself went hastily out of the castle and dlsap- peared In the woods which surround the gothic pile. L
 Toward night Lady Randolph heard a sound of camor and confusion at one of the gates of the castle, and, attended by Anna, went to inquire the cause of it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
BY JOHN HOME
that name Is the boy known. ;

that name Is the boy known
 For a minutes Matilda could not speak, Then she said slowly. speaking as if in a dream:
 Upon your faith depends the fate of your former masters house. Do you remember little lonely hut that perches like a hermitage upon the cliffs of Car ron? Go you there and stay there until you again hear from me.
 You will find there an old man who spent his life In my fathers service. Tell him I sent you.
 told me to any one. The child who has so long called you father is the son of Doug las and Sir Malcolm's heir. Go now; be secret
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
Glenaivon's Dark Heart

Lord Randolph took the youth to the plain before the castle where his re- tainers were encamped and tested him in his knowledge of the military art.
 So we'll did Norval come through the ordeal that Randolph declared that he should not only go to the war with him, but be next to himself and equal to
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
TreacherOus Praise

Glenalvon first sought out the servant whom Norval had brought with him from his Grampian home, the man who had fled like a coward, as he was, when his master rushed to the assistance of the imperiled Randolph.
 The man had recovered from his fright sufficiently to come into camp before the castle. and Glenalvon had a long talk with him, but could discover nothing more of his master than Norval had already told himself. Then he began to praise Norval to Lord Randolph.
 How thankful you ought to be, kinsman,' he said. ito have a wife wno loves you so. Why. her gratitude to this brave young man for saving your life is such that she seems actually to love Noryal for your sake.'
 Randolph scowed, and. as Glenalvon had intended, took especial notice of the bearing of his wife and Norval when the two were together.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
Jewels Arouse Suspicion

Randolph, Glenalvon and Norval were busy in the camp on the plain when the prisoner was brought to the castle. One of his captors sent word to Lady Ram dolph of what had happened, and gave Anna a jewel found on the man to show her.
 Anna ran with the news and the jewel to her lady. Matilda gave one look ct
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
Jealousy Aroused

Servants appearing, Lady Randolph said to her son that she had sent note to him bidding him meet her privately at midnight, when she would tell him fur ther details of his birth and of what she proposed to do in recognizing him as her offspring.
 Lord Randolph, whose jealousy, as has been said, had been excited by Glenalvon, was filed with sorrow and rage when the chieftain showed him the letter.
 Matilda never loved me- he ,risd; 'tlet no man, hereafter, wed woman whose heart he has not, though she. bring to him a kingdom for dowry. She will bring upon him the worst of sorrows and the worst of shames.
 And you tell me that this wife tf mine has even freed, without explanation, the man who was though to be one of my attempted murderers? This passes all
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01

As she entered the court the cause of the commotion was revealed to her, for, surrounded by inquiring and indignant vassals,s she saw Lord Randolph come in through the gate with bloody sword in his hand.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
This Was My Son"

All was done so quickly that Lady Ram dolph, bewildered and distracted with hor- ror was helpless to prevent it.
 Anna, who had been awaiting her mis- tress at little distance, ran up to Lord Randolph and seizing his arm rapidly told him that his lady had been married to a Douglas before she had wed him- self, and that the young man whom he had attacked was her son.
 Gienalvon, the dark plotter, lay dead upon the ground; young Douglas lay swaying upon his sword before his agon- ized mother, and Lord Randolph. crying out that he had made a great mistake, was "the stain of knighthood and of arms" begged his wife's forgiveness.
 But she scarcely heard him for. just at that moment Douglas, crying out My mother. o, my mother! fixed his eyes upon her, and, falling to the earth. died at her feet.
 bord Randolph, still accusing himself and begging forgiveness. knelt before his wife. She turned upon him an eye which had in it strange, wild gleam, and said
 What have. I to do with you-or with anything. This was my son. l was a wife and mother once. What am I now?'
 She gazed about wildly. and then cry ing out that "Such son and such a husband drove her to fate.'' ran down one of tho woodland paths.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
Her Own Son

And what is your name?' asked Lady Randolph who, though her brain seemed on fire, had managed to keep an outward calm.
 ''Norval,' replied the man. and by
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
Her Day of Mourning

