The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1908-12-18

the country Tor nearly "A week m
the capture OF young fellow like X
VINO had just returned from his fir
experience of the sea. would have An
proved the quality OF a rather lu
Derly lot OF pressed men. But X
had seen enough OF the sea. thong
ne was a stout enough fellow i'm hI
way. AT any rate he had no likin
Tor the press and at the first rumo
OF the press gangs appearance h
mad sought hiding place. His age
lather was the sexton OF the churcl
ana knew every nook and GRANNY O
IT, Ihere was no better hiding plac,
IL only Kit could be smuggled int,
IL without the suspicious of a few
lohg tOngued busy-bodies beini
aroused. So Kit shouldered his sticl
ana MS bundle. babe an affectionat,
goodbye to the old folks and trudged
on IN the direction of the nearest sea
boards 'But at dead of night he crent
stealthily back to the old church. clam
oered In AT little vestry window
carelessly unfastened and took up his
residence for time among the great
bells In that chamber of the winds.
lie mad been there several DAYS and
no one had any suspicion of the fact
ne old folks had little difficulty in
bringing him something TO eat and
urink and they told him the news of
me niue town and country side
uull, personal commonplace gossip
Tor man who had seen something of
the world, and had run the gauntlet
OF storm and sword The last Incl
dent which had excited the good peo.
pie OF keldon was the mysterious dis
appearance of young Hawkesbury. the
only child of Sir Godfrey Hawkesburv
or Hawkesbury Park. He was a rath.
er small and delicate lad. about IL
or ii years OF age and chiefly remark.
able for the fact that an attack of
paralysis, when he was a child. had
distorted his features and de. |
prived him of his powers of speech
On this account his father was extra. |
ordinary solicitous of his welfare. and I
THIS anxiety was TO a certain extent
shared by all those who came IN touch
with the Hawkesbury family. There
was, therefore, widespread alarm and
anxiety at the disappearance Of the
Unfortunate youth.
But Kit COwley up In the belfrv
vas out OF this little world and though
lie knew the dumb young squire well
enough, the incident was rot very i'm
'ortant IL was OF more moment TO
nm Just then that the ringers would
'e In the loft that evening and for an
lour or more the belfry would be n
irritable pandemonium of clang and
latter. !
Fortunately for him there was n ,,
neans OF mitigating the ANNOYANCE To /,
ONE extent The bell chamber was /,
he uppermost part OF the church tow. !
r and was In fact a somewhat small. =
r story rising from the center of the Q
touter part of the tower below. There =
as narrow stone platform round y
ne outside OF the bell chamber. and :"
us was protected by a rather deep
ihDaltled parapet. Kit Cowley had L
eVeral times broken the monotony u
his close confinement by creeping u
NJ upon the platform and scanning D
he wide and beautiful prospect of n
'rtile landscape. while he breathed
le cool crisp air of that lofty eyrie. al
hlch reminded him of the masthead e
AS the shades Of evening dimmed u
e landscape. Kit slipped through the al
DOT which opened on the parapet and on
osed II carefully behind him. He 81
ept on all tours TO an angle OF the "a
attorm and there sat himself down. nj
I'm his back against the parapet. In
hen the ringing commenced he
opped his ears as well as he could nj
d tried to be Indifferent TO the din IL.
llch seemed TO make the old tower III
lrly pulsate. But I'm spite OF all his Oh
'orts the noise wearied him and DO
len at last IL ceased, the peaceful vi
sh which succeeded II seemed
ubly soothing. les
AS he rubbed his eyes he thought he OF
ara some faint unusual sound. He fel
ok little heed OF ii at first. for he toI
ought that he was still half dream or,
!. But he heard IL again. the I'm. sol
sound OF some one moving gu
the bell chamber. and in a moment die
was intensely alert. What was f.? me
hrst thought was that the press low
ig had hunted him out. But down wa
ow all was quiet There was not a ma
n of uproar or commotion. He er
pt stealthily and silently as n cat cor
X to the door OF the bell chamber fins
peered through a chink OF the old his
limiting woodwork. There was ste
~ 4lh''ih set Ou the IOOr by the cid
or the open trap door giving &C. eve
from the ringers loft. The light the
the lantern Illuminated all the re- the
-er side OF the bell chamber. ard r
ugh the nearer side was In shadow he'll
re was sufficient reflected light TO sta,
W him that there was no one i'm tie hell
mber. 80,
ut even while he was making these n n,
ervations the head of a man an A
red through the trap door and had
and well built supple figure climb Giro
slowly up from below, bearing a led
Q sack upon its shoulders. The won
s face was masked. He wore a the
ched hat riding coat buttoned com
(, and was booted and spurred. but
well despatched with mud. in grea
I, a typical highwayman fresh your
a midnight adventure. well
put down his sack in front OF own
lantern, opened wide its mouth rible
rolled II inside out. dis. her
ny 70 MUS Mortified glance a hui phis