Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-09-14

poor harry, WQuiust KNOW Wnat Luey
will do to thee tomorrow
nodded my head.
They will even set thee In the stocks,
Harry. at 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 it would
, not havesso cut me to the heart Some
thing there was about 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,
being a gentleman born and bred and
my crime being a grave one, whereas
the stocks were commonly regarded for
the common folk who had committed
petty offenses. such as swearing OF
| Sabbath breaking. I could not for
some time realize it, and lay staring at
Parson Downs. while he tried to force
the Burgundy upon me and started In
alarm at my paleness.
"Why, confound it. Harry he cried,
Il tell thee, lad. do not look So Hadst
thou killed Rob Waller instead Of
wounding him it would have been thy
life instead of thy pride thou hadst
forfeited
81 wish to God / hadr' | burst out.
yet duly. for still only half realized
| it ALL
"Nay. Harry" declared the parson,
"thy life is of more moment than thy
| pride, and as to that. what will it hurt
thee to sit in the stocks an hour or SO
i for such cause? Twill be forgot in
a weeks time. l pray thee, have some
Burgundy. Harry; twill put some life
| into thee
Twill never be forgot by me- said
/. and indeed it never has been. and
know not why it seemed then and
seems now of a finer sting of bitterness
| than my transportation for theft
| Presently l. growing fully alive to the
| state of the matters, wrought up my
self into such a fever of wrath and re-
monstrance that it was a wonder that
my wounds did not Open swore that
submit to such an indignity would
/ not; that all the authorities in the
colony should not force me to sit in
the stocks; that / would have my life
first, and looked about wildly for my
/ own sword or pistols, and seeing them
not besought the parson for his. He
| stroye in vain to comfort me. was
| weakened by my wounds and there
was, | suppose. something Of fever still
lingering in my veins for all the bleed
ing, and for a space was like a mad
man at the thought of the ignominy to
which they would put me. besought
| that the lieutenant governor should he
summoned and be petitioned to make
my offense capital one. / strove to
rise from my couch, and the vague
thought of finding weapon and COM
hitting some crime so grave that the
stocks would be out of the question as
/ a punishment for it was in my feyered
brain.
AS well go to a branch of locust
/ tree blown by the May wind with
honey for all seeking noses as to
| Chichely," said Parson Downs. "And
| as for the burgesses, they are afraid
of their own necks, and some Of US
| there be would rather have thee sit
in stocks than lose thy life, for we
hold thy life dear, Harry, and some
punishment it must be for thee, for
thou didst shoot kings officer, though
with poor aim, Harry"
Then said again, with my heart like
| drum in my ears. that wished it had
been better, though naught had
| against Robert Waller and as learned
| afterward he had striyen all he dared
| for my release, but the militia, being
| under some suspicion themselves. had
! to act with caution in those days
Presently, while the parson was yet
| with me, my brother John came in, and
| verify. for the first time, realized that
we were of one blood Down on his
knees beside me he went
"Oh. Harry" be cried, Il have done
| all that I could for thee, and vengeance
| will have of some for this, and they
shall suffer for it. that I promise thee.
To fix such a penalty as this upon one
/ of our bloodr'
"John,p l whispered, grasping his
hand hard. Il pray thee
/ But he guessed my meaning. Nay,
| Harry" he cried, better this, for If I
went back to our mother and told her
that thou vert dead, after her long
slight of thee and the long wrong we
have all done thee, it would be sorer
fate for her than the stocks for thee"
| But l pleaded with him by the com
mon blood in 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.
ssIt,>,. et,a mas, che eaff7 rten.7ir,or sr,sv.