Year: 1863

known. lie was one day partaking
hislonely meal in presence ofhis guard.
He was about putting the goblet to
his lip, when his attention was arres-
ted by small slip of paper in a dish
containing fruit, on which was written
these words, "touch not the wine. -
He put it down untasted, and the man
left him. He ruminated on the circum-
stance. The wine was probably poi
soned, and friend had apprised him.
This belief confronted him, and for
several days he looked, but in vain,
for another word from his unknown
preserver At length he deserted un-
der loaf what appeared to be billet,
of which he possessed himself


When again alone he read the fol-
lowing:


'My Prince, one is near you who
will serve you till the last drop of blood
has left his veins. All save myself in
this castle, are your enemies, hired
mercenaries Of your unnatural mother
and the knave Mortimer. Your plan
Of escape was discovered, your faithful
servant seized, and when Father An
drew left you he shared the same fate.
Ethwald escaped, but the good father
is in the hands of enemies. / entered
this castle, disguised as servant, and
overheard conversation between the
butler and an emisary of the queen,
by which 1 learned you were to be poi
soned through your wine. After your
food was prepared, l was commissioned
to deliver it to your gaurd, and by this
means gave you warning. will COM
munioate with you when possible.
dare not give you my name, but am
your faithful friend and servant still
the death. -


AT this sentence Edward started to
his foot in a transport of joy.


BY the holy mass, It's none other
than Phillip Russell. God bless his
noble soul, and tears of gratitude pour
ed over his cheek.


This Philip Russell was his earliest
friend in the French court to which
he had been carried when a mere child
They had shared each others conf.
dencc, and favorite expression OF
Philips was to declare himself Ed.
wards till the death, and by this
he had revealed himself to him.


Several days now passed in great
anxiety, and he began to fear that
something had befallen his friend
Perhaps his identity had been discov-
cred, and his relation to the prisoner.
If so, his life would inevitably be the
forfeit. Must this dear friend fall a
victim to the cruelty of his mother, and
for him There was agony in the
thought. But his fears and suspense
were soon ended, for that very even.
ing, as he was carving a fowl, his knife
struck hard substance, which he
found to be "a snail file, which he con.
trived to conceal without discovery
and that night he passed in using it Oh
the bars of of his CRATE.


Several nights he occupied in this
manner, and at last separated all the
bars but one, which he purposely left
to secure the whole in their place till he
wished to remove them.


That night, as he was reposing him
self after the completion of his task,
he was reused by a slight noise i'll his
chamber. lie started on his elbow,
and by the dim light of the lamp, be-
held hand protruded through an
opening in the door, from which drop
ped a coil of knotted rope. lie imme-
diately secured it, and found attached
n billet in which was written the fol-
lowing.


"The sentinel is sleeping off the eff
feet of the opiate administered through
his wine, and embrace the long look
ed for opportunity Of sending you the
means of escape. Tomorrow night
at one your friends will be on the bat
Elements to conduct you to place OF
safety"


Sleep fled the eyelids of the happy
prince, and morning found him indul-
ging in bright fancyings and imagin-
ines for the future.


The day went slowly on, and it SEEM
ed as though time stood still to trihe
with his impatience. Atlast darkness
came. His supper was sent away un-
tasted. He painted for fredeom. The
clock tolled twelve, when he again, and
for the last time, applied his well worn
file. The last iron was severed, and
the grating fell back. He touched the
spring, the window slid into its socket.
and he breathed the pure air of heav-
EN-. He sought for something to which
he might fasten the cord. There was
nothing, not even a solitary knob. =
Drops of agony stood on his brow
He leaped in desperation to the win
dow seat to throw himself from thence,
when a thought struck him, and lac
sprang back to his couch which stood
in n corner of the room. He examined
its rude frame, and found il was at
tached to the floor, and determined to
fasten to it the rope. Perhaps, it would
then be too short for his purpose. No
matter. better draw his last breath un-
der the free canopy of heaven, than
endure a living death in that hateful
prison. He slowly descended the rope,
till the last knot was in his aching
hands, but his feet reached not the
wall. While he hung thus suspended,
he heard low voice beneath him


"Let go the rope my master. Your
friends are here. T"


He relinquished his grasp, and fell
into the arms of Philip Russell and his
tried servant Ethwald, who had escap-
ed from his captors, and fingered near
the castle to rescue his beloved master.
Philip had discovered him, and they
had accomplished his delivery. With
out word they hurried him s:long to-
ward the sentinel's tower. At the dis
tance of a few PAGES Edward discover
ed the body of man in their path
1t was the guard, not dead, but sense
less from blow of Ethwald's trusty
-