Some 1S years before Matildas only brother had fallen in battle, and year after year she had kept the day of his death as a day of mourning. That day came around now as the vassals of Lord Randolph were gathering beneath his battlements to march against the Danish Invaders.
 On that day Lord Randolph, coming upon his lady dressed in deep mourning, and leaning pensively upon her arm upon one of the battlements of the castle said to her:
 Matilda, you do wrong to cherish this woe year after year. It is vain to oe- stow so much thought upon the silent dead; the living claims some duty. Time, which wears out the deepest sorrow, seems to have passed over you in vain.
 s'You are no true daughter of old Sir Malcom to mourn so. When your father heard that his son was slain his thoughts were of rage and revenge And when he found that on that same battlefield the son of the Douglas. his hereditary foe, had fallen also, he even smiled"
 Without Single Tear
 My Lord" replied Matilda, the crime of my ancestors was implacable resent meHt; and grieyously has the crime reen, expiated by the extinction of their an- cient race"
 Matilda, never demanded of you, or expected, that ardent love which burns
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
Clenalvou the Kinsman

At the castle, aiding Lord Ranoolph III assembling his vassals and ready to ac- company him to the seat of war, was the baron,s kinsman and heir, the chief Of Glenalvon.
 For though Lord Randolph had for many years been married, he was child less. and the castle and estates, Whlch had come to him with his wife, inherited from her father, old Sir Malcon, were already looked upon as his own bp Glen alvon, who waited with what patience fs might the demise of his powerful and wealthy kinsman.
 And the dark and subtle Glenalvon GOV eted not only his kinsman's castle ana his lands, but his wife as we'll
 Glenalvon was a man schooled in war and of proved and undoubted bravery. To Lord Randolph he always showed the greatest deferenee and attachment ana no one could display more diligence Ill the baron's service than he.
 Though Lady Randolph treated Glenal- yon in public with the courtesy due to her husbands lSinsman, she knew the mans dark and treacherous nature anu mstrusted and feared him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01

banner of the raven, the royal cognizance of Denmark, appeared o 1.-the eastern shore and landing of the invaders was expected at any hour.
 The Scottish King had taken the iiela and had summoned to his aid his faithful nobles, who were now pouring into the royal camp from all quarters of the king dom, followed by their warlike vassais,
 The Kings camp was pitched not lar from the castle of Balarmo and no chief tain prepared more readily to support ms sovereign in his need than the Baron Randolph, Baarmo's lord, whose retain CTS were rapidly gathering in arms be- meath the castle walls.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
Mother and Son Meet

Douglas servant--he who had fled when. the brave youth saved Randolph from the assassins--was in the castle and Lady Randolph bade him take the letter to his master.
 Now Glenalvon had privately suborned this cowardly fellow to keep watch 1ver his master and apprise him, Glenalvon, of all that he did. HSE
 The fellow took the letter for Doug las to Glenalyon, who opened 1t, read it and showed it to Lord Randolph. He resealed 1t and bade the servant keep silent and carry 1t on to Douglas, who was in the camp before the cattle.
 In the meantime-before he had received the letter-chance threw Douglas in the way of Lady Randolph and they were able to have 8 short private interview.
 Lady Randolph hastily and with great emotion told her son of the arrest of his foster father with the jewels, and revealed to the astonished youth the truth concerning his parentage.
 Douglas was overjoyed to find such mother, as was Lady Randolph to clasp to her arms such a son.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
Seeking Death

Follow her, Anna" said Randolph, ''and see that she does no harm to --er- self. l would follow her myself but. in her present state, my presence would be abhorrent to her and but sxnite her anore"
 Presently Anna came running back to where Randolph stood sorrowinS over ths body of Douglas. crying out in terror: My lord. my lord!"
 She said that she had followed Lady Randolph and had seen the distracted woman destroy herself by Jumping from high cliff down into the bosom of a mountain like
 T will not put the passion of my soul into Idle complaints" said Randolph when he had heard the tale of horror. Peace in this world l can have no more. go straight to the battle in whose tum- ult I will seek death and pray that he pass me not by"
 And 1t was in the battle with the Dano, which took place upon the shore of the River Carron the next day, that Ran dolph is supposed to have died-for he was seen no more at Balarmo.
 But the bodies of the slain upon that fateful field were hacked and disfR .ured that Identification was difficult ahd some said that the last of the Randolph. q died. years after. pilgrim penitent in the Holy Land.
 Next weeks one page classic will be "Evelina,'' by Frances Burney.
 Copyright. 19l2s by Irving KinE)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
Tempted by the Gold

