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4
BLOOMSBURG, SATURDAY, JULY U, J8G6.
VOL. I.-NO. 11.
PRICE FIVE CENTS,
.V
iy1
MY HOME BESIDE TIIE SEA.
11V S, ft Wr.NIWOIlTlI,
Tei.t. mo no moro of prairies Rrccn,
With Blurry blossoms bright,
Of landscapes, shadowless, sercno
In Luna's silvery lli;ht;
Of forest Isles, of storied mound,
Whato'ur their benutlcs bo
tllvo mo tho rough old stamping ground
At homo beside tho sen
Tell me no jiiotc of melting skies,
Of breer.es soft nnd low,
Of Hammer clad In gorgeous dyes,
Unchlllc'd of Winter's snow.
For southern shores tho northern bird
Mny tnko his wings and floe
I'll inaku my nest fur northernwnrd,
At homo besldo tho sen.
Tho Roulhron from his sunny lnnd
Mny kindly welcome send,
And friends I love n beek'nlng hnnd
O'er western wnves extend.
Their prairie homes may open wldo
With Joyful slioulH for me,
While two fund hearts ny thoughts dlldo
At homo beside tho sea.
Bweot home, where silvery heads rcposo
In Life's Autumnal front,
Though rude winds blow, and drl lug snows
Heat down by tempests tost
Fond hearts no luoro my absence shlde,
Keep kindly cheer lor me,
I'm coming with the Autumn thU',
Old home beside the sea.
DREAM-HAUNTED.
I had taken n lease of Gledhills of
my friend Mr. Lomond. Tho latter,
beforo ho would consider the business
settled, insisted upon my sleeping one
night nt aicdliills. "Dobson and his
wife, who havo charge of the house, will
find you a tolerable dinner, and make
you tip a comfortable bed. I will walk
over In the morning at ten and see you;
nnd then, if you aro still in tho same
mind that you arc in now, I will have
tho agreement drawn up at once, and
you can enter upon your occupancy tho
following day."
Tho Autumn day was drawing to n
close when I found mytclf walking up
tho avenuo toward the old mansion at
Gledhills. An old man answered my
summons at tho door. He bowed re-
upectfully at sight of me, and informed
jnc that Mr. Lomond had sent word
that I was about to dlno and sleep at
Gledhills, and that everything was pre
pared for my reception. As I crossed
tho threshold tho great door closed be
hind mo wth a dull, heavy crash, that
vibrated through every corner of tho
house, nnd awoko a foreboding echo in
my heart. Preceded by my ancient
guide, whom ago and rheumatism had
bent almost double, I crossed tho deso
late-looking entrance-hall, passed up the
grand staircase, and so through a pair
of folding-doors Into the drawing-room,
beyond which was a suit of smaller
rooms, of which two had now been set
apart for my service. How chill and
cheerless everything looked in tho cold
light of tho dying day 1 Now that the
', glamour of sunshine rested no longer
on the place, my fancy refused to invest
nny of those bare, desolate rooms with
- tho pleasant attributes of homo; undid-
ready, in my secret mind, I half repent
' ed my facllo eagerness In being so wlll
f iug to accept, without further experi-
. ence, vthis worm-eaten old mansion,
tenanted, doubtless, by the ghosts of a
; hundred dcad-and-gono folks, as a shel
ter for my household gods, a homo for
'h nil that I held dear on earth.
Tho two rooms set nsido for mo I
: Annul to bo comfortably furnished, in a
neat but inexpensive style ; but when I
X understood from tho old man that ever
hIuco tho death of tho last tenant, three
years before, they had been furnished
,M nnd set aside, ready for tho reception of
nny clinnco visitors, like myself, who,
v5't cither by their own wish or that of Mr,
;. -j( Lomond, might decide to pass a night
lWttl Gledhills, nnd threo or four would
ijpbc occupants before me had so slept
t thero a night each, and had gono on
'''"to their several ways next morning, never
"f to be seen under thntroof again, I began
JMo think that there might perhaps bo
something more in Mr. Lomond's slipu
Jilation than was visible on tho surface.
fi Having dined, and doneamplo justice
ito Mr. Lomond's claret, and being pes-
Usesscd in some measure by tho demon
of unrest, I took my cigar and strolled
'jj along tho corridor, and so cainepresent-
uly into tho great empty drawing-room,
in which tho moonbeams were now
wl'laying a ghostly game of hide-and
;ncek. It was unearpeted and destitute
f .Of furniture, and Its oaken iloorcreaked
amid groaned beneath my tread, as
jjthough It wero burdened with some
.-"dreadful secret which it would lain re-
veal, but could not. Outside each of
tho three long, narrow windows with
, i which tho room was lighted was a small
.balcony, below which stretched a vol
vety expanse of lawn, set horonnd thero
,with a gay basket of flowers, tho whole
being shut In by n clump of sombre fir
I havo said that tho room was destitute
of furniture, but I found alter a time
that It still contained ono relic of its
moro prosperous days, In tho shape of
u family portrait, which still mm.
