Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-03-10
True Courage.
A TALE OF TATTERsHLL CASTLE.

IN Lincolnshire. This remarkable noble ruin
consists of single lofty keep, rising to the
height OF two hundred feet, the interior being
open from summit to basement. Mighty oaken
beams once, however, spanned the massive walls.
floors which formed stories of varv.
ing height. Many of these beams have fallen
to the basement, completely rotten, through
exposure to the weather ever since
the roof crumbled away others still p"rtina.
oiusly hang. more or less broken and lecayed,
but in majority Of instances, seem as if a
strong gust Of eddying wind would send them
down crashing to rningle .heir~ fragments with.
those already below. a a.
The party were in high spirits. They
had drank old wines, and their young blood
flowed holly in their veins; they had laughed,
ioked, and talked themselves into wild excite
rneni. About half way up the castle turrets
there IS sort of open landing, which goes along
one wall Of the structure: and on this landing
the party stepped from the grand spiral stair
case they had hitherto been ascending, and
there paused a moment to look about them. The
scene was striking. A few beams sprung across
just below their feet a few thickmoted rays of
sun pierced through the adjoining loop holes; a
few Aeecy clondIets fitted athwart the blue night
overhead Startled by the noisy visitors. a num-
Der Of dusky jackdaws flew out Of their holes
up and dowu the walIs and, after chntting their
decided dlss pprcbation of being disturbed, mad.
halt adozen whirIing circuits of the interior,
rising rapidly upward, until they disappeared.
Immediately afterwards, great white owl
pr jected its ,isage from hole close above
where one ot the beams jnned tho opposite wall
and frigh "dy peering with its great dizzcd
eyes, the harmless creature bewildered popped
from Its hole on thu beam, and having made q
few feeble flutterings with its wings, remained
quite stationary, crouchel in a ball ike figure
cluse to the wall.
"Oh, Descamp," exclaimed one of The party
to friend at his side, who was pIucking the long
grey moss of pecu iir species, which literally
cInhes the castle wall inside and out, I" ltot
yonder at Minerals bird"
"Ha Ha! chorused the company-"a ver
table owI "
Thereupon, one and all began picking up bit,
of brick and morter from where they stood, ant
threw them at the bird with various degree O
skill. One or two bits even strack it, but SO ia
from being reused thereby. the owl merely gav'
one boding, long-dawn, sepuchra! screech and
contracting lis ghastIy outlines into still smalie
compass, fairly buried its broad visage betwee
the meeting bony tips of its wings.
"Wha, stupid creature hon! horoo!" shoute
they, thinking by tnat means to induce it to fly
But the ontcry only terrified the bird to such
degree. that it stuck its claws convulsively int
the decsyed timber, and stirred not at all.
"I,'s the way O them creatures" here said tn
guide, who was showing the party over tn
castle "they're about the stupdest thing i
creation, Pam thinking"
Hump" muttered Lord Swindon, hand
some. athletic young man of twenty, with sue
nn example before our eyes, we cannot but ad
init your opinl"n 10 be highly philosophic ant
,nd,spu,sbIe. But say. old fellow" added he
tapping the guide ia nili'rly on the shoulde
with the light riding switch he carried in hi
and, "ls that beam rotten one?"
~ shouldn't be over for'ard to trust myse
on it, sir" replied the mana fat du'npy pei
sonare.
You wouldn't! No. should rather thin
moi" responded Lord Swndon,a smile OF supreul
disdain sweeping across his features, as i
surveyed the "olI fellow" from head tn foo
/" But tell me. did you ever know anybody wal
upon it, eh? ?"
"Oh dear, yes Only last summer. yonn
Oxonian ran from end to end Of it, as | see
with my own eyes,
"Did hep"
"True," put in Discamp. 81 remember no
it was young Manners of Brezennose; and ddn
he brag about it! "
"Him!" exclaimed Lord Swindon, with to-
Of his head; g that fellow, poor milksop? Not
continued he, hastily, that it is anything OF
feat. Ponh !"
"Nut feat" murmnred his companions
and, with one accord, they stretched forth the
necks, and gazing down the dun abyss, shuddert
at what they behed Well they might. TT
beam in question rose at a height Of about ol
hundred teet, and nanght beneath il but a gloon
chasn. only broken in one or two places
crumblng beams, and not one even Of these W
by many feet near il. "Oh Swindon, how CT
you say SOP"
i. I'll can say it, and l do," snappishly rep
the fiery young man, his brain heated with win
land, at any rate, what that fellow Manners
done, eau do. So look Out +"
Thus speaking, he reckIessly stepped on Il
beam, and, despite.the remonsrances Of his COZ
panions, was il the act Of proceeding along
when his arm was firmly grasped and To-
deep.toned voice exclaimed, MY lord, do y
court horrible death P! Do not thus risk your Il
for naugh.."
The individual who thus unhesitatingly inte
eered was evidently unknown to all present, bel
casual visitor to tho castle, who mad just join
the group. With an i0precation, the made
jerked his arm away, and spnng forward alo
: the beam. Its surface was rough, rounded, a
uneven and as he ran along, swerving fr'
side to side. erery instant in danger Of bel
precipitated downward, with the awful certain
Of being dashed to pieces. his friends could ha
" restrain themselves from shrieking with terr
} though such course would probably have D
D the immediate effect Of discomposing the eq
; lhrium nf their rash companion, and so induc'
] the catastrophe they fully anticipated, wlth'
: he nower of prevention. Had the adventure
4 nresence nf mind ope mOuent failed--and