The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1881-09-20
THE APPRENTICES LEAP.
A Story Of London Bridge.


mer evening, in the days Of -'good
Queen Bess;;" tall, quaint old houses,
with peaked roofs and countless ga
bles, standing up on every side. aud
the Thames lying in the midst like a
broad sheet Of gold, save where it
was fecked 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 Hewet, 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 Williams ba-
by 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,
Edward Osborne, was beguiling his
task by singing the ballad Of "Brave
Lord Willoughby,'" which was as
popular in that age as "Glory
Hallelujah" is in this.
"Ah, if could but have tile chance
of doing such deed as. thatl" muir
INJURED the boy as he ended.
"Well. well, my brave lad" an
swered 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
those words were to come true. Scarce
ly had the old knight left the room
when the boy was startled by a sud
den shrek from the balcony overhead,
and by something white flashing past
the window into the depth below.
Sir William Hewet's only child had
leaped on. Of the nurses arms, and
fallen headlong into'the river.
The faint splash was instantly an
swered by a much louder one, and
the distracted household, as they rush
ed in a body to the fatal balcony, saw
Edward Osborne's brown curly head
far down the shining stream, shooting
straight as an arrow toward the tiny
white speck that 1oated u little way
beyond him.
"He has her!"
mol"
"Yesl"
"No, he's gone past. stayl he's
turning again."
"Hurrahl he's got her at last.
Thank Godl"
The anxious fathers straining eyes
were already too dim to see anything
clearly; but the joyous shout Of his
keen.eyed serving-meu 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
those of the child, was fearful odds
against the brave apprentice. Twice
his head dipped below the surface
and all seemed over; but he bill hello
the rescued infant above the waite
with one hand, while struggling 70
life with the other.
Courage, my hearty" said
hoarSe voice beside him. Hold NJ
Just another minute and all's we'll"
, At the same moment boat pulle
} by two sturdy watermen, who ha
3 put off from the shore on the frs
. alarm, came sweeping up to the sink
, ing boy. A strong hand caught tn
! child from his failing grasp, while i
another instant he was seized an
!. dragged into the boat after her, jus
as the last remnant Of his overtaske
!. strength gave way.
Git her head round, Tom," sal
!. one OF the boatmen to his conrad
r "and pull with will, for that's tn
d youngsters father running this way,
t Pm much mistaken"
: Scarcely had the boat touched Il
o wharf on her return, when old Hew
sprang into her like mailman, al
y finding his child unhurt, flung b
!. arms round the neck Of the hal
Is drowned apprentice.
! "God bless thee, my son!" cried h
d fervently. "Let them never call tn
boy again, for few men would ha'
!: dared as much"
u "Let them call him a hero" said
y voice from behind.
y The boy looked up with start. B
a side him stood the handsomest mi
o be had ever seen, in a rich court dres
le looking down upon him with gra,
10 kindly eyes. 1t was Sir Walter R
Or leigh, famous even then as one oft
3, greatest men whom England had ev
q, produced, but destined to becoI
u more famous still as the colonizer
Z Z Virginia.
! Ten years from that day there W
Of a great merry making in the old hou
al on London Bridge, and Sir Villa
n. Hewet, still brisk and CHEEKY as ey
~ though his hair was now white
a. snow sat at the head of his own tab