People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1898-01-14
A CARoL-SINGER WHO BECAME AN
ARCHBISHOP.
Louis Il. Van Norman.

Louis Il. Van Norman.
1t was Christmas night, 1888.
"Ah, bitter chill it was,
The owl for all his feathers was s-fold,
The hare limpt trembling through the frozen
grass,
And silent was the flock in woolly fold"
The great dining. hall in Wyvern
Castle rang with song and boisterous
merriment. Outside the wind and cold
held high carnival, inside the Was
sailers held higher revel. The virgin
Queen was visiting the CASTLES lord,
and the regular Christmas feasting was
REINFORCED by the joy incident to the
presence of royalty. Around the hos
pitable board, grooming with all the
old EGglish Christmas dainties from
Drawn to peacock ''pye," and malmsey
to beer, sat the bespangled worthless of
the court of "Good Queen Bess" There
were men mighty in deed and story.
Next to Sir Walter Raleigh sat Sir
Francis Drake Sir John Howard. OPP
posite were Sir Humphrey Gilbert and
Sir Martin Frobiaher, and, to complete
these mighty six Sirs," Sir John Haw-
kins. At the head of the table was
seated the Queen herself; at the foot
my Lord Cecil, host of WYvern. 1t
was noble and stately company, high
born danes and courtiers wing with
one another in the contest of wit and
compliment. Elizabeth was in her best
mood. For the courtiers and gentle
men were unstinted in their fattery,
and fattery, however transparently
false and even coarse, was the food
upon which the virgin Queen throve
best. By as much as gallant praised
her beauty of face and mind, by so
much did he enter into the royal favor.
sand so, my Lord Drake, thou hast
seen the Spanish Infanta, ehP And
what thinkest thou of her beauty, so
far famed? We weak women, thou
knowest, always love to hear our
praises sung. But enough. Thou must
tire of hearing me pirate SO much and
of such BILLY subjects.
'sMy soul doth delight in music, your
Majesty" and the courtier bowed.
Elizabeth's eyes glistened. Where
didst learn thy court craft?" she said
simperingly. Thou art indeed a fat
terer, my lord But what says our
noble Cecil?" looking archly across the
board to the grave, stately, and bewig-
ged host at the foot.
"Your Majesty knows that l have not
the poetry OF Master Drake upon my
tongue. We poor lawyers--but,
by'r Lady, what taketh place yonder?"
By my halidoml" quoth Raleigh,
"this brawling shall cease. With thy
gracious permission. fair sovereign,
and thy recognizance, good Cecil, l
will chastise these pestilent fellows"
At the door of the banquet-hall the
lesser personages of the revel were
disporting themselves in manner too
unrestrained and bacchanalian for
even this registering occasion. A tall
halberdier, who always followed Ra-
leigh as body-guard, soon commanded
order, and, in the impressive silence
that ensued, the company for the first
time became aware that some one was
singing beneath the castle window. A
clear and sweet childish voice rang
out on the cold night air. And this
was what it sang:
81 come from hevin to tell
The best nouvelies that ever befell,
To you the tythings trew 1t bring
And will of them say and sing.
''This day to you Is born one childe
OF Marie Make and Virgine Mylde;
That blessed bairne SO sweet and kynde
Shall you rejoyce bath heart and mynde.
go God, that ayde all creatures,
How art Thou BEGUN so poore
That on the hay and stray will lye
Among the asses, oxin, and kye.
"Oh, my DER bert, young Jesus SWEET,
Prepare Thy credill in my spreit,
And shall rookie Thee in my bert
And never MARIE from Thee depart"
lyon sweet singer must come in ouc
of the night. By the Lord Harry, it is
cold !" and the window few open at
the hands of the impetuous Essex. Out
leapt the headstrong gallant, tho it
was good 20 feet to the ground, and,
eager to propitiate his Queen, dragged
in through the hall poor, thinly clad
little form, with face of noble mold
and large brown eyes that spelled in
nocence and suffering in large capitals.
The light and splendor dazzled him
He stood amazed. The Queen rose and
| advanced, followed by the whole COM
pany.
"Come, young Jack Pudding" cried
her Majesty. Hast lost thy tongue ?
Sing US more of thy sweet music, and
thou shall--eat thy fill and line thy
doublet we'll, too, for thy father and
mother. And, perchance, thou hast
brothers and sisters For them
nay" as tears gathered in the large
soft eyes and fell down the pincht
cheek. 81 would not hurt thee What
say ye, my lords? This lad shall not
go hungry. England's Queen will not
see any Of her subjects in want But
thou shalt sing for us, my pretty boy"
Tue boys eyes frightened. Heaven
bless you, gracious Queen and merry
| gentlemen. May nothing you dismay.
But can not sing in such gentle com
pany."
"Canst not carol some Christmas
piece for us Thy audience will be
1 l..