Wichita eagle., 1889-05-14
NANCY DEDMAN'S LOVE.
Sacrificing Esr Life to Save That
Of Her Brothers Slayer.
IA1acmillan's Magazine. !

lMacmillan's Magazine
cit was an ugly bit Of travelling, ] can
tell you, over Hinde Head in my young DAYS:
Is lonesome a place as any in the country
round.
Pm thinking now of tale as is not so
known as it should be. That stone before
We tells Of the poor sailor chap as was muir
uered here, for his money no doubt-c0ming
from Portsmouth he were; but no stone nor
no book, so far as / know, has spoke for
Nancy Dednan. Hers was a death indeed.
| can't speak to the partiklars, for had it
as it were handed down through ninety
years and more, but | won't tell you lie if
can help 1t; and for all | haven't it chap
ter and verse, it's wonderful lifesome too.
The Dedmans lived, when they was TO
home, in a bit Of place in the COmbe
there. You might pass within yard of it
ana not see it, so grandfather said. They
was Of smuggling crew. There was d
chain Of them smugglers, from Ports
mouth, all the way, and a wild set they
WAS. They had the country on their side,
though, and the coasts uardses was thought
no better Of than they deserved. There
was two brothers-Dick and Joe Dedman-
and their father; and Nancy was the one
girl She was beauty by all accounts
very wild, too, and as rare a one at snug
Cling Us any Of them; and she would ride
bareback on any horse, and be out all night
and all day; and many's the time when
she's kept the coast-Euardses at bay. and
done many a bat Of business as wanted a
Woman's wit and mans strength.
''Sbe must have been suu lass when
there was news Of a rare lot OF spirits and
baccy lit was the war time), and the word
was passed along the line from
Portsmouth 10 HiDde Head, and
beyond. too, of course. And the Kings
men got wind on it, and they made ready
for d fray-they thought as how they
would break the neck Of this smuggling
business. One Of the Kings men Ga sharp
young fellow, whose father were u farmer,
but lately come over to this side of Godam-
ing), he took the job. And he dropped
down one day on Nancy Dedmaa in the
Combe, and made out as he were a sailor
on his way TO Lunnon; and he asked for a
bite and a drink. And she looked him up
and down, and her decidemcnt were that
he meant no harm; SO she asked him in
ana gave it be. And he talked from cne
70 t'other of the foreign parts and the wars;
and Nancy, she were terrible took up with
it all; and he had they said, way with
him, and he were an honest young chap,
too, but for his trade. Wen, without so
much rs her finding out, she gets to tell he
that Size Is alone till the night, till the Old
man come, and that he and the lads was
away-Jco to Guildford and Dick to the mill
over by Haslemere.
But he he went back to his mates, and
they followed Dick Up and sure enough
they hailed him at the mill. and he was
warranted and throw'd into Jail. Wen, the
fray come Of, and the coast guardses beat
the smugglers all along the line, and Joe
Dedman was killed IN the fray, and the Old
l4au swore as he would track the traitor
VINO told on Dick and take his life for his
son Joe.
Young Kemp, he lost his heart to Nancy,
and they say as he told his father as he
must have Nancy Dodman or he would be
DIT to the war. The old farmer shook'd his
head, bat he could never give his son any
denial, ana when once he brought Nancy to
tee the old man he said he were bound TO
confess that Nancy had the ways of lady,
for all she were so brown and was of the
Dedman lot. II made a deal Of talk, but
old Dodman, he took no heed till one day
Il were soon after Dick come home: never
heard who gotten him cut, but it were
soon after. " ell, one day Nancy spoke up
that she was going to get married, and TO
young Farmer Kemp. There was q kick
Up. Eaucy stood 10 it that she'd marry
young Kemp; and they gave her a time Of
Il, reg lar persecution as ever You find in
Fox Martyrs, short OF the stake Wen say.
But Nancy were none Of their kittie sort;
she stood 10 her say-and one day when
they was out Of the house but not far of,
Tor they never left she alone, jim Kemp
crawled II from among the bracken shed
advertised he of the dangerl ami tells her
a. his father was gust dead and he
must have an END of this, and wall she
TX the day! He SAID Is how he'd come
and take her away by forco il need
be, he and some of his old
mates; and As she was pulling how he
could get d lot of sailors al Of 4 sudden
tyog see she know'd noUeht Of the coast
glari's businessl. Dick looked IL at the
door and his face was the devils own as il
flashed 10 him that there stood tue man as
had nailed him in the mill and had HIM to
prison 'Traitorl NaucCN said he; so vou
were "a carrying on and we never know'd
II ana il was you as told Oh your own
Z sh and blood, and your fathers curse
ana mine too Hold there cried
young Jim. hitting Dick on the mouth 10
stop his curses tthey was afraid Of curses
there. hold there, She never knew aud
Ae poured II all out As how it happened and
- Ao7' he was always thinking en- Nance.
a2o so giv'tUp the coastguard sing. part
on her account and part or his fathers.
bul aiore he had ended Dick were gone,
ana Nancy was al on heap with nought
- say.
Hhe were wonderful power Of Z
woman for AL Is was in her. and she'd had
httle love except from joe. and he were
ueal. - she said TO jim she forgave him, I
out II were al 10 an end between they;
she'd love he ali the DAYS. but She coulon,t
wed her brothers. murderer That were
all
We'll, the next on it was that when they
found as she'd given he up they believed
she had nougAt Z say to il ana was kind .