Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-11-08

3
What had he done that he should die !?
Little it mattered in those DAYS, when
the sword that the great Crom well WELD
ed was so prone to fall, what he or
others had DONE He had been scribe
to the late lord up at the castle, and
Lady Maud forgetting that man must
WOO and woman must wait, had given
her heart to him without the asking,
while the gentle Lily De We're, distant
kinswoman and poor companion to her,
had, without seeking, found the treasures
of his love, and held them fast. Then
he had joined the army, and made one of
the pious soldiers whose evil passions
were never stirred but by sign or symbol
of popery. But a scorned woman's
hatred had reached him even there.
Enemies and deep plots had comprised
him about and conquered him. Tonight
he was to die.
The beautiful world lay as vivid pic
ture before him. The dark greenwood
above the rocky hill where Robin Hood
and his merry men had dwelt; the
frowning castle with its drawbridge and
square towers: the long stretch of moor
with the purple shadows upon 1t; the
green, straight walks of the village; the
birds overhead, even the daisies at his
feet he saw. But, alb more wildly
than all, he saw the great red sun with
its hazy veil lingering above the trees,
as though it pitied him with more than
human pity
He was a God-fearing and God-serv-
ing man. He had long made his peace
with heaven. Nothing stood between
him and death-Dothing rose pleading
| between him and those who were TO de-
stroy him, but the sweet face of Lily De
| We're, whom be loved. She had knelt at
CromwelPs feet and pleaded for his life.
| She had wearled 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
aud 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
most 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 curfew;
but old Jasper was silent
! The bell-ringer, with his gray head
yet barred, had traversed nalf the dis
lance that lay between his cottage and
the UNCOVERED tower, when form went
fitting past him, with pale. shadowy
robes floating around it, and hair that
the low western lights touched and
tinted as with halo.
"Ah, Huldah, Huldah!' the old man
muttered; show swift she fiies | will
come soon, dear. My work is almost
done. Huldah was the good wife, who
had gone from him in her early woman
hood, and for whom he had mourned all
his long life. But the heeting form was
not Huldah's, it was Lily De We're, bur-
ried by sudden and desperate purpose
| toward the cathedral.
$50 help me God, cHrfew shall not
ring tonight Cromwell and his dra-
goons come this way. Once more [ Will
kneel at his feet and plead"
She entered the ruined arch. She
and worm eaten door that barred the way
to the tower. She assembled with flying
and frenzied feet the steps; her heart
lifted up to God for Richards deliver
ance 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 its grained roof, it's
chevrons and clustered columns; its
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-stil 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 gergoyes staring at her from under
bracket and cornice, with all the hideous
and MEDIEVAL carving, the stairs. fight
| by flight, growing Trailer beneath her
young feet; now but slender network
between her and the outer world; but
still up.
Her breath was coming slow and gasp
| ing. She saw through an open space
old Jasper cross the road at the foot of
| the tower. Oh, how far! The seconds
were treasured, which Cromwell, with all
his blood-bought commonwealth, could
not purchase fromher. Up-ah-there,
just above her, with its great brazen
mouth and wicked tongue, the bell hung.
A worm eaten block for step and one
small white hand had clasped itself
above the clapper-the other prepared,
at the tremble, to rise and clasp it's
mate, and the feet to swing off-and
thus she waited. Jasper was old and
slow, but he was sure, and it came at
last. A faint culver, and the young feet
swung from their rest, and the tender
hands clasped for more than their prec-
ious life the writhing thing. There was
groaning and creaking of the rude pull
leys above, and then the strokes came
heavy and strong. Jasper's hand had
not forgotten its cunning, nor his arm
it's strength. The tender, soft form was
dashed to and fro. But she chung to and
caressed the cold, cruel thing. Let one
stroke come and thousand might fol-
low-for its fatal work would be done.