over tho mantle pleeo as It had hung for
half n century or more. hen 1 be
)?camo awaro of this fact 1 fetched ono of
h tho candles out my sitting-room, in or
i, tier that I might examlno tho picture
, moro closely. It was a full-length por
V, trait of n man In tho military costume
..rtthnt was in vogue toward tho end of
Jl last century. Tho face was very hand-
jjtriomo, with n proud, resoluto beauty of
(Bits own, that would havo been very at
tract! vo but for n vague, repellent some-
thiug a hint of something t Iger-liko and
cruel lurking under tho surface of that
artificial smile, which the artist had
caught with rare fidelity, nnd had fixed
on tho canvas forever. It must iiavo
.ubt-1!! soMUlillH' !n thr lit i r liatl
the countenance 't)ut tiult 'i to-vi. u
likcnivi to Mr. Lomond; nun I unul
only conclude that tho portrait beforo
mo was that of pome notnblo ancestor
of tho present master of UlcdhllR
1 ho fatigues of tho day nnd the solitude
to which I was condemned drove mo to
bed at an early hour; but thero was
something nbout the novelty of my po
sition that precluded sleep for a long
tinio after I had put out my light, and 1
remember hearing some clock fctrlko
twelvo whllo 1 was still desperately
wldo uwako; but that is tho last thing 1
do remember, and I suppose that 1 must
havo slid oil" to sleep a few minutes
later, while btlll In the act of assevera
ting to myself that to sleep there was
for inc an impossibility. Whether I hud
slept for hours or for minutes only,
when 1 woke up in tho weird land of
dreams, is a point on which I can oiler
no opinion, I awoko to that conscious
ness which is possessed by dreamers, and
which, in many cases, Is quite as vivid
s tho consciousness of real life; but
throughout thestrange, wild drama that
followed I was without any Individu
ality of my own ; 1 had all the con
sciousness of a spectator without tho res
ponsibility of one. I was nothing; 1
had no existence in my dream; 1 was
merely the witness of certain imaginary
occurrences, which took place without
any reference to me, and which 1 was
powerless to prevent or Inlluence in the
slightest degree.
llofore mo was tho drawing-room at
Gledhills I recognized it atoncoby the
portrait of the soldier over the fireplace.
Tho walls, painted of a delicate sea-
green, wero hung with numerous pie
tures and engravings In rich frames. A
thick Aubusson carpet covered tho Uoor,
and in tho huge llreplaec a wood fire,
that had nearly burned it.-.elf down to
n-hes, was slowly expiring. Tho furnl
turo was chintz-covered, and curtains of
chint. draped tho three high narrow
windows. Standing in one corner, be
tween tho quaintly-carved legs of a ma
hogany chlUbnier, was a tall Mandarin
jar, with an open-work lid, from which
was exhaled a faint iiule.-cribablo per
fume, as of tho bruised sweetness of a
hundred flowers ; in the opposite cor
ner stood a harp ; books richly bound
wero scattered about tho room, which
was lighted by a number of wax-can
dies fixed in lustres over tho mantle-
piece.
Seated at a little fancy table was a girl,
eighteen or twenty years old, making-
believe to be busy with her embroidery,
but with a mind evidently preoccupied
by some more important subject. She
had on a short-waUtod white dress, after
the fashion of tlio.-o days, from which
her long narrow skirts fell away In se
date folds, utterly guiltless of all mod
ern modes of extension of circumfer
ence. Her faco was beautiful, and she
had the air of a person quite con.-ciou-.
of that fact; but underlying this charm
of regular features there was something
resolute and proud, that carried tho
mind back, as by an instinct, to tho por
trait over tho llreplaec. She had loos
ened tho thick mas-es of her chestnut
hair, and they now fell low down over
her shoulders, confined only by a nar
row baud of bluo velvet. Hound her
neck was a thin chain of gold, from
which hung a locket, which sho drew
every now and then from the bosom of
her dress, and pressed with feverish
eagerness to her lips. The same impa
tience was visible in tho way in which
ho would put a few quick stitches into
her embroidery, and then pause, with
tho needle in her fingers, to listen in
tently, and so lapse into a dreamy, ab
sent niootl, out of which sho would
wako up in a minute or two with a start,
and begin to ply her needle again as
restlessly as before.
