The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1906-07-20

arm stared dkHftst at thls SuuutH butS
'Nfaude, Mauder' said he. Shaking
his head, ut is more hard for me 4
gam oDeeienes from gep WAN nan i foIIowe a
me 10 Guinne. Yet, hushi little one
for your fair lady mother Will be here
anon, and there is no need that sh'
should know IL. We will keep you
from the provost marshal this journey
Away to your chamber, sweeting, anc
keep a blithe face; for she who con con
err" he continued, when his daughter
had gone. 'sit you here by the nre, fol
your blood runs colder than IT did
Alleyne Edrieson, i would have wore
with you, for / would fain that you
should take service under me AND
here in good time comes my lady, with.
out whose counsel II is not my wont
to decide aught to import; but. indeed
come"
Of you, and can see that you are one
who may be trusted" said the Lady
Loring. "And in good sooth my dear
side, for he recks so little of himself
that there should be one there to look
TO his needs and meet his wants. You
have seen the cloister; II were well
that you should see the world, too. ere
you make choice for life between them.
you can rider" asked Sir Nigel,
looking at the youth with puckered
yes, I have ridden much at the abb
beg;" III, ,,uo.ouoo ,o.,v,v. :
friar's hack and warriors destrier.
You can sing and playY
"On citole, hute and rebeck
Good You can read blazonry?'
"Indifferent we'll
Il trust that you are lowly and SER
Il have served III ny life. my lord"
Il have carved TWO days week for
the brethren"
OF isquires:. But TIL me, pray. canst
mo, my lord, hit / could learn"
SIT Is OF import" said he. for l
ing that the weight OF my helmet for
thirty years hath In some degree frayed
II upon the top" !,
ut is for yoll also to bear the purse, !,
saiG the lady; ''for my sweet lord is of
so free and gracious temper that he
would give Il gayly TO. the first who
with some knowledge. of venerie, and
OF the management of horse, hawk, and
hound. with the grace and hardihood
and courtesy hich are proper 70 90 yosIi q,
Aias, laJym Alleyne answered, II
know well the great honor that r you
to wait upon so renowned a knight,
yet am so conscious OF my own weak
ness that scarce dare incur duties
4
"Modesty and humble mind" said
she, "are the very first and rarest gifts
In page or squire. Your, words prove
that you have these, and all the rest
Is but the work of use and of time"
1--WE can scarce hope" said Sir Nigel,
ito have all ready, for our start before
the feast of st. Luke, for there Is much
to be done in the time. You Will nave
leisure. therefore, II II please you 20
take service under me, In which to
ssAnf I have one favor to crave from
YOU" added the lady of the castle, as
Alleyne turned to leave their presence.
learning, which you have acquired at
Beaulieu would have you give an
hour or two day whilst you are with
the LADY Maude; for she Is somewhat
backward, / fear, and hath no love for
letters, save for these poor FOND ro-
mances which do but fill her empty
head with dreams OF enchanted maid
ems and of Grant cavalier. Father
Christopher comes over after nones
from the Priory, but he is stricken with Win
years and slow of speech, so that she
gets small profit from his teaching.
would have you do what you can with
her, and with Agatha, my young TIRE
And so Alleyne found himself not
only chosen as squire to knight, but
also as squire TO three damozels, wnieh
was even further from the part which
he had thought TO play In the world.
And now there came time of stir
and hustle. OF furnishing of arms and
clang of hammer from all the south
land counties. Fast spread the tidings,
from thorpe to thorpe and from castle
to castle, that the old game was afoot
once more, and the lions and lilies 10
he ia the field with the early spring.
Great news this for that fierce old
country whose trade for generation
had been war, her exports archers ana
her imports prisoners. For six years
her sons had chafed under an unwonted
peace Now they flew to their arms as
ss9p ne1T Of Nossent ana Of Pocters
were glad to think that they might
hear the war-trumpet once more, ana
had chaffed for years under the mar
tial tales of their sires. To pierce the
great mountains of the south, TO fight
the tanners of the fiery Moors, TO foi-
low the greatest captain OF the age, 70
and sunny cornields and vineyards,
when the marches Of Picardy ana NOR
mandy were as bare and bleak as the
Iedburgh forests--here was golden
nrospects for a race of warriors. From
sea to sea there was stringing or BOWS
In the cottage and clang of steel In the
Nor did It take long for every strong.
hold TO pour forth its cavalry. and
every hamlet its footmen. Through the
late autumn and the early winter every
ROAD and country lane resounded with
nalSir and trumpet, with the neigh or
the war-horse and the chatter OF march
n the ancient and populous county
Of Hampshire there was no lack OF
leaders or of soldiers for a service
which promised either honor or pront,
greatest OF all the musters, however,
was that ut Twynham Castle, for the
name and the fame of Sir Nigel Loring
drew toward him the keenest and bold
est spirits, all eager to serve under 50
valiant a lender. Archers from the
New Forest and the Forest OF Bere.
blllmen from the pleasant country
Avon. and the Ttchen, young cavaliers
feon1 the ancient Hampshire houses, all
were rushing for Christchurch TO take
service under the banner Of the nve
Seariet roses.
And INV: could Sir NIGEL have shown
lie hacheiles or land which the laws
n rank required, he might well have
eslt mis- forked pennon into square
banner, and taken such a following INTO
fhe field as would have SUPPORTED tne
hignity OF q banneret. But poVerty
was heavy upon him; his land was
sranf. his Golfers empty and the very
castle which covered him the holding
az another Sore was his heart when
ne saw rare bowmen and war.hardeneu
spearmen turned awav from his Rates
for the lack Of the smonev which might |
fouin and nav them. Vet the letter
which Awkward had brought MIN Vave
him POWERS which he was not SLOW 10 |
use. In II Sir Claude Iafnur' the cas-
con lieutenant of the White. Company.I
Keeping enough to fit out a hundred
archers and twenty men -at arms 1
which, Joined 10 the three hundred vet
eran companions ALREADY. tn France /
wnuld make q force which any leader l
miKft be prend TO command. Care /