Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-05-17
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| know it well, but you cannot refuse to drink
one cup with me, as earnest of our kindly feel
ing for the future"
For the first time Gerald now observed that
haywood bore under his arm flagon of ale,
and held in his left hand two cups of horn.
:" l reject not your kindly feeling" answer.
ed Gerald but l am not wont to drink, y
and he repelled the cup which haywood now
filled for him.
Nay, nay /" said Mark, sitting down by
the table on which Gerald leant " You wrong
me by refusing this first offer of reconciliation.
Come, comrade, this one."
| Gerald took the cup of ale unwillngly, and
only raised it to his lips Bnt haywood shook
his head at him-and Gerald, in compliance
with his newly-made friends request, ct last
swallowed the contents.
"I am not used to these strong drinks, {"
said Gerald, setting down the horn with eVi-
dent distaste. II like them not but have
done this to show my willingness to meet you
on friendly ground"
haywood raised, in turn, his cup, but at
the same moment calling to a dog that had
| followed him into the room, he said, "Down,
Roger, down." and stopped to repulse it !;
Immediately afterward he saised the horn, and
seemed to drain the ale to the last drop.
Zone more, and then l will not urge you
again" said Mark to Gerald, eyeing him with
a sharp, inquiring look.
"No. no--not one," replied the young man
with disgust. ALREADY this unusual drink
has confused my head. am accustomed to
| water only-such was my unce'S mode of edu-
eating me. 1t is strange how my brain turns
with this fermented liquor. have done wrong
to drink it." said Gerald rubbed his heavy
forehead, and strained his eyes. His powers
of vision became more and more confused, and
it was with difficulty that he could now see
before him the face of haywood, which to his
intellect, disordered by the liquor, seemed to
wear strange expression Of cunning, and tri-
umphant contempt. He made an effort how
ever, to shake off this feeling and raise his
sinking head, but in vain. A sensation of over
powering drowsiness crep over him more and
more. The thought of his watch however,
was still uppermost in his mind, and he had vet
power sufficient to reflect that there was still
some time to midnight, and that little slumb
er might restore him and giving away to the
oppressive sleep which came over him, he laid
his head on the table, and was Immediately
! lost to all sense of what was passing around
him.
At first Gerald's sleep was heavy and COM
plcte. How long it remained so, he had no
power to tell At length, however, it became
| lighter, and grew more troubled and confused.
! Wild dreams began to course each other
| through his brain, at first of an iadefnable and
| fantastic nature-then they assumed a more
definite shape. He dreamed of his fath-that
old, Grayheaded cavalier, with his long white
| beard-and before him stood LazarusSeaman
who accused him of absurd aud imaginary cri-
mes And now they brought him into that
| open court file of soldiers were drawn up
their muskets were levelled at the old maus
| heart Gerald struggled, and sought to spring
! between those deadly instruments and his doom
ed father but his feet Glove 20 the grouud-he
struggled in vain-the muskets were discharg-
ed and his father fell weltering in his blood
With the last struggle of a conyulSive night
mare, be started up, uttering loud scream
1t was but frightful dream. And yet the
noise of those fearful muskets-that discharge
of artillery-still rang in his ears. As be
opened his eyes, all was dark around him
the darkness of deep night. 1t was long be-
fore he could sufficiently recover bis senses to
remember what had passed and when slowly
the events Of the day forced themselves upon
| his mind his intellectS seemed still confused
and troubled. How strangely real now ap,
peared the impressions Of that dream 1t was
with difficulty he could persuade himself that
the firing had been imaginary aud even now
! there seemed a strange confusion of noise and
voices around him but that surely, was the
ringing in his head from the unusual draught
he had taken.
Slowly his whole memory returned to him,
and he recalled to himself that it was necessary
for him to be ready to answer for Godlamb
Gideon when that worthy's name was to be
called over for the midnight watch. He stag
gered up unto bis feet, and with difficulty found
his way into the open air. As he gazed, with
somewhat troubled brain, on the bright Starlit
sky, two or three soldiers hurried past him.
"Hark We, comrade," he said to one, how
long is it yet to midnight?'
Midnight where have you been hiding
yourself comrade 2" answered the man. Mid
night is long since past"
Long since past y screamed Gerald with
frantic violence. " No no |! it is impossible
my post was at midnight in the tower
court"
"Then you have escaped by wonderful in
terposition, friend, from the consequences of
your nonsense for was there when the names
were called, and present was answered for
the sentinel at the tower court"
Father of mercy p cried Gerald, in des-
pair "What, then, has happened ?"
Happened " echoed the soldier why,
the prisoner has tried to escape ! But didn't
you hear the shots They brought the old re-
probate to the earth, of surety"
Gerald uttered a loug groan, and fell against
the wall of the house but in another moment
he recovered himself by desperate effort from
feeling of sickness and death, and repulsing
violently the soldier who had come to his as
sistance. he rushed round the mansion with