Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-01-15
A THOUSAND TO FIVE.

"A lllUUOaND lU Fly l..
If you take q sharp turn 10 the right
midway on lie ltey road between the
city Of OXon an Littlemore Asylum a
beautiful green lane will bring you to
the locks and the narrow foot bridge
which for convenience is placsd across
the flood gates that YOU may pass to the
opposite bank of the Thames. The an.
tique city lies still to your right with its
spires, and domes, and college towers,
which stand out in the clear cut, dark
uprights against the wintry. gray sky,
or, in the blue haze of the summer mist,
appear as if dressed in purp'e gauze.
The bank on which you stand has n
wide foot-path, which narrows as you
reced9 from the city. Here the river
deepens slightly, rejecting luxurious
green shrubbcry, while a few Yards far
ther on the stream grows so shallow that
rank though not uni Picturesque weeds
and water-iiowers spring up to greet the
eye.
In the early morning or on summer
evenings true admirers of the beautiful
never miss freQuenting this spot. Lovers,
the invalid, the weary student-all alike
here find rest and long to breathe in an
air that seems to stir into life everything
in the vicinity.
1t was the day after the Oxford and
Cambridge boat race. At the former
university things were unusually quiet,
though the crews were far from dis
couraged. At the latter there was high
glee. After many successive years of
struggling and defeat, Cambridge had
once more won the day. The fates had
decided in her favor.
Yet a few earnest coxswains and
trainers might be sean in busy converse.
tion at the various newly painted and
gilded lighthouses, and not a few cane es
and gigs had demnnded an open 'ng of
the locks that morning Still the marked
excitement and bust.e of the three pre-
ceding days had now all but died away.
A sober air pervaded everything. Song
birds from their boughs but twittered
slightly and seemed to glance askanco
at passers by.
eyes, Jack, that was the bel"
"Frightful odds, wasn't it2" chimed
in Bently Knoll.
''But, say, old fellow, do tell US that
tale" pursued the first speaker, stal
wart among the three young crack oars
men of the first Oxford crew.
He addressed Paul Clifton. They were
seated with elbows on knees anC
half reclining over the rail of Magdaler
| fnlInnn hnot 80 -
loose blouses, sleeves tucked up, white
boating trousers, and canvas shoes.
Paul Clifton, or "Capt. Cliff" as hi
companions sometimes called him, wa
the oldest fellow in his college. With ;
forehead largely Intellectual, though
piuched in face, and slightly stopped, ht
was deemed the largest-hearted fellow
in all OXfordshi.e. The whole facult,
loved him and the meanest undergradu
ate in his presence had no fears.
"I'm whale if you fellows don't Dor
a man" was the reply, accompanied with
the best natured of grins."
"But say, Cliff, we chaps never heart
that story, and, then, you tell it s.
WELL"
A slap between the shoulders, ant
Paul coughed. All laughed heartily, an,
the old scholar began:
swell, my lads, you must know tina
Maud Caveliers, as we called her, was i
her own right one of the noblest, wealth
lest, prettiGst, and proudest ladies i
all Oxon. She had seen nineteen beauti
full summers, and tic winters could nc
have been very severe, for they had LEI
nothing cold or ugly or Objectionable j
her nature. Yet, as | said, she was proud
and she had a right to be- Yes, she wa
q gem of a girl-a regular darling. Bot
her parents were dead, and her uncle
with whom she lived, was dean of Mag
dalcn college, and one among the mos
indulgent Of old gentlemen,
Throughout our university city Lad
Maud was the rage and alteration {
young and old. | have heard it sal,
that, like morning star, she lit the pat
OF many poor professor and care wor
student. They did not all love her, 70
the simple reason that they dared not
But it did the fellows good to sit in the
windows and see her float past on he
customary morning walk. tell you, m
, lads" and Clifton struck his Drawn
thigh as if to emphasize what he SAID
'there are some women who are to th
earth as angels, and to marry them is i
part to spoil them Such was Lady Maud
Love was in the air she exhaled, an
tenderness seemed to watt from the yer
folds of her garment whittier sh
moved.
"Well, it was just twenty-seven yea
ago. and Christopher Luud was the poo
est undergraduate of college. So poo
that the chapel mice Stunned his scant
/ apartments and ran afTrightcd into the
. holes at his approach. Yet by his pc
he managed to maintain himself at CO
lege and in large measure helped
support an invalid sister at an incurabl
home in Wales He was quiet, earl
est, honest fellow, and we all pitied hin