That something for which sho was so
impatiently wailing came at last alow,
clear, peculiar whistle, heard by me
so distinctly through tho midst of my
dream, and remembered so well when 1
awoke, that J could afterward reproduce
it exactly. Tho young lady started to
her feet tho moment tho signal fell on
her ear. I Ier eyes flashed with a newer
radiance; her soft lips pouted into a
sinilo; whllo from her bosom upward a
lovely flush spread swiftly, as though
Kros had touched her that Instant with
his torch, and already tho celestial
flamo wero coursing through her veins.
A brief minute sho stood thus, like a
lovely statue of Kxpectnncy ; then she
hurried to one of tho windows, and
drawing aside tho long chintz, curtain,
she placed a lighted candle clo-o to tho
window as an answering signal. Then,
having withdrawn tho candle and re
placed tho curtain, so that tho window
from the outside would seem quite dark
again, sho left the room, to return pres
ently Willi a ladder of thin rope, to
which werealllxoU two huoKs oi steel.
Her next proceeding was to lock the
three doors which opened Into tho draw
ing-room, anil having thus secured her
self from intrusion, sho passed out of
sight behind ono of tho curtains; and
then I heard tho faint bound of a win
dow being cautiously lifted, and J knew
as well as though tho whole scene was
visible to mo that sho was fixing the
rope-ladder to tho balcony by means of
Its hooks, and that presently her lover
would bo with her.
And so It fell out. A llltlo whllo, and
tho curtain was lifted: tho lady came
back into tho room ; and following clo.-o
upon her steps camo a tall stranger, dark
and handsome, like a true hero of ro
mance "My darling Lenoro 1"
"My dearest Vunel!"
He took her in hU arms, and stooped,
, ml Jw c it J c , i i ., , . .id i n ! h'
uww i.ei i 1 1"0 i. ,i. 'i. I Ic w u
lulu iitr eye , ill Wi.l hiiulu.i-o luciuse
for him was then visible, and then ho
stooped again and kissed her not less
tenderly than before. His roquelattro
nnd hat had fallen to tho ground, and
he now stood revealed n man of fashion
of tho period. As before stated, ho was
eminently good looking, with languish
ing black eyes, and n pensive smile such
as ono usually endows itomco with in
imagination. He wore his hair without
parting of any kind, In a profusion of
short, black, glossy curls, In which thero
was no trace of tho elaboration of art,
and he. was clean-shaven, except for a
short whisker that terminated half-way
down his cheek. He wore a bluo coat
with gilt buttons, swallow-tailed, short
in tho waist, and high-collared. His
waistcoat was bright yellow as to color,
crossed with a small black stripe; a
lingo seal depended from tho fob of his
black small clothes; and tho Hessian
boots In which his lowcroxlreinlties were
encased were poll-died to a marvellous
degree of brilliancy. His cravat, white
and unstarched, and tied with a large
bow, was made of line, soft niu-lin ; and
the frilled bosom of his shirt hud been
carefully crimped by conscientious femi
nine fingers. In this frill ho wore a
small cluster of brilliants ; while a largo
signet-ring, a genuine antique, decorat
ed tho Ural linger of his right hand.
Such was the appearance of Sir l)er-
went Varrel ; and ab-unl as a costume
like ids would now seem on tho classic
Hags of Uond Street or St. James's, it
yet became the baronet admirably, while
he in return lent it a grace and distinc
tion which made it seem the only attire
proper for a gentleman.
" Why did you not comolast night V"
said I.enore. " Hour after hour 1 wait
ed for you in vain."
'"Twns not my fault, dearest, that I
did not ; of that rest well a-ured," an
swered Varrel. " HiHiness that brooked
not delay kept mo from your side. 1
was hugely chagrined."
"That weary, weary business!" sigh
ed Lenoro. "'Tis ever men's excu-e.
But now that you aro here, I will not bi
melancholy. " Ah, that I could be for
ever by your side!"
She nestled her head shyly on his bo
som. Hestiokcd her chestnut hairsoftly
with his white hand, and looked down
on her with a crafty nndsinistersmile
such a Millions might light up the faco
of a fowler when ho sees tho fluttering
innocent which ho has been doing his
best to entice begin to turn longingly
toward tho snare.
" Little simpleton 1" ho replied, pull
intr her ear. " You speak as if what
vou long for were impossible of attain
ment; whereas ono word from you
would make it a blissful certainty, and
render two loving hearts happy for-
or."
" I cannot, Varrel I cannot say that
word. Ah, why does my father dislike
you so much?"
"Mv faith! how shouldl know'.' Hut
dislike is not tho word, little one. You
should ask, why does ho bate me so in
tensely? Thero aro those who gladly
calumniate me, and for such ho has ever
n ready ear; for I am unfortunate
enough to havo many enemies, and
doubtless twice as many faults."
