The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1902-08-22
THE STRANGER
OF TOWER HILL

nrflOE maker named CrOnH. Ills
home was kept for him by his only
daughter, Cicoly who was Of an ex-
tremely gentle disposition and wIthal
80 tender hearted that she would go
out Of her why TO avoid trcadlng on a
worm. She was beloved by her IN.
Tiers assistant, John Gaunt, plain,
honest young fellow. who was respect
cd ~ all who knew him. Ciccy was
tayorably disposed to John Gaunt, but
did not encourage his suit. Indeed she
did not know her mind and was fear
ful Of woundmg him.
one morning she was going TO the
Thames to get a bucket Of water, and
while passing over Tower hill SIZE met
man saunterlng along pens.ytly, as
though he bore some weight upon his
mind. Clccly was captlvated w the
Strangers appearance and epscially
hy certain sOmberness abo1t him.
Al the moment they passed each other
the Tower clock struck II. C-csly re.
mcm bcrcd the hour, and the net day
she found herself impelled to lake her
bucket shortly before II TO 20 again 10
the Thames for water, Though size
would not acknowledge to hcrclr that
she did so In the hope of meeting the
stranger. She did meet him, ard this
time he looked at her with his lnelGn-
choly eyes and said:
"If you nrc going to the river for wa
ter, l would gladly carry your buck
ct"
1T il very light" said Cicely, blush
ing. 1T will be heavier when it Is
full"
The stranger spoke with 50 soft a
voice and so respectfully that Cicely
consented, aud he walked with her TO
the river. She purposcly told hin that
her fathcr was Cronin, the armor MAX
or, where she lived and all aloGt her
self, hoping that this would causc him
TO bc equally frank with her but he
said nothing of himself, and al Cicei5'
could ret from him was that he was
employed at the Tower. Nevertheless
CiccIy went home with her heart in 4
llutter.
Then came the revolt against the
legitimate sovereign, headed by the
Duke Of Northumberland and aided by
his son. Lord Gullford Dudley, 10 place
the latter's wife, Lady Jane Grey. on
the throne. One day Ciccly saw armed
men hurrying past her house to the
Tower. from which suddenly burst
forth the smoke Of cannon. The ad-
| ynncing host stormed the fortress,
swan the moat and, placing bidders
against the wills, attempted to scale
| them all in vain. The assault was II
failure. The men who advocated the
prctonsions Of Lady lane Grey TO the
throne We're driven of, and her cause
was lost.
Soon after Cicely was notified that
nm attendant was wanted for a dis
tlnguishcd prisoner at the Tower, Il
woman in distress, who needed some
one 10 wait upon her and sootlc her,
| She followed the messenger, WHO led
her to room where the prisoner was
confined, the Indy Jane Grey.
She whose head had been risicd to
win a crown was soon to lose that
head upon the block 1t became the
work OF the tender hearted Ciccly to
comfort. 50 far rs she could, the noble
| lady who. though scarcely our Of her
teens. WAS called upon 10 play 81 tragic
u pnrt. Ciraly read t. her, prayed with
her, often could not help weeping with
her iii short, proved the companion
that was needed 70 keep the conlcmn-
ed lady from dcspnir during thh tryin-