The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-12-26

MIu HlaES!l-luCK ana TllTe,
For if any note
Escape frogs throat
Beware my lords ire."
eyes; that's the one. Not bad!"
humming-
For if any note
Escapes a frogs throat
Beawre my lords ire"'
care the verses your own"
"Oh. no! I'm only a poor player"
said the mountebank humbly. But
an honest one" he added after a
pause, and this thieves inn. Mon
sieur?" returning to the subject OF his
possible fate, this auberge des vo-
leurs-that sounds like a bad place
for an honest lodging"
at was once under the old monks,
who were very merry fellows; but
since the Governor had it restored, it
has become a sober and quiet place.
1t is true there are iron bars instead
of blinds, and you can't come and go,
as they used to, but"
as that it-up there" And the
mountebank pointed toward a ledge of
rock, with strong flanking buttresses,
outjutting beneath a mysteriOus-look-
Ing wall and poised over a sparsely
wooded bit of the lower Mount The
gray stone building you can just see
above the ramparts, and that opening
In the cliff to the right. with some
thing raining down-that looks like
planking-"
ooh, that is for the wheel"
The wheel?'
1.-The great wheel Of the Mount! 1t
was built in the time Of the monks,
and was used for"
Hold your tongue!" said the other
soldier, and the trio entered the great
gate, which had opened at their ap-
proach, and now closed quickly be-
hind them.
For the first time in that isolated
domain of the dreaded Governor, the
mountebank appeared momentarily to
forget his fears and gazed with inter-
est around him. On every side new
and varying details unfolded to the
eye; structures that from below were
etched against the sky in filmy lines,
here resolved themselves into vast,
solid, but harmonious masses.
Those ribbons of color that had
seemed TO fall from the wooing sky, to
adorn these heights, proved, indeed,
fallacious; more somber effects, the
black touches of age, confronted the
eye everywhere, save on one favored
frOnt-that of a newer period, an
architectural addition whose intricate
carvings and beautiful roses of stone
invited and caught the warmer rays;
whose little balcony held real buds
and flowers, bright spots of pink dang
ling from, or nesting at. the window S
edge
"Yonder looks like some grand
lady's bower" as he followed his cap
tors past this more attractive edifce,
the mountebank ventured to observe.
Now, perhaps, lives there"
Hank you, my friend" one of the
soldiers bruskly interrupted; