Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-08-24
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Sunset over London, on fine summer
evening in the days of "good Queen Bess =
tall, quaint old houses, with peaked roofs
and countless gables standing up on every
side, and the Thames lying in the midst
like broad sheet Of gold, save whe,e it
was licked by the dark shadow of London
bridge, then regular street with houses
along each side Of it.
Just above the middle arch rose a house
larger than the rest-that of Sir William
Hewett, cloth-worker, and burgess of the
city of London. The sunset made glory
upon the windows of the old mansion, and
lighted up the balcony, on which Sir Will
liam's baby daughter was growing and clap.
ping her tiny hands with glee at the sight
of it, and stole into the work room, where
the youngest apprentice, + l9a-d Osborne,
was beguiling his task by singing the bal
lads of "Brsve Lord Willoughby," which
was as popular in that age as " Glory Halle.
luj alb is in this.
"Ah, if | could but have a chance of do
ing such deed as that !" murmured the boy
as he ended.
"Well, well, my brave lad" answered the
CHEEKY voice of old Sir William, who had
entered the room unperceived, "you're on
the right road TO it by being diligent at
your work. Keep TO that meanwhile, and
never fear but the chance of doing great
deeds will come all in good time"
Little did either speaker or hearer guess
how soon and in what way these words
were to come true. Scarcely had the old
knight left the room when the boy was
startled by a sudden shrek from the bal
cony overhead, and by something whits
flashing past the window into the depth be-
low. Sir William Ilewet's only child had
leaped out Of her nurses arms, and fallen
headlong into the river.
The faint splash was instantly answered
by much louder one; and the distracted
household, as they rushed in body to the
fatal balcony, saw Edward Osborne's brown
curly head far down the shining stream,
shooting straight as an arrow toward the
white speck that hoated little way be-
You'd him.
/" He has her -
"Nol'
"Yesl"
"No, he's gone past Stay he's turning
,gain."
"Hurrah he's got her at last. Thank
God p
The anxious fathers straining eyes were
.lready too dim to see anything clearly but
the joyous shout of his keen-eyed serving
men told him that all was we'll, and in
another moment he was hurrying toward
the scene OF action as fast as his feet could
carry him.
But the peril was not over yet Good
swimmer as he was, the furious swirl of the
current, together with the weight of his
own wet clothes and thoss of the child, were
fearful odds against the brave apprentice.
Twice his head dipped below the surface
md all seemed over; but he still held the res
cued infant above the water with one hand,
While struggling for life with the other.
Courage, my hearty |" said hoarse
voice beside him. Hold up Just another
minute, and all's we'll"
At the same moment, boat pulled by
two sturdy watermen, who had put off from
he shore on the first alarm, came sweeping
up to the sinking boy. A strong hand
caught the child from his failing grasp,
while in another instant he was seized and
dragged into the boat after her, Just as the
last remnant Of his overtasked strength gave
way.
"Git her head around, Tom," said one of
the boatmen to his comrade, "and pull with
will, for that's the youngsters father run
ming this way, or I'm much mistaken"
Scarcely had the boat touched the wharf
on her return, when old Hewet sprapp into
her like mailman, and finding his child
unhurt flung his arms around the neck of
the half-drowned apprentice.
"God bless thee, my son cried he, fer
vently. "Let them never call thee a bow
again, for few men would have dared as
much"
"Let them call him hero" said voice
from behind
The boy looked up with start Beside
him stood the handsomest man he had ever
seen, in rich court dress, looking down
upon him with grave, kindly eyes. 1t was
Sir Walter Raleigh, famous even then as
one OF the greatest men whom England had
ever produced, but destined to become more
famous still as the colonizer of Virginia.
len years from that day there was a great
merry-making in the old house on London
Bridge; and Sir William Hewet, still brisk
and CHEEKY as ever, though his hair was now
white as snow, sat at the head of his own
table amid circle of guests whose names
are in every history of England. At his
right hand was his daughters newly.made
husband-a tall, fnelooking young man,
whose clear, bright eyes faced that brilliant
assembly as boldly as they had looked down
into the foaming waters OF the Thames
years before.
"This is the man to whom have given
my girl, fair sirs," said the old knight.
Many rich man and many graudee have
asked me for her; but always said, Let
the best man vim"
"And so he has !" cried Sir Walter RI
leigh" graspiDg O,bornes hand "and
the fairest lass in London may be proud to
bear his name, for it will be famous yet"
Raleigh spoke truly. A month later, the
ex-apprentice was Sir Edward Osborne
yet few years, and he had become sheriff
and when the Spanish Armada came, fore
most among the defenders of England was
Osborne, Lord Mayor of London, from whom
the English dukes of Leeds are still proud
to trace their descent.-Harper's Young
People.