The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-05-21

De we're, whom he loved. one nau
knelt at Cromwells feet and pleaded
for his life. She had wearied heaven
with her prayers, but all without avail.
Slowly now the great sun went down.
Slowly the last red rim was hid behind
the greenwood. Thirty seconds more
and his soul would be with his God.
The color did not forsake his cheeks.
The dark rings of hair lay upon warm
brow. 1t was his purpose to die as
martyrs and brave men die. What was
life that he should cling to it? He al
ways felt the air pulsate with the first
heavy roll of the death-knell. But no
sound came. Still facing the soldiers
with his clear gray eyes upon them, he
waited. The crimson banners in the
west were paling to pink. The kline
had ceased their lowing, and had been
gathered into the brick-yards.
All nature had sounded her cur
few; but old Jasper was silent
The b3ll-linger with his gray head
yet barred had traversed half the dis
tance that lay between his cottage and
the ivy covered tower, when form
went fitting past him, with pale, shad-
owy robes floating around it, and hair
that the low western lights touched and
tinted as with halo.
"Ah, Huldah, Huldah !" the old
man muttered ; "how swift she flies F!
| will come soon, dear. My work is
almost done" Huldah was the good
wife, who had gone from him in her
early womauhood, and for whom he had
mourned all his long life. But the
feeting form was not Huldah's, it was
Lily Dc We're, hurried by sudden and
desperate purpose toward the old
cathedral.
$50 help me God, curfew shall not
ring tonight f! Cromwell and his dra-
goons come this way. Once more l will
kneel at his feet and plead"
She entered the ruined arch. She
wrel ched from its fastenings the carved
and worm-eaten door that barred the
way to tho tower. She assembled with
gyinp and trenzied feet the steps; her
heart lifted up to God for Richards de-
liverance from peril. The bats flew out
and shook the dust of centuries from
the black carvings. As she went up
she caught glimpses of the interior OF
the great building, with it's groined
roof, its chevrons and clustered col
umns; it's pictured saint and carved
image of the Virgin, which the pillagers
of ages had spared to be dealt with by
time, the most relentless Vandal OF ALL
Up-still up-beyond the rainbow
tints thrown by the stained glass across
her death-white brow; up-still up
past open arcade and arch, with griffin
and gargoyls staring at her from under
bracket and cornice, with all the hide
business of medieval carving; the stairs,
flight by fight, growing Trailer beneath
her Young feet now but slender net
! work between her and TIE outer world
but still up.
Her breath was coming short and
prasping. She saw, through an open
space, old Jasper cross the road at the
foot of the tower. Oh, how far ! The
, seconds were treasures which Cromwell
a, with all his blood-bought common
. wealth, could not purchase from her
, Up-ah-there, just above her, with 1T
= great brazen mouth and wicked tongue
the bell hung
n A worm. eaten block for step, ant
n one small white hand had clasped itsel
= above the clapper-the other prepared
: at the tremble, to rise and clasp it
mate, and the feet to swing off an
l. thus she waited. Jasper was old an
slow-but he was sure, and 1t came
IS. last. A faint guiver, and the yonn
o feet swung from their rest, and the ter
Q der hands clasped for more THAI thei
O precious life, the wreathing thing
There was grooming and creaking of th
,e rude pulleys above, and then the stroke
came heavy and strong. Jasper s han
,r had not forgot its cunning, nor his ar
10 it's strength. The tender, soft for
Is was swu g and dashed to and fro. Br
m she clung to and caressed the cold, cru
|, thing. Let one stroke come and
A. thousand might follow-for its fat
TO work would be done. She wreatht
w her white arms about it, so that at evel
-. pull of the great ropes it crushed in
ne the flesh. 1t tore her, and wound'
and bruised-but there in the solen
G? twilight the brave woman swung, al
,l fought with the curfew; and God ga
as her victory
le, The old boll.ringer said to himsel
od "Aye, Huldah, my work is done. L
at pulleys are getting too heavy for L
is old arms. My ears, too, have failed
en- at last. ! dinna hear one stroke OF t
re curfew. Dear old bell, it is my ea
va that have gone false, and not tho
Farewell, old friend"
th And Just beyond the worn paveme
ms shadowy form again went lifting p'
ed him. There were drops of blood up
tie the white garments and the face "
i like the face of one who walked in |
ke- sleep, and the hands hung wounded
powerless at her side.
nd Cromwell paused with his horsem
'ys under the dismantled may-pole bef'
M the village green. He saw the man "
hat was to die at sunset standing up IN
zen dusky air, tall as king and beauti
lie as Absalom. He gazed with KNIT
nan brow and angry eye; but his lips
rad not give utterance to the quick &C
Isk mand that trembled on them, for a {
,re, came Hyirp toward him. Pikeman {
ZION archer stepped aside to let her pf
the She threw herself upon the turf at
lem horses feet she lifted her bleed
my, and tortured hands to his gaze,
iers once more poured out her prayer
red tbe life of her lover; with trembl
But lima she told him why Richard still Ii
he'd why the curfew had never sounded
leep Lady Maud, looking out OF her
and ticsd window at the castle, saw the g.
die! Protector dismount, lift the ialn'
'ivid form in his arms, AMI bear her to
reen lover She saw the guards release
obin prisoner, and she heard the shout
'elt ;ov at his deliverauce then she
idge coined the night that shut the scene
III of from her envious eye and sepult'
n it her in It's gloom.
age d. vt r,atin hell old ia