The old man then said that some IS years before he had been a tenant of old MT. Malcom, then Lord Balarmo.
 But he had been driven from his hold ing by Sir Malcom's steward, be believed without the old knights knowledge and gone to live in a miserable cottage near the River Carron, where he supported himself and his family principally by fishing.
 One wild and stormy December night he had heard cries for help from the swollen river and, running to the bank beheld a woman who had fallen in the stream drown before his eyes before he could help her--had seen her body swept down the raging river.
 A basket which had dropped from her grasp was floating on the water. Run ming to spot of land which caused the waters to form an eddy he had man aged to rescue the basket in which. when he brought it to shore, he found a living chld-a boy-and with the child were the gems which now her ladyship held in her hands as we'll as a store of gold-enough to make man of his sta- tion rich to possess.
 Tempted by the gold he and his wife had resolved to say nothing concerning the finding of the child and had at once removed to & distant part of the coun- try. in the neighborhood of the Gian- plans, where the treasure found in the basket had enabled him to set up as a prosperous shepherd.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
A Secret Marriage

All three knew that it would be im- possible to get Sir Malcolm to consent to marriage between his daughter and a Douglas
 Nay, if tho identity of the youth should be discovered by the old knight his life would scarcely be protected even by the obligations of hospitality. Balar- mo was perilous place for Douglas to set his foot in-and still more peril ous place for him to make love.
 But Matilda and young Douglas deter mined that neither ancient feuds nor paternal anger should keep them apart. They felt their love overleap all bar riers and resolved, at whatever cost, that they would become man and wife.
 The brother entered into their feelings and their plans It was resolved that they should be secretly married. They were so married and three weeks after Douglas was suddenly summoned to fight his fathers battles. the elder Douglas having declared war upon a neighboring noble.
 In spite of Matilda's tears her brother. young Malcolm, went away to the war with his friend,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
An Appoiptment With Noryal

Then calling to the attendants she said: This man is not the assassin you sus- pected, but the faithful bearer of the jeyels to their rightful owner. See that he is allowed to depart free and un- harmed.
 ''Ah, Anna" she said to her maid who had been present at the interview be- tween her and the old man. T know why it was that Norval caught my favor so suddenly.
 T must now see him privately and tell him, what I shall soon make public, the story of his birth. How I long to clasp his neck and tell him of his father"
 Messengers hurrying to the castle row brought the news of the landing of the Danes. and Randolph gave orders that his troops should be ready to take the route for the royal camp at daybreak the next morning.
 Lady Randolph wrote a nasty note to Norval-or as we should now call him, Douglas, bidding him meet her in se- cret at midnight, as she had matters of great important to reveal to him before he set out for the war.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
Under Penalty of Death

The old man fell upon his knees and solemnly protested his innocence.
 Lady Randolph asked of the men who had captured him what evidence they had of his guilt. They could only say that they had found him lurking in the wood and upon searching him had found in his clothes the jewels, which they now handed to her.
 She took them, looking upon them with calmness by mighty effort-for they were all those which had been, like the one engraved with the crest of Douglas placed in the childs basket when the nurse had taken it away.
 Withdraw a little," said Lady Ran dolph; 'I will question the man alone"
 When the servants had retired she said to the man: Account for your possession of these jewels. Thine own they are not; that I know. Falsehood means certain death to you"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01

