Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-08-03


evening in the days Of good Queen B.s. !"
all, ql tint obi houses with petteI roof,
md countless gables, standing up nn every
side, and the Thames lying in the midst
like = hrotd sheet of gold, save where il
was flrcked by the dark shadow of London
bridge, then II regular street, with houses
along each side of it.
Just above the middle arch rose house
larger than the rest-thlt 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 Will
liam's baby daughter was Growing and
clappng her tiny hands with glee at the
sight OF it, and stole into the work room,
where the youngest apprentice, ward
Osborne, was beguling his task by singing
he ballad of Brave Lord Will0ughbv," ,"
which was as popular in that age rs
GLORY Halleluj IN" is in this.
"Ah, if could but have the chance of
doing such deed as that, murmured the
BOY rs he ended.
swell, we'll, my brave lad" answered
the CHEEKY voice of old Sir William, who
had cntorod the room unporooived, "you'r
on the right road to by being diligent IL
your work. Keep to that meanwhile, and
never fear hut the chance of doing great
deeds will come all in good time
Little ana eItner speaker VI hudrur guess
how soon or in what way those words were
10 come true. Scarcely had the old knight
left the room when the boy was startled by
Il sudden shrek from the balcony over
head, and by something white flashing
past the window into the depth below. Sir
William Hewet's only child had leaped
out of her nurses arms and fallen headlOng
into the river.
The faint splash was instantly answered
by II much louder one, and the distracted
household, as they rushed in body to the
fatal btlcony, saw Edward OsbOrne's
brown curly head far down the shining
stream, shooting straight as an arrow
toward the tiny white speck that tioated a
iltlc way beyond him.
He has her"
"No!'
"Yes"
No, he's gone past. Stay, he's turning
again"
"IIurrah! he's got her at last Thank
God!'
The anxious fathers straining eyes were
already too dim to see anything clearly
but the joyous shout Of his keen eyed
serving man told him that all was well,
and in another moment he rs hurrving
toward the scene of action as fast as his
feet could carry him.
But the peril was not over yet, Good
swimmer rs he was, the furious whirl OF
the current, together with the weight of his
own wet clothes and those Of the child,
was fearful odds against the brave appren
tice. Twice his head dipped beneath the
surface, anu all seemed over; but he still
held he rescued infant above the water
with one hand, while struggling for life
with the other.
Courage, my hearty!' said "a hoarse
voice beside him. "Elold up Just another
minute, and ails well. ,
At .he same moment Il boat pulled by
two sturdy water men, who had put off
from the 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,
jus, as the last remnant OF his overtasked
"GHitt EheHI" H"h head ironnd, Tom," said one of
the hoatmen to his comrade, land pull
with ii will for that's the youngster'
frther running this way, or m mistaken.
Scarcely had the bout touched the wharf
on her return, when old Hewet sprang
into her like Il mldman, and finding his
child unhurt, flung his arms around the
neck of the halt-drowned apprentice,
God Lless thee, my sonn cried he, fer
vently. "Lrt them never call thee a boy
again, for few men would have dared as
much"
'I.ct them call him hero," said IL voice
from behind.
The boy looked up with Il start Beside
him stood the handsomest man he had
ev, + seen in rich court dress, looking
down upon him with grave, kindly eyes
1t was Sir Walter Raleigh, famous even
hen rs one of the greatest men whom En-
GLAND had ever produced, but destined to
become more famous still, as the colonizel
| of Virginia.
Ten years from this day there was {
merry making in the old house on London
bridge, and Sir William Hewet, still
| brisk and hcery as ever, though his hal
was now white MS snow, sat ut the head o
! his own table, amid circle of guests
whose names are in every history of En-
Gland. AT his right hand was his daugh
ter's newly made husband-a tall, fine
looking young man, whose clear brigh
ewes faced that brilliant assemblage II
boldly rs they had looked down into tn
foaming waters of the Thames years be
| fore.
'This is the man to whom | have givel
nv girl, fair sirs, said the old knight
"Mnny u rich man and many a grande'
have asked me for her; but always sait
Let the best man win
And SO he has" cried Sir Walter Ra
leigh, grasping Osborne's hand; land tn
faresl lass in London may be proud t.
bear his name for I'll warrant it will b.
famous yet
Raleigh spoke truely. A month later
the ex apprentice was Sir Edward Os
borne; yet a few years, and he had becom
sheriff; anil when the Spanish Armad
came, foremost among the defenders G
England was Osborne, lord mayor of Lon
don, from whom the English dukes G
Leeds are still proud to trace their descent
-Ha1per's S Young People.