Pearl and The Mistress of Rosedale, by Ida Glenwood 1 Pearl and The Mistress of Rosedale, by Ida Glenwood Project Gutenberg's Lily Pearl and The Mistress of Rosedale, by Ida Glenwood This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: Lily Pearl and The Mistress of Rosedale Author: Ida Glenwood Editor: Major Joseph Kirkland Release Date: April 4, 2011 [EBook #35765] Language: English Character set encoding: ASCII *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LILY PEARL AND MISTRESS OF ROSEDALE *** Produced by Barbara Tozier, Bill Tozier, Christine Aldridge and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net Transcriber's Notes: Pearl and The Mistress of Rosedale, by Ida Glenwood 2 1. Passages in italics are surrounded by underscores. 2. A list spelling corrections, word variations and other information regarding the original text are located at the end of this e-text. * * * * * [Illustration: IDA GLENWOOD, (The Blind Bard of Michigan.)] LILY PEARL AND THE MISTRESS OF ROSEDALE BY IDA GLENWOOD, "The Blind Bard of Michigan." AUTHOR OF "THE FATAL SECRET," "KATE WYMANS AND THE FORGER'S DAUGHTER," "BLACK FRANCE," ETC. EDITED BY MAJOR JOSEPH KIRKLAND. CHICAGO: DIBBLE PUBLISHING CO. 1892. COPYRIGHT 1892 BY DIBBLE PUBLISHING CO. CHICAGO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PREFACE. It matters but little to the average reader whether a book be wholly historical or purely imaginary if it be of sufficient interest to hold the attention in a pleasurable excitement to its close. There are those however, who will be glad to know that the following work was wrought out of historical facts gleaned from a large parcel of letters written by a son while a soldier in the army of the rebellion, to his widowed mother, then in Springfield, Mass. Graphic were his descriptions of scenes and incidents coming to his personal knowledge during that memorable march from "Atlanta to the sea." These I have woven into a web of fiction mingling their lights and shadows, blending them as best I could amid denser shades, hoping that peradventure their coming to you, gentle reader, may prove as great a pleasure in the perusing as the author has enjoyed in the weaving. IDA GLENWOOD. Fenton, Mich. EDITOR'S PREFACE. My editing of this most interesting story has been little more than proof-correction. On reading the manuscript in advance of the type-setting I soon found it safer to leave the author's style to take care of itself, sure that it will strike the public, as it struck me, with renewed respect and admiration for one who, sightless, can excel so many of us having all the senses. It is touching to observe how the blind narrator dwells on outward things,--color, light and shade, sunset skies, human features and expressions,--which must come to her only in imagination. She seems to dwell with peculiar intensity on a world of beauty which we others, sated by abundance, pass by unrecorded if not unnoticed. Pearl and The Mistress of Rosedale, by Ida Glenwood 3 Sightless she is not, for in her the mind's eye is of a brilliancy that seems to make our mere physical vision useless by comparison. Better the soul's sight without eyes, than the eyesight without soul. JOSEPH KIRKLAND. PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT. We would be pleased to have the reading public patronize "LILY PEARL AND THE MISTRESS OF ROSEDALE," because of the benefit to the author, "The Blind Bard of Michigan," and for the pleasure it will give the following gentlemen and firms, who have freely and generously given their time to the production of the work: Major Joseph Kirkland, editor; G. M. D. Libby, printer; L. Braunhold, artist; A. Zeese & Co., electrotypers, and Donohue & Henneberry, binders. But the best reason for buying will be found in the charming story itself. CONTENTS. CHAPTERS. 4 CHAPTERS. I MIDNIGHT AT "CLIFF HOUSE," 17 II THE LITTLE MARINER ALONE UPON THE OCEAN, 29 III THE WAIF AFTER THE STORM, 39 IV RECEPTION NIGHT AT THE NEW HOME, 50 V DEATH IN THE LITTLE COTTAGE, 61 VI "CRAZY DIMIS" AND THE TWILIGHT SCENE, 71 VII CHANGES IN THE COTTAGE HOME, 81 VIII OUT INTO THE WORLD, 91 IX AN UPPER ROOM IN THE HOTEL, 99 X THE OPENING OF A NEW LIFE, 108 XI ROSEDALE, 117 XII HEART'S SECRETS REVEALED, AND UNREVEALED, 127 XIII THE MOTHER'S CURSE, 137 XIV THE MYSTERIOUS LETTER, 147 XV SCENES UPON THE PLANTATION, 157 XVI THE BIRTHNIGHT ENTERTAINMENT, 167 XVII THE THRILLING REVELATION, 177 XVIII THE LITTLE PARTY AT THE WASHBURN'S, 189 XIX DEATH OF "UNCLE BOB," 201 XX THE ABDUCTION, 211 XXI BREAKING OF HOME TIES, 225 XXII LEADING HER ON, 237 XXIII A DAY IN THE HOSPITAL, 247 XXIV THE DARK, DARK WAVE, 259 XXV THE RECOGNITION, 271 CHAPTERS. 