Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-23


In this pursuit Roger discovered the
rider to choose bride tracks and open
cosamons in preference to any high
road. The distance soon began to prove
q more trying one than he had bar
gained for, and when ont of breath and
in some despair Of being able to ascer-
tain the mans identity, he perceived an
ass standing in the starlight under q
hayrick. from which the animal was
helping itself to periodic mouthfuls.
The story goes that Roger caught the
ass, mounted and again resumed the
trail Of the unconscious horseman, which
feat may have been possible to q nau-
teal young fellow, though one can
hardly understand how a sailur would
ride such an animal without bride or
saddle and strange to his hands unless
the creature was extraordinarily docile.
This question, however, 10 immateriai
Suffice it to say that at dawn the I'll
lowing morning Roger beheld his SIS
ter's lover or husband entering the
gates of large and well timbered park
on the southwestern verge of the White
Hart Forest Gas it was then called),
now known to everybody as the Vale Of
Blackmoor. Thereupon the sailor dis
carded his steed, and finding for him.
park little farther ON he crossed the
grass to reconnoiter.
He presently perceived amid the trees
before him q mansion which, new to
himself, was one of the best known in
the country at that time. OF this fine
immortal residence hardly trace now
remains, but manuscript, dated some
years later than the events we are re-
garding. describes it in terms from
which the imagination may construct a
singularly clear and vivid picture. This
record presents it as consisting of "a
faire yellow freestone building, partly
two and partly three storeys; faire
halle and parlour, both waynscotted; a
faire dyninge roome, and withdrawing
roome, and many good lodgings; a
kitchen ADJOINING backwards to one
end of the dwelling house, with faire
passage from it into the halle, parlour
and dyninge roome, and sellars adjoyn-
inge.
In the front of the house a square
greene court, and q curious gatehouse
with lodgings in it, standing with the
front of the house to the south. In a
large outer court three stables, coach
house. a large barne and a stable for
oxen and kyne, and all houses necessary.
without the gatehouse, paled in. a
large square greene. in which standeth
a faire chappell; Of the southeast side
Of the greene court, towards the river,
large garden.
''Of the southwest side Of the greene
court is large bowling greene, with
flower mounted walks about it, all
walled about with battled wall, and
sett with all sorts of fruit. and ont Of
it into the feildes there are large walks
under many tall elmes orderly plant.
ed"
Then follows q description Of the
orchards and gardens; the servants Of
fees, brewhouse, bakehouse, dairy, pi-
geon houses and cornmill; the river
and its abundance Of fish; the warren,
the coppices, the walks Ending thus:
"And all the country north Of the
house, open CHAMPAIGN, sandy feildes,
very dry and pleasant for all kindes of
recreation, huntinge and hawkinge, and
profitable for tillage. The house
hath large prospect east, south and
west. over very large and pleasant
vale. is seated from the good
market towns of Sherton Abbas three
miles and Ivel a mile, that plentifully
yield all manner Of provision, and with
in IL miles of the south sea-
1t was on the grass before this seduc-
tive and picturesque structure that the
sailor stood at gaze under the elms in
the dim dawn of Sunday morning and
saw to his surprise his sisters lover and
horse vanish within the court Of the
building.
Perplexed and weary, Roger slowly
retreated, more than ever convinced that
something was wrong in his sisters po-
sition. He crossed the bowling green to
the avenue Of elms, aud bent ON further
research was about to climb into one of
these. when. looking below, he saw q
hole large enough to allow q man to
creep to the hollow interior. Here Roger
ensconced himself, and having eaten a
crust Of bread which he had hastily
thrust into his pocket at the inn he fell
asleep upon the stratum Of broken
touchwood that formed the floor of the
hollow.
He slept soundly and long, and was
awakened by the sound of a bell. On
peering from the hole he found the time
had advanced to full day. The sun was
shining brightly. The bell was that of
the "faire chappell" ON the green out
side the gatehouse. and it was calling
to mathis. Presently the priest crossed
the green to u little side door in the
chancel, and then from the gateway of
the mansion emerged the household, the
tall man whom Roger had seen with
his sister on the previous night, ON his
arm being portly dame. and running
beside the pair two little girls and a
boy. These all entered the chapel, and,
the bell having ceased and the environs
become clear, the sailor crept out from
his hiding.
BE sauptered toward the chapel, the
opening words Of the service being au-
dible within. While standing BIZ the
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