The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-01-13

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read on with increasing Interest.
which grew greater still when ne
reached that portion OF the history
devoted mainly to the Manning family.
Here were Moses Mannings hne war
seryice--the trip to France-and nere'
too, was the Countess Blanche The
story OF the great chests that came
over the sea. And, az last, came the
date OF the twins birth, and, Few
pages farther on, that OF Lazy
Blanche's death. But between these
dates was something that Philip had
not yet heard.
And the Lady Blanche, being
very weak after her long travail, was
soreiy spent, for she was female
elegantly formed, but not sturdy, or OF
sound health. She lay In great pain.
ana ever and anon she sank into
stupor from which none could rouse
her, nor did she regard my exhorta-
ton, or the lamentations OF her ar
fiicted husband. But suddenly she did
speak in loud voice, saying, Since
l must die, neither shall any other
woman In this village who beareth
twins survive her cruel labor; and
though perish, there shall be, In
every generation, Blanche Manning
on this farm, VINO snail nave not only
my name, but In whom my person
shall also be seen again. And sne
shall wed for love, being holly wooed,
even as was Wooed, Dy stranger
But because 4 nave suffered, Ior al
my love- IN TINS unrriendiy, eoiu coun-
Try, ana because ne VINO s"ore 70 love
me pest mas NOT saved me from an
gulsn' put nath SHOWN MS love 70 Ds
Dut selnsnness, since ne main Iaiiea
me Wnen most uia neea nih--tnere-
tore, say, sne snaii not love Ior lode
Wltnln znve years o. ner marliags
eitner sne or ner nusDano snah ale
ana cue with the Ditter knowledge tnat
neither riches nor passion nor nlgn
romance' nay MOI even aiis tiiree ~
getner, sulnce 70 MAKE tnal great
dnlng caiieu rove uliess .lhere De o.ner
tnings' Wnlcn my lover naln hot gwen
me- auueu unto them. ana, IN tne
nour Oh their Death = VIII appear Unto
those VINO uie, anu comfort them, iof
the manner OF tnelr passing snah %
lonely ana grleVous aieogether'
And thereat, went on the chron-
1cler, she lay back upon her bed IN
peace, and did not speak again. And
we marveled greatly lnat one SO gen.
tie should seek, In her last moments,
to lay curse upon her Innocent de-
scendants.
Philip closed the book, shivering,
and angry and ashamed because he
was shlvering. mat silly old super
stition-what ala i amount to I! But
had II amounted 70 anything! He
began, Involuntary TO recall the his
tories OF other members OF the Man.
ming family. The countess girl-twin
the second blancne-had married
Virginian, classmate OF her broth
er's at Harvard, who was shot, after
they had had only few radiant
months together, in duel with the
man who had once been his best
friend. The lawyer, Moses. had
daughter named Blanche. who went
west in prairie schooner on her
honeymoon. and was never heard of
again aIter sne passed tne Aliegnenies.
ana the iaWyers eiuest son ha0
daugnIer Who-pu. .nat story was TOO
dreauIui' anu contained shame as Wen
as Tragedy. reeiihs as II MS throat
Wele oelns e,u'o.eu anu as = ne
souiu No. s.an ,inse 'ree y lne
manu- taa. eioheu nin rililip sprans
70 h,s ,eet - 90 an appafition stanu-
ing - .ne uoorway
Biancne also had oeen spending her
time tnat rainy morning oy making
an excursion iilo Tue past her lno.n-
er nau leie II soou opportunity lor
mem " 90 .nlousn soine VI ,he
CHESTS eaieluns s.o~eu away ~ the
al.lc u sealen = usasules ~ auu 70
nei .lou'seau anu enes iiau iounu q
.lny non-pounu .l'nA' thrust lar uh.
u esa aa,,n.ass. o,othas. $500 So iuii. :,
ear~;oJ Hon down - han hna.a aaa