his daughter with drawn word and questioned her. She fell. almost faint ing, upon her knees before her angry father and answered him incoherentiy.
 Holding that sword threateningly over her, Sir Malcom made her take an oath that she would never marry one of che Douglas name. The furious old man had no idea that such a marriage had already taken place.
 '"rhe oath,' said Lady Randolph was my great mistake. l should have confessed all then let happen what might. Sincerity is the first of virtues. No mortal should leave it's onward ps tn though the earth should gape and de- structlon cry from the depths of hell"
 Grief Not for Her Brother
 Not long after the departure of Doug las and Matilda's brother for the .eat of combat, news came that both young men had been killed in battle.
 Sir Malcom received the news sternly and without a tear, but Matilda was transported with grief. All thought of course, that her grief was for her brother, and for him, indeed, she did mourn. But none guessed the other and more despairing grief which she gave to Douglas, her husband of a few weeks.
 Young Malcom and his tutor, the priest who had married Matilda to Douglas had been the only two witnesses of that marriage, and the priest was killed in the same battle in which Malcom and Douglas lost their lives.
 New Cause for Despair
 And now a new cause for horror and despair fell upon Matilda. She knew that she was to become a mother She confided her story to her old nurse and together they plotted to conceal every thing from Sir Maleom.
 The knight, much of the time away hunting or on distant warlike expeditions. suspected nothing and seldow saw his daughter. At length the fateful time ar- rived and Matilda gave birth to a man child. She was attended only by her old nurse.
 It was a dark and stormy December night but, rislSing everything for con cealment, the nurse packed the child in u basket and set out with it through the wild tempest to try and reach the cot tage and her sister into whose care she intended to deliver the boy and charge her to bring it up as son of her own.
 The path of the nurse lay across the River Carron and the next day her body was found floating in its swollen watsr. She had been drowned in attempting to cross the stream.
 There were no reports of the finding of any other body in the river or along it's banks, and Matilda was convinced that the child had perished when the nurse had been drowned and it's little body swept out to sea by the raging flood.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
Remorse at Last

The child they brought up as their own, and one after another lost the children which were really theirs, as a tudg- ment upon them, they believed, for using the gold, leaving them only this adopted boy, to whom they had never told the story of his rescue from the waters and who believed himself truly their son.
 As the boy grew up he developed physi- cally and mentally into being different from youths of the shepherd class. They could see. they imagined, that he must have some noble blood.
 They had come to love him very dearly and were much disquieted by his constant talk, as he grew older of wars and pat- ties, and his longing for a military life.
 At last he had left them and gone to join the forces which the King was gath ering to oppose the Danish invaders.
 Stricken with remorse the old man had taken the jewels which, all these years. he had kept secretly, and started for the royal camp, determined to seek out the boy and, telling him .all give him the jewels in hope, perhaps. that by their means he might discover who were his real parents.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
A Sword Over His Head

Matilda heard him with indignation and surprise and threatened to morn her husband of his treachery.
 But dreading the daily encounter which must inevitably ensue if she re- vealed to Randolph the perfidy or Glen alvon she had, so far, forporne 10 teil her husband what had happened, though she told Glenalvon that If at any tune she found out that he intended harm to Lord Randolph, or if he ever again addressed her in such manner she would unmask him.
 In this manner she thought to hold q sword perpetually over the head or Glenaivon to keep him loyal to Lord Randolph. And yet she knew that thls was a weak thing to do-that she ought to reveal all to her husband at once.
 But then the thought that if she did so a human life would inevitably be sacri- fced-for should she speak GlenaiNoh or Lord Randolph would surely fall beneath the others sword-made her keep si- lent
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01

Next weeks one page classic will be "Evelina,' by Frances Burney.
 Copyright. 1912 by Irving King.)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01

the, jewel and uttered a low cry, press ing her hand to her heart. Upon the jewel was carved the crest of Douglas.
 Anna was alarmed at the almost fran tic look with which Lady Randolph gazed upon the gem.
 T must see this man at once-at once" cried Matilda. Just Heavens, what can this mean? This jewel was among the trinkets given me by my husband, the lost Douglas; 1t was among those placed in the basket with my child when the nurse fled with him on that fatal night"
 When Lady Randolph had regained her self-control she went with Anna to the courtyard and the prisoner was brought before her.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
A Reflected suitor

Glenalvon had been u suitor Tor her hand before she had married Lord Randolph. in her fathers time, and an unsuccessful suitor.
 Being rejected by her, he had attempt ed to carry her off by force, when once she had strayed unattended to dis fance from the castle, but Lord Ran dolph happening upon the scene the would be abductor and his companions had been put to flight and the rescued heiress carried back in safety to her fathers halls.
 She who was now Matilda, Lady Ran dolph, had been in her youth maiden of great beauty, and her rescuer had fallen desperately in love With her.
 Though Matilda had delcared that she was determined never to marry, SIT Nal colm, her father, had declared that such notions were all nonsense; that u was absurd for her longer to remain unwed
 She must marry and prolong his race and what more fitting sultor could she wish for than Lord Randolph He was of noble birth and ancient name and soldier of proved valor.