The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-03-06

Hardelots, but it is only one of them
that l speak of as now, namely,
Ralph, for he was also a ward of Sir
Johns, through inheriting his mothers
lands at Pentlow, though he was the
younger of the two; and the elder was
not so we'll provided for, through his
fathers wasting his own land and
chattels in the wars. The mother
was Tibbald, daughter of the arch
bishops cousin in the first degree. |
knew her we'll. She died-God rest
her soul-in the plague of rs when a
many passed away. and she lived here
in Sudbury when her lord Sir Reginald
Hardelot that was went warning in
France, and little profit he had of it,
though lie was gallant gentleman ,as
hot as fire, have heard tell, and he
was killed in skirmish before the
battle of Malaria. Well then the arch
bishop took the elder boy into his
keeping and sent him to France for his
education, but the mother still kept
Ralph with her and sent him to Cam
bridge, for he was sore like his father
and ever she feared that he would go
to the wars and waste his substance
and lose his life as his father had
done. And so she sent him to Penn
broke College in Cambridge where his
cousin Dominus Thorpe was warden,
hoping to make him a scholar and
maybe staid man of law or other
peaceful occupation his guardian, being
as l have said, Sir John Cavendish,
the chief-justiciar. But, alack! she
died before him, and now he is
Lollar-a perilous trade and pestilent
Well, then, but where am 1? l have
no patience with Lollars. A plague on
them! They have put me out of my
tale"
"You have your people all in truss
good Harry" said the canon, Gathers,
mothers, sons, daughters and cousins
all mixed together like your wife's
mingle-mangle for her hogs. I see I
must pick the tale out of the slough for
you"
This was exactly what the artful
host wished to bring him to, but great
men must be humored and the host
was careful not to show his design too
openly. 81 have them all clear enough
in my head" he said scratching that
organ and knitting his brows "but
somehow they will not come out in
the right order"
'You should have begun with Once
upon time" said the canon. "Who
cares straw for your fathers and
mothers and all the rest of it? Come
at once to the pith and marrow, as |
do"
The canon cleared his throat and
began:
"This Clara Roos then was living at
Cavendish under the strict rule of my
Lady Cavendish and for brown dam
sci she was as pretty piece of bloom
ing girlhood as But have mot the
art to describe such commodities; it
does not become my profession. (Here
he spoke sternly at Harry Hurst, who
showed signs of mirth.) Therefore I
will pass by the fresh color of her
cheeks and other soft graces of feature.
She was not beautiful as, / dare say,
as the Queen of SheDa or Helen of Troy,
and she certainly had not the meekness
of Griselda, though she looked with
her kittenish air as if she mi ght be sof
and playful enough till the time came
for scratching. The patient Griselda
never had such eyes, dark, sparkling,
untamable, hooking imps, all fire and
earth, without a particle of the softer
elements of air and moisture. l saw
Lady Cavendish box her ears once at
table-sweet red coral shells they were,
and the slaps improved their color
but did the mink cry? Not she; her
eyes flashed and her brown cheeks
glowed, and then paled little, and
she was removed from the table fearless
and impenitent, and marched down the
hall, turning to make the most provok-
ing courtesy at the door. A wench of
high spirit and good feature, too;
neither short nor tall, of soft, daintily
rounded figure, full of life TO the heel.
81 warrant my lady had much trou-
bic with her, and the trouble did not
diminish as she grew older and APP
preached the age of marriage. 1t was
the Sir Johns purpose to wed her to one
of his younger sons, for her dowry was
not to be disdained even by so we'll
placed person as the chief-justiciar,
and great folks, as you know, must look
to more serious matters than the liking
of young men and maidens. But
whether it was that he doubted the
young mans power to govern so intract-
able a hussy, or that he was able to
provide for him better otherwise, this
purpose was not carried into execution.
| speak only what know. She was
not married to any of Sir Johns sons.