Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-04-19
CHAPTER I.

He that ~ jfltsd the Muse, forMkiug her
gsntls pipe 10 follow the drum and trumpet,
shall fruitlealy bssiege her again when the
time comes to sit At home and write down
M AdventureA sTis her revenge, a. am
extremely sondble; and mcthinks she IL the
harder 10 me, upon reflection how near
came to being her life long servant, - you
are 70 hear.
Twas on Nov. 20, lo42--a clear, frosty day
that the king, with the Prince Of Wales
tnswly recovered Of the measlee), the Princes
Rupert and Maurice, and . great company Of
lords and gentlemen, horse and foot, came
marching back to us from Reading. I was q
scholar Of Trinity college, In Oxford, at that
time. and may begin my history at o'clock
on the same afternoon, when going Ia my
ing lesson, found his lodgings empty.
They stood at the corner Of Ship street, q
you turn into the Corn markets low vain
footed chamber, III lighted but commodious.
"Hs Il OF to see the show" thought - I
looked about me; and, finding an eAsy cushion
In the window. rat down to await him.
Where presently, being tired out 0or had
been carrying q hAlberd all day with the
scholars' troop in Magdalen college grove),
and in despite Of the open lattice, I fell sound
asleep.
Il must have been an hour after that
invoke with chill las was naturaD, and was
stretching out a hand to pull the window Close,
but suddenly sat down again and fell to
watching instead
The window looked down, at the height of
ten feet or 20, upon q bowling green at the
back Of the Grown" tavern (kept by John
Davenant, in the Corn market, and across It
to a rambling wing Of the same inn; the
fourth side-that to my left-being but an old
wall, with broad sycamore growing against
It Twas already twilight; and in the dark
euing house, over the green, was now one
easement brightly lit, the curtains undrawn,
and within company Of noisy drinkers
round table. They were gaming, as was
easily told by their clicking Of the dice and
frequent oaths; and anon the below Of some
tipsy chorus would come across. Twas one
oe these catches, dare say, that woke me;
only just now my eyes were bent, not towards
the singers, but on the still lawn between US.
The sycamore, have limited, was broad
tree, and must, In summer, have borne a
goodly load Of leaves; but now, In Novem-
Der, these were strewn thick over the green,
and nothing left but stiff, naked boughs Be-
meath 1t lay q cracked bowl or two on the
rank turf, and against the trunk garden
bench rested, suppose for the convenience
Of the players On this man was now seated
He was reading in a little book, and this
first logged my curiosity; for twas unnatural
. man should read print at this dim hour, OF,
II he had mind to try, should choose cold
bowling green for his purpose. Yet he
seemed to study his volume very attentively,
but with a sharp look, now and then, towards
the lighted window, as II the revelers dis
turbed him. His back was partly turned to
me, and what with this and the growing dusk
1could but make guess at his face, but q
plenty Of silver hair fell over his fur collar,
and his shoulders were bent great deal I
rest, he wore dark, simple suit, very strait
" cut, with an ample furred cloak and hat
rather tall, after the fashion of the last reign.
Now, why the mans behavior 80 engaged
me, don't know; but at tho end Of half an
hour was still watching him. By this twas
near dark, bitter cold, and his pretense to
read mere fondness; yet he persevered-
though with longer glances at the easement
above, where the din at times was flt to wake
the dead.
And now one of the dicers upset his chair
with curse, and gets ON his feet. Looking
up saw his features DR. moment-a slight,
pretty boy, scarce above eighteen, with fair
curls and flushed cheeks like girls. 1t made
me admire to see him in this ring Of purple,
villainous faces. Twas evident he was q
young gentleman Of quality, as well by his
bearing as his handsome cloak Of amber satin
barred with black. ~ think the DEVILS in
these dicer' heard him crying, and pretty
hubbub all about him; but presently the
drawer enters with moro wine, and he sits
down quietly to a fresh game.
As soon as twas started one of the crew,
hat b.A v,lo ,i,,or ht,tx Il
out, lounges up from his seat aud, coming to
the easement, pushes it open for fresh air.
He was one that till now had sat in full
view-a tall bully, with gross, pimpled
nose-and led the catches in bulls voice.
The rest of the players paid no heed to his
rising, and very seen his shoulders hid them
as he leaned out, drawing In the cold breath.
During the late racket had forgot for q
while my friend under the sycamore, but
now, looking that way, to my astonishment
saw him risen from his bench and stealing
across to the house opposite. say "steal.
Ing" for he kept all the way to the darker
shadow Of the wall, and, besides, had a curl.
ous trailing motion with his left foot, as
though the ankle Of it had been wrung OF
badly hurt.
As soon as he was come beneath the win.
dow he stopped and called softly,
"Histr
The bully gave start and looked down
could tell by this motion he did not look tc
find any one in the bowling green at that
hour. Indeed, he had been watching the
shaft of light thrown past him by the room
behind, and now moved SO as to let it fall on
the man that addressed him.
The other stands close under the window
q IL to avoid this, and calls again.
90 ho on1 hacknps with n hnuar
The man at the window still held his tongu,
Il suppose because those in the room would
hear him if he spoke), and SO for a while thu
two men studied one another in silence, as i
considering their next moves.
After bit, however, the bully lifted ,
hand, and, turning back into the Lighted
room, walks up to one Of the players, speak
q word or two and disappears.
sat up on the window seat, where till nov
had been crouching for fear the shaft o
light should betray me, and presently (as
was expecting heard the latch Of the bac
porch gently lifted, and spied the heavy form
Of the bully coming softly over the grass.
Now, would not have my readers preju
diced, and SO may tell them that this was tn
first tune in my life that had played tn
eavesdropper. That did SO now can neve
be glad enough, but tits true, nevertheless
my conscience pricked me; and was eve
making motion to withdraw when that oe
Cured which would have fixed any mans al
tention, whether he wished it or no.
The bully must have closed the door be
hind him but carelessly, for hardly could h
have taken dozen steps when it opened agai
with . scuffle, and the large house dog b
longing TO the "Crown" few at his heels wit
vicious snarl and snap of the teeth.
1t was enough to scare the coolest. Bl
the fellow turned as il shot, and before
could snap again had gripped him fairly |
the throat. The struggle that followed
could barely see, but ! heard the horrib
sounds Of 1.-THE hard, short breathing of II