Marble Hill press., 1902-01-29
M AIRY THE THE SHEa 'sss e
"A Story Of English
RY JOsEPH HATToN.

and he also narrated the details OF tn,
tragedy to the warder. As II the load
on his mind gave his physical nature q
ilIlip, he began 10 recover. and in due
course he WIS arraigned at York as
slzea ION his own confessiop). upon
the charge Of highway robbery and
murder, his confession being fully sup
ported BY such evidence as could be got
together.
He died. AZ he had-.iycd. 4 coward,
struggling with his fate TO the last.
calling himself fool, swearing he had
been tricked by the Jail doctor into a
fear Of death. and at the last moment
denying his guilt and having TO be sup
ported to the scairold, miserable exhi-
bition Of judicial strangulation; but he
was quiet enough when they made a
sign OF him near the rattling chains OF
his fellow criminal, the remainder OF
whose wretched body had almost dis.
appeared between the assaults Of the
wind and the rain. and the birds OF
prey and the human relic hunters.
One calm autumn evening many
year afterwards. there came an old
man to the star and Garter.
He was tanned by wind and weather,
wrinkled with age and travel, his hair
sparse and OF an iron-grey lie had
bright blue eyes, white teeth, strong.
bony hands. carried a stan like an
alpen stock, and wore a struggling
beard.
He arrived by coach with pair Of
great brown leathern trunks. covered
with curious marks and letteringa, a.
II they had seen a marvellous amount Of
service. He settled down at the Star
and Garter. ordered sitting room,
commanded n fire, spoke in calm but
very decisive tones. and asked many
questions about men and women who
had been dead and gone for years and
years; the Meadowses, for instance;
old Morley, and Mary. the Maid Of the
Inn.
There was nothing odd In his inquir-
ing about Mary, because she had, as II
were, become evsrybody's property A
famous poet had made ballad about
her. and II was common thing for
folk that were gifted that way to recite
IL Other less Illustrious ballad mong-
ers had done the story OF Mary's night
in the abbey into verse. and the chap
men at the fairs had long been selling
the '1ast dying speeches and confess
slons OF Richard Parker" copies Of
verses written upon his last interview
with Mary" and other literary remi-
niscences OF the tragedy.
II was, therefore, as l have said, not
surprising to have stranger ask about
Mary: but this particular stranger ask
ed all kinds OF curious questions. and
youchsafed now and then pieces Of
curious information about events they
had heard OF at the Star and Garter
from their fathers and graLdfathers,
matters which seemed to them now to
be parts OF stories In books, or things
that belonged to the age OF 'opce upon
time" or incidents that the news
papers reprinted from old chronicles.
The stranger became a particularly
Interesting person when he obtained
permission at mis- own expense to erect
a special gravestone to Mary Lock.
! woods memory. and people touched
their hats to him all over the place
! when It was known that It was through
his Influence the two gitoets had sud
! denly been removed. such OF the ragi
and tatters OF the poor wretches who
I had been hung in chains being buried
decently, and a few Christian words o.
hope said over them.
The old man was fond OF rambling
/ about the abbey. He set up distant
branch of the Meadows family Ii th'
"Hark-to Rover" and often called aus
/ smoked a pipe with Jack Meadows ant
! his wife at the farin--the young Mead
! ows, who had Inherited from the sol
: OF the Mrs. Meadows. who was th'
mother or that Jack Meadows who lef
{, Kirkstall and was drowned at sea o.
1 worse, because Mary, the maid OF tn
Z Inn would not have him. preferrlng th,
/, hIgnwayman in disguise, who came t
!, tho galloWs
!. It was noted that the old man wa
particularly fond Of these people, ant
I that he liked to walk with Jack ant
! have him tell the story Of the Maid o
the Inn, and the sermon the parsol
preached about the angels drivinI
I away the evil spirits, and making
\ golden ladder for Mary up to heaven.
They had no idea who the old maj
was; but they grew to love him, b
was so generous with his money, haI
I seen 80 much, could tell such wonder
ful stories; and he brought to them on
I morning such grand recommendation
from the bankers Of Leeds, not +
!, mention solicitor there, that when h
!. hinted at desire to live with tn
4 young people at the farm, and he ac
: c0mpanied this with present Of
pair Of the finest cart horses tina
Wakefield market could show, an
when he said he had neither chic no
child, and was tired Of travelling, the
Y gave him the bedroom he said he liked
:, and he became one of the household
living as such. q pleasant companio
I and friend to host and hostess,
= !. grandfather in his actions towards tn
Z children.
! One calm summers morning the
!. thought he had slept too long, an
= : went to call him; he smiled at the chi
= !, dren 50 peacefully that they did nc
- like to disturb him. And nobody coul
or did disturb him again. They foun
his last will and testament in a col
y spicuOns place on a table near ii
y y bed, It was a generous will for mol
Z Z than the Meadows family. as sever,
= Z, Yorkshire institutions OF charity coul
= = be cited to prove; and on slip Of p;
e e per he had written. evidently on Il