"Xo.no, I will not hear such Ian-
rruau'e." exclaimed Lenoro. " In time
my father will relent, and then"
"Never, girl!" said Varrel llorcely.
" Colonel Lomond is not niado of incit
ing stuff. His hatred of mo ho will car-
rv with him to tho grave. Never look
for change in him. Sweet one," bo ad
ded, changing his tone in a moment to
one low-breathing, imploring tender
ness "sweet one, as 1 have told thee
before, both thy fate and mine aro depen
dent on a binglo word from tiioso rosy
lips. Uo mine, in spite of every ono!
1 am rich, and can supply thy every
want. Wo will go abroad ; and m some
lovely Italian valley, or fair Islo of tho
east'Tii seas, wo will forget our by-gone
troubles, and watch tho happy days glide
softly past, while rounding our lives to
that perfect love which alono can brln
back Eden to this weary earth. Oil,
Lenoro, dearest and best-loved, llee
with mo at once and forever!"
Sho was standing by tho littles table
smiling, trembling, and yet with tears
half starting from her lids, whllo he.
kneeling on one knee, was covering her
hand with passionate kisses.
"Oh, Varrel, you try mo almost be
vond my strength!" sho murmured.
"Hut I can not, 1 youdarenot do as
wish. You know not my father as well
as I do. Ho would seek mo out and
kill me and you too, and you too, l)er
went! wherever wo might be. Ills
vengeance would bo terrible and piti
les-."
"Timid little puss!" ho said, half
scornfully, as lie rose and encircled her
walt with his arm. "Am I not com
potent to protect thee against tho world?
Fear nothing. For this liouso of bond
ago; for this stagnation of heart and
soul, I will give theo life and light and
love. Thou shalt exchange this"
" Hush !" exclaimed Lenore, sudden
ly, with n smotheied shriek. " I hear
my father's footfall on tho stairs. To
tho window, Varrel, or you aro lost
Ono hasty kls-s and then Varrel dash
cd aside tho chintz, curtain, and spran;
to the window, only to fall back next
moment into tho room like a man
stricken in the dark. "A thousand
devils! I havo been betrayed!" ho ex
claimed. " Tho rope-ladder Is gone, and
I see tlio figures of men moving about
the lawn. Lenoro, you must hide mo !"
" Too Into too lato !" sho sobbed.
They both stood for a moment as
11,- .i.' i ! . . It- , w hi'- l mi-
r - cui" i.ii nvm.. d ,11), ,ji i ,lt lullloiil tin i !
' i.(n4u0 cjindcl", mid n.illvcl gui lo tliv'ul ..ich iniquity tu Ills. A fiitmoKr so
door. The eyes of Lenoro and Varrel
turned Instinctively to tho door-handle,
and they saw It move as It was tried
from tho other Bide, but tho door was
still locked.
" Open, Lenoro it Is 1 !" said a stern
voice from without; and tho summons
was emphasized by n heavy blow on the
pannel of tho door.
"Oh, Varrel, I daro not dUobey!"
said Lenoro, In nn agonized whisper.
" llltlo yourself behind tho curtains;
perhaps ho may not know of your pros
enco here; and when lie shall have gone
to his own room we must plan your
escape. Huslit not a word. Hide I
hide!
"Why this foolery of locked doors?"
said ho who now camo In. "Am Ito
bo barred out of my own rooms by a
child like you V"
"Tho night was so dark, and and I
felt so lonely, and and "
"And and you did not expect your
father back so soon?" ho said, mimick
ing her tone with a sneer. " Is it not
so, you white-faced Jnde?"
" Indeed, papa, I" pleaded the
trembling Lenoro.
"Don't prevaricate, girl!" ho said,
with a savage stamp of tho foot. "Come,
now, you will tell mo next mat. you
have had no visitors eh?"
" Indeed, no, papa," said Lenore, with
painful eagerness.
"1'een quite alono over Mnco I left
home this afternoon?"
"Quito alone, papa."
A faint da-Oi of colorwascomingback
into her cheeks by this time ; she began,
perh?p.s, to hope that after all this ques
tioning his suspicions would be allayed,
and ho would go to his own room. If
such were tho case his next words must
have undeceived her terribly.
"You lie, girl you Ho!" ho said, in
a voice wlioe sternness was not without
i tremble in it; and as he spoko he
touched Varrel's hat contemptuously
with hi.s foot, which up to that moment
had lain unheeded on tho lloor. " Oh,
that child of mine should ever live to
deceive me thus!" His clasped hands
and upturned face seemed to appeal to
Heaven against the falsehood that hail
Just been told him ; but tho next instant
the look of anguish died from oil' ids
face, and his features settled back into
more than their former harshness as ho
trode across tho floor and flung back
the curtain, behind who.-o folds Varrel
was concealed. "Heboid tho proof!"
ho cried. " Heboid tho dimming proof !
