Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-06

lie found q peTy singular ornament stts-
pended inside her lattice.
mishap. Tho tidings he had heard seemed
OF such Importance, and he was so anxious
to tell them to his household-for the
greatest men have weaknesses, and news
such as this comes seldom In a lifetime
shat he strobe on to the house and over the
drawbridge into tho courtyard without
looking behind him.
He loved order and decent observance,
hut there are times when cat, to get to
the cream pan, will wet its feet He stood
now In tho middle Of the courtyard, and
raising his voice shouted for his daughter.
.Ho, Petronilla, do you hear, girl! Fa-
therl Father Careyl Martin Luthsrl
Baldwin, and SO on until half the house
hold were collected. DO You hear, I'll Of
your Tho queen II deadi God rest her
soull"
..Amsnl" said Father Carey, % became
him, putting In his wsrd amid the won
dering silence which followed, while Mar
tin Luther and baldwin, who were wash
Ing themselves at the pump. stood with
4 their, heads dripping and thsir mouths
.Amenl'' echoed the knight. And
long live the quesnl Long live Queen
Elizabeth!'' he continued, having now got
his formula By heart And he swung his
hat.
There WAS . cheer, fairly loud cheer,
but there was one who did not join In 1t,
and that was Pst1onilla. She, listening
at her lattice up stairs, began at once to
think, as was her habit when any matter
great OF small fell out, whether this would
Affect the fortunes OF a certain person far
away. 10 might, 1t might not. She did
not know. But the doubt 80 far enter
tanned her that che came down to supper
with q heightened color, not thinking In
the least, poor girl, that the event might
have dire CONSEQUENCES for Others almost
ss dear 10 her and nearer home.
Every year since his sudden departure Q
letter from Ffantis Cludde had come to
Coton-a meager letter, which had passed
through many hands and reached Sir An
thony now through one channel, now
through another. Tho knight erumbled
ana swofe over those letters, which never
contained IN address TO which IN answer
could - forwarded, nor said much, save
that the writer vas well cod sent his love
and duty and looked TO return, oil being
we'll. But, mcaEsr as they wefe and loud
as he swofe over them, he put them rsli-
giously away ia An oak chest in his parlor,
and another always put away for her share
somsthins elsl, which was Invariably in
closed-a tiny swallows feather. The
knight nsvar said anything about tho
feather, neither asked the meaning OF Its
presence ncr oommsnted upon It's absence
when Petronilla gave him back the letter.
But for days aftsr each Of these arrivals
he would look mush at his daughter,
would follow her about with his eyes, be
moro regular In bidding her attend him
in his walk and more particular in seeing
that she had the tidbits Of the joint
Fer Petronilla, 1t cannot be said, though
think In after times she would have
liked to mako some one believe 1t, TINT
she wasted away. But she did take . moro
serious and thoughtful air in these days
which she mover, God bless her, lost after
ward Thore came from Wootton Wawen
and from Henley in Arden and from
Cookhili gentlemen Of excellent estate to
woo her, but they all went away discon-
solate after drinking very deeply Of Sir
Anthony's ale and strong waters And
some wondered that the good knight did
not roundly take the jade to task and see
her settled.
But he did not So possibly even In
these days he had other views. ! have
been told that, going up once to her little
chamber to seek her, he found very sin
gular ornament suspended inside her lat
tice. 1t was no other than common clay
house martins nest, but 1t was so deftly
hung In q Melted bag and so daintily
swathcd In moss always green and the
Christmas roses and snowdrops and violcts
and daffodils which decksd 1t in turn wero
always 50 pure and fresh and bright-as
the knight learned by moro than one
stcalthy visit afterward-thnt, COMING
down tho steep steps, he could not sec
clearly and stumbled against cookboy
and bent him soundly for getting In his
way
Tc return, however. Tho news of the
queens death had scarcely been well d.
gested 1T Cotton, nor tho mass for her soul,
witch Father Carey celebrated with much
devotion, bssn properly criticised, before
another surprise fell upon the household.
Two strangers arrived, riding, late one
evening, and rang tho great bell while a.
swsro at supper Baldwin and the porter
went to SEQ what twas and brought back
. message which drew the knight froni
his chair ~ terrier draws rat.
You are druAkr Ne shouted, purple in
the facs ana Humbline for tho stick which
hao Sn~At 10 fxr