Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1884-10-09

What was life that he should cling to
it2 He almost 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 in the West was pal
ing to pink. The kline had ceased
their lowings and had been gathered
in the rick yards.
All nature had sounded her curfew,
but old Jasper was silent.
The bell ringer, with hisgray head
yet barred, had traversed half the dis.
lance between his cottage and theivy-
covered tower when a form went fit
ting past him, with pale, SNOWY robes
floating around it, and hair that the
low western lights touched and tinted
as with halo.
"Ah, Huldah, Huldah f. 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 woman
hood, and for whom he had mourned
ell his long life. But the fleeting
form was not Huldah's. 1t was Lily
De We're, hurried byIa sudden and des-
perate purpose.
$50 help me God, curfew 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
wrenched from its fastenings the cary-
ed and rm-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 Rich
ards deliverence from peril. The
bats flew out and shook the dust Of
centuries from the black carving. As
she went up she caught gllmpses of
the interior Of the great building, with
its groined roof, it's chevrons and clus-
tered columns; its pictured saint and
carved image of the virgin, which the
pillages Of ages had been spared to
be dealt with by time, the most re-
lentess vandal of all.
Up-still-up-beyond the rain
bow tints thrown by the stained glass
across her death-white brow; up-still
-.llp=paat6rs as Gslde ats sr-cii, witE
griffin and gargoyles staring at her
from under bracket and cornice, with
all the hideousness and medieval carv-
ing; the atairs, flight by Digit, grow
ing Trailer beneath her young feet
now cut slender network between
her and the outer world; but still up.
Her breath was coming short and
gasping. 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 Crom-
well with all his blood bought common
wealth could not purchase from her.
Up-ah--there, just above her, with
its great brazen mouth and wicked
tongue, the bell hung. A worn-eatsn
block for step, and one small, white
hand had clasped itself about the
other prepared, at the
tremble, to rise and clasp it's mate,
and the feet to swing of--and thus
she waited. Jasper was old and slow,
but he was sure aud it came at last.
A faint culver, and the young feet
swung from their rest, and the tender
hands clasped for more than their
precious life the writhing thing. There
was groaning and creaking Of the rude
pulleys above, and then the stroke
came heavy and strong. Jasper's
hand had not forgot it's cunning; nor
his arm its strength. The tender,
soft fern was swung and dashed to
and fro. Butshe chung to and csressed
the cold, cruel thing. Let one stroke
come and thousand might follow
for its fatal work would be done. She
her white arm about it, 30
that at every pull Of the great rope it
crushed into the flesh. It tore her,
and wounded and bruised but there
in the solemn twilight the brave wo-
man swung and fought with the cur
few, and God gave her victory.
The old bell-ringer said to himself,
AYE, Huldah, my work is done. The
pulleys are getting too heavy for my
Did arm my ears, too, have failed
ne. | dinna hear one stroke of the
,urfew. Dear old bell 1t is my ears
hat have gone false, and not thou.
Farewell, old friend"
And just beyond the worn pave
nent a shadowy form again went fit
ing past him. There were drops Of
blood upon the white garments, and
he face was like the face Of one who
rad walked in her sleep, and her
lands hung wounded and powerIess
It her side. Cromwell paused with
lis horseman under the dismantled
Nay-pole before the village green.
lie saw the man who was TO die at
unset standing up in the dusty air,
all al a King and beautiful as Abso-
ON. He gazed with knitted brow
ind angry eye, but his lips did not
,ive utterance to the quick command |
hat trembled on them, for girl came
lying toward him. Pikeman and |
richer stepped aside to let her pass
She threw herself upon the turf at
lis horses feet she lifted her bleed
ng and tortured hands to his gaze,
md once more poured out her prayer
or the life Of her lover; with tremb-
ing lips she told him why Richard |
till lived--wby the curfew had not