5 XXVI THE "PHANTOM" REMOVED, 283 XXVII NEW RESOLVES AND NEW ADVENTURES, 295 XXVIII FLIGHT OF THE SOUTHERN SPY, 307 XXIX A NIGHT UPON THE BILLOWS, 319 XXX THE SHADOWS AS THEY FLY, 331 XXXI CHANGING CLOUDS, 343 XXXII THE DARKNESS THICKENS, 355 XXXIII LIGHT THROUGH THE RIFTED CLOUD, 367 XXXIV A STORM ABOUT THE WIDOW'S COTTAGE, 375 XXXV A PROUD SPIRIT BROKEN, 387 XXXVI UNFOLDINGS AND REVEALINGS, 397 XXXVII THE GOLDEN CLASP RELINKED, 407 XXXVIII CHANGES AND REVOLUTIONS, 417 XXXIX THE HAZY MISTS ARE LIFTING, 427 XL AUNT VINA IN THE NEW HOME, 441 XLI "GOOD BYE," 450 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE Ida Glenwood, the Blind Bard of Michigan, Midnight, 17 The Cliffs, 28 By the Sea, 38 "Look at her, Shipmates," 42 At the New Home, 60 The Church Yard, 70 The Brook, 90 "Oh, Mrs. Gaylord, I am so Lonely!" 104 CHAPTERS. 6 The Inn at Kirkham, 136 Park Scene, 145 "Give Me That Paper!" 146 Nest-building, 200 The Death of Uncle Bob, 207 The Haystacks, 210 "She Placed the Cup to His Lips," 253 The Capitol in War Times, 258 Scene in the Dismal Swamp, 294 Camp Fires, 306 "Did You Say Her Husband?" 312 The Night Train, 318 The Billows, 329 Lily Pearl, 342 Mrs. St. Clair, 354 Scene on the Schuylkill, 365 Lillian, 373 Plantation Scene, 385 Arrival at Kirkham, 406 Meeting of Lily Pearl and Her Mother, 408 Aunt Vina, 426 [Illustration: MIDNIGHT.] CHAPTER I. 7 CHAPTER I. MIDNIGHT AT "CLIFF HOUSE." It was a dismal night out upon the ocean where the huge billows tossed high their foaming crests, or dashed with maddening fury upon the rocky shore as if unwilling longer to submit to the powers that shut them in; while ever and anon the deep-mouthed thunder answered back through the darkness "thus far shalt thou go, and no farther." Then ran the echoes along the shore and up the ragged cliff on whose summit one feeble ray of light struggled through the narrow crevice of a curtained window out into the midnight gloom. The howling winds made sad music through the long corridors and curious wrought lattice work that partially enclosed it; slamming the heavy iron gate that had broken loose from its fastenings and kept swaying to and fro upon its rusty hinges, wakening by its unusual noise the huge watch dog in his kennel, who growled menacingly at being disturbed at such a late hour. The rain beat furiously against the windows and ran in rapid cascades down the steep declivity into the sea, falling on the sandy shore that extended along the beach at the foot of the cliff. It was October, and the cottage on the summit was usually deserted before this time, for the invalid who had resided there during five successive seasons could not well endure the autumn breezes when the frost-king had chilled them. To-night, however, a tall, richly-dressed lady sat alone in the spacious parlor, her black gown lying in heavy folds on the white matting that covered the floor, her head drooping wearily upon her hand as her elbow rested on the table where the wasting candle flickered low in the socket; but she heeded it not. Now and then she would raise her head with a sudden start and look intently at the door opposite and then sink back again into the same posture as before. There was sadness upon her face, such as awakens the deepest sympathy of a human heart; but in the keen, glistening eye there was a deeper, sterner look that would send a sister's tenderest love back to its secret chamber, chilled and trembling! There are hours made so big with actions and resolves that years full of circumstances and results are made to hang their heavy weights upon them. Such an one was now passing, bearing away on its dark wings the fearful impress made by a silent finger, yet in characters that in after years will reflect back upon the soul, filling it with horror and dismay! A loud peal of thunder echoed through the apartment and then rolled away in the distance, leaving behind the mingled voices of the winds and waves, with the fast falling rain on the roof above. The door suddenly opened and a servant girl stealthily entered with a newly lighted candle, placed it on the table exchanging it for the one almost spent, and then as stealthily retired. The lady did not seem to notice the intruder, as she did not enter the door where her expectant eyes had so often turned with a wild, weird look, and she remained as motionless as before.