Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-08-19
DAILY SHORT STORY
The Stranger -.
-. of Tower Hill.
COriginaL.1

home was kept for him by his only
daughter, Cicely, who was of an ex-
tremely gentle disposition and withaI
SO tender hearted that she would go
out of her way to avoid treading ON i
worm. She was beloved by her ia
Tiers assistant, John Gaunt, i plain,
honest young fellow, who was respect
ed by all who knew him. Cicely was
fayorably disposed to John Gaunt, but
did not encourage his suit. Indeed she
did not know her mind and was fear
full of wounding him.
One morning she was going to the
Thames to get bucket of water, and
while passing over Tower hill she met
man sauntering along pensively, as
though he bore some weight upon his
mind. Cicely was captivated by the
strangers appearance and especially
by n certain soInbernesS about him.
At the moment they passed each other
the Tower clock struck IL. Cicely re-
membercd the hour, and the next day
she found herself impelled to take her
bucket shortly before IL to go again to
the Thames for water, though she
would not acknowledge to herself that
stranger. She did meet him, and this
time he looked at her with his melan-
choly eyes and said:
eff you are going'to the river for wa
ter. l would gladly carry your buck
ct"
1T is very light" said Cicely, blush
ing. 1T will be heavier when 1t IS
full"
The stranger spoke with so soft
voice and so respectfully that Cicely
consented, and he walked with her TO
the river. She purposely told him that
her father was Cronin, the arn1or max
er, where she lived and all about her
self, hoping that this would cause him
TO be equally frank with her. but he
said nothing of himself, and all Cicely
could get from him was that he was
employed at the Tower. Nevertheless
Cicely went home with her heart in a
flutter.
Then came the revolt against the
legitimate sovereign, headed by the
Duke of northumberland and aided by
his son. Lord Guilford Dudley. TO place
the latter's wife, Lady Jane Grey. on
the throne. One day Cicely saw armed
men hurrying past her house to the
Tower, from which suddenly burst
forth the smoke OF cannon. The adj
vancing host stormed the fortress,
swan the moat and, placing ladders
against the walls, attempted to scale
them-all I'm vain. The assault was u
failure. The men who advocated the
pretensions of Lady Jane Grey to the
throne were driven off, and her cause
was lost.
Soon after Cicely was notified that
an attendant was wanted for a dis
tinguished prisoner at the Tower, n
woman In distress. who needed some
one to wait upon her and soothe her.
She followed the messenger. who led
her to room where the prisoner was
confined, the Lady Jane Grey.
She whose head had been risked to
win a crown was soon to lose that
head upon the block. 1t became the
work of the tender hearted Cicely to
comfort so far as she could, the noble
lady who. though scarcely out of her
teens, was called upon to play so tragic
n part. CiceIy read to her, prayed with
her, often could not help weeping with
her-in short, proved the companion
that was needed to keep the condemn
ell lady from despair during the trying
period. SO occupied was the armOrers
daughter that she never once thought
of John Gaunt, though there was some
thing I'm the gloom hanging over her
dear mistress and herself that was
constantly bringing up the melancholy
stranger she had met on Tower hill.
One day she was Informed that John
wished to see her, and when she went
to him he offered to supply saw with
which she and her mistress might re-
move two Of the bars Mt the window of
the room they occupied, leaving suffi-
cient space for Lady Jane Grey to pass
through. John promised to be in the
court at the appointed hour with mans
attire. assist the noble lady from the
window and after she had donned the
clothes show her the way out OF the
Tower grounds.
Cicely fastened to propose the plan
to the prisoner. The offer was refused.
Lady Jane Grey relied upon such of
her adherents as had not boon arrested
to do all they could for her and did
not wish to embarrass them by IN at
tempt which would likely be Il failure.
But the Duke of Northumberland
was in prison, ana there was no one
else to aid the condemned. The day
of execution came at last, and Cicely.
with streaming eyes. dressed her mis-
tress for the last time. The image
of John Gaunt, who had proved so
kind, so thoughtful. offering to risk his
life to please her. came up at times
before Cicely, alternating with that
of her stranger lover, John seeming
typical of hope. the stranger typical
of despair.
When all was ready, the mournful
procession proceeded from the prison
to Tower hill, where was gathered an
immense throng. Cicely supported her
mistress, aiding her to mount the steps
of the scaffold- There stood a muffied
figure, leaning on an AK. Cicely looked