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

But he guessed my meaning. Nay
Harry" he cried, "better this, for II
went back to our mother and told hel
that thou vert dead, after her long
slight of thee and the long wrong we
have all done thee. 1t would be n soreI
fate for her than the stocks for thee"
But | pleaded with him by the COM
mon blood i'm our veins to save me from
this ignominy. and my fever increased
and he knew not how to quiet me
Then in came Catherine Cavendish, and
what she said had some weight with
me.
"For shame" she said. standing over
me, with her face-as white as death
but with resolution in her eyes. For
shame. Harry Wingteld. Full easy II
Is to be brave on the battlefield. but II
takes hero to quail not when his van
ity be assaled. Have not as good men
as thou. and better. sat in the stocks
And think you that 1t will make any
difference to us. except us we suiIel
with YOU? And 'tis harder for my pool
sister than for thee, but she makes nc
complaint. nor sheds tear. but goes
about with her face like the dead anu
such a look in her eyes as never ! saw
there before. And she told me to say
to thee that she could not come today
but that she would make amends and
that thou hadst no cause to overworry
and | know not what she meant. Du'
this much | do know. Il brave man is
a brave man whether 1t be the scaifold
or the stocks. and-and-thou hast got
ten thyself into fever, Harry
With that she bade my brother John
get some cold water from the jailer
and she bathed my head and arranged
my bandages with that same skill
which she had showed at the time
when | was bruised by the mad horse
and my brother looked on us If only
half pleased, yet full Of pity. And
Catherine, as she bathed my head, told
me how Major Beverly and Sir Hum
phrey were yet confined on shipboard
and Dick Barry was in the prison moi
far from me, and Nick and Ralph
Drake were in hiding, but my Lord
Estes was scot free on account of his
relationship to Governor Culpeper. and
had been to Drake Hill. but Mary
would not see him.
And she said. furthermore, that heI
grandmother did not know that | was
10 be set in the stocks. and they dared
not tell her, as she was grown so feeble
since the riOt-at one time inveishing
against me for my disloyalty and say
Ing that should never have Mary
though / was cleared Of my disgrace
and no more convict, and at another
time weeping like a child over her poor
Harry, who had already suffered SC
much and was now in prison.
Catherine in that way. which none
but woman hath. since 1t pertains
both to love and authority. brought me
to my senses and l grew both brave
and shamed at the same time. and YET
s... SIC had gone never was anything
- the sting Of that ignominy whici
nas prepared for me on the morrow
Nary Il time had l seen men in the
stocks. and passed them by with III
rilicule. for that, 1t seemed to me, be
longea to the same class of folk as tho
culprits. but with sort of contempt
which held them as less than men ant
below pity even. The thought tha
some day |, too, was to sit there ha'
never entered my head. l looked mt my
two feet upholding the coverlid and pic
tured to myself how they would lool
protruGing from the boards OF thu
| stocks.
| recalled the faces OF all l had eve
seen therein and wondered whether
| would look like this or that one. re
membered seeing them pelted by mis-
chievous boys, and as the dusk thick
ened it seemed alive with jeering faces
and my ears rang with jibes. l said t.
myself that now Mary Cavendish wa
farther from me than ever before
Some dignity Of wretchedness ther
might he in the fate Of convict con
demned unjustly, but none In the fat
of man who sat in the stocks for al
the people to gaze and laugh at.
l said to myself that that crueles
fate of any--to be made ridiculous II
the eyes of love-was come to me- ant
love henceforth was over and gone
And thinking SO, those grinning ant
1ibbering faces multiplied, and the al
rang with laughter, and l trow wa
in a high fever all night.
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