The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14

Spain were fighting to the death for tho mastery of the seas.
 It's characters are those hardy men of Devon called in those days gentleman ad- venturers, whose exploits led them to high honors in tho state. In later and more civilized times men of their kidney were called pirates and their exploits led to high gallows instead of high places In council.
 The book is perhaps the most read of all Kingsley's works. and gives an admirable picture of the life and times of the men who laid the foundation of England's col onial empire in the era of Elizabeth. The Spanish were robbing the New World and the English were robbing Spain in those days. Each thought the other children of the devil and enemies of God. The bit- ter fanatical hatred of the Catholic re- ligion which Is displayed in the story is in consonance with the spirit of the men of Devon at the time of which Canon Kingsley wrote. and the gusto with which the revenend author lays about him with his theological fail makes it apparent that he himself inherited a. large share of the piejudices of his Devon an- cestors. .e Perhaps it is just this innate be- lief that there are no really noble men but Englishmen, and that there no true religion but that of the Church oI Eng land. which enabled the author to enter so thoroughly into the spirit of the times of which he wrote, and breathe such real life into the characters which move across the stage in Westward Ho.''
 TN all the steeples of Bideford in Devon
 the joy bells were ringing. The streets \ were filled with people all in holiday attire and the houses hung with garlands. That stout, blonde giant, Amyas Leigh of Burrough, and four other sturdy men of Devon had just returned from their voy- age with Drake, the first English sailors who ever broke into the South Sea and sailed around the world. It was five years since Amyas had kissed his mother goodby and sailed away with Frank Drake. He went away a well grown lad and came back full grown man with a beard and an air of command and a love of adventure strong in his heart-one of those sea dogs of Devon who at that time were singeing the beard of the King or Spain and finding new worlds for the Virgin Queen beyond the rolling seas.
 All the gentry of North Devon had gathered to welcoms Amyas home Stand- ing beside his gray-haired, widowed moth- CT was his elder brother, Frank, fresh from court, with c.urt manners and court dress which were the envy of the provin- cial gallants Frank was tall, like his brother, but not sturdy like him. His form was l1tne ana dllu HIS ldCe like those which Raphael used to paint; but hectic spots on either white cheek showed too plainly the presence of dis ease which already had begun to sap his vitality.
 Among those who pressed forward to take Amyas by the hand was his cousin. Eustace Leigh, son of Mr. Leigh Of Chapel Eustace was a man from whom his bluff and sturdy cousin shranx in- stinctiyely His father had remained a Catholic upon the accession of Elizabeth and it was whispered that Eustace had served his novitiate as a member of the Society of Jesuits-crimes in those days fin England which were likely to bring a mans head to the block or his body to the stake However. though Elizabeth occasionally burned Catholics for dis cipline's sake--as her sister Mary had burned Protestants for conscence's sake, and their father, Henry, had burned Catholics and Protestants alternately for his own sake-quet old gentlemen like Mr Leigh of Chapel, who paid their tithes to the established church regular ly and kept their religious opinions to themselves. were occasionally allowed to live unnlolested in remote parts of Eng land under the protection of powerful rel atlves.
 In this day of his triumphant home coming Amyas was generous and greeted even his Popish cousin cordially but he looked for one face only, and looked in vain. though to see 1t he would have been eladder than to see any other unless it were the dear face of his mother. Rose Saiterne, daughter of the rich Mayor of Rldeford-the Rose of Torrfdge, she was called, after the river which ran through the town--was not visible at the reJoic- ings.
 In fact, her father had packed her off to some poor relatives in the neighborhood, for he.. beauty had turned the heads of R.. the well born galants in North Devon. as we'll as the heads of all the prentice boys in Bdeford; and, as the Mayor frankly told Mrs. Leigh of Burrough he was too proud, plain burgher though he was. to have his daughter marry into a family where she could not be received as an equal In the reign of Queen Bess . blrgher. however wealthy was a burgh- CT still and a gentleman was a gentleman, even though he had no second coat to his back.
 Rose Salterne was thorough speci- men of a west coast maiden. frl of pas sionate and impulsive affection and of wild dreamy imagination. Left early without a mothers care, her father had petted her and spoiled her until she took attention as her natural due; and if peo- ple praised her wondrous beauty-why, did not her looking glass tell her that their admiration was justly bestowed?
 Years ago, as a schoolboy, Amyas had loved her. little girl, and now he re- turned home after his wanderings to be tui that she had grown into a dazzling young woman of IS. He would soon see her again, he thought and, indeed he was right, for Roses banishment was not for long.
 But Amyas soon saw that Frank too, loved the Rose of Torrdge and he re- solved to think no more of her-that is, to think of her as little as he could help and he could even pray for the success of th, suit of his brother. whom he loved unselfshly.
 Amyas had not long settled down to the ouet life of Burrough when all North Devon was aroused by the news that a force of Spaniards had landed the coast of Ireland and taken the fort at Smerwick; and with hastily collected marty of the other youth of the region he prepared an expedition to fight the invad- ers. Eustace Leigh also departed. but not | fo fight his country's battles. He stole away a fugitive. having been discovered in reasonable correspondence with the enemy.
 Poor Frank did not dare to go to Ire land without the permission of the Virgin Sueen. who kept tight reign upon her co,rtiers: but if he could not g, to make wS abroad, he resolved taat, before the