The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1908-12-31
ON THE WAX. i. !.
TO THE BLOCK.

toriginal.l i.
One day some two and 4 half cen.
turtles ago the Lady Arabella Boyle.
borne in her "chair" by a couple Of
menials on the Strand in London, was
stopped at Temple Bar, the way being
narrow, by small party on foot. The
lady put her head out of the chair win.
dow to learn the cause of the delay
She saw a prisoner In charge Of guards.
A sudden thought struck the Lady
Arabella.
"Whither are you going?" she asked
Of the officer of the guard.
"To Tyburn, may it please your lady.
ship"
"What to dog
ITO cut off this mans head"
sand supposing it pleases me to mar
~ him?'
"You'll have a husband without a
head"
"That's just the kind Of husband l
want. and none other"
She babe her lackeys set down the
chair and sent one of them to fetch a
clergyman. In few minutes he re.
turned with one. and, the prisoner con-
senting. the knot was tied. Then the
procession moved on to Tyburn, and
the Lady Arabella proceeded on her
way much pleased with the adventure.
Though but twenty-five years old. she
was heels over head in debt. and at
that time there was law in England
that when woman married she was
absolved from all she owed. In the
course of half an hour she would be
a widow, having got rid of both hus-
band and debt.
But fate decreed that the delay of
the marriage should save the prison.
er's life. When he was kneeling be-
fore the block at Tyburn and the ex-
ecutioner was about to raise his ak a
horseman was seen coming like the
wind holding aloft paper. The ak
was stayed till the messenger arrived,
and the paper proved to he an order
to suspend the execution and commit
the prisoner to the Tower.
A week later London was in ecstasy
over the return of King Charles H.,
and all persons imprisoned on account
of loyalty to him were released. Alex
ander Yeoman, the son of country
squire. walked out of the Tower with
no yoke upon his shoulders except the
yoke Of matrimony. which he had no
desire to throw off. The vision Of
beauty that had come down from
heaven, 1t seemed, while he was on
the way to Tyburn was not forgotten
by him. For political reasons his re-
pricve was not published. His wife
Immediately after her wedding and
supposed widowhood sought solace in
Paris, where she proceeded to plunge
again into debt in the gayeties of the
French capital. She returned some
time after the accession Of the new
king and entirely ignorant of the fact
that she was a married woman.
One evening at ball at the palace
the king sought her and said: II de.
sire to present to you one of my gen.
tlemen in waiting He is more to you
than any other man, for he has given
you absolution. though you have given
him life. Can yox gaess who he ISL
"Absolution comas only from heaven,
your majesty. and e ! have given him
life must be his mother"
The king laughed and directed Alex
ander Yeoman to be brought to him.
When he arrived he stood before the
beautiful Arabclla young man
scarcely older than herself.
IF this is my son." she said to the
king. II must have borne him in m,
babyhood."
you have met before" said the
king. do you not remember his
faceT'
The lady looked at Yeoman curious
ly. No. she said at last Il do not
remember ever to have seen him be-
fore"
"That may be because when we met
I had suffered from long distemper."
said Yeoman, land was sore dis.
tressed."
"And what distressed you?'
Faith" said the king, "he was near
ing corruption
"Your majesty is speaking in rid
dies" said Arabella.
Rather put it," said Yeoman, "that
I was granted glimpse of heaven
before was to become food for
worms"
"a truce to this talk" said the lady,
land tell me where we have met"
"Never mind that" said the king, "at
least for the present. The gentleman.
having been stanch supporter of his
dghtful king. deserves his reward.
Alexander yeoman, kneel! Now arise.
Sir Alexander Yeoman," and the king.
drawing hir sword, rested it on the
young mans shoulder. II have an es.
tate for you in Surrey" he continued.
taken from notorious Roundhead, an
estate valued at 100000. I would pro.
vide you with a wife, but the Lady
Arabella has forestalled me in that
Lady Arabella Yeoman, this is your
husband, whom you married on his
way to Tyburn, condemned to be exc.
30 h IT, lpf~