Oh, Lenoro!"
For a moment the two men stood eye
ing each other in silence. Lenore, with
a pitiful cry, fell at her father's feet, but
bo heeded her no moro than If she had
been a stone.
In the father of Lenoro I beheld the
original of tho picture over the drawing
room inantlepieco; only ho seemed
older ami more grizzled, and his fea
tures more deeply marked with thecarv
ing of Time's chisel than in his portrait.
Ho had on a sort oi military undress
uit, with a pair of heavy riding-boots
and spurs, and a short heavy whip in
his hand.
"This, Sir Dcrwent Varrel, is an .un
expected honor," said Colonel Lomond,
in a tone of unconcealed irony, as he
made the baronet a sweeping and cere
monious bow. " l'ray pray let nie beg
of you to emerge from an obscurity so
uncongenial to one of your enterprising
dlspo-ition. That is better, Lenore,
child; let us have a little moro light on
the scene it is a pleasure to look on the
faco of an honest man and wo may,
perchance, need it all before wo have
done. More light, girl, do you hoar!
And now, perhaps, Sir Dcrwent Varrel
will favor us with some explanation
any, tho most simple, will, of course, do
for me of how ho camo (o be hidden,
like a common thief, behind tho curtains
of my drawing-room."
Varrel's palo olive cheek Hushed deep
ly at this littlo speech, and a dangerous
light began to glitter in his eyes as lie
stepped out of his hiding-place, and ad
vanced into the room.
"Colonel Lomond shall havo an ex
planation as simple as lie desires," ho
said. Then lie stopped to refresh his
nerves with a pinch of snuff.
"You aro aware, fir," lie resumed,
"that I love your daughter; that several
months ago I would fain have made her
my wife; and that your consent alone
was wanting to such a union.
" Precisely so," said Colonel Lomond
in tho icle.-t of tones, as be balanced the
handle of his riding-whip between Ids
thumb and finger.
"You might prevent our marriage,
sir, but you could not keep us from lov
ing ono another," said Sir Dcrwent
proudly.
"In other words, my daughter had
still sulllclent respect for mo to refuse
to wed you without my consent; but
you had not sulllclent respect for her
to refrain from using your influence
over her weak girl's will to induce her
to decelvo her father, ami consent to noc
turnal assignations with a libortino llko
yourself. Lovo! The word Is bullied
by coming from such lips as yours. You
and I, Sir Dcrwent Varrel, had high
words together six months ago, and 1
told you then that I would rather see
my daughter lying in her cofllit than
wedded to such a ono as you ; and those
words I repeat again to-night. Come
hither, girl," ho added, seizing Lenoro
roughly by tho wrKt, "como hither,
and chooio nt onco and forever between
mound this man, who hastaught theo to
liotothy father. WhatdolsayV Nay,
thero can bono choice between such as
this man and mo. 1 toll thee, ulrl, that
deeply tainted that In no society of gen
tlemen Ishonllowedtoplay; a libertine
so vllo that to couple a woman's naino
with his Is a passport to dishonor; a
sharper and blackleg, who has been
twice hooted oil' tho JSuwmarkct course:
a bankrupt so desperately involved that
only by a wealthy marriage with such
a one, for example, as tho heiress of
Gledhills can ho bono even partially to
retrieve his fortunes. Dab! what can
thy country-bred ignorance know of
these things?"
"Hard words, Colonel Lomond, very
hard words," said Sir Dcrwent, disdain
fully; "but I am happy to think, utter
ly incapable of proof."
"Hard words I ay, hard enough to
have moved an Innocent man to right
eous anger, but not, as It seems', to flut
ter thy slow beating pulses ever so faint
ly ; and that because thou knowest them
to bo true. Proof! Hero's ono out of
n dozen. Who lured sweet Mary Doris
from her homo in yonder valley, and
hid her away in London past the finding
of her friends? Who hold tho simple
village beauty lightly for n month or
two, and then discarded her to starve or
dio as sho might think best ? Who but
you, Kir Dcrwent Varrel, unless this let
ter also lies a letter signed with your
napie, and found in tho poor child's
pocket when sho lay with white staring
faco and dripping hair in tho dead-house
by tho river. And now it is my daugh
ter thou seekest to entrap!"
As Colonel Lomond drew from his
pocket the letter of which he had been
speaking, Lenore, with a low cry of
anguish, sank fainting to tho lloor; nnd
the horror-stricken Varrel reeled back
ward like one suddenly stabbed.
" Reptile! it is time the score between
us were settled," said Colonel Lomond,
with a venomous ferocity of tone. "Only
ono of us two must leave this room
alive."
" I cannot I dare not fight with you,"
murmured Varrel.
