Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-04-01

the highest fork, rocked 70 and fro
In the breeze, whilst her screams OF
warning To- her young seemed TO
npswer TO the din Of the waters.
To. the larger apartment OF the hut
3 few fagots blaxed upon the hearth,
supplying heat 10 q pot that sim
mered above them, the care OF which
together with order culinary opera
tions, engaged the attention OF Q
brown, haggard and weather beaten
woman, who piled this household
duty with o silent and mechanical
thrift. She was not the only tenant
Of the dwelling. Remote from the
hearth, and Immediately below q
small window, sat. apparently upon
| the floor, o figure eminently calculate
ed to challenge observation. His
| features were those Of . man OF
seventy. sharp, shrewd and imprint,
ed with a deep trace OF care, His
frame indicated the possession, ct
an earlier period of his life. Of the
highest degree OF strength; Il was
| broad Ia the Shoulders. ample In
chest, and still muscular. although
deprived OF it's ronndness by age
His dress, OF ooarsG green serge,
made into doublet with skirts that
fell both front and rear, secured by
q leathern belt. was so contrived as
| TO conceal, In his present posture,
Ihis lower extremities. A broad ruh
received his locks Of iron gray, which
| fell over his back In crisp wiry ourls:
thick grizzly beard, Of the same
hue, gave On elongation 10 his coun.
| tenance which impaired 10 the OBJ.
server the unpleasant impression OF
q head disproportionably large for
| the body, at least as seen in It's pre-
sent aspect. His eyes, dark and un-
| usually clear. we're sunk deep 10
their sockets, whilst 0 shaggy and
matted brow, oyerhauging them like
q porch, gave sometimes On almost
preternatuFal brilliancy TO their
quick aud changeful glances--like
the sparkling OF water when agitat-
ed Ia q well. Il was observable
from the dropping In Of the upper
law that he had lost his teeth, and
this bad given tendencv OF the
strong furrowed lines and seams,
with which bis features we're mark
ed, 10 converge towards the mouth.
His girdle sustained long knife
which apparently constituted q part
Of his ordinary equipment; and the
oblIaue fash Of his eye. and tremul-
Ious motion OF bis thin,lip. betrayed
q temperament, from which one
| might In fer that this weapon oil
| offence was not worn merely 90 90
ornament Of the person,
The individual described in this
| summary was familiar 10 report
shroughout the proylnee, o. The
LA ~. rff.
! d 81 "a q be- Robert swale, but fhI
: was almost lost 10 the pervadin
> popular designation Of Rob OF th
0 Bowl, or. Trencher R1b--an appelli
Q tive which he had borne ever sine
3 his arrival ID theprovince. now som
Z fifteen years gone by. OF his bis
= tory but little was known. and tha
Q little was duly mystided. In the pub
D lie repute, by the common tendenc
Ia the vulgar mind TO make the mos
y of any circumstance Of suspicion
4 The story went that be had bee
! shiprecked, on winter voyage, upo
i this coast. and after suffering Ia
g credible hardships, had saved hi
q life only at the expense Of the loss
j both legs by frost. In this maine
i condition he had reached the shor
q lof the province, and some time ate
! wards built the hut-in which he no
q dwelt, near the mouth Of ST. ] erome'
IL Here be had passed many year
n without attracting other notice tina
J. such as the stinted charity of Oh
10 world affords when II Is exercise
% upon the fate or fortunes Of an OF
Is scure recluse. This Observable
Is began TO find o broader scope Q
Ie soon as Il became obvious th
y lthe hermit was not altogether q
,r object for almsgivinR; and VI
b little world Of this part Of II
10 province discovering, In process
1t lof time, that he was not abs0l
+ tely penniless. we're fain TO tab
10 offence ct the mystery Of bis meai
OF earning bis frugal substance
ID Before many years, some few Of th
Jr traders and country people rour
ID had found out that Rob was occasion
0. ally possessed Of good merchantab
In commodities much Ia request by 81
d inbabitapts Of the port, and dar
ID whispers we're sometimes circulatf
Nc touching the manner In which |
q came BY them. These surmises wei
70 not made topics Of public discussie
10 for two reasons first, because
l was not inconvenientor unpro6tab
10 the traders Ia the secret TO del
20 with Rob; and secondly, Rob WI
at not man 10 allow this indulRen,
i. OF idle speculation; be was Of q
i. irasclbDe temper, free 70 strike wht
. crossed, and, what was still more
~ be feared, bad friends who were d
ID unwilling to take up his quarre
ID The loss Of his legs was supplied |
"a wooden bowl or treucher, Of |
be allipticaI shape, 10 which his thigl
o we're attached by strap, and th
D, rude continuance was swayed TO
" ward, when the owner chose, by u
s. aid Of two short crutches, whis
~ enabled him TO lift himself from II
th ground and assume progressi'
- motion. twas 70 theexercise whic
ce THIS mode Of locomotiou imposed up'
o. his upper limbs, that the unusu
In | breadth and sq1arepess Of bis fgu
at about the shoulders. as well as Il
Sc visible manifestations Of strength
ar arm for which he was remarkabl
Of we're In part. perhaps, TO be attribr
q "a IIan had mazda him arrlarf In n