The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-04-09
MAID SYBIL'S LOVER.

MAID SYBTL'S LOVER.
It was 4 sweet summers afternoon,
toward the middle of the Fifteenth CEN
tury, and the inhabitants of the little
village Of Friars Holt were all assembled
upon the green, watching the attempts
Of some of the younger men to send their
arrow1 straight TO the center Of the butts
which stood at one end of the chosen
place of recreation.
"Another shaft missed the clout," 4"
laughed an old man, as the arrow stuck
quivering in the turf, falling three yards
short Of the butt "The king will never
complain that lads of Wainwood make
havoc among his deer if he hears of such
shooting as this"
"Hold your prate, CATER Jenkyn," +"
said the young man who had discharged
the last shot, pettishly unstringing his
bow; sit was a cross wind which marred
my shooting, unless, indeed, it was the
wizards ward, ;" he added, crossing him
self devoutly as he cast a glance of scorn
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standing some little distance apart from
the group of rustics-a fair haired girl
of middle height, with a pair of laugh
ing gray eyes.
Her age could scarcely have exceeded
eighteen years, and the merry express
sion of her face as she smiled at the
woebegone look of the discomfted bow
man had no more wizards glamour
about it than is always to be found in
the rippling laughter of a pretty girl.
Eyes, there she be, sure enough,
muttered Gaffer Jenkyn, with a glance
of malevolent hatred at the young girl.
"What business has she down here
among us? Even if she can't cast spells
herself she can tell all about us to that
old warlock who lives in the ruined
tower in Cairnstone Chase"
BY this time general attention was
drawn to the beautiful intruder, and
threats and execrations were leveled at
her head.
At first the girl appeared unconscious
of her danger, but all at once a stone
thrown by lad grazed her arm, and as
she perceived the threatening attitude
of the crowd look of intense terror
passed across her face and she turned tc
fly,
"Do not let the witch escape" cried
an old crone II lost two sweet grand
children last autumn. They said it was
the falling sickness, but l know better
It was through the devilments of the
old wizard and his ward"
A menacing circle soon formed around
the poor girl, whose entreaties formercy
were received with shouts of derision
and she would have been seriously NAL
treated had not figure burst through
the ranks of her assailants and loudly
asked the meaning of their cowardly
| conduct
The man who interposed in the grill
behalf was attired in the picturesque
dress of forester, though he wore NJ
badge or cognizance to show that h,
was the retainer of any noble house
and the cloth Of which his Lincoln greer
doublet was composed was of a fine
character than that in which servitor
were attired.
"Hullo, my masters" cried he, step
ping between the maiden and her assail
ants; "what wit is this? BY the bone
Of Jonathan the Archer, call ye your
selves Englishmen to behav5 in such
manner?'
A confused chorus of explanation ros
from the little crowd, but the smith
who had first suggested violent meas
ures, strobe to the front,
"This is no business of thine, Hob o
the Butts" growled he Get ye I
your own business of stealing the king
deer and leave honest men to look afte
their own affairs
"We will have no witches or warlock
among us, and this wench, who lives u
at Cairnstone Chase with old MiehaC
Rexthorpe, shall not come down her
casting her spell over us and ours"
AS he spoke he laid rough, sinew
hand upon the shoulder of the shrinkin
girl, but in a moment staggered bac
under the effects of heavy blow deal
him by the man called Hob of the Butt
who, placing the girls arm in his, DIRE,
her through the crowd, not one {
which ventured to manifest any oppos
ton.
Neither spoke word until they ha
left Friars Holt some little distance b,
hind them, and then the girl said tin
idly;
81 thank you, fair sir, for your ldnt
ness in rescuing me from that dreadfI
man. | thought l should have die
with terror when he laid his han
on me-"
The forester laughed merrily. Ma
Clink and | understand each othe
pretty one, said he. But tell me, WI
are you? Why did they call you a witc
and want TO throw you into the pondr'
Tears started to the girls eyes.
am called Sybil Tressider," answere
she, "and am no witch, though l liV
up in Cairnstone Chase with that fearfl
! man, Michael Rexthorpe
j "My father, Reginald Tressider, WI
. believed that he could find the philos
j piers stone, was the owner of the houi
in the Chase and Michael RexthorI
g was his trusted familiar and acolyt
j but my poor father died and the fea
/, some man Michael has taken ever.
4 thing. He says | am his ward, an
+ though am not absolutely prisone
yet he has forbidden me to so beyor
certain limits"
Hob Of the Butts stroked his chi
7 thoughtfuily "A sad tale" said h
= But what doth he up in the lone
tower, from whence as have passC
that way at night l have seen strange
eolored vapors issue and clouds
4 bright sparks float away like evil d
: mons on their errand of i'll
I He searches for two things the s
cret of eternal youth and the waters
oblivion replied Sybil Tressider.
Hobof Butts looked puzzled. Il mC
o not what you mean by the last, said
o "It is the draft which brings forg
, fulness,n answered tho maiden.
o ."Then Matt Clink often finds III
Y when he quaffs the nat brown ale,
= turned the forester, with his merry laus
K Il cannot ask thee in, replied Syt
n "but from the bottom Of my heart
\, thank thee have not met frie
ID since / can recollect.'
j She turned from him with a sigh a
made her way slowly toward the til
ye worn tower, which stood like some gi'
70 sentinel watching over the bleak was
"a
In a very few days Hob of the Bu
again found himself in the vicinity
90 the tower, and with witness VIII
.e those who were acquainted with
Of frank and open nature would never hi
given him credit for, he carried ON
shoulders a fat doe, which he hum
offered to Michael Rexthorpe as a n
ute from one who, though ignorant =
a devoted admirer Of learning.
The cunning old man fathomed
handsome forester's motive in a ]
ment. but he was not one 20 cast ay
-sp4- ..,ra., tlorsrrl, ha Calf fu his he