Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-05-07

SET all IL II q n
<lRh af1ame; in short,
when George III. was King, one Ed
ward Gray, scrivener, came down to
his native village to spend fortnight
with his sweetheart, Lucy Deal.
There were many pretty girls in the
country around, but she was the
beauty of them all, and as gentle as
she was good. Her father had died
when she was q mere child, and his
wife faded away some four years later,
leaving to little Lucy only the mem
ory of that tender love which had
cherished her earliest years. So it
happened that when Edward Gray, her
schoolfellow and playmate, was turned
eighteen, and prepared to seek his
fortune in the great city by the river,
he and Lucy plighted their troth
under the windmill on the hill, and it
was settled they should be married as
soon as Edward was rich enough to
set up home of his own. He had
worked hard and prospered since then,
and had made the long journey to Pen
rave this summer to press her to re-
deem her word and marry him forth
with.
But Lucy hesitated. The times
were strangely out of joint rumors of
war were heard on every side; there
were riots at Bristol bread riots, what
not; the prudent warned her to be
careful.
Better wait a little, DEAR" she
said, as they started for a walk the
morning after his arrival.
"Wait? Why should we wait? Are
you not satisfied with me?"
''Of course / am. Still another wear
will soon pass if you are only patient. "
The lover could not see it in this
light.
at is needless to delay any longer, 3"
said he, decisively. "Heaven favors
the bold, and miss you sorely when
far away"
Lucy smiled, but made no answer.
They had come to a rising ground,
and high above them rose the old mill.
The great sails were motionless, and
the whole building-gaunt and grim
looked like some relic of the past set
in background of blue sky. So old
it was as to be almost decrepit; the
very beams which supported it were
worm-eaten ami crumbling, and the
wonder was thnt 1t had not tumbled
down long ago. The girls eyes rested
on 1t with a wistful interest
"You remember the place." she
said. eve used to play here as chill
dren, and later" She paused, with
u becoming blush, and her eyelashes
dropped under his gaze. 81 cannot
help fancying our fate is somehow
concerned with that of the mill in
deed, | Thought SO from the begin
ming"
Edward laughed outright.
may, goodness forbid !" he cried,
gaily. "What can we possibly have
to do with such a wretched owl-roost? !?
Forty years hence may be Why,
dearest, what is the matter?"
She turned pale with fear, and he
felt her fingers tremble as they rested
on his arm. His eyes followed hers,
and there, confronting them, was an
elderly man, in dark blue uniform,
with sword at his side.
The stranger bent his brow sternly
on Edward.
"Who are you, fellow, and what are
You doing here?" he said.
"Fellow yourself !" replied Edward,
his dark face flushing with anger.
"What insolent boor presumes to ad-
dress me in such terms?"
The other drew back and clapped
his hand on his sword. There was a
wild scream from Lucy, for Edward
rushed at him savagely, and struck at
him with all his nervous force of youth
and strength and rage. The blow
caught the man on the chin, and
felled him senseless to the ground.
go, Edward Edward"
81 have only dealt with him as he
deserved" said Edward, somewhat
ruefully, and repenting of his ire;
either"
'It is not that, dear. Let us away
and hide.
''Why?"
"The press gang.
At those two ominous words Edward
shivered, and grew cold in the noon
day heat. For in a moment he saw
the imminence of his peril, and all it
oreboded-seizure, separation from
Lucy, exile, perhaps death.
His first consciousness, when raj
lied from the momentary stupor that
had fallen upon him, was of her voice,
breathing encouragement and hope.
Come" she said, 1--WE will make
for the glade yonder, and consider
what is to be done next, There is no