Daily globe., 1883-07-28


wood 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 it;
the green, straight walks of the village;
the birds overhead, even the daisies at
his feet he saw. But ali! 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 nothing rose pleading
between him and those who were to de-
stroy him, but the sweet face of Lily
De We're, whom he loved She had
knelt at Cromwells 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 his God.
The color did not forsake his cheeks
The dark rings of hair lay upon warm
brow. It 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 half the dist
ance that lay between his cottage and
the ivy tower, when a form
went fitting past him, with pale, shad-
owy robes floating around it, and hair
that the low western lights touched and
tinted as with halo.
"Ah, Huldah, Huldah!" the old man
muttered; chow 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
womanhood, and for whom he had
mourned all his long life. But the
feeting form was not Huldah's, it was
Lily De We're, hurried by sudden and
desperate purpose toward the cathedral.
$50 help me God, curfew shall no.
ring tonight! Cromwell and his dra
goons come this way. Once more l
will kneel at his feet and plead"
She entered the ruined arch. She
wrenched from its fastenings the
carved and worm-eaten door that
barred the way to the tower. She as
cended, with flying and frenzied feet.
the steps; her heart lifted up to God
for Richards deliverance from peril
The bats flew out and shook the dust
of centuries from the black carvings
AS she went up she caught glimpses ot
the interior of the great building, with
its groined roof, its chevrons and clus
tered columns, It's pictured saint an(
carved image Of the Virgin, which th'
pillagers of ages had spared to be deal
with 10y time, the most relentless van
dal Of all.
Up-still up-beyond the rainbov
tints thrown by the stained glass acro@
her deathwhite brow; up-still up
past open arcade and arch, with griffil
and gargoyls staring at her from unde
bracket and cornice, with all the hid
eousness and medieval carving, to
stairs, flight by flight, growing frale
beneath her young feet; now but
slender network between her and til
outer world; but still up.
Her breath was come slow and gasp
ing. She saw through an open spac
old Jasper cross the road at the foot c
the tower. Oh, how far! The socoDl
were treasures, which Cromwell, VT
all his blood-bought commonwea Ii
= could not purchase from her. Up-a'
there, just above her, with its grea
} brazen mouth and wicked tongue, tn
? bell hung.
/ A worm eaten block for step an
: one small white hand had clasped itse
above the clapper-the other prepare(
? at the tremble, to rise and clasp il
i mate, and the feet to swing off--an
$ thus she waited. Jasper was old az
e slow, but he was sure, and it came
4 last A faint quiver, and the voua
{ feet swung from their Iest, and :.
S tender hands clasped for more til
Il their life the wri.hing thing. Thel
e was groaniRg and creaking Of the rud