DUFFY'S HIBERNIAN SIXPENNY MAGAZINE. No. 1. JANUARY. 1862. THE OUT-QUARTERS OF ST. ANDREW'S PRIORY. BY MRS. STANLEY CAREY. CHAPTER I. FROM MISTRESS ALICE MARSDALE TO HER BROTHER. "Tregona. "By the time, dear Gerald, this reaches you, we shall be installed in our new residence on the southern coast of Cornwall. Our journey from the north was long and tedious, but we were fully recompensed on our arrival here by the novel sight of all around us. The country is wild and picturesque. Rugged rocks rise perpendicularly from the sea, producing a grand and striking effect. The mansion is large and stately. Courts, galleries, apartments without end; many more than we can ever have occasion for. Its exterior shows signs of great strength: towers and turrets raise their heads from different parts of the building, whilst a dismal-looking moat, crossed by a drawbridge, encircles the walls. It is, however, my father's intention to do away with these marks of feudal days, and render the place more in accordance with the times. Its front has a southern aspect; and when its narrow casements are exchanged for bay-windows, and the moat turned into a Dutch garden, we shall present a more cheerful appearance. The entrance-hall is spacious, and hung round with trophies of the camp and the field; but these, and everything else appertaining to the mansion, show signs of neglect and long abandonment, and will procure my father no lack of amusement in putting things into decent order-an occupation which his improving health will enable him to enjoy. "Every one tells us that Humphrey showed his usual adroitness in making this Cornish purchase, the management of which was left to him; and no exertion did he spare till he saw my father in full possession, and this in a wonderful short space of time. It is said that the lands were sold for less than their value, owing, I believe, to some peculiar circumstances relative to their owner, who was glad to part with them at any price. "Now, dear Gerald, do not be offended if I express my surprise at the little interest which you seem to show in our new purchase. We had VOL. I. NEW SERIES. hoped that you would have hastened back from your continental excursion to have accompanied us down to our southern habitation had it been only out of curiosity to see the place; instead of which, you take as little notice of our great achievement as if it were an every-day occurrence. My father attributes this seeming indifference on your part to a certain apathy of disposition. I think otherwise. At all events, whatever the true cause may be, you shall receive our special forgiveness if you will promise to make one of our happy circle round the blazing log this winter; a promise that would afford no little satisfaction to us all, but most particularly to your ever dear sister, "ALICE MARSDALE." THE REPLY OF GERALD MARSDALE TO HIS SISTER ALICE. "October 30th. "DEAREST ALICE-Your welcome letter brightened up a solitary evening at Antwerp, and made me feel happy in the assurance of my father's being so well pleased with his purchase of the Tregona estate. May he live many a long year to enjoy it. As for my supposed want of interest in the matter, believe me it is not the fact. I fully participate in all that gives pleasure to those most dear to me; and had I foreseen that my presence would be considered a matter of so much importance, my vanity would have prompted me, if no better feelings had done so, to have joined the travelling cortège to Cornwall. But, dear sister, I own I did not think that I should have been much missed, and that is the truth; however, let that be as it may. I must, in my turn, express some regret that my brother should have made this purchase in so much haste, not from any fear of its being imperfectly done, but from its having the appearance of taking advantage of a man's necessitous position. However, as this was, of course, not the case in the present instance, I will say no more about it, except to inquire who the late proprietor was, and what became of him. "My foreign excursion has not extended far, nor do I intend it should; a few more weeks will bring it to a conclusion. In the meantime, write again, and let me know how all goes on in the new domain. Tell my father how happy I feel at hearing of the improved state of his health, and how earnestly I hope that this melioration may be permanent. fresh pursuit has Humphrey taken in hand; I know his active mind cannot long lie dormant. What "With every expression of attachment, I remain your ever affectionate prother, "GERALD MARSDALE." Before we proceed further it is right that the reader should be informed that the time at which the following narrative takes its date is that of the sixteenth century, towards the close of the reign of England's fair sovereign, the renowned Queen Elizabeth: and though its details are dressed in modern language, the events therein described belong alone to that period: a period of triumph and glory to England, but not unmixed with. much private sorrow. To return to our narration: the reader will have learnt by the foregoing letters that an estate had been sold, and that the purchaser was already settled on his domain, which was one of some extent, and known by the name of Tregona. Mr. Marsdale, the new proprietor, was a man of considerable wealth, and somewhat advanced in years. His disposition was friendly and kind, but it wanted decision of character, a defect that stood in his way through life, occasioning him frequently to follow the dictates of others less competent to judge than himself, sooner than be at the trouble of enforcing his own more matured opinions. This vacillation of disposition might be partly ascribed to a weakly constitution, which frequently stretched him on a bed of sickness, subduing his energies, both of body and mind, and making him unequal to grapple with those difficulties that occasionally crossed his path. It was to regain his lost health that he was induced to leave his residence in the north of England for a more genial climate on the southern coast of Cornwall. Mr. Marsdale had been left a widower many years, with three children, two sons and a daughter. The eldest son, called Gerald, was gifted by nature with a handsome person, a chivalrous and generous disposition, accompanied with an urbanity of deportment that won for him the goodwill of all. Humphrey, the second son, was of a different cast; naturally proud and self-sufficient, he took a lead in his family, to which, as a younger brother, he was not entitled: his advice was given and taken on all occasions: he was the indulged favorite of his father; and though his conduct was occasionally tinged with a want of deference towards his parent, such sallies were overlooked by him who should have repressed them, and merely regarded as ebullitions of a bold, high-spirited mind. He had been educated for the law, a profession in which he took great delight; and whilst it gave him an insight into the legal proceedings of his country, threw over him an air of importance and learning, which at the period of our narrative was held in high consideration. Alice, Mr. Marsdale's daughter, was a fair and gentle girl, whose affectionate and faultless disposition made her the solace of her father's declining years; and though scarcely seventeen summers had passed over her head, she possessed a foresight and judgment beyond her age, fully enabling her to fill that place which the decease of her lamented mother bad so long left vacant. Another inmate of the establishment was an old preceptor, familiarly called Master Merris; he had lived so long under the family roof as to have become a necessary appendage to it; and though his services were no further needful, Mr. Marsdale, with that benevolence for which he was ever conspicuous, forbade the subject of his departure to be mentioned. Accordingly, Master Merris, who had every reason to be satisfied with his location, quietly resigned himself to the wishes of his hospitable patron. Having now given an outline of the new occupiers of Tregona, we will |