The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-05-04
CHAPTER ].

He that has J!lteu tle MUSE, loIsdh-
ing her gentle pipe to follow the drum
and trumpet. sLall fruitlcssly besiege
her agaiL when the tine comes 10 SIT
at home and write down his adven-
lures IT'S her revenge, rs l am ex-
t:omeiy sensible; and methlnks she
is the harder on me, upon reflection
how near / came 10 being her lie
long servant, as you are to hear.
Twas on November %. \. .. 1912
a clear, frosty day-that the King.
with the Prince of Wales tneTly re-
covered of the measies), the Princes
Rupert and Maurice, and a great COM
pany Of lords and gentlemen. horse
and foot, came marching back to US
from Reading. l was pupil of Trinity
College in Oxford 1T that time. and
may begin my history at 3 O'Clock on
the same afternoon, when going 0s
my custom was) to MIR. Rob Drury for
nv fencing lesson, found his lodgings
empty.
They stood at the corner OF Ship
street, as you turn into the Corn Mar
ket-a low wainscoted chamber, III
lighted but ccmmodious. He Is OIL
to see the show" thought as looked
about me; and finding an easy cushion
in the window, sat down to await him.
Where presently, being tired out Qor
I had been carrying halberd all day
with the scholars troop in Magdalen
College Grove, and in despite of the
open lattice, I fell sound asleep.
1t must have been an hour after that
/ awoke with chill (as was natural,
and was stretching out hand TO pull
the window close. but suddenly sat
down again and fell to watching IN
stead.
The window looked down, at the
height of ten feet or so, upon DoWl-
ing green at the back of the Grown"
Tavern (kept by John Davenant, IN
the Corn Market, and across 1t to a
rambling wing of the same inn; the
fourth side-that to my left-being but
an old wall, with a broad sycamore
growing against it. Twas already
twilight, and In the darkening house,
over the green, was now one easement
brightly lit, the curtains undrawn. ard
within a company Of noisy drinkers
round a table. They were gaming,
rs was easily told by their clicking OF
the dice and frequent oaths; and anon
the below Of some tipsy chorus Wouid
come across. Twas one OF these
catches. I dare say. that woke nee;
only Just now my eyes were bent, not
toward the singers, but on the sull
lawn between us.
The sycamore, have hinted, was a
broad tree. and must, in summer, nave
borne a goodly load Of leaves; but now
in November, these We're streWn thick
over the green. and nothing left but
stiff, naked boughs. Beneath it lay
cracked bowl or two on the rank tur1.
and against the trunk garden bench
rested, I suppose for the convenience
of the players. On this man was
now seated.
He was reading little book; and
this first logged my curiosity; lor
twas unnatural q man should read
print at this dim hour. CT, if he had
Il mind to try, should choose a cola
bowling green for bis purpose. Iet
he seemed to study his volume very
attenti7ely. with sharp lock, now ana
then. toward the lighted window, as
if the jewellers disturbed hlm. Ills
back was partly turned to me, anu
what with this ard the growing dusk.
/ could but make guess at bis race;
but a-plcnty Of silver hair fell over MS
fur collar. and his shoulders were cent
a great deal, l judged him between
fifty and sixty. For the rest. he wore
q dark, simple suit. very straltiy cur,
with an ample furred cloak, and Il hat
rather tall, after the fashion OF the last
reign.
Now. why the mans behavior so
engaged me, don't know, but at the
end of half an hour l was still WatcE-
ing him. By this. twas near dark.
bitter cold. and lis pretcnse to read
mere fondGess; yet he persevereG-
though with longer glances at the case
ment above. where tie Gin AZ umes
was fit to wake the dead.
And.now one of the dicerS upsets has
chair with curse, ard gets cn his
feet. Looking up, saw his features
for moment-a slight. pretty 10y:
scarce above eighteen. with fair curls
and flushed cheeks like Siris. II
made ME admire to see him in this
ring of purple, vjllanous faces. Twas
evident &c was young gentleman CT
quality, as well by his bearing as his
handsome cloak Of amber satin GarreG
with black. Il think the devils IN
these dicer' l heard him crying, and
q pretty hubbub all about him: but
presently tie drawer enters with more
wine. and he SITS down quietly to q
fresh game.
AS soon as twas started, one of the
crew. that had been playing but was
now dropped out, lounges up from his
seat. and coming to the easement
pushes it open for fresh air. He was
one that till now had sat in full view
a tall bully. with 4 gross pimpled nose
and led the catches in a bulls Voice
The rest of the players paid no heed
TO his rising, and very soon his shoul
ders hid them. as he leared out, draw
ing in the cold breath.
During the late racket I had forgot
for a while my friend under the syca
more. but now. looking that way, tt
my astonishment I saw him risen iron
his bench and stealing across to the
bo,co onncsi+e 7 cav "stea1inG" FOL