The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-31
PART I.

TSRl 1.
o! all the good men that Lincolnshire
: gave to England to make her proud.
strong and handsome, none was strong
er. prouder and more handsome than
John Enderby, whom King Charles
made "a knight against his will.
Your gracious majesty said John
Enderby when the king was come 10
Boston town on the business of drain
ing the Holland fen and other matters
more important and more secret. the
honor your majesty would confer Is
well beyond II poor man like myself
for all Lincolnshire knows that am
driven to many shifts to keep myself
above water. Times have beeh mar"
these many years and, craving your
majesty's pardon, our taxes have been
heavy"
DO you refuse knighthood OF his
majesty" said Lord Rippingdale. with
"a sneer, and patting the neck OF ms
tblack stallion with gloved hand.
The king may command my me.
my Lord Rippingdale,' was Endefpy 5
reply, "he may take me. body ana
homes and blood. for his service, but
my poor name must remain as IL Is
when his majesty demands too high IA
price for honoring It,
''.rreason." said lord RippinSdalr
JuSt 81 Iiutu upoNS ''''
King. might hear.
'"rhis In our presence!" said the king,
tapping his foot, upon the ground. ms
brows contracting. and the narrow
dignity of the divine right liftihs ms
nostrils petulantly.
No treason. may ii please your
majesty" said Enderby. land 1t We're
better to speak boldly to the king :
face than to be disloyal behind ms pack'
My estates will not bear the tax which
the patent of this knighthood involves
l can serve the country no better as
Sir John Enderby than as plain Johh
Enderby, and ] can serve my children
Gest by shepherding my shattered lor-
tunes for their sakes.
For q moment Charles seemed
thoughtful, as though Enderbys rea-
sons appealed to him, but LORD KIP
pingdale had now the chance which for
ten years he had invited, and he would
not let it pass.
"'rhe honor which his majesty offers,
my good Lincolnshire squire. is more
10 your children than the few loafes
and fishes which you might leave them.
We all know how miserly John Ehuer-
by has grown
Lord Rippingdale had touched the
tenderest spot in the kings mind. His
vanity was no less than his impecunios-
ity, and this was the third time in one
day he had been defeated in his efforts
to confer an honor and exact
price beyond all reason for that honor.
The gentlemen he had sought had
found business elsewhere. and We're
not to lie seen when his messengers
called at their estates. 1t was not
the kings way to give anything for
nothing. Some of these gentlemen
had been benefited by the draining of
the Holland fens. which the king had
Undertaken. reserving "a stout portion
of the land for himself: but John En-
derby benefited nothing, for his estates
lay further north. and near the sea.
not far from the town of Mabelthorpe,
He had paid all the taxes which the
king had levied and had not MUIR
INJURED beyond his own threshold. He
spoke his mind with candor. and to
him the king was still a man to whom
the truth was to be told with a direct
ness. which was the highest honor one
man might show another.
Rank treason" repeated Lord Rip
pingdale. loudly. "Enderby has been in
bad company. your majesty. If you
are not wholly with the king. you are
against him. He that is not with me
Is against me, and he that gathereth
not with me scattereth abroad" A"
A sudden anger seized the king. and
turning. he set foot i'm the stirrup,
muttering something to himself which
boded no good for John Enderby. n