The climax. [volume] (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1887-1897, 1889-12-25
MORN AT NAZARETH.
TWO CHRISTMAS EYES.

AT the corner of the market square in
the ancient town of st. Ives, Cornwall,
there stands a picturesque old hostelry
called the Golden Lion" Until quite
lately it had for its near neighbor an inn
equally picturesque, and perhaps even
older-the 'George and Dragon" Both
these ancient houses of entertainment
must have witnessed many strange
events, besides being the scene of many
a jOvial drinking bout after the gather
ing in Of the ''harvest of the sea, or at
the less lawful landing of a contraband
cargo, OF at the end of a successful pri-
Watering expedition. For all these
things your Cornishman hath an excel
lent relish. On the spot was the palla-
dunn 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 of Bolton, when he visited the
town in 1900, twas treated with six bot
ties of sack" The two houses stood so
close together-being divided only by the
narrow street leading into the market
square-that the occupants could wish
each other good morning from the win
dows.
In the 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,
something in the similarity Of the cir
cumstances of these two men that
strengthened their friendship. They
were both widowers, and each had an
only child. Richard Hexel was hand
some, Swapping fellow Of three-and-
twenty. Mary Renowden was nineteen,
and the pride Of her fathers heart. As
children they had played together; but
there came a time when they only looked
and smiled and nodded to each other
from the opposite windows. Then Rich
ard would watch for Mary when she
went out, and 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 ali, 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
ments should become one and indivisi-
bic.
But there was one person who watched
the growing affection Of the lovers with
a bitter and jealous heart. This would
not be a 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 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 disliked 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 Hexel had taken him down" ct
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 s.kurl-
ing an these defeats he had endured
with comparative indifference, but to be