The climax. [volume] (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1887-1897, 1889-12-25

among those who were the immediate
sufferers. Capt. Trenwith said he would
take upon himself to propose a toast,
which he hoped no one present would
refuse to drink.
The king of England had declared war
against Spain, and, as the Spaniards had
seized all the British ships in their har-
bors, he thought missioner they closed
with the enemy the better. He begged
to propose the health of King George
and success to the British arms. If they
lived to see another Christmas eve he
doubted not they would be able to say
the honor of England had been well main
tanned. As the punch was exceeding
good, and had put much heat into every
man of the company, the toast was drunk
with great enthusiasm. Even John Tacka-
bird smacked his lips with satisfaction.
sit hath been reported" said viii
/ Nance, ''that Admiral Vernon is gone as
commander-in-chief to the West Indies,
/ and that he swears to take Portobello on
the Spanish main, even if he hath no
more than six ships wherewith to do it.
81 know not how that may be" said
the incorrigible barber. eff he has only
pressed men to back him, doubt it.
With an ominous look at the last speak
/ or, Capt. Trenwith cut the matter short.
eve shall see, said he. "When It's done
we shall doubtless hear on it-but what
noise is that outside? What now, Tom
Champer? What's amiss?"
There's much amiss, Capt Trenwith,"
said young Champer, who now entered
! the room. ''Dick Hexel is among the
| pressed men. He was seen in the last
boat when they put off from the shore"
What my son taken by the press
gangr cried Peter Hexel, starting to his
feet. 'ZOundsl I'll not believe it-there
must be some mistake"
81 fear there is no mistake" said
/ Champer; and there was a CLEAN Of sat
isfactiOn on his face, which he tried to
conceal with q pretended look Of con-
Germ. ''There be those outside who saw
him carried off, and the officer swOre he
would sink the first boat that dared to go
nigh the ship"
Old Hexel hurried out, followed by
John Renowden.
eff the lad is really pressed" said
Capt. Trenwith, ST hope he will remain
in the service. Sure 1 am he won't dis
grace it. No lad of spirit should refuse
to serve his country when old England's
/ enemies are afOat. But come, sit down,
Tom Champer, and help US to finish the
punch"
| Will Nance, who was already three
sheets in the wind" as he would himself
have expressed it, boisterously inquired
of Champer how it was that he himself
had escaped capture by the press-gang.
Thou art likely lad enough" said
he, ''and would swab deck as well as
another"
81 was not in the town." answered
Champer. 'rI have but now walked
over from Zennor."
'AhI'' cried Nance, with a drunken
wink at the rest Of the company, ''trust
a Zennor man to take care Of himself.
They're a wise folk in their gen-er-en-
Grafton. They know why the COW ate
the bell rope"
"Just as St. Ives folk know why they
whipped the hake," retorted Champer,
angrily.
The captain interpOsed. "Come,
come" said he; ''nO more cross words
On Christmas eve. It's near midnight.
You and 1, Mr.. Mayor, must set a good
example by appearing in church to-mor-
row morning, so let US jog hOmewards.
The mayor crossed the room with a
devious gait. your shervant, Cap'n
Tren'th. Shervant, sir, happy to 't'nd
you, and the mayor of st. Ives solemn
" staggered after Capt. Trenwith, who
stumped away on his wooden leg, es-
corted by his black servant carrying a
lantern. The rest of the company also
departed, and the George and Dragon
was left in solitude and darkness. But
lights were burning in the Golden Lion
long after midnight. Three anxiou:
hearts were there holding communion
and vainly trying to find way out Of
the trouble that had come upon them.
After the first shock Of grief for the
loss of her lover was over, Mary Renow
den dried her tears and reviewed the sit
uation with a strength of mind and &
GOODNESS Of judgment that astonished hel
father and Peter Hexel.
''Dick will return after a time" she
said; II am sure he will He is strong
and brave, and has always been lucky
Perhaps he will do something that vii
make his name famous, and then We
shall all be proud of him"
Cheered by-this hopeful spirit Of hers
the two old men plucked up their hearts
and all three appeared in their usua
places at church on Christmas day. AT
ter service, as they stood in the church
yard gazing rather wistfully over tn,
sea, they were joined by Thomas Cham
per, who wished them merry Christ
masT and uttered some clumsy expires
sions of coincidence about Richard Hex
ell. He had heard, he said, that the
sloop had gone to Falmouth, and if i
would be any satisfaction he would writ
to a friend there, or would even 60 owe
himself and make any arrangement
they pleased for helping Dick; but b,
feared there was little hope of his releas'
. now that war had broken out.
These friendly overtures rather soft
? ened the hearts Of the two fathers, bu
Mary felt sure that Champer was insin
cere. bis hypocrisy was not proc
against her woman's instinct. Sh'
turned coldly away, and he left them
racking his brain for some means Of pre-
T senting his suit in a favorable light.
Day after day Thomas Champer cam
to the Golden Lion and sought ever
! possible opportunity of addressing Mary
j, but his perseverance was useless. Shl
would not listen to him. He saw tina
his suit was hopeless, and that he hat
gained nothing by the absence Of Richar,
HexeL Yet he continued to haunt tn
: neighborhood Of the Golden Lion, unit
one night he encountered the press gang
. which had made another descent on st
Ives, and he was caught in the same tral
he had set for his rival
In the mean time, letters had com
from Richard Hexel. He wrote that h
was well, and only unhappy because h
/, was parted from Mary. He had JONES
the West Indian squadron under Ad
miral Vernon, and expectC4 he woul'
soon be able to tell them something
/ about the war. So time passed on an
: the spring came.
! The club bad assembled one Saturda,
evening IN the parlor OF the Golden ldon
The customary bowl of punch was o.
the table, but Capt Trenwith had no
arrived, and the serious business of tn
! evening could not begin without him
I To pass the time VIII Nance stirred tn
fire and, lighting a pipe. remarked tina
the evenings were something chilly
though the spring had come. in spite Q
i. the men Of Towednack.