Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-12-14
SILVER SPUR

But | asked no questions, and my COM
panion vouchsafed no talk, though twice
l caught him regarding me curiously as
unbridled the mare in the only vacant
stall. Not a word pass'd as he took the
lantern off the peg again. and led the
way up a ramshackle ladder to the loft
above. He was fat. numbering fellow,
and made the old timbers creak. At the
top he set down the light, and pointed
to heap Of straw in the corner.
"Yon's your bed" he crowded. and be
fore l could answer was picking his way
down the ladder again.
look'd about, and shiver'd. The caves
OF my bedchamber were scarce on speak
ing terms with the walls, and through a
score of cranDies at least the wind pour
ed and whistled. so that after shifting
my truss OF straw Il dozen times | found
myself still the center of whirl of
draught. The candle fame. too, was
pulled this way and that inside the horn
sheath. | was losing patience when |
heard footsteps below; the ladder creak'd,
and the red hair and broad shoulders of
chambermaid rose into view. She
carried a salyer with food. and mutter'd
all the while. The wench had a kind
face, tho; and pair Of eyes that did
her more credit than her tongue.
And what's to be my reward for this,
/ want to know" she painted out, rest
ing her left palm on her hip.
why, a groat or two," said 1. Il beg
your pardon. but my wits are frozen up.
/ think. There's two, for interest; and
another if you tell me whom your master
entertains tonight, that l must be con-
tent with this crib"
"Well-to begin, there's the gentle
folk that came this afternoon with their
own carriage and heathenish French ser
want; a cranky old grandee and daugh-
ter with more airs than peacock; Sir
Something-orotbe Killigrew-bless the
boyw
For | had dropp'd the mug and split
the hot coffee all about the straw, where
it trickled away with a fragrance re-
proachfully delicious.
Now | beg your pardon a hundred
! times; but the chill is in my bones worse
than the ague;" and budding my shout
ders up, / counterfeited a shivering fit
with a truthfulness that surprised my
| self
Poor 1ad.''
And It's first hot and then cold all
down my spine, and goose flesh and
! Pushes all over my body; and by morn
ing l shall be in a high fever; and oh!
feel l shall die of itr'
"Don't-don'tr' The honest girls eyes
were full of tears. II wonder, now"
she began; and l waited, eager for her
next words. Sure, masters at cards in
the parlor. Shalt pass the night by the
kitchen fire, if only thou make no noise"
but your mistress-what will she
say?"
rs in heaven these two years; and
out of masters speaking distance forever
So blow out the light and follow me
gently"
Still fnignng to SILVER, | follow'd her
down the ladder. and through the stable
into the open. The girl took me by the
hand TO guide me; for, save from the
one bright window in the upper floor
there was no light at all in the yard.
| Clearly, she was in dread of her masters
anger, for we stole across like ghosts, and
once or twice she WHISPERED a warning
when lhy toe kick'd against a loose cob
Bile. But just as | seem'd to be W. TX
ing into stone wall, she put out Ter
hand | heard the click of a latch, and
stood in dark. narrow passage.
The passage led to second floor that
Opend on a wide stone-pav'd kitchen,
lit by cheerful fire, whereon a kettle
Kissed and dubbed. Close by the Chin
ney corner was a sort of buttery hatch.
for pushing the hot dishes conveniently
into the parlor on the other side of the
wall.
Sit" Whispered the girl. "and make
no noise, while | attend to the men folk
III the parlor." She jerked her thumb
toward the buttery hatch, where | had
already caught the murmur of voices.
| took up n chair softly, and set it
down between the hatch and the fire.
place, SO that while warming my knees |
could catch any word spoken more than
ordinarily loud on the other side of the
wall The chambermaid stirr'd the fire
briskly.
There was the sound of the voices sing
ing in the room upstairs.
That's the foreigners" said the cham
bermaid.
A volley of shouts sounded through
the buttery hatch.
And that's the true-born English
men, as you may tell by their speech.
IT'S pretty company the master keeps
| these days"
through the hatch my ear had caught
sentence that set me listening for more
with still heart.
"Confound the Captain the landlords
gruff voice was saying; Il warn'd IN
agen this fancy business when sober,
cool-handed work was toward"
Settles way from his cradle" growl'd
another: and times enough I've told n:
'Cap'n.' says J. there's no sense O pro-
portions about We a master mind, sirs,
but a u be hang'd for a hen-roost, so
sure as my names Bill Widdicomb."
Ugly words-what creeping influ-
ence has that same mention o hanging"
piped thinner voice.
Hold thy complains. Old Mortifica-
ton" put in a speaker that l recognized
for Black Dick: SIRE the crowd upstairs
is tender game. Hark how they sing.''
And indeed the threaten'd folk upstairs
were singing catch very choicely, with
A girls clear voice 10 lead them
Heather language, to be sure" said
the thin voice again, as the French cho-
rus ceased; thinks | to myself. they
be bat Papsters, an my doubling mind
is nightly reconeiFd to manslaughter."
II don't like beginning 'ithout the
Cap'n." observed Black Dick though
I doubt something has miscarried, Else.
how did that young spark ride in upon
the mareT
AN that's why thy question should
ha' been. Dick, with a pistol o his
skull"
Hell keep till the morrow"