The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-06-18
MASTER JOHN
HORSELEIGH.

Che Hsvsupool marriage registers (said
the thin-faced gentIemanD this entry may
still b. read By any one curious enough TO
decipher the Grabbed handwriting Of that
date. took copy OF 1t when was last
there: and IL runs thus, The had opened
his pocketbook and now read aloud the
extract, afterwards handing round the
book TO AZ. wherein Ne saw Transcribed
the foliowing):
Masss. John Hosse,eigh, Knight Of the
pysshs Of Ciynton. wss mayyd 70 Edith. the
vy6b iata on John 6sockef. m'ehawutes Of
Havenpool. the xiiij dale Of Dceembef b
p'vyisgss gsvyn By our supms held OF the
chyschs Of inxslonde. Kyngs Henry the
With. 1851
Now, II you turn TO tho long and elab-
crate pedigree OF the ancient family Of the
HorseIeighs of Ciyiton Horseleigh. you
viii find no mention whatever Of this ALI
ance. notwithstanding tie privilege given
by the sovereign aud head Of the church:
the said Sir John being therein chronicIed
~ marrying. 1T q date apparently earlier
than the above. the daughter and heiress
Of Richard Phelipson, Of Montislope. IN
Neither Wessex. lady who outlived him.
of which marriage there were issue two
daughters and . son. who succeeded him
in his estates. How are We to account tor
these. - Il would seem. contemporaneous
wives7 A strange local tradition only can
help N. and this can be briefly told.
One evening in the autumn Of the year
it40 or 15ii. young sailor whose Chris
tian name was Roger, but whose surname
is not known, landed at his ma
tive place Of Havenpool. on the
South Wessex coast, after . voyage in
the Newfoundland trade. then newly
sprung into existence. lie returned in
Tho ship Primrose with cargo Of ''trayne
oyie brought homo from the New Founde
Landc," to quote from the town records
Of the date. During his absence Of two
summers and winter, which made up the
term Of Newfoundland "speli." many
unlooked-for changes had occurred within
tho quiet little seaport. some Of which
closely affected Roger the sailor. At the
time Of his departure his only sister,
Edith, had become the bride Of one
6tocker. . respectable townsman, and part
owner Of the brig in which Roger had
sailed; and IL was 90 the house of this
couple. his only relatives, that the young
man directed his steps. On trying the
door In Quay street he found 1t locked,
and then observed that the windows were
boarded mp. Inquiring Of = bystander,
he learnt for the first time of the death
OF his brothsr.in-law, though the event
had taken place nearly eighteen months
before.
"And my sister Edith :" asked Roger.
''She's married again--as they do saw.
and hath been 90 these twelve months.
don't vouch for tho truth OF, though II
she liant she ought to be-"
Rogers face grew dark. He was q man
with considerable reserve Of strong pas
sion. aud he asked his informant what be
meant by speaking thus.
The man explained that shortly after
the young woman's bereavement .
stranger had come TO the port He had
seen her moping on tho quay. had been
attracted by her youth and Loneliness
and In an extraordinarily brief wooing
had completely fascinated her: had car
yied her Oft. and. as was reported, had
married her. Though he had come by
water. he was supposed to live no very
great distance oil by land. They were
last heard of at oozewood. In Upper Wcs-
scx. Mt the house of one Wall, a timber
merchant, where he believed she still had
lodging, though her husband. If he were
lawfully that much. Was bat an occasional
visitor TO the place.
Tho stranger" asked Roger. "Did
you see himf What manner of man vas
he?"
II liked him not" said the other. "He
seemed Of that kind that hath somcthins
TO conceal, and as he walked with her he
ever and anon turned his head and eaxei
behind him. as IL he much feared an un
welcome pnrsuer. But faith" continued
he. 81, may have been the mans anxiety
only. Yet did not like him.
Was lie older than my sister ?" Roger
asked.
"Aye-much Older: from dozen 70 n
scorc Of years Older. man OF some posi-
ton. may hc, PLAYING an ainorous game for
the pleasure of the hour. Who knoweth
bu; that he have wtir already Many
have done the thing hcrcabou,s of late. :"
Hsvins. paid visit 10 the graves % his
relatives the sailor next dav went along
The straight roai which. then n lane now
highway. conducted 10 the curious little
Inland town named by the Iavenpooi
man. 1t Is unnecessary 60 describe 0or.-
wood on the South Avon. /, has q rail-
way a, the present dav: but thirty wears
OF steam traffic past it's precincts have
hardly modified its original features. Sur
rounded by sert of fresh water lagoon.
dividing 10 from meadows and con-
psce. its ancient tha,ch and timber
houses have barely made way even m
the front stfect Tor the aSlolitons mod.
era brick and state IL neither decreases
nor disntnishcs In size. IL Is difficult 20 say
what the inhabitants find 20 do. FOR.
Though tFates in wood ware are still carried
an, thefe cannot he enough of this efas,
CT work NOWADAYS ID maintain All
tho hoc>eholters. the forests around hay
Ing been 50 greatly thinnei and eur,sti,d
At the isuc az this tradition the forest.
were dense. ArsiHeers in wcot ahoun.ie,.
aud the timber trade wss brisk. E..ry
house in town. without exception. ws> az
csk framework, nlied in With plaster ar;
covered With thsssh. the chimney he n 6
tae only hrick portion OF the .,suc-
snrc- IaQusry scon brought Roger the
saiier TO Tire door 81 Wall, the tlnh~r
dealer referred "a. eut it vas same time be-
tore he " ss ah.e TO gain admission 10 the
lodging OF his sister. the people having
ristals received directions not 10 welcome
ssraaxerN
she MAS sitting in an UPPER room on one
al the ls.h-aaeked. wtllc~- hossofn~d
shepherd's chairs, MADE On the spot
then rs - this day. and az they were pr.,e-
ably made there in the DAYS OF the
Heptarehy. In her lap wss an infant
which she hal been sucking thau,h
uaw 10 had isliea asleep; 80 bad ire
young mother herself so- a sev Yalnu,s,
uusser the trosssng effects of xoll,osr
Hearing footsteps "a the stairs. she aaoke
osxrsed M With glad cry, ans. rar, a the
door, opening which she niss her arothe.
on the threshold
s'uh, this 10 merry: I 1idns sxrssr, .es
she said. All. goger~-I iaoasas a w..
John" Her tones tel 10 disappearance,
The sailor Kissed her. lacked a, her
o:ssaIy for . seu moments, aad pointing