" Oh ho ! do not think to escape mo
thus. You refuse to light. Then take
tiie punishment of cowards." And with
that tho heavy thong of Colonel Lo
mond's riding-whip whistled through
the air, and camo down on Varrel's neck
and shoulders twice, twisting round his
faco on tlic second occasion, and leavinga
thin livid wheal across his cheek where
it had cut into the flesh. Varrel's first
impulse was to shrink backward with a
mingled cry of rago and pain ; but the
next instant he closed with the Colonel,
and wresting tho whip from his hands,
flung it to tho other end ol the room.
" Give me a sword a pistol a weap
on of any kind!" ho cried hoarsely.
"This vile treatment absolves me from
nil consequences. Colonel Lomond, your
blood bo upon your own head!"
The Colonel smiled sweetly on him.
"Well spoken," bo said, "only that you
express yourself soinowhat after the
I'urlo-o fashion. Your cry lo arms is
worthy of all praise, and I hasten to
comply with it. In this cabinet, sir, are
i couple of as pretty playthings as ever
gladdened the eyes of a gentleman.
'oila! they are both alike m every par
ticular. The choice is yours.
Varrel's lingers closed tho hilt of one
of the rapiers thus presented to him ;
and while he tried its edge and temper,
by running his thumb and linger appre
ciatively along its length, and by bend
ing its points back nearly to the hilt,
Colonel Lomond disembarrassed hini-elf
of the cumbrous overcoat in which ho
was enveloped ; and next minute the
two men fronted each other.
" Gardez-vous, Monsieur" cried Col
onel Lomond, as he made the first pass.
It was thoroughly understood by both
of them that they wero fighting for dear
life that neither of them must look
for mercv from tho other. Both of them
wero excellent swordsmen, but Sir Dor-
went had tho advantage of youth and
agility on his side, and be pressed the
Colonel hardly, who, while keeping up
ids defenco warily, yet felt himself com
pelled to retreat step by step beforo the
desperato lungs of hi.s antagonist."
Tho clash of the r. words seemed to
l.rou-c Lenoro from the stupor Into which
she hud fallen. With her hands pressed
to her temples, and with glaring eye
balls, that followed every movement of
the combatants, sho staggered to her
feet. Her lips moved, but no sound
came from them. Perhaps sho was
a.-klng herself whether it wero not nil a
hideous nightmare, which tho llrst
breath of reality would dissipate forever.
With tho same mingled look of horror
and unbelief on her facosho watched the
two men coming slowly down the room
again, for Colonel Lomond wasstlll slight
ly overborne by his moro youthful an
tagonist. Tho raiders da.-bed together;
bright sparks How from their polished
blue-black surface, as they struck each
other, and bent and quivered llko things
of llfo in the grasp of tho sinewy hands
that held them,
Tho combatants wero Just opposite the
spot where tho half-demented Lenore was
btandiug llko ono Incapable of motion,
when Maidenly, at a movement In tierce,
tho point of Colonel Lomond's rapier
snapped oil'; an advantage which Varrel
instantly followed up with a dextrous
stroke, which .-out tho Colonel's broken
weapon ilyingacro-s tho room. Lenore,
with the quick Instinct of love, divined
her fathoi' danger; and tho same mo
ment that the rapier was twisted out of
his hand sho sprang forward witltawild
Inarticulate cry to shield him with her
body from what sho knew must follow'
and the sword of Varrel, aimed at her
father's heart with all tho strength
I which bate and the de.-lro of voiigeunio
, i-..'d I t -nil l j "-Hi . i ir-i. .t U li
o' a tin- '-, 'i tUu bi-ov Of tU lluj'U
girl. Her father's arms caught her as
sho was falling. " Papa kiss forgive,"
sho murmured In Ills car; then a stream
of blood burst from her Hps, sho shud
dered slightly, and was dead.
Colonel Lomond pressed his quivering
Hps tenderly on her forehead; then lift
ing her In his arms, he carried her to a
couch. " Llo thero a littlo while, sweet.
foolish darling," he said. "Perhaps 1
may Join theo on thy journey beforo
long."
Varrel, who was llko a man half-craz
ed, would havo rung for help, but Col
onel Lomond, by a gesture, forbade him
to do so. " You and I, sir," said tho
Colonel, "havo still our littlo business
to arrange."
"Great Heaven I what would you
more?" exclaimed Sir Dcrwent.
" Kevengo my daughter's death !" said
Leniond.
" Her death was a pure accident."
"Granted. She died to save my life,
nnd that life I now devote to avenging
her memory. What I said beforo 1 say
again only one of us two shall quit lids
room alive. Here are two pistols; ono
of them is loaded and tho other is un
loaded. Chooo ono of them. In three
minutes that clock on tho chiinney-pleco
will strike tho hour. At tho llrst stroke
wo will lire acro-s this table; and may
Heaven havo mercy on tho soul of ono
of us!"
