The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-16
Gilbert and Roesa

Gilbert and Roesa
| On the plains of Acre, near Jerusalem,
| in the early part of the Twelfth century
a terrible battle ragged between the Sara
! Gems and the Christian Crusaders from
| Europe.
The Crusaders hoped to capture Jeru-
salem and rescue the precious tomb OF the
| Savior from the infidels who had for CEN
turtles held it.
Many noble knights from France, Spain,
Italy and England were among those who
| had come to fight in this cause.
They were all Respondent in shining
mail and bore flashing spears and bur
| pished shields. Their horses, too, wore
| armor, but it was partially covered with
velvet trappings, rich with gold embroid-
/ cry.
| The battle was fierce one. but in the
| end the Saracens were victorious, and
made captive many Of the Crusaders.
Among the prisoners was an English
noble. Gilbert a Beckett. He. with his
servant, Richard, fell into the hands Of
| powerful Elmir, who carried them off
to his castle. There he confined them in
a dark and dismal dungeon until ransom
for them could be sent from England.
The dreary days dragged sloyly along
till several months had passed.
Then ione day, at the small opening in
the great door of their cell. instead Of
the black head Of the warder who was
bringing them meal, appeared the face
of beautiful young girl, with large,
brown eyes and cherry-red lips. Over her
dark hair was thrown a bright-hued sill
ken scarf, fringed with bangles of gold.
favr fc cba cd Sfx
at the prisoners. then vanished.
After that she came often, and Gilbert
spoke to her in the few words Of her Ian
guage (which he had learned.
She told him that she was Rosea, the
only daughter OF the proud Emir. He
told her of his sad plight, and his long
ing to return to his own land.
Before long lovers vows were whispered
through the tiny opening in the great
door, and they planned for a future to-
gether.
At last, one night Rosea stole through
the long corridors and down the WINDING
stairs Of the castle with a great key
cleaning in her hand While the guards,
whom she had drugged. slept soundly she
unlocked the door Of the cell and led the
prisoners to liberty.
The lovers parted with many a caress.
and Gilbert promised that he would soon
return in ship of his own and take her
with him to England.
Sad to say, amid his friends in his own
country he soon forgot the beautiful
maiden who had loved him and set him
free.
After Gilbert's departure the days were
sad to the young girl left behind in the
gloomy castle.
Worst of all, her father, furious over
the escape of the prisoners, was still
making great efforts to discover who had
liberated them. Roesa feared that If her
guilt were discovered, her life might pay
the penalty.
In desperation she determined to follow
her lover to his distant unknown country.
So she gathered her jewels and fed.
She knew her lover had gone far over
the sea, so she made her way to the port
where the great foreign ships lay at an
Choir.
Which one should she choose? She did
not know, and she could not understand
the tongues of the sailors. Two English
words only she knew-''London" and
Gilbert" She must trust her fate to
them
London! Londonr she cried up and
down the quay, showing as she spoke a
sparkling diamond. She was understood
and taken on board a vessel, which car
ried her safely to the city she sought.
The strange city amazed. but could not
daunt her. Up and down its streets she
wandered calling aloud the name of her
lover GILBERT Gilbertr'
Fortune favored her. A crowd had gath
cred about the beautiful foreigner, at
tracted by her dark loneliness and her
strange, rich costume. Just as Rosea
looked upon the people, bewildered and
afraid, passing young man stopped, and
to her delight she recognized in him
Richard, the servant of Gilbert. He, too,
knew her and took her to his master.
When Gilbert saw her and realized the
dangers she had braved for his sake his
love famed up afresh and ne clasped her
to his heart
In the stately Cathedral of st. Paul
Rosea, clad in a robe Of spotless white.
was first baptized Christian under the
name of Matilda and then married to Gill
bert a Beckett.
Their eldest son was the famous
Thomas a Beckett. the first Archbishop of
Canterbury, the highest dignitary of the
Church of England.-Lydia Kingswell
Commander in New York Evening Jour
nal