Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-12-24

him carried OF, AMI the officer sworo he
would sink the flrst boat that dared to 20
nigh the ship"
old Hexel hurried out. followed by
John RenOwden.
"If the lad IL really pressed" said
Capt. Trcnwith. II hops he viii remain
In the service. SURE am he won't dis
grace IL. No lad 81 spirit should refuse
20 serve his country when old Englands
enemies are afoat But come. at down.
Tom ChamPcr. and help us 90 finish the
punch"
viii Nance, who was already three
sheets In the wind" a. be would himself
have expressed Il. boisterously inquired
Of Champer how II was that he himself
had escaped capture by the prc--gang.
Thou art likely lad enough. said
he. "and would swab a deck a. well a.
another"
II was not In the town." answered
Champer II have hut now walked
over from Zennor.'
"Ahf' cricd Nance, with drunken
wink at the rest of the company. trust
q Z.nnor man Ia take care of himself
They're wise folk In their gen-eren.
Grafton They know why tho COW ate
the bell roTc.
Just a. IT. Ives folk know why they
whipped the hake." reiorted ChAmpcr
angrily.
Tho captain interpo-ed. Come.
come. said be; mo more cro>s words
on Christmas eve. lis near midnight
You and |. Mr. Mayor. must 1T good
example by appearing In church tomor'
row morning, - let "a Ios homewards. .
The mayor crossed the room with a
devious gait. "Your shcrvaRt. Cap'n
Trcn'th. Shcryant. air. happy TO Ind
you, and the mayor - -. Ives solemn
" staggered after Capt. Trenwith. who
stumpcd away ON his wooden Lex. 80
cortci boy his black servant carrying
lantern. The rc.t of the oomlany al.o
departed. and the George and Dragon
was left In solitude and darkncst But
lights were burning In the Golden Lion
long after midnight Three anxious
hearts were there holding communion.
ani sainly trying a. lind way oui ~
the trouble that had come upon them.
After tho drst shock of grief for the
loss Of her lover was over. Mary Renow
den dried her tear. and reviewed the At.
uation with a strength % mind and a
coolncss of judgment that astonished ber
father and Peter IlcSsL
"Dick will return after time. abe
slid. Il aui sure be- viii lio is strong
aud brave. and has always been lucky.
Perhaps be- will do something that will
make his name famous, and then we
shall all b. proud of him
Chccrcd by this hopeful spirit of hers
the two old men pluckcd up their hearts.
and all thrco APPEARED Ia their usual
places at church on Christmas day. AZ
ter service. a. they stool In the church.
yard gazing rather wistfully over the
ga. thcy wcrc joined by Thomas Cham
p..f. who wished them Merry Christ
mas and uttered some clumsy exprc.-
silns ~ condolcnco about Richard Hex
IT, lIc bad heard. ho said. that the
.loop had gone % Falmouth. and II It
would H. any satisfaction be- would write
to a friend ther,. or would even so over
himself and make any arrangements
they pleased for helping Diok. bat be
feared there was little hops of his rcleAse
nov that war bad broken out
These friendly oyerturrs rather sofi.
enei the hearts of the two fathers, bat
Mary felt sure that Champcr vas insin.
ccre llis hypocrisy was not proof
against her woman's instinct She
turned coldly away. and be left them,
racking his brain for some means of pro
..,nting his suit IN favorable light
bay after day Thomas Chainper came
% the Golden Lion and sought every
possible opportunity of addressing Mary.
bat biz Perseverance was ussiess. She
would not listen 10 him. Ho saw that
his suit was hopele--. aud that he had
gained nothing by the absence of Richard
Iie1oL Yet be continued 10 haunt tho
nsighhofhoOd Of the Golden Lion. until
one night hc encountered the prcss gang.
which had made another descent on ST.
Ives, and be- was caught In the same trap
he had sct for his rival
IN the mean time. letters had come
from Richard HeKel lie wrote that be
was well. and ouly unhappy because he
was parted from Mary. lie had joined
the West Indian squadron under Ad.
miral Vernon. and expected be would
soon be- able 10 tell them son.eihing
about the war So time passsd on and
the spring came.
The club had assembled one Saturday
evening In the paTlor OF the Golden Lion
The customary bowl Of punch was on
the table, but Capt Trenwith had not
arrived. and the serious business Of the
evening could not begin without him.
To pas. the time Will Nance stirred the
lire and. lighting a pipe. remarked that
the evenings were something chilly,
though the spring had come. In spite Of
the men Of Towcdnack.
What have the men of Tow ednack 10
DO with the spring." said the mayor Of
II. Iyos
"why. know YOU not, replied Nance.
that the men - Towelnack built a
hedge round the cuckoo 10 keep the
spring ba - But what's this news from
the aeetl It's nmored Poriobello Is
taken"
lis true aid John Renowdcn.
my daughter hath letter from Richard
HeKel. who wss on board the Hampton
Curt and engaged In the fight.
WHAT Dick IIeIel hath smelt gun
powder, then. In q real battlei Hurrah
for old England and beloved ST. Ivesi"
"Amenl cried Capt. Trenwiih. who
came stumping into the room "Ycs.
friends. lis all true Here Is copy of
The Daily Post. dated March 20, wherein
Il an account % the battle. writ by gen
tleman on board the Burford. the al.
mirll's own ship fill the glasses, and
John Tackabird shall read out the mar.
rativo.-
Under the combined attractions Of the
punch and the newspaper. all eagerly
drew round the table. and the barber.
clearing his throat, commenced:
"On the Afternoon % the 2lst, about
2 O'Clock, We came up with Portobello
harlor. where the Spaniards had hoisted
upon the Iron castle the flag Of defiance
They welcomed us with terrible volley.
which. being at ~ short a distance, took
place with almost every shot One struck
away the stern Of our barge; another
broke large gun upon our upper deck;
third went through our foretopmast,
and the fourth, passing through thearin'