The Somerset reporter., 1889-12-19
TWO CHRISTMAS EYES.

| he ancient town of st. Ives, Cornwall,
here stands picturesque old hostelry
| allied the Golden Lion" Until quite
ately it had for its near neighhar an inn
| equally picturesque. and perhaps even
| )lier-the "Georgc and Dragon Both
! :hesc ancient houses of entertainment
must have witnessed many strange
vents. besides being the scene Of many
| iovial drinking bout after the gather
ng in of the harvest Of the sea, or at
he less lawful landing of a contraband
| cargo. or at the end of "a successful pri-
watering expedition. For I'll these
| hings Your Cornishman hath an excel
cnt relish On the spot was the palla-
!ium Of the liberties of St Ives, for here
stood the whipping post, the cage and
the stocks.
The George and Dragon must have been
the fashionable hotel, for after the Corn
ish pilgrimage Of grace the kings COM
missioner. Sir Anthony Kingston, lodged
here. and entertained at dinner the port
reeve of St Ives, whom he afterwards
politely hanged in the market square for
his REASONABLE practices. Here. also,
the Duke II Bolton, when he visited the
town in 1909, was treated with six bot
lies Of sack. The two houses stood so
rlose together-bcing divided only by the
narrow street leading into the market
square--that the occupants could wish
Zach other good morning from the win
lows.
In tho days OF George II Peter Hexel
was landlord of the George and Dragon.
and john Renowden ruled the Golden
Lion. They were not only neighbors,
but fast friends There was, perhaps.
somcthinS in the similarity of tho cir
umstances of these two men that
strengthened their friendship They
we're both widowcrs, and each had an
,nly child. Richard IIexel was hand
some, strapping fellow of three-and
twenty. Mary Renowden was nineteen,
nd the pride of her fathers heart. As
'hildrcn they had played together; but
here came time when they only looked
md smiled and nodded to each other
from the opposite windows. Then Rich
lrd would watch for Mary when she
went out. aud would follow her into the
fields or on the seashore; and so it came
to be at length another version Of the
old, old story, which surprised nobody
Least Of all, the landlords of the George
and Dragon and the Golden Lion, who
looked forward to the time when the
interests of both those ancient establish
mcnts should become one and indivisi-
bile.
But there was one person who watched |
the growing affection of the lovers with
Il bitter and jealous heart. This would
not he true love story, according to
the ancient and regular pattern, had
there been nothing to interrupt its
smooth and even course. A certain
Thomas Champer, the son of a mine
master in the neighboring parish of Zen
nor, had long looked with longing eyes |
on Mary Renowden. His visits were
discouraged by the host of the Golden |
Lion, and Mary herself made it very |
plain that she dislikcd his attentions
Nothing could exceed the bitterness of
his feelings when Champer found that |
he was rejected in favor of one who had |
been his successful rival from boyhood. |
Richard lIexel had taken him down" at |
school-in the wrestling bouts at Feast
entide" had thrown him in the Cornish
hug" and had constantly snatched the |
victory from him in the game of "hurl-
ing" All these defeats he had endured
with comparative Indifference, but to be
beaten in the game of love was not SO
easy to bear. He watched the lovers in
their walks, till he felt he could do any
thing short of murder to get his rival out
Of the way. lie thought if HcXel were
once removed from the scene he might |
SCI succeed with Mary trusting to time
end the chapter of accidents. About
this time the government declared war
against Spain, and 1t was certain that
men would be wanted for the navy.
If the kings ships could not be manned
hy other means, the press gangs would
hc out, and they would first of all try
,hrir luck at the seaports. What if they
hould visit st. Ives! 1t was not unlikely
and they would be glad of hint where
GOOD men were to be found. Thomas
Champer turned this matter over in his
n.nd till ho persuaded himself that he
would be doing good service to the state,
and furtherns his own interests at the
,lnc time, f he could lend helping
i,rnd in manning the navy, provided,
always, he could himself keep out Of the
way, for he had no desire to serve his
country on board man-of-war. He was
full of such thoughts when he made one
of his periodical journeys to Falmouth
OIL mining business and sought out Il
certain "crimp' or agent for entrapping |
seamen for the press-gang. What he did
there, or what arguments he used to ad-
vance his plans, we need not inquire, but |
the "crimp' was richer by some pounds
at the termination of the interview.
1t was Christmas eve, and the good |
people of st. Ives were preparing to keep |
the festival with due honor. The usual
excitement OF the season had been in
creased in the course of the afternoon by |
the appearance of sloop-of-war, which |
anchored in the bay, and it was expected |
that some of the officers and crew would |
come ashore to join in the general mer-
rymaking. After dark band of num-
mers entered the market square, and,
stopping in front Of the George and |
Dragon commenced the performance of |
the Christmas drama of "St. George"
Soon a large crowd was collected, and |
the noise brought to the doors and win |
dows of the houses most of the persons |
who were within, including the frequent |
ers of little club which met at the |
George and Dragon and the Golden Lion |
alternately.
In, tb,,, OF ~ hot hea-
tween st. George and the Turkish knight |
there was commotion among the |
crowd, and party Of armed sailors ap- |
peared, headed by tall fellow, who,
fourishing n naked cutlass, cried, SIN |
the kings Manner The crowd at once |
broke away amid the screams of women |
and cries of 1.-The press! the pressl" The |
sailors made a dash at some Of the |
younger men in the crowd, and among |
those they secured was Richard Hexel,
who was standing at his fathers door. |
The party then reiterated with their cap |
tives, closely followed by the crowd,
crying, Down with the press gang! |
Down with themr' More than once the |
sailors were so hard pressed that those
in the rear had to turn and make stand |
in the narrow streets, and a serious con-
flict was threatened. But they reached
their boats with the men they had cap
tured, and at daylight next morning the
sloop Of war in the bay had disappeared.
That night there was much wailing
among the women of st. Ives, and
fruitful subject of talk was afforded to
tAe club at the George and Dragon.
Among the members of this club were
Capt Trenwith, retired officer of the
navy, who had sailed with Admiral Ben
bow, and had lost leg in the service of
his country. Mr. Matthew'S rODemaker