The ladies' garland. [volume], April 26, 1828, Image 1

About The ladies' garland. [volume] (Harpers-Ferry, Va. [W. Va.]) 1824-1828

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fflK WLalfit®9 (KarM.
VOX.. -a. 2IASPESS.FEHHY, VXEIG11VSA, /J,FRS2» 2©t 1S2S3. JKFO. ^6.
runusai.n r.vutr satuhdat ivesimi,
I1Y JOHN S. (iALL.MIKU.
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the RBPoszTOsrsr.
TEH DUES OF ROTHESAY.
A HiS I'jiUt'AL SKI 'II il
u. restless as t!ie ceaseless, troubled flow
Of rushing w aters o’er their rocky bed,
Huns in dark strength the stream of human tin,
Till dried by death the fount that being fed.
The last rays of the sun had long ceased to
gleam through the Gothic windows of the Ca
thedral Church of St. Andrews, ami the moon
was flinging a softer glory over vale and hill;
yet the bells sldl rung forth a merry peal; and
the roads and avenues leading to the town w ere
thronged with eager and expectant faces.
J'he inhabitants ot St. Andrews had come
forth to welcome the arrival of the Duke of
liotliesay, who bad been appointed to take pos
session of the castle that evening. The hour
announced for Ids appearance passed away, and
the etawil m.untested then disappointment in
sullen and discontented murmurs. Hinging dow n
the wreaths of flowers they had gathered fresh
that morning to strew in his path; and. leaving
them to wither in the dust, the frail emblems of
human hope, returned with dejected looks to
their respective dwellings.
• The crowd disperses, Margaret! the duke
will not be here to-night, and we must give up
all hope of seeing the pageant,’ said Mary
Greanie, the widowed daughter of John .Sel
kirk, the governor of the castle, to her old nurse,
w ho was pacing the leads with the infant son of
ii*t young mistress in rier arms. • i trow, niv
lady, that it will be a different spectacle 1'rorii
the one you expect to see—you look for gallant
knights and prancing steeds, and all the bau
bles that wait on royalty. You came forth to
meet a prince, and you will behold aieedsha
ken by the wind.’
‘You speak iri riddles to-night, Margaret.’
returned the lovely woman, drawing nearer to
her gray-haired monitress.
•I tell you,lady, that ere long you will weep
and lament; but those of your own kindred will
rejoice.’
‘Is it the death of my sweet boy you point at,
Margaret? i trow Lis iron-heaited grand-sire
would give you somewhat for such an instance
of second sight.’
'I tell you, lovely Mary, that there's a voice
of wailing in my ears: ji mingles with the gay
peals of those joyous bells, and speaks in hol
low tones of wo and death.’
As the old sybil ceased speaking, the tramp
ling of horses soun Jed on the pavement beneath;
and Mary, starting from the unpleasant refec
tions to which these words had given rise, has
tened to a post from whence ehe could observe
what was passing below
The moon, which was at the full, had gained i
some height in the heavens; and she could plain
ly distinguish the harsh, stein features of her '
father, as, mounted on his stout roan war-char
ger, he rode foremost of a hand of troopers \\ ho
were crossing the draw-bridge in a regular
phalanx, as if to guard some one who occupied i
their centre.
‘This cannot he (tie duke Margaret, who is '
conduced hither with such s. eresj; and whose
approach is neither welcomed hv sound of
trump nor discharge of lue anus!’
‘llush, my ladv. there arc strange tidings
abroad to night: Obsen e all, but -av naught.
The troop had gained the centre of the court:
and on Selkirk's commanding them to halt, the
hand fell hack, and exposed to the gaze of the
astonished Manuthe individual whom they had
guarded with dra\\n sword, and at the point ol
lance.
I\o (rallant km^ln nn t lif i mijiiMing ^la:.i:
She beheld a man meanly attired, in a soilcal
and tattcied riding cloak, ami mounted on a
sorry pallrcy, that seemed hardly equal to sus
tain the athletic form of its rider.
•It is the. prince!’ said Margaret, fixing lur
hollow eves with intense interest on the group
beneath.
‘Surely, you do not mean that stranger in the,
mean apparel, Margaret! lie looks mine like
a war worn soldier of fortune, than a gull.a,t
duke,.’
•See, he, dismounts, my lady; arid his step is
that ol a king, firm and maj estic.’
•Jesu Maria! exclaimed Mart (Jreame, f, Id
ing her hands together. ‘Why is hehelcin such
a guise, and thus utfi nded:1’ ’
•ills enenn s have prevailed. lie is your
father’s prisoner,' returned the old woman; but
ere Maiy could reply, she placed her linger
Cautiously on her lip ‘Hush 1 ue aie overheard.
