Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-11-25

VI SytLUOI VI pOpClys Dut q cCOki-
ed woman's hatred had reached
him even there. Enemies and deer
plots had comprised him about anC
conquered him. Tonight he was L
die.
The beautiful world lay as Vivid
picture before him. The dark
greenwood above the rocky hill:
where Robin Hood and his merry
men had dwelt; the frowning cas-
tie with its drawbridge and square
towers; the long stretch of moo
with its purple shadows open upon
it; the green, straight walks of the
village; the birds overhead, ever
the DAISIES at his feet he saw. But
ah more vividly than all, he saw
the great red sun with its haZy vel
lingering above the trees, as though
il pitied him with more than. hu
man pity.
He was God-fearing and a God
serving man. He had long made
his peace with heaven. Nothing
stood between him and DEATH
nothing rose pleading between him
and those who were to destroy him,
but the sweet face of Lilly de We're
whom he loved. She had knelt al
Cromwell's feet and pleaded for his
life, She had wearied 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 and his soul would be
with God. The color did not for.
sake his cheeks. The dark rings OF
hair lay upon warm brow. II
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 GRIM
son 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 cur
few; but old Jasper was silent.
The belI-ringer, with his gray
head yet barred, had traversed half
the distance that lay between his
cottage and the UNCOVERED tower,
when form went fitting past him,
with pale, shadOwy robes fitting
around if, and hair that the low
western lights touched and tinted as
with halo,
"Ah, Huldah, Huldah !" the old
man muttered; "HOw swift she
flies will come soon, dear. My
work is almost DONE" Huldah was
the good wife who. had gone from
him in her early WomanEOOd, and
for whom he had mOurned all his
long life. But the fleeing form was
not Huldah's, it was Lilly de We're,
hurried by a certain and desperate
purpose toward the cathedral.
$50 help me God, curfew shall
not ring tonight Cromwell and
his dragons come this way. Once
more will kneel at his feet and
plead"
She entered the ruined arch. She
wrenched from its fastening the
carved 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 deliverance from
peril. The bats few 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 groined
roof, its chevrons and clustered
columns, It's pictured saint and
carved image Of the Virgin, which
the pillager5 of ages had spared to
be dealt with by time, the most re-
lentiess vandal of all.
Up-still up--beyOnd the rain.
bow tints thrown by the stained
glass acr,.ss her ieath-white brow
up-still up-past open arcade and
arch, with griffin and gargoyle
staring at her from under bracket
and cornice, with all the hideous-
ness and medieval carving; the
stairs, flight 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 short and
She saw through an open
space old Jasper cross the road at
the foot of the tower. Oh, how far!
The seconds were treasures which
Cromwell, with all his bIood-bought
could not purchase
from her. Up-ah-there, just
above her, with its great brazen
mouth and wicked tongue, the bell
hung. .-. "
A worm-eaten block for u step,
and one small white hand had
clasped itself above the clapper-
the other prepared, at the treinble,
to rise and clasp its mate, and the |
feet to swing off-and thus she wait
ed. Jasper was old and slow, but |
he was sure, and it came at last. A |
faint culver, and the young feet |
from their rest, and the ten
der hands clasped for more than
their precious life the writhing
thing. There was groaning aud |
creaking of the rude pulleys above,
and the strokes came heavy and |
strong. Jasper's hand had not
forgot its cunning, nor his arm its
strength. The teHder, soft forIn
was swung and dashed to and fro.
But she chung to and caTessed the
cold, cruel thing. Let one stroke
come and a thousand might follow
for its fatal work would be done.
SHG HTEdAAA6u A6E WHllE dEIuS dDOuC
L, so that at every pull of the great
ropes 1t crushed into the flesh. 1t
ore her, and wounded and bruised;
but there in the solemn twilight
he brave woman swung, and fought
With the curJew; and God gave her
Vicfnry. G. ID E0E
The old lbell-ringer said to him
,elf: AYE, Hnldah, my work is
lone. The pplseys are. getting too
heavy for my old arms. My ears,
90, have failed me. / dinna hear
)ne stroke of the curfew. Dear old
bell, il is my ears have gone false
md not you. Farewell, old
riend.n ....-
And just beyond the worn pave
nent a-shadoWy form again went
Hitting past him. There were drops
If blood upon the white garments,
md the face was like the face of one
Rho-walked in her sleep, and the
lands hung wounded and powerless
It her side. -. .---.---..- r..
: Cromwell paused with his horse
men under the dismantled May
,ole before the village green. He
aw the man who was to die at SUM-
et standing up in the duSky air,