" It would bo murder I" said Varrel,
in n low voice, while a cold sweat broke
out on ids ashen face.
" Call It by what name you will," said
Lomond ; " but as I havesaid, soltsliall
be. Dare to refuse, and by tho great
Fiend of Darkness, whose true son you
are, I will tlu-ic-h you with yonder whip
within an inch of your life, and send
you forth into tho world branded forever
as a coward and a rogue."
Sir Dcrwent wiped the perspiration off
his forehead with his lace-bordered hand
kerchief, and his dry Hps moved In faint
protest. His courage was beginning to
waver. Tlje slow, patient ferocity of
bis enemy was not without its effect
upon him.
"Choose!" said Colonel Lomond, ns
lie laid a brace of pistols on tho table
Varrel hesitated for a moment which lo
pick, and Lomond smiled grimly. No
fresh arrangement of position was ne
ecs-wry, they being already on opposite
sides of the table, on which pour Lo
noro's embroidery was still lying, as she
had cast it aside on tho first flutter of
hearing her lover's signal.
" Colonel Lomond, I must make a last
protest against this bloody business,"
said Varrel.
Again the Colonel smiled. "In ten
seconds," be'sald, " the clock will strike
Do ready."
There was a great contrast between
the two men as they stood thus, fronting
what for one of them niut bo inevitable
death. Colonel Lomond's bronzed cheek
looked even darker than usual, and his
eve seemed to burn with intense hato as
ho stood gazing at his antagonist from
under his lowering brows; but his ox-
tended arm was ns linn as a bar of steel.
Varrel was evidently nervous. 1 lis lips
had faded to a dull bluish white; lie
pressed ono hand to hi.s chest occasional
ly, as if to still the throbbing heart be
neath ; while tho other, which held the
pi.-tol, trembled slightly in spite of him.
Fo u r soco 1 1 d t h ree seco nd s t wo sec
onds. The deathly brooding stillness
that prevailed the room was something
awful. One second. The silvery bell of
tho little French clock had not complet
ed its llrst stroke before tho two triggers
were pulled. ' A fla-h, a report, and a
gu-h of smoke from one of tho weapons,
and Sir Dcrwent Varrel, shot through
the heart, fell back dead.
"So perishes a thorough scoundrel,"
said Colonel Lomond, as ho gazed Into
tho faco of his dead enemy.
Suddenly a door opened and showed a
very old lady, with white hair, and clad
in a white dressing-robe, standing in the
entrance. From the movement of her
hands you understood that she was blind,
or nearly so.
"Henry! Henry! where are you?"
sho cried. " Some one tired a pistol just
now. Oh, tell me that you aro not hurt !"
and she advanced a step or two into the
room.
A npam of anguish passed over the
face of Colonel Lomond, "lamiiereanii
well, mother," hesald. " Pray, return to
your room. I am sorry to have disturb
ed you."
"And Lenore," said tho old lady,
plaintively, " why has not Lenore been
to kiss me, and say good-night? Has
the child gone to bed?"
"Lenore is n-lcop, mother," said tho
Colonel, in a whisper. " Wo must not
disturb her. She shall como to you in
tho morning."
"Strange strange," murmured the
old lady ; " she never forgot me before ;"
and wiili that she turned ami went slow
ly away, groping with her hands before
her; and tho Colonel, falling on his
knees, burled his face In the white dre-s
of his dead daughter. At which point
tho whole machinery of my dream dis
solved away, and I awoke.
Thero was no moro sleep for nio that
night. So lifelike and vivid was my
extraordinary dream, so much did It
seem llko a part of my own personal ex
perience, that tho effect left by It on my
mind was not lightly to bo shaken oil'.
Lenore's wild cry as sho flung herself
Into her father'sarms, the voices of Var
rel and Doinondln angry dNptile, seem
ed silll to echo in my hrnln ; and I felt
that every minute Incident of that ter
rible tragedy must henceforth be, ns it
were, a part of my own life. Impelled
by -iiino vai'iio f'e'liig which I could not
a i , I qulti-'d ny hi'd '.( ,j,.um .
dered, half dressed, Into tho great deso
late drawing-room, tho scene of nil tho
strange incidents in my dream. Tho
ghostly splendor of the moonlight filled
it no longer; It was ns cold, dark, and
silent ns some vnst tomb. As I stood In
the doorway, longing, and yet afraid to
enter, n gust of night-wind sweeping;
up tho valley rattled tho windows of tho
old mansion ; and what seemed like a
low, responslvo sigh camo to mo out of
tho gloom, a sigh so unutterably tad
that, with a shudder, I stepped backward
and shut the door.
