Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-12-28

the WOODS soon. FOR now the ratue OF
artillery came louder and incessant
through the trees and mingling with it q
multitude of duh shouts and outcries.
The trees in a short waile grew spars-
er and between the stems l marked a
ruddy light glowing And then | came
out on an open space upon the hillside,
with a dip Of earth in front and beyond
a long ridge of pines standing up black
| because of o red gil % behind them, and
saw that this came, not from any setting
| sun. but was the light # a confagra-
| ton.
The glare danced and quivered in the
| sky as / crossed the hollow. 1t made
even Delia's white cheek seem rosy. Up
| amid the pines | clambered and along
the ridge to where it broae off in a steep
| declivity. And 10! in a minute | looked
down, as 'twere, into the Internal pit.
| There was a whole town burning be
! low. And in the streets men were fight
| ing. as could be told by their shouts
| and the rattle and blaze OF musketry.
Now the town was Marlboro and the
| attacking force a body of royal troops
sent from Oxford to Gust the garrison Of
| the Parliament, which they did this
same night with great slaughter, driving
| the rebels out OF the place and back on
| the road to Bristol Had we guessed
| this much i'll luck had been spared US.
| but we knew naught OF it, nor whether
friends or foes we're getting the better.
| So we determined 10 pass the night in
| the woods, and on the morrow TO give
| the place a wide berth.
| Retreating, then. to the hollow, l gath
! IL. I'D 4 mo
| cloak thereover for Della. To sleep was
| impossible, even with the will for il. For
| the tumult and fighting went on and only
| died out about an hour before dawn,
and once or twice we were troubled TO
| hear the sound OF people running on the
ridge above. SO we sat and talked in
low voices till dawn. and grew more des-
| perately hungered than ever.
| With the chill Of daybreak we started,
meaning to get quit OF the neighborhood
| before ans espied us, and fetched a COM
| pass to the south without another look
at Marlboro.
| But before an hour had passed by we
were captured by a troop Of rebels and
| taken to Bristol. where | was searched
| and my letter 10 the King taken from
me by Col. Essex.
You are now 10 be ask'd TO pass over
| the next four weeks ia as many minutes;
| az would had done at the time. For
| spent them in 4 bitter cold cell Ia the
main tower Of Bristol keep, viii chair
| and a pallet of stray fer all my furni-
ture, and nothing to stay my fast but
| the bread and water which the jailer
| brought me twice a day.
What concerned me most was the cold
| that gnaw'd me continually these winter
nights as / lay thinking Of Della (whom
had not seen since our cppturel, or
| gazing on the patch of frCsty heaven
that was all my view. Twas thus I
had heard Bristol bells ringing for
| Christmas in the town below.
Col ESSEX had been thrice to visit me.
and always offer'd many excuses for my
treatment; but when he came to question
me, why. of course, had nothing to
tell. 50 that each visit but served to vex
/ him more Clearly | was suspected to
| know great deal beyond what appear'd
/ in the letter: and no doubt poor Anthony
/ KilIigrew had receiv'd some verbal mes
| sage from His Majesty which he lived
not long enough TO transmit to me. As
/ twas, | kept silence; and the Colonel
! in ret1rn would tell me nothing OF what
/ had befallen Della.
! One fine, frosty morning. then. when
| had hahn In this distress just four
weeks, the door OF my cell opeu'd. and
| there appear'd a young woman. bringing
| In my bread and water. She was the
jailer's daughter and wore heavy
bunch of keys at her girdle
"Oh. good morning" said I, for till
| now her father had visited me, and this
was a welcome change.
| Instead Of answering cheerfully she
7 gave little nod OF the head. rather
sorrowEul, and answered:
Fathers abed with the ague."
Now, you cannot expect ME to be
sorry"
Nay" she said and caught her look
| ing at me with something like compass
sion in her blue eyes. which mov'd me
to cry out suddenly:
Il think you are woman enough to
like a pair Of lovers"
oh. aye; but where's t'other half OF
the pair?"
You are right. The young gentle
woman that was brought hither with me
Il know not il she loves me; but this
do know would give my hald to learn
her whereabouts and how she fares"
Better eat thy loaf" put in the girl
very suddenly. setting down the plate
and pitcher.
Twas odd. but seem'd 10 hear sob
in her voice. However. her back was
toward me as l glanced up. And next
moment she was gone. locking the iron
door behind her.
turu'd from my breakfast with
I sigh having for the moment tasted the
hope to hear something Of Della. But
| in a while. feeling hungry. | pick'd up
the loaf beside me and broke it In two
To my amaze. out dropp'd something
that jingled on the stone floor. Twas
small file, and, examining the
loaf again. ;ound clasp
knife also. and strip Of paper. neatly
folded. hidden in the bread:
Dear Jack:
Colonel Essex finding no good come
OF his interrogatories. hath set me at
large: tho l continue under his eye, to
wit with a dowage- OF his acquaintance.
Mistress Finch Wee dwell In a pri-
vate house midway down St Thomas
street, in Redcuffe; and she hath put a
dismal dress upon me. otherwise uses me
not III. But take care OF myself, my
deare friend; for tho the Colonel be a
geutlman. he is press'd by them about
him, and at our last interview | noted
y mischief in his eye. Canst use this
file? This by one who hath been my
friend for whose sake tear the paper
up. And beteeye your cordial, loving
comrade, ID. X"
After reading this a dozen times, till
l had il by heart. | tore the letter into