I hear your brother’s voice—he is demanding
tour presence in the hall, to give the necessaiy
order for the cntei tainment of your father and
his troop
Mary (»rraine hastily obeyed the summons*
hut as she entered (he half of (In; castle, she
heard Selkirk in th ree altercation with his no
hie prisoner, who was pacing its pieeincts in
(t'cal the cloak that had concealed
the fine proportion of Ins imhlc figure was
thrown aside, together with the hunting cap
that had shaded Ins features. JJis countenance,
was llushed with a feveiisli and impatii nt yluu;
hut an expression of sorrow , almost amounting
to despair, was mingled with the detianee that
flashed Irom his keen hazel eyes, as his glance,
from time to time, tell on the sordid governor,
who was standing b_v a large [aide in a morose
and dogged attitude, his hand resting on a mit
ten paper, while, from beneath his lieaiy, hall
closed eye lids, he was nanowly watching the
motions of his prisoner.
As Mary approached, with timid, faltering
steps, the scene of action, the prince suddenly
advanced towards Selkitk, and striking his
hand fiercely against the table, said, in a stern
and commanding voice—-‘Produce your war
rant, .John Selkirk 1 Show me by what authori
ty you dare to detain me as your prisoner.’
‘Ify that of the king,’ returned Selkirk, coldly
pointing to his commission.
I he duke took the scroll from the hand of
the governor, and proceeded to examine it with
hasty gesture, am] an incredulous ait; but as h
read on. his countenance changed; and aii»fi
gave place to an expression of conlemptuuu
pity.
•I’oor, deluded old man.' he said; ‘you havi
listened to the adt ice oi evil counsellors, and
tin own from you the only real friend you pos
scssed, Ihv bulwaik of jour crown. And vju
false hearted Albany,' lie continued, pacing the
hall unit hurried steps, •« no have ploiie.j »o
successfully with the traitor, W illiam of llnssv.
against my peace, may heaven requite you both
for your nefarious deeds!’
Then turning to the governor, he said, in a
calmer tone, ■! submit to the king s warrant,
and acknowledge my self hi- prisoner; hut I <%
poet that no outward respect will he wanting
towards the person of his son.’
•Such courtesies ate n'"t usually ohsened to
an attamuMi trailnr!’ mnlU rt *1 S. Ikiru, liali
?:ti>uik !ns heavy eve.-, to (lie l.ice of Ids victim;
Imt they sunk before the h) azing orbs of tlie in
ill^nant pi ince; w ho, springing on the trembling
governor, with one blow levelleii him at lii«fi et
uliile lie exclaimed in a voice trembling will:
eontemliriir passion—‘Ha! traitor, sayest thou1
Hie. lal-e loon, with that foul column} sticking;
in t!iy throat! Thank beau n, tnv arm is stili
at hbeiit to give U wretch like, thee, the ba-s
tool ol an nisi |"nt it In I, hi- just deserts!’
•lieivaie, my lord, him you provoke vaui
fate!' said the younger belkiik, stepping in he
tween the enraged tloke and hi- fa lire r: ‘Your
sentence is already po'-ed, and this ft sin lie vio
Ietiee tvill only liasli n its I iltdment.’
'I he duke stayed his tiphlu d hand, and gl in
ced I ruin lather to son, v.i'h the air of one who
w as examining how' fai J.o might ti ust the in
denee et Ins own scri.si s As lie surveyed the.
eoiinteii u cos ol Ins murdi ri i ■>, Ins own i liar.g
cd, and, peihaps, lor the lirst lime, a fid! con
v ictioti ol liis danger seeiut d now to pres-- upon
Ins mind; and folding his hands together, he
e.xi la lined, ‘O 1 ,ord, thou l.a-t deli vert d me into
the hands ol sinful nun. If mv own kindred
have hardened their heaiis agmust me, what
u»«*i<'y c::m 1 <L\|K-rl Inun ti.» -<
tlit; unhutunate {■»M.t-e passed thtouph ti:f;
liiill lu I lit- place ol |,is confinement, his eyes ft II
mi (In; faii v figure of Man Lreamr, w lio stood
like a .statue, near the th.Oi ttav.a luule and
teiailied spectatress ol the scene. It was hut a
transient glatiro ot interest ant’ callosity, as ri
man eljtng how a heme so fair and gentle eonh!
own any all'mity with the lathlms men who
surroumletl him; yet it serve;! to stiengthen the
leSehlt: ui she hail termed to sate Im- ,,ie, cteti
at the | if: il ot ft j ow n.
I hough still ill the ye: v llortn of go A. Mil
ry had early held ampin, tance uitii ;i«f She
had united her destiny with a gallant arid dis
tinguished oilicer, against ttie wishes of her
lather; she saw him fall henrath the hand of
her \ mdictive brother; she In held the comely
Iorui of her first ami oi.’.y lot e trampled beneath
the Let ot his Inhuman murderers, and at the
age ol t\to and twenty, Lund herself a widow
and desolate in her father's house, with no mo
ther's fostering hand to dry her tear-, and with
no friend to restore those withered hopes which
had perished forct er in the grave of her hus
band.
luttle could he expected Itotn the tenuiroess
of a parent wl:c was a stranger <o the ‘cel.tig-.