Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-12-13

Parson Downs came to me the after
noon of the 2Sth and sat gazing at
me with melancholy air, nor offered
to read Will Shakespeare, though he
filled my pipe and pressed hard upon
me cup of burgundy.
"'1'will give thee heart, Harry" he
said. land surely now thy wounds be
SO far healed twill not inhame them
and. in any case. why should good
Shirt inlamc wcua IS: SmGke hard as
thou canst. poor Harry. If thou wilt
not drink. for | have something to tell
thee. and there is that about our good
tobacco of Virginia-now we have res.
cucd 1t. betw!Xt you and me, from
royal frecbOotcrs-wEich is soothing to
the .nervcs and tending to allay evil
ant!cipatious."
Thc:l. us | lay putting away some
thing feebly at my pipe. still with en-
joyment. lie unfoldcJ his evil news to
me. 1t seemed that my brother had
commissioned him so to do.
"'Tis Il shame. Harry" he said. "and
will assure thee that all that could
be done hath been, and If now there
were less OH guard and place where
thou coudst hide with safety the fleet
est horse in the colony Is outside, If
thou vert strong enough to sit him.
And so thou escaped would care not
7 Ia fhnuUh I nc i'll
a pretty penny for him and love him
better than ever l loved any woman,
since he springs to order and stands
without hitching and with never q
word Of nagging in my ears to make
me pay pcnance for the service. What
man with q good horse and good
vino and good tobacco wantcth wife
for passeth my understanding, but l
know thou art young and the maid Is
fair one. Faith, and she was in
such sore Mtlliction this morning be-
cause Of thee. Harry, as might well
console any man. Had she been Ba-
cons widow she had not welded again.
but gone widow to her death.
Thou shouldst have seen her, lad,
when | ventured to strive to comfort
her with tie reflection that her suffer
ing in thy behalf was not so grievous
us was Bacon's wife's for his death, for
thou art to have thy life, my poor Har-
ry, and no great hurt, though it may be
somewhat wearisome if the sun be hot.
But Mistress Mary Cavendsh flew out
at me in such wise. though she hath
known all along to what fate thou vert
probably destined, and said such harsh
things Of poor Madam Bacon that l
was minded to retreat. Keep Mary
Cavendish's love, when she be welded
to thee, Harry, for there is little COM
promise with her for faults, unless
she loveth. and she hath found out that
Cicely Hyde betrayed the plans of the
plant cutters, and for her and Madam
Bacon her sweet tongue was like a
fiery lash, and Catherine was as bad,
though silent. Catherine, unless be
greatly mistaken, will wed thy brother
John, but unless be more greatly mis-
taken. she loveth thee. And now, my
poor Harry, wouldst know what they
will do to thee tomorrow"
nodded my head.
"They will even set thee in the stocks,
Harry, Mt the New field, before all the
people at the sports" said Parson
Downs.
truly think that If Parson Downs
had informed me that was to be put
to the rack or lose my head 1t would
not have so cut me to the heart. Some
thing there was about a gentleman OF
England being set in the stocks which
detracted not only from the dignity OF
the punishment, but that of the offense.
| would not have believed they would
have done that to me, and can hardly
believe it now. Such punishment had
never entered into my imagination, l
being. n gentleman born and bred and
my crime being grave one, whereas
the stocks were commonly regarded for
the common folk who had committed
petty offenses. such as swearing or
Sabbath breaking. could not for
some time realize 1t, and lay staring at
Parson Downs, while he tried to force
the Burgundy upon me and started III
alarm at my paleness.