Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-01-05

wrenched from it's fastenings the carved
and worm eaten door that barred the
way to the tower. She assembled with
lying and frenZied feet the steps; her
herat lifted up to God for Richards de-
Hverance 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
chevrons and clustered columns; its
pictured saint and carved image Of the
Virgin, which the pillages of ages had
spared to be delt with by time, the most
relentless yandal of all.
Urstiu up-beyond the rainbow tints
thrown by the stained glass across her
death white brow; up-stiu up-past
open arcade and arch, with griffin and
gargoyles staring at her from under
brackets and cOrnice, with all the hid
eousness and medieval carving; the
stairs, flight by flight, growing Trailer
beneath her young feet; now but a slen-
der network between her and the outer
world; but still up.
Her breath was coming short and
gasping. She saw through an open
space old Jasper cross the road at the
foot of the tower. ., how far! The
seconds were treasures, which Crom-
well, with all his blood bought common
wealth, could not purchase from her.
Up-ah-there, just above her, with its
=. eat DraZen mouth and wicked tongue
,ue bell hung.
A worm eaten block for a step and
one small, white hand had clasped it.
self above the clapper-the other pre-
pared, at the tremble, to rise and clasp
its mate, and the feet to swing Off-and
thus she waited. Jasper was old and
slow, but he was sure, and it came at
last. A faint culver, and the young feet
swung from their rest and the tender
hands clasped for more than their prec-
ious life the writing thing. There was
a grooming and creaking of therude pull
legs above, and then the strokes came
heavy and strong. Jaspers hand had
not forgot its cunning nor his arm it's
strength. The tender, soft form was
swung and dashed to and fro, but she
chung to and careSSed the cold, cruel
thing. Let one stroke come and thou
sand might follow-for it's fatal work
WOul be done. She wreathed her white
arms about it, so that at every pull of
the great ropes it crushed into the flesh.
1t tore her and wounded and bruised,
buth there in the solemn 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
pulleys are getting too heavy for my old
arms. My ears, too, have failed me. L
dinna hear one stoke of the curfew.
Dear old bell, it is my ears that have
gone false, and not thou. Farewell, old
friend"
And just beyond the worn pavement
a shadowy form again went fitting past
him. There were drops Of blood upon
the white garments, and the face was
like the face Of one who walked in her
sleep, and the hands hung wounded and
pOWerleSs at her side.
Cromwell paused with his horse
men under the diSmantled May pole
before the village green. He saw a
man who was to die at sunset standing
up in the duslly air, tall as king and
beautiful as Absalo1n. He gazed with
knitted brow and angry eye, but his lips
did not give utterance to the quick com
mand that trembled on them, for girl
came flying toward him. Pikeman and
archer stepped aside to let her pass. She
threw herself upon the turf at his
horses feet; she lifted her bleeung and
tortured hands to his gaze, and once
more poured out her prayer for the life
of her lover. With trembling lips she
told him why Richard still Gved-why
the curfew had not sounded.
Lady Maud, looking out Of her latticed
window at the castle, saw the great
protector dismount, lift the fainting form
in his arms and bear her to her lover.
She saw the guards release the prisoner,
and she heard the shouts Of joy at his
deliverance; then she welcomed the
night that shut the scene out from her
envious eye and sepulchered her in it's
gloom.
At the next matin bell old Jasper died,
and at curfew toll he was laid beside
the wife who had died in her youth, but
the memory Of whom had been with
him understandable Journal.