The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-07-18
Board Lily's father; watching al, and

He had been riding by bride path to
the watering ford, and seeing q couple
,trespassing beneath the oaks dismounted
from his horse to hunt them away. Not
till he was quite near did he know whom
he came to hunt, and then he stood still
in astonishment. He was a short, stout
man, with red face and stern, gray eyes
that seemed to be starting from his head
with anger For awhile he could not
speak, but when he began at length the
words came fast enough. ALI that he said
forget, but the upshot Of it was that he
desired to know what my business was
with his daughter. waited till he WIS
/ out Of BREATH then answered him tn;
! Lily and loved each other we'll and were
plighting our troth.
is this So daughtcr?' he asked
''It is so, my father" she answered
boldly.
Then he broke out swearing. "You
light mink, - he said, you shall be whip
ped and kept cool On bread and water in
your chamber And for you, my half bred
Spanish cockerel, know once and for all
] that this maid is for your. betters. How
dare you come wooing my daughter, you
-,
nies to rattle in your pouch! Go win for
tune and a name before you dare to look
| up to such as shep'
s'That is my desire, and will do it,
sir" answered.
$50, you apothecary's drudge, you will
win name and place, will you? Well,
long before that deed is done the maid
shall be safely welded to one who has
them and who is not unknown to you
Daughter, say now that you have finished
with him."
Il cannot say that, father" she replied,
plucking at her robe. eff it is not your
will that I should marry Thomas here.
my duty is plain, and may not wed him.
But am my own, and no duty can make
me marry where Iwilfnot. While Thomas
lives am sworn to him and to no other
man"
AT the least you have courage, hussy,'
said her father. But listen now. Either
you will marry where and when l wish
or tramp it for your bread. Ungrateful
girl, did breed you to faunt me to my
face? Now for you, pillbox! Twill teach
you to come kissing honest mems daugh-
tiers without their leave, and with curse
he rushed at me, stick aloft, to thrash me.
Then for the second time that day my
quick blood boiled in me, and snatching
up the Spaniard S sword that lay upon the
grass beside me held it at the point, for
the game was changed, and I who had
fought with cudgel against sword must
now fight with sword against cudgel. And
had it not been that Lily, with quick
cry Of fear, struck my arm from beneath,
causing the point Of the sword to pass over
then and there have pierced her father
through and ended my days early with
moose about my neck.
Are you mad?'' she cried, land do you
think to win me by Staying my father?
Throw down that sword, Thomas
LAS for winning you, it seems that there
is small chance Of it, answered hotly,
'sbut tell you this-not for the sake OF all
the maids upon the earth will stand to
be beaten with stick like scullion.
'.And there do not blame you, lad"
said her father, more kindly. II see that
you also have courage, which may serve
you in good stead, and it was unworthy
Of me to call you 'pillbox' in my anger.
Still, as I have said, the girl is not for you,
SO begone and forget her rs best you may,
and if you value your life never let me
find you two kissing again. And know
that tomorrow will have word with
your father on this matter" I"
Il will go, since I must CO." I answer
ed, ''but, sir, still hope to live to call
your daughter wife Lily, farewell TILL
these storms arc overpast. y
Farewell, Thomas she said, weeping.
forget me not, and will never forget
my oath to you
Then, taking Lily by the arm, her father
led her away.
also went away-sad, but not alto
gether i'll pleased, for now knew that If
I had won the fathers anger had also
won the daughters unalterable love, and
love lasts longer than wrath, and here or
hereafter will win it's way at length.
When I had gone a little distance, re-
membered the Spaniard, who had been
clean forgotten by me in all this love and
war, and I turned to seek him and drag
him to the stocks, which should have
done with joy and been glad to find some
one on whom to wreak my wrongs. But
when I came to the spot where had left
him found that fate had befriended him
by the hand Of a fool, for there was no
Spaniard, but only the village idiot, Billy
Minns by name, who stood staring first at
the tree to which the foreigner had been
made fast and then at piece Of silver in
his hand.
Where is the man who was tied here,
Billy" I asked.
=