The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1907-08-15
He Kept His Promise

DEW eeu Tic oCalh Va AAAAS A@N CIV
VI. of England and the accession of
Queen Mary there was an effort made
to place usurper on the throne in the
person of Lady Jane Grey. The fail
ure of the plan brought on one of the
most affecting tragedies of English |
history.
With others sent to the Tower of |
London for completely in the move |
ment was Henry Immersion, who was
to have been married to Harriet Bur
leigh, young lady of rare accomplish
ments and beauty. She had pleaded
with her lover to keep aloof from the
conspirators, but the dangers attend
ing the attempt We're as alluring to
him as they were repellent to her. !
He had gone heart and soul into the
effort, fought valianty for the cause
and when it fell was made prisoner
to await trial and probable execution.
Immersion, being a man of rank
and not having been leader in the
attempted usurpation, was accorded
privileges usually granted to such per-
sons He was lodged with one Of the
Tower officials and permitted to have
his own servant and such luxurieS as
he desired. His devil-may-care DISPOSE
ton kept him up even in the shadow
of the block, and when his fiancee
came to see him it was he who sup
ported her sinking spirits instead of
her doing as much for him. "Never
fear, sweetheart he would say cheer
lily; this head will never roll into the
basket My wits will surely get me
out of this scrape. You may see me
any moment. Keep the fastest horse
in your fathers stables saddled. Some
day l will mount him and before they
can catch me will gain the coast, and
away to France The girl considered
this merely intended to keep up show
of spirit that she might not break down
before the tragedy came.
Hamerston was such agreeable COM
pany that his keeper never tired of
being with him. He would frequently
ask his prisoner to drink bottle of
wine with him. One day when they
sat down to drink Hamerston made
wry face at the taste of the wine.
"Hoot man. exclaimed the keeper.
"What dye mean by making face at
wine l have myself imported from
Burgundy?'
II don't like it." replied Immersion.
81 have much better wine in the Gel
lar myself"
Nonsense! There's no better wine
in France than this"
"But l don't like French wines.
Give me your permission to send to
| the cellar for some wine l have there,
and. I'll show you what good wine is"
Send if you like"
Hamerston's servant was called, and
! his master, looking him in the eye
meaningly, said:
go to the cellar and fetch a bottle
of Oporto wine. Do not make mis-
take and bring any of the other wines
have there Bring the Oporto.'
Now, this was a signal between
master and servant that no one recog
niZed except themselves. The servant
went away, and the two men contin-
ued to discuss the merits of different
wines, the keeper standing sturdily by
those of France. his prisoner advocat-
ing those of Spain. Time passed, and
the servant did not return.
1.-The man has stopped to drink, .
said Hamerston, "and likely is lying
on the floor drunk. I'll so to the Gel
lar myself"
Jumping up, he left the room. In
the corridor his servant was waiting
for him.
"All right" said the man. "Here is
the key"
''And the keepers man?"
81 persuaded him to go to the cellar
for the wine, followed him and locked
him in
Hamerston quickly inserted the key
handed him in the door Of the room
where he had left his keeper and, turn
ing it, locked the official in. Then
changing his velvet doublet and hat
for the coarser one Of his servant that
he might attract less attention, he
walked awey with no one to stop him
Keeping as far away from those pass
ing as possible, he walked leisurely tt
the main gate of the town and passed
out, the guard never dreaming that he
was prisoner of state.
Harriet Burieigh was sitting in hel
room, attempting to embroider to di
vert her mind from the tragedy tina
hung over her She was dreading tina
her lover might any moment b.
brought to trial, and as there was NJ
defense be must surely be convicted O.
high treason. She was thinking tina
she would in that event 60 and i'm
plore the queen to spare his life. Sud
denly her maid called to her from tn
window:
"Lawk, my lady! Is this ghos
walking up from the gate?''
Harriet ran to the window and a
once recognized Henry Hamerston i
the apparel Of servant. He wa
walking leisurely, with seeming uncor
Germ. Catching her breath, she ra
down the staircase and met her lover.
. 81 told you I'd come, sweethear
l