The sun., 1891-05-17

| Iu0s
Here are young chips from an old bow
stavo - cried the soldier in great delight
This is the proper war to raife children. d,
my hilti conld not have trained them bette
had the ordering Of It myself"
what is it thenT asked Horde John
They stand very stifi. and trust that the!
have not been struck So"
May. they are training their left arms. thu
they may have steady grasp Of the bow. 8,
my own father trained me, and six days weel
held out his walking stan I'LL my arm wal
heavy a. lead. Hoa, mes snfauts! How lonl
will you hold outY'
Until the sun Is over the great lime troe
good master" the elder answered.
what would 70 be. thenf woodmen
verderersY'
Nay. soldiers" they cried both together.
by the beard Of my fatheri but 70 are
wholps OF tho true breed. Why 50 keen. then
| to be soldiers7'
THAT we may nent the Scots" they an.
swored. Daddy will send US to fight the
Scots."
And why tho Scots, my pretty ladsa We
have seen French and Spanish galleys no fur
thor away than Southampton. but doubt that
II will 10 some time before the ecots find their
| way to these parts"
Our business 10 with tho Scots" auoth tho
| CiuoLs Aoi ~ Nab tuO pCOlo WIZ CubOH uuuuJ q
string fingers and his thumbs."
Aye. lads. IL was that" said dccp voice
from behind Allorno's shoulder. Looking
round. the wayfayers saw Raunt. big. bor cd
| man. with sunken cheeks and q snliow face,
! who had como up behint them. He held up
his two hands rs lie spoke and showed that
the thumbs and two first fingers had been torn
! away from each Of thtm.
Ma fol- camnradol" cried Aylward. "Who
hath served thee In so shameful u fashion ?"
1T 10 easy to roe. friend. that ron were born
far from the marches OF Scotland" auoth the
stranger. with bitter smile. North OF Hum
Der thero is no man who would not know the
hnndiwork Of Devil DouglaI the black Lord
James,"
And how foil you into his hAnds1" asked
John.
II am man OF the north country. from the
| town OF Beverley. and the wnpentnke Of
| Holderness." he answered. There was day
when. from Trent to Tweed. there WAS 70 bet
ter marksman tina: Robin Heathcot Yet. ~
you see. he hath left me. q. he hath left many
another poor border archer. with no grip for
bill or bow. Yet the king hath gwen me
living here In tho southlands, and please God
these two lads OF mine will nay of debt that
hath bcen owing over long. What is the price
Of daddy's thumbs. boys?"
Twenty Scottish lives" they answered to-
gether.
And for the fingers 2"
Half score."
when they can bend my war bow. and
bring down . squirrel at n hundred PAGES, I
send them to take service under Johnny Cope
land. the Lord OF the Marches and Governor of
Carlisle. By my soul. would give tho rest OF
my fingers to SEQ tho Douglas within arrow.
flight OF them."
My you live to see IT," quoth the bowman.
And ha'k 70. mos snfants. take an old sol-
diers rede and lay your bodies to the bow.
drawing from hip and thigh As much 40 from
arm. Learn also. pray You. to shoot with
dropping shaft: for though o bowman may at
tines he called upon to shoot straight and
fast. yet 1t is moro often that no has to do with
q town guard behind Q wall. or an arbales-
tier with his mantlet ralsed when you
cannot hope to do him seattle un-
less your shaft fall straight upon him
from tho clouds. / have not drawn string for
two weeks. but may be able to show 70 how
such shots should be made" He loosened his
long bow. slung his culver round to the front,
and then glanced keenly round for fitting
mark. There was yellow and withered stump
some way OF. soon under the dropping
branches Of a lofty oak. The archer measured
the distance with his eye: and then. drawing
three shafts, he shot them oil with such speed
that tho first had not reached the mark ere the
last was on the string. Each arrow passed
high over the oak: and. OF tho three. two stuck
fair into tho stump: while tho third. caught in
some wandering puff OF wind. was driven foot
or two to one side.
GOOD ~ cried the horth countryman.
"Hearken to him. lads! He 10 a master bow
man. Your dad says amen to every word he
says"
by my hllt" said Aylward. "if I am to
preach on bowmanship. the whole long day
would scarce give me time for my eermon
We have marksmen In the Company who will
knotch with q shaft every crevice and Joint of
a man alarms harness, from the clasp OF his
bassinet 10 the hinge Of his greave. But. with
your favor friend. l must gather my arrows
again. for while a shaft costs q penny q poor
man can scarce leave them sticking in way
side stumps. We must. then. on our road
again. and hope from my heart that you may
train these two young goshawks hers until
they are ready for cast even at such q quarry
as you speak Of"
Leaving the thumbless archer and his
brood, the wayfarsrs struck through tho scat
tered huts Of Emery Down. and out on to |
the broad rolling heath covered deep In ferns |
and In heather. whore drovss Of the half wild |
black forest pigs wero roofing about among |
the hillocks. The woods about this point fall |
away to ths left and the right while the road |
curves upward and tbs wind sweeps keenly |
over the swelling uplands. The broad strips |
OF bracken glowed red and yellow against tho |
black peaty soil. and queenly doe who grazed |
among them turned her white front and her
grent questioning eyes toward tho wayiarers.
Alieyne gazed In admiration at tho supple |
beauty OF the creature; but the archers an-
gcrs played with his culver. aud his eyes glis-
tened with the fell Instinct which urges man
to slaughter.
"Ttte Dieu" he growled. were this France.
or even Guienns We should have o fresh
haunch for our none. meat Law or NO law, |
have mind to lose bolt at her."
II would break your stave across my knee
flrst." cried John, laying his great hand upon
the bow. What! man. I am forest born. and
I know what comes OF It, In our township OF
Horde two have lost their eyes and one his
skln for this very thing. On my troth, felt no
great love whom first saw you. but since then |
| have conceiyed over much regard for you
10 wish TO see the verderers layer work upon |
you." |