The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-07-21
COPYRIGHT. rsss. sr the AUTHOR.

others Wild his Gnlck CuQgel OF molly GOStG
still hangs over the ingle in the smaller
sitting room. The end Of it was that the
Lad was sent to the priory here in Bungay,
where his conduct was Of such nature that
within year the prior prayed his parents
to take him back and set him in some way
of secular life. Not only, said the prior,
did my father cause scandal by his actions,
breaking out of the priory at night and
visiting drinking houses and other places,
but such was the sum of his wickedness
he did not scruple to question and make
mock of the very doctrines Of the church,
alleging even that there was nothing sa-
cred in the image Of the Virgin Mary
which stood in the chancel, and shut his
eyes in prayer before all the congregation
when the priest elevated the host. There
fore" said the prior, ssI. pray you to take
back your son and let him find some other
road to the stake than thatswhich runs
through the gates of Bungay priory." =
It was believed both by my grandfather
and the prior that the true cause Of my IA
ther's contumacy wasea passion which he
had conceived for agtn of humble birth, q
miller's fair daughter who dwelt at Wa
ingford Mills So the end oft was that
he went to foreignparts in theicare of
party Of Spanish monks, whohad journey
ed here to Norfolk on pilgrimagesto the
shrine of Our Lady OF Walsingham.
Thus it CHANGED that when he had sailed
from Yarmouth a year and six months
there came letter from the abbot Of the
monastery in Seville to his brother, the
prior of ST. Mary's at Bungay, saying that
my father had fled from the monastery.
Two more years passed away, and then
came other news-na1nely, that my father
had been captured; that he had been hand
ed over to the power Of the holy Office, as
the aocursed inquisition was then named,
and tortured to death at Seville. When
my grandfather heard this, ne wept. Still
he did not believe that my father was dead
in truth, since on the last day of his own
life, that ended two years Later, he spoke
Of him as living man and left messages
to him as to the management Of the lands
which were now his.
And in the end it became clear that this
belief was not i'll founded, for one day,
three years after the old man S death, there
landed at the port Of Yarmouth none 9th
er than my father, who had been absent
some eight years in all Nor did he come
alone, for with him he brought a wife,
young and very lovely lady, who afterward
was my mother She was Spaniard Of
noble family, having been born at Seville,
and her maiden name was Donna Luisa de
Garcia
There were three Of US children-Geof-
frey, my elder brother, myself and my SIS
ter Mary, who was one year my junior,
the sweetest child and the most beautiful
that have ever known. We were very
happy children, and our beauty was the
pride of our father and mother and the
envy of other parents. I was the darkest
Of the three, dark indeed to swarthiness,
but in Mary the Spanish blood showed
only in her rich eyes of velvet hue, and in
the glow upon her cheek that was like the
blush on ripe fruit.
My mother used to call me her little
Spaniard because of my swarthiness-
is, when my father was not near, for such
names angered him. She never learned to
speak English very we'll, but he would
suffer her to talk in no other tongue before
him. Still when he was moi there she
spoke in Spanish, Of which language, how
ever, alone of the family became mas
volumes of old Spanish ro1nances which
she had by her than for any other reason.
From my earliest childhood was fond Of
such tales, and it was by bribing me with
the promise that should read them that
she persuaded me TO learn Spanish, for
my mothers heart still yearned toward her
old sunny home, and often she would talk
of it with us children, more especially in
the winter season, which she hated as
do. Once asked her If she wished to go
back to Spain. She shivered and answered
no, for there dwelt one who was her en-
emy and would kill her; also her heart
vas with us children and our father
Now, when was 1917 years old, on
certain evening in the month Of May, it
happened that friend Of my fathers,
Squire Board, late Of the hall in this par
ish, called at the lodge on his road from
Yarmouth, and in the course Of his talk
let it fell that Spanish ship was at an
chor in the roads laden with merchandise.
Ny father pricked up his ears at this and
asked who her captain might be. Squire
Board answered that he did not know
his name, but that he had seen him in the
market place, a tall and stately man, rich
ly dressed, with handsome face and
scar upon his temple.
At this news my mother turned pale be-
meath her olive skin and muttered in Span
ish:
'sHoly Mother, grant that it be not he!"
Ny father also looked frightened and
questioned the squire closely as to the
mans appearance, but without learning
anything more. Then he bade him adieu
with little ceremony, and taking horse
rode away for Yarmouth.
That night my mother never slept, but
sat all through it in her nursing chair,
brooding over I know not what AS left
her when went to my bed 50 ! found her