The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-03-25
Selert Story.
FOUR MOONLIGHT NIGHTS.
BY THOMAS HARDY.
FIRST NIGHT.

only to be dlscernlble by an eye near at
hand This eye was the eye of a shepherd
lad-exceptionally young for his occupa-
tion-who stood within wheeled hut of
the kind commonly in use among the sheep
keepers during the early lambing season,
and was abstractedly looking through the
loophole at the scene without.
The spot was called Lambing Corner, and
it was a sheltered portion of that wide cx-
panseof rough pasture-land known as Vern-
eombe Down, which you cross in Its lower
levels when following the turnpike road
from Casterbridge eastward, before you
come to Melchester. Here, where the hut
stood, the land was high and dry, open ex-
cept TO the north, and commanding an UNI
dulating view for miles. On the north
side grew tall belt of coarse furze, with
enormous stalks, clump of the same stand
ing detached in front of the general mass,
The clump was hollow, and the interior had
been ingeniously taken advantage Of as q
position for the before mentioned hut, which
was thus completely screened from winds,
and almost invisible, except through the
narrow approach But the furze twigs had
been cut away from the two little windows
of the hut, that the oecupier might keep
his eye on the scene.
In the rear, the shelter afforded by the
belt of furze-bushes was artifcially improv-
ed by an enclosure of upright stakes, IN
terwoyen with boughs of the same prickly
vegetation, and within the enclosure lay the
removed yerncombe breeding flock of eight
hundred ewes.
To the south. in the direction of the
young shepherds idle gaze, there rose one
conspicuous object above the uniform moon
lit plateau, and only one. 1t was Druid
ical trilithon, consisting of three oblong
stones in the form of doorway, two on end
and one across as a Intel Each stone had
been worn. scratched, washed, nibbled, split,
and otherwise attacked BY ten thousand
different weathers; but now the blocks
looked shapely and little the worse for
wear, so beautifully were they silvered over
BY the light of the moon. The ruin was
locally called the Devils Door.
An old shepherd presently entered the
hut from the direction of the ewes, and
locked around in the gloom BE We
sleepy he asked in cross accents Of the
boy,
The lad replied rather timidly in the
negative.
..Then, said the shepherd, I'm get me
home along, and rest for few hours.
There's nothing to be done here now as !
can see The ewes eau want no more ten
ding till daybreak-'tis beyond the bounds
Of reason that they can. But as the order
is that one Of us must bide. / II leave you.
dye hear2 You can sleep BY day and
cant. And you can be down to my house
in ten minutes If anything should happen
/ can't afford We candle; but, rs us Christ
mas week. and the time that folks have
hollerdays, you can enjoy yerself By falling
asleep 4 bit in the chair, instead ef hiding
awake all the time. But mind, not longer
ut once than while shade of Devils Door
moves a couple Of spans, for ye must keep
an eye upon the ewes.
The boy made no definite neply and the
old man, stirring the FIRE in the stove with
his crook-stem. closed the door upon In
companion and vanished.
As this had been more or les the eourse
Of events every night since the season
lamhing had SET in. the boy was not at al
surprised at the charge, and amused him
self for some time BY lighting straws at ths
stove. He then went ont to the ewes ans
newborn laRabs, re-entere6, sat down, anc
finally fell asleep. This was his customary
manner Of performing his watch, for though
special permission for maps had this wesl
been accorded, he had, as matter Of fact
done the same thing on every preceding
night. sleeping often till awakened by l
smack on the shoulder at three or four IN
the morning from the sheep-crook of th'
old man
II might have been about eleven O'Clock
when he awoke. lie was 50 surprised Al
awaking without, apparently, being called
or struck, that ON second thoughts he a.
sumed that somebody must have called
him in spite Of appearances. and looked ou
Of the hut window toward the sheep. Thee
al lay as quiet as when he bad visited them
very little bleafing being audible, and NJ
human soul disturbing the scene. Hi
next looked from the opposite window, ans
here the case was different The frost
facets glistened under the mooR n before
an occasional furze bush showed As dark /
spot on the same; and in the foreground
stood the ghestly form Of the trihthon
But in front of the tFilithan stood man
That he was not the shepherd, OK an,
one of the farm-laborers. was apparent in
moments observation, his dress being
dark suit, and his figure Of slender bud,
and graceful carriage. He walked back
ward and forward in front of the trilithon
The shepherd lad had hardly done spec
uniting on thestrangeness Of the unknown
presence here at such an hour, when he say
a second figure crossing the open sward to
ward the locality of the tFilithon and furz
elamp that screened the hut The secon'
parsonage was woman; and immediaAel
on sight Of her the male stranger hastene'
forward, meeting her just in front Of tn
hut window, Before she seemed to b
aware of his intention he elasped her In hi
arms.
The lady released herself, and drew bac
with some dignity.
AYou have come, Harriet-bless you 70
itr' he exclaimed feryently
..But not for this, she answered, in Of
Tended accents. And, then, more good
naturally, Il have come, Fred, because 20
eBtreated me so What can have been tn
object of writing such a letter. feare
| might be doing you grieyous i'll by stay
ing away. How did you eome here ??
Il walked alIthe way from nay father ).
AWelI, what it it How have you live
since we last met p
But roughly. You might have know
that without asking. | have seen man
lands and many faces since / last wake
these downs, but / have only thought Q
you
rs it only to tell me this that you hav
summoned me so strangely r
A passing breeze blew away the murmu
Of the reply and several succeeding senter
ees. till the mans voice again became aud
Bile in the words, Harriet betweel
US two have heard that the duke doe
not treat you too we'll
HE is warm-tempered, but he is a goo
husband
AHe speaks roughly to you. and SONS
times even threatens to lock you out 0