Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-10-03
ROMANCE Of Old St. DAWD'S

Prudence Jones was the fairest OF all
the maids in Radnor.
Indeed twas said her beauty was
greater than that Of many a fine lady III
Philadelphia Thither she had just been,
having gone chiefly to buy material for
q gown to wear when Gerald Harper
would presently lead her to the altar Of
St. David's.
The buxom country lass, with COM
plexion not made before the mirror, I'M
Willingly captured a heart that had been
preof against Cupid's arrows. Rowland
Burgess. whom many Il city girl would
have been glad to wed, had asked her to
be his wife When she hesitated, the
petted child of fortune was annoyed.
When. with becoming candOr, she con-
fessed she was to marry another, he
viewed his sword would settle the right
te her hand
Not a little fearful Prudence broke
her engagement with Gerald:
''Ye will never see me again. m go
ing to drown myself the young farmer
declared But on reflection he did moth
ing of the sort. He dug his cornheld
with redoubled vigor and resolved to
marry the first comely girl who would
have him
Gossips whisper unkind things about
Prudence but it was plaln envy was at
the bottom of their talk. She paid no
heed to them.
Young Burgess gave her little time to
change her mind again. He began at
ence to build house near st. David's,
and scarce six months had gone by ere
all the country folk were hidden TO the
wedding.
Twas a day long to be remembered.
None who could go stayed away. Fen
Gerald was there
It's an i'll wind that blows no good"
observed the honest farmer. To him Ell
auette was an unknown art.
Prudence upon the arm of her lord and
master, smiled indulgently. She could
scarce have been expected to regret her
choice
Ere many months of the honeymoon
had sped there came into the quiet vii
iage news that the war cloud had at last
burst. Far though it seemed from the
busy world, the young men soon began
to talk Of enlisting. The first to pro-
claim himself as anxious to bear arms
against the mother country was Gerald
NO maid wants me; may as we'll go
to the war was his decision.
Prudence gave him godspeed as he set
off for Philadelphia, to join Proctor's ar
tiliery.
Her husband looked on smilingly.
There will be enough single men to sat
isfy British bullets he declared.
And as the days went by he kept say
evident il the colonies were to win there
could not be toe many men in the field.
But it is hard for Il man to leave all
apparently never-ending honeymoon to
face the common enemy-death.
Twas now more than a year since in
dependence had been proclaimed, and the
word was yet mockery. sounding hope
lessiy as it did amid the din of battle.
st. David's had been closed as a place
of worship. William Currie, the rector,
having deemed it his duty to read the
idngiish liturgy, had been driven out as
a Tory. The church was barracks for
company Of Continental soldiers. A
communion set given by Queen Anne and
the lead Of the windows had been nodded
into bullets. Such was the loyalty Of
these sturdy Welsh settlers to their
adopted country
And still Rowland Burgess remained
by his wife's side
One day Prudence received a letter
. Tis from Uncle Dayy." she said. He
is with Gen. Wayne near Chadd's Ford,
and he's coming here to- preach
Next Sunday morning Mad An
thongs" chaplain arrived. He was COW
cred with dust. his left arm was band
aged, but he sprang from his jaded horse
with the agility of a lad.
He well deserved the title Of Fighting