I was very glad when fen o'clock
came, and brought Mr. Lomond, punc
tual to the minute. " Jt Is only what I
expected," bo said, when I had given
him an outline of my singular dream;
and I may now tell you, sir, that prc
eNcly the same dream which Impressed
you so strongly last night Is dreamed by
every one, no matter who they may be,
the first time they sleep nt Gledhills,
and never nftcrwrfrd; and Ibis curse
for I may truly call it by that name
has hung over the house from the night
on which tho tragedy, which you wit
nessed last night only in imagination,
was worked out in all its dismal reality
within these walls. You will now un
derstand why I requested you to sleep
one night at Gledhills beforo finally de
ciding that you would take tho house;
and It remains for you to consider wheth
er your wife, whose health you say is
delicate, could undergo such an ordeal
as she would assuredly havo to pass
through tho first night of her sojourn
under this roof."
I decided that sho could not enduro-
tho trial, and gave up Gledhilh).
NEW PORTRAIT OF VICTORIA.
Tin: miniature which her Majesty in
tends for presentation to Mr. Peabody
has been entrusted for Its execution to
Messrs. Dickerson, and tho drawing-
from which tho enamel is to bo taken
is now on view at their rooms, Now
Uond Street, London. As a portrait
this elegant work may bo considered
small, but tho necessities of the art of
enamelling may compel Its being limi
ted to a size something between the min
iature and tho ordinary chalk drawings
of heads. Tho Queen is portrayed in
her robes, nod it is understood that nibro
than usual care was to bo taken that tho
likeness might bo truthful. The faco
bears traces of long-continued grief;
tho lines aro strongly marked round tho
mouth and under tho eyes, but there is
with this characteristic a soft and
thoughtful expression, which the artist
lias been particularly happy in giving.
The look and tho roundness of maturity,
with tho firmly-set Hps, aro 6omowhat
in contrast with tho portrait of tho
Queen with which wo aro familiar. As
a work of art this miniature is of llio
highest class, and well suited for trans
fer to enamel, in which difficult and ef
fective style Mr. Tilt is about to execnto
it. Knamcl has been selected on account
of its imperishable qualities, in accord-
enco witli tho wishes of Mr. Peabody,
whoso Intention it is to place the por
trait in an institution founded by him
in his nativo town, Boston, United
States. London Observer,
TIIE LAUGH OP WOMAN.
A woman lias no natural gift moro
bewitching than a sweet laugh. It is
liko the sound of flutes on tho water.
It leaps from her in a clear, sparkling
rill ; and the heart that hears it feels oh
if bathed in liocool,exlilllratlng spring.
Have you over pursued nn unseen fugi
tive through trees, led on by a fairy
laugh now here, now there, now lost,
now found ? Wo have ; and wo aro pur
suing that wandering voice to tills day.
Sometimes it comes to us in tho midst
of care, or sorrow, or irksomo business,
and then wo turn away and listen, and
hear it ringing in the room liko a silver
bell, with power to scare away tho evil
spirit of mind. How much wo owo to
that sweet laugh! It turns proso to
poetry; It flings flowers of sunshino
over the darkness of tho wood in which
wo are travelling; It touches with light
even our sleep, which is no moro than
the imago of death, but is consumed
with dreams that aro tho shadows of
immortality.
TIIE PURP HEART.
Tin: springs of everlasting Hfo aro
within. Thero aro clear streams gush
ing up from tho depths of tho soul, and
flowing out to enliven tho spheres of
outward existence. Hut like tho waters
of Slloam, they "go swiftly." You
must listen to catch tho silvery tones of
tho little rill as It glides from its moun
tain home; you may not witness its si
lent march through tho green val'btit
its course will bosceii in tho fresh ver
dure and tho opening flowers; its prcs
enco will bo known by tho forms of Hfo
and beauty that gather round it. It Is
ever thus with tho pure. You may not
hear tho "still, small voice," or heed
thosilonttispiration, but thero Is n moral
influence- nnd n holy power which you
will feel. Tho wilderness is made to
smile, flowers of new life and beauty
snring up and flourMi, while an invisi
ble prscnco breathes immortal frag
rance through the atmosphere.
N.vti'iu: Is a bounteous storehousn
laden with sweets nnd iilea-urcs
kinds. The dewdrops of tho morn
aro her Joyous tears ; tli JiJi
fnviil (.t'-iuv1 nlnliitj In., 'ir:
house. Thus In idea-wnj.-""" , lUl
us onward and upw' KmtltudoanA
love to tho DlvJ'ver and Omit DIs-,,0-cr
vm has prepaied for us a pano
1lirj1 iM-ich.toihei'-''' ' ' '
111 pin J
9 S
y