The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-28
CHAPTER !.

gentle pipe to follow the drum and trumpet,
shall fruitlessly besiege her again when the
/ time comes to sit at home and write down
! his adventures IT'S her revenge, as / am
extremely sensible; and methinks she is the
harder TO me, upon reflection how near
came to being her life long servant, as you
are to hear
Twas on Nov. 20, 1G42-a clear, frosty day
that the ling, with the Prince of Wales
/ newly r-cOvered OF the measles, the Princes
/ RUr.rt and Maurice and a great company OF
! y,rds and gentlemen. horse and foot, came
marching back to us from Reading. l was
| scholar of Trinity college, in Oxford. at that
/ time, and may begin my history at . o clock
/ on the same afternoon, when going las my
/ custom vas TO Mr. Rob Drury for my tenc-
! ing lesson. found his lodgings empty.
They stood at the corner of Ship street, as
! YOU turn into The Corn market-a low VAIN
/ scoted chamber, i'll lighted but comInodious.
| HE is Off to see the show thought l as
! looked about me; and, finding an easy cushion
/ in the window, sat down TO await MIN.
( Where presently, being tired out for | had
/ been carving a halberd all day with the
| scholars troop in Magdalen college grove,
! and in despite Of the omen lattice, fell sound
! asleep.
! 1t must have been an hour after that l
awoke with a chill (a5 was natural. and was
! stretching out 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 so, upon a bowling green at the
! back Of the Crown tavern (kept by John
/ Dayenant, 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 a broad sycamore growing against
I it. Twas already twilight: and in the dark
! euing house. over the green, was now che
/ easement brightly lit, the curtains undrawE,
/ and within a company Of noisy drinkers
! round . table They We're gaming, as was
! easily told by their clicking OF the dice and
! frequent oaths; and anon the below Of some
/ tiusv chorus would come across. Twas one
Of these catches, l dare say, that woke me;
only lust now my eyes were bent, not towards
/ the singers, but on the still lawn between Us.
The sycamore, | have limited, was a broad
tree, and must in summer, have borne a
gOodiv load Of leaves; but now. in NOvem-
Der. these were strewn thick over the green,
and nothing left buJ stiff, naked bOughs. Be
meath it Law a cracked bowl or TWO on the
rank turf, and against the trunk garden
bench rested, ! suppose fo~ the convenience
of the players. On this a man was now seated.
He was reading in a little book, and this
first logged my curiosity; for twas unnatural
a man should read print at this dim hour, or,
if he had a mind to try, should choose a cold
bowling green for his purpose. Yet he
seemed to study his volume very attentively,
but with Sharp look, now and then towards
H., 15.rIf. p,1
turbed him His back was partly turned to
me, and what with this and the growing dusk
l could but make a guess at his face, but a
plenty OF silver hair fell over his fur collar,
and his shoulders were bent a great deal I
Judged him between fifty aud sixty. For the
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 so engaged
me, don't know: but at the 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 fit TO wake
the dead
And now one of the dicers upset his chair
with curse. and gets on his feet. Looking
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 lie was a
young gentleman of quality, as well by his
bearing as his handsome cloak of amber satin
barred with black Il think the devils in
these dice" l heard him crying, and a pretty
hubbub all about him; but presently the
Il. min ba
down quietly to a fresh game.
As soon as twas started one of the crew,
that had been playing but was now dropped
out, lounges up from his seat and, 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 a gross, pimpled
nose-and led the catches in a bulls voice
The rest of the players paid no heed 10 MS
rising, and very soon his shoulders hid them
as he leaned out. drawing in the cold breath
During the late racket | mad forgot for i
while my friend under the sycamore, but
now, looking that way, to my establishment
saw him risen from his bench and stealing
across to the house opposite. say steal
Ing for be kept all the way to the darker
shadow of the wall, and, besides had a curl
Gus trailing motion with his left foot. as
I
badly hurt.
As soon as he was come beneath the win
dow lie stopped and called softly,
''Histr
The bully gave start and looked down.
] could tell by this motion he did not look -
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 50 as % het 1t fall on
the man that addressed him.
The other stands close under the window,
as il TO avoid TINS, and calls again.
Hist" says he, and beckons with a finger.
The man at the window still held MS tongue
q suppose because those in the room would
hear him If he spoke, and 80 for while the
two Elen studied one another in silence, IS II
considering their next moves.
After bit, however. the bully lifted a
hand, and. turning back into tue lighted
room. walks 10 10 one OF the players, speaks
3 word or two ana disappears.
! sat up on the window seat. where tall now
I had been crouching for fear the shaft %
light should botray me. and presently taS 1
was expectiugI heard the latch Of the back
porch gently lifted. snd spici the heavy form
OF the bully coming softly over the grass.
Now, vouid not have my readers preiu-
diced. and 50 may tell them that this was The
first time in my life that had played tie
eaveSdropper. That did 50 now can never
lie glad enough, but rs true, nevertheless,
my conscience Pricked me; and was even
making motion to withdraw when that &C.
Cured which would have hxed any mans al
tention. whether he wished l. or no.
The bully must have closed tue door BE-
hind him but careiessly Tor hardly could he
have taken dozen step, ahen Il opened again
w1th & scuffie. and the large house dog be-