Year: 1866

|
gan to swear at my lady.


"' How long has that been up hcrc?'
he asked.


"'Only since yesterday said my
lady; Geronimo has just finished il
for me.'


"At that moment youth, who bore
wonderful likeness to my lady, ad-
vanccd.


"'I Is this the way you repay my
favors? demanded the Squire ficrcely.
| thought we were rid of that child
when we laid him deep under the sod
at Padua, and now he's risen again to
to be ever before me. AS if could
help whether he lived or died.


"The youth looked in amazement at
the speaker, and then some new
thought seemed to strike him, for he
started back rs if he had seen some
dreadful sight, and then he gazed stead
lily at the Squire. And the Squire gazed
ut him in return, but l thought 1 saw
slight CULVER on his under lip.


"' What do you mean? p said he.


The youth was hesitating whether
to reply, when my lady, who had been
intently watching the two, stepped for
ward and signed to the youth to go.
Then l, too, crept away and went down
to Mrs. Bridget; had been too fright
ened to stir before.


When l got back to Mrs. Bridget,
she tirstgaveme agood scolding for being
found in my lady's boudoir, aud then
made me give her an exact account of
what had taken place, and then, my
lady's maid coming in, she had to be
told, and the two women put their heads
together, and L could see they thought
deeper of it than l could understand;
for there were beginning to be strange
stories ahoat respecting the Squire.


81 must tell you that my lady was an
Italian, and Geronimo, the youth 1 had
seen, was her brother. lie and my
lady were living together in Italy in
very slender circumstances, when the
Squire was struck with her beauty as she
sat playing with her child; for she had
been married very young, and had been
left widow with one child, the beauti-
ful boy whose likeness 1 had been
looking at.


1.-THE Squire fell in love with her at
once, and at length she consented to mar
/ ry him, on condition that Geronimo
might not be parted from her until he
grew to mans estate, and could make
his way alone in the world.


they S2 15re tae iaiiifGf maffGfod, aud all went well
for a time; but soon he became jealous
OF the love Of the mother for her child,
and could scarcely bear it in his sight.
You see he was very fond of his wife,
and wished to be first with her; but he
was not.


"WelI, after while, the boy sud
denly sicl<ened he fingered for many
weeks, and then he died.


"But my lady was no nearer tho
Squire for all that. Indeed, shadow
seemed to spring up out of the child's
death; and at last the Squire thought if
he could get away from Italy aud come
back to England, and live Il country
life, keeping open house, that the gay
company would drive sad thoughts from
my lady's heart. But ah! what COM
pany ever did that, child? There she
| was, dressed in her brocadcs that stood
of themselves, and her pearls, and her
diamonds, looking more like abeautiful
spirit than anything earthly. And the
Squire was proud enough Of her, as well
he might be, and yet he was stern and
harsh, and was half mad if she ever
spoke of her dead child.


"And so things went Oh until tho day
that was in my lady's boudoir.


"Afler then my lady began TO drooI
more than ever. She had not the heart
70 don any of her fine dresses or to ap-
pear among the guests. She seldom
left her own room, aud she clung more
closely to Geronimo than she had ever
done before. Yet, strange to say, she
was ever urging him to return TO Italy
for she said she knew that she was dying,
without her? But he would not listen.
some day, it was early in May--and
the weather had been unusually warm
Geronimo went down to the river to
bathe.


Gle did not return and some one
passing by, and seeing his clothes lying
on the bank ana him nowhere about
raised an alarm, and, after long search
, his body was found. When the pool
corpse was broughtto the HALL, my lady
: who had been in state of frantic grief
, came to meet it.


"Every one was surprised to see how
calm she went all of sudden. She
t drew back the sheet they had flung over
him, and kissed his cold lips; then she
: bade them get ready the state-bed
room, and there he was laid out, anC
t my lady sat by the bedside and watchct
= until the day Of the funeral, but sh'
= never spoke.


"When the day came she took a las


look ut him before the coilin-lid wa
Y fastened down; then she told her mai,


she was going to have long sleep, anC
; shc went to her own room, where sh
j. took to her bed, and gradually fades


and faded.


c "rhe days went by slowly enougl


now, for it was very still and quiet j
y the old Hall. The Squire sat moodil


in the great dining-rooin, and scarce
I, soul dared to say anything to him. Nov
% and then he went to look ut his wifi