Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-12-18


around 1t, and hair that the low western
hghts touched and tinted as with n halo
An, Huldah, Huldahp' the old man
mnttered, how swift she fiest [ will
come soon, dear My work is almost done. y
huldah was the good wife who had gone
from MN IN her early wOmanhood, and for
whom he had mourned all his long life
But the lleeting form was not Huldah's: IL
was Lily DE We're, hurried by a sudden and
desperate purpose toward the cathedral
80 help me God, curfcw shall not ring
tonight Cromwell and his dragons come
THIS way. Once more l will kneel nj his
feet and plead"
She entered the ruined arch She
wrenched from its fastenings the carved
ana worm eaten door that barred the way
20 the tower. She assembled with fyinp
ana trenzled feet the steps; her heart lifted
mp 10 God for Richards deliverance from
peril. The bats flew out and shook the
DUST OF centuries from the black carvings
AS she went up she caught glimpses of the
interior OF the great building, with its
groined roof, its cheyrons and clustered
columns; its pictured saint and carved
image Of the Virgin, which the pillagersof
ages had spared to be dealt with by time.
the most relentless vandal of all.
Up-still up-beyond the rainbow tints
thrown by the stained glass across her
death white brow; up-still up-past open
arcade and arch, with griffin and gargoyles
staring at her from under brackets and
cornice, with all the hideousness and me
dlnval carving; the stairs, flight by fight
growing Trailer beneath her young feet
now but slender network between her
and the outer world; bat stiH up.
Her breath was coming short and gasp.
ing. She saw through an open space old
Jasper cross the road at the foot Of the
tower. Oh, how fart The seconds were
treasures, which Cromwell, with all his
blood bought commonwealth, could not
purchase from her. Up-ah-there, Just
above her, with its great brazen mouth
and wicked tongue, the bell hung.
A worm eaten block for n step and one
small, white band had clasped itself above
the clappeT-the other prepared, at the
tremble, to rise and clasp its mate, and
The feet TO swing Of-and thus she waited |
Jasper was old and slow, but he was sure. |
and it came at last. A faint. quiver, and |
the young feet swung from their rest and |
the tender hands clasped for more than |
their precious life the writhing thing. |
There was groaning and creaking Of the |
rude pulleys above, and then the strokes |
came heavy and strong. Jasper's band !
had not forgot its cunning nor his arm It's |
The tender, soft form was swung |
and dashed to and fro, but she chung tc |
and caressed the cold, cruel thing Let |
one stroke come and a thousand might fol |
iow-for its fatal work would be done. |
She wreathed her white arms about il, SC
that at every pull Of the great ropes it |
crushed into the flesh. Il tore her and /
and bruised, but there in the sol.
emn twilight the brave woman swung and |
fought with the curfew and God gave her
victory
The old bell ringer said to himself.
Aye, Huldah, my work is done. The pul.
leys are getting too heavy for my old arms.
Ny ears, too, have failed me. ! diaHa hear
one stroke OF the curfew. Dear old bell, il
IS my ears that have gone false. and not
thou. Farewell, old friend
And just beyond the worn pavement q
shadowy form again went fitting past
him. There were drops Of blood upon the
white garments, and the face was like the
lace of one who walked in her sleep, and
he hands hung wounded and powerless at
her side.
Cromwell paused with his horsemen
under the dismantled May pole before the
village green. He saw man who was 70
lie at sunset standing up in the dusky air.
all as a king and beautiful as A bsalom.
He gazed with knitted brow and angry eve.
but his lips did not give utterance 70 the
quick command that trembled ON them.
or girl came flying toward him. Pike
nan and archer stepped aside TO let her
bass. She threw herself upon the turf al
lis horses feet; she lifted her bleeding and
ortured hands to hfs gaze, and once more
'oured out her prayer for the life Of her
over. With trembling lips she told him
Why Richard still lived-why the curfew
lad not sounded.
Lady Maud, looking out Of her latticed
window at the castle, saw the great pro .
ector dismount, lift the fainting form in
lis arms and bear her 10 her lover. She
aw the guards release the prisoner, and
he heard the shouts Of Joy at his deliver. !
nee; then she welcomed the night that
hut the scene out from her envious eye
nd sepulchered her in its gloom.
At the next matin bell old Jasper died,
nd at curfew toll he was laid beside the
7ife who had died in his youth, but the
memory Of whom had been with him
journal