The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-01
A GAME OF HIDE AND SEEK.



Years ana years ago, in the time Of
Queen Mary OF England, there stood in
the county OF Surrey a quaint ivy covered
manor house, known to the region about
as Cuthberton Han The owner of this
me place at the time of which l speak
was Sir John Cuthberton. He had a dear
little daughter Of eight and noisy, strap
ping boy about a year older. Those were
troublesome times, as all who have read
English history must know, Queen Mary
bloody Maryas she Is often called-was a
cruel woman. She put to death a great
many people who would not think as she
dld on religious matters and go to the par
ticular church she approved Of.
Luckily for Sir John and his good wife,
Lady Jane, they dld nothing to raise the
ire OF their Queen.
But Sir John had a brother, an adventure
GUS spirit, who was more often roaming
abroad than at home I'm Merrie England
He had been brought up In Holland and
had early imbibed the religious faith and
IDEAS of the Dutch reformers, He knew
very well that to acknowledge publicly
that he was a reformer would be TO have
himself proclaimed a hereto and that
meant death at the stake.
Sun, not even the fear OF death could
change his religious beliefs, and he was
accustomed to worshlpping in secret with
those of similar faith.
one afternoon Sir John and his wife
went by coach 10 London town 10 spend a
few days, leaving their two children in
charge of a faithful nurse
That same afternoon, about dusk, the
two were having a merry romp on the
lawn in front of the manor with couple
Of their pet dogs, when a man came DASH
imp up the long drive that led TO the house.
The dogs growled and started up, and
then began 70 yelp AND fawn on the man in
eVtHcnt delight.
AWnb t1,a ,l,fI
the man came nearer. But he paid no at
tention to their cry of welcome, and went
racing on into the house. The children
not knowing what to make of the behav-
Tor of their usually playful uncle, ran in
after him. They found him just inside
the entrance door, prone on the floor, ex-
hausted.
lie was white to the lips. and his dress
much disordered.
ION, Uncle Dickw cried the children
again. what has happened? What's
the matter?"
was just running a race with some man
met!"
Ibid you beat them?" asked the girl.
YES" replied her uncle, with a ghast-
~ smile. but l expect they will catch
up with me before long" He dared not
tell these two young innocents that he
was being hunted down by Queen Mary's
to death
Presently the man staggered to his feet.
Lets have a game of hide and seekrs
he said, with poor effort 10 seem Jovial.
"Hurrahl What fun" cried the children,
clapping their hands in glee.
WHO will hide?" asked the boy.
IAN three OF usr replied their uncle.
but who will seek us out?' asked the
girl
"Ahl Some OF her gracious majesty's
soldiers viii shortly rap at this very door
TO ask for me- and perhaps for you. And
don't you think It would be rare good
Joke on them an II they could not find any
of us?" suggested Uncle Dick. The chill
dren thought it the greatest sport ever
heard Of.
"Goodg cried the man. 1--WE will fool
them nicely. Now, You two run out the
back way with the dogs and get into tho
kennel with them and lie still. The SOL
dlers will never think TO find you there.
As for me, / am going to get inside the
suit of armor that your great-srandfather
wore, and which stands in the banquet
hail. only you win have to help me into
II first"
1t was a difficult matter TO climb into
that suit Of armor, large as II was, but
finally the hunted man got in somehow.
and the visor Of the helmet was pulled
down. That a man was inside no, one
would have known to look at 1t, Half an
hour later a dozen rough looking fellows
with lances entered the HAN and ransack-
cd Il from top to bottom. They sounded
the walls, explored the secret closets and
upset things generally. But no sign of
their quarry could they discover. and the
frightened servants could give them no
aid.
At last the band departed, and that same
night Uncle Dick kissed his young rela-
lives goodby and stole out in the darkness
and across country till he came TO the
coast. A sailing boat took him to the
continent, and not till Elizabeth came to
the throne did he dare tread English soil
again.
Years later Sir Johns children came to
know that that game Of hide and seek was
with Uncle Dick a matter Of life and