The Winslow mail., 1898-08-13
A CONFESSION
,s-~-s-~-e-~-S-e-s-s->->e-~-o~-s~-.->--.
'rE7o MY cousin, Hercules Fox, sheriff

rE7O MY cousin, Hercules Fox, sheriff
of Pealland. Written from the
Shepherds cabin on Lords Tor, nigh
against the cross where, in bygone
times, stood the chapel of the White
Monk
Sir: Report, doubtless, hath it that
am driven lunatic by the untimely
death OF her whom / loved heart and
soul. l speak Of my mistress, Euphra-
sia, your daughter and one eve lamb;
of her who seemed the true phoenix
and the star of wolnanhood. There is
little need to expatiate on the merits
Of one 50 kind and so beautiful; let it
suffice that her. untimely ending hath
drawn a black cloud from east 10 west,
from north to south. [ have wandered
day after day, night after night, on
these barren moops, craving for the
last rang. But Death will have none Of
me yet awhile, ard l must abide and
endure.
Tomorrow, long ere the carrier de-
hvers this epistle-perchance it may
not reach Observation-Disclosures til Fri
! day-I shall have left the Hill country
! for ever. On Thursday [ embark on
my pilgrimage. My own land shall
know ne 10 more; all nay future days
| must be spent wandering in search of
peace. Cali to your minds eye the pic
ture of u tattered beggar-I take
naught with me save the captains fee.
I shall live as the friars did, pleading
for my bread from door to door.
My estate 1 leave with you to use
as you will If after this recital your
breast holds cne spark of pity, pray
take upon yourself the duties of mas
ter. There are servants for whom l
fain would have made provision; and
the roam mare, which was my fathers,
ilet her feed upon the sweetest grass
in sunlmer, and in winter lie in the
v-armeat shed.
1T was l who destroyed Jervase
Whittingh
You have not forgotten that on one
day year ago he and came to you,
at separate hours, each to ask leave
TO pay court to your daughter; and
that to both you made answer that,
having suffered in your youth from
your parents interference, you had
vowed t92at Euphrasia should choose
Of herself. To me you expressed pref
erence; it had long been desire CT
yours that the divided estates might
be joined again; Notwithstanding, you
forbore to move in favor Of either. If
Jeryasc were the fortunate lover, you
declared you would acquiesce without
unWillingness. So was fain to be con
tent with this poor comfort On the
following day / pleaded with Euphra-
sia, and received neither aye nor nay.
I bade her tell if her affections were
given elsewhere. She was silent, and
a sudden gladness filed me, and /
would have embraced her, but she
withdrew from the chamber.
That night l could not rest, for my
brain teemed with rich pictures Of
conjugal happiness. After midnight
I rose and dressed, and went privately
from my house to taste The fresh air
Of the moorlands and to watch the
breaking of the day. l had not walked
fal. ere in the moonlight | beheld Jcr
vase On the bank of the river, beside
the rotten bridge. A focd had risen
in the uplands and the current sWirled
madly in it's loamy bed. Jervase was
talking to himself; could hear him
speaking of Tnc-of me who had been
his lifelong friend-in words of con-
tumely Amazed, L stole to his side
10 m
"What hath distressed you, Jerry?'
said, all my fondness being yet alive.
*Why speak so harshly Of me?"
He leaped toward me, struck me
with all his might above the heart. 1
fell, half senseless, to my knees. When
I recovered, he was on the further
bank, and the bridge, torn from its
creaking piers, was floating down the
river. I stood trembling with impo-
tent fury on the Brink, while he MIN
licked my every gesture. There was a
wicked lcer in his eye, and his thin lips
were pouted as those of fish.
81 have spared you this tine," he
cried. THE next, by heaven, if ever
you touch me again, I'll tear you limb
from limb"
As I gazed upon him, still half be-
wildered, the moon clouded, and for q
short space it seemed as if great
ribbed wings had sprouted from his
shoulders ard horns had budded on lis
forehead. Yet important issues were
at stake, and l felt no fear. l knew
him for a coward.
'You have stolen her from me-" he
shrieked. The woman l adored; the
woman who was mine long ere you de
clared your passion. See, here are
tokens given but OF late
He drew from his breast broken
fan and a long band Of corn-colored
hair, which glistened in the wan light
as a shore glistens newly uncovered
by an ebbing tide.
These and thousand other toys
she gave me. was al in al 10 her.
She he'd 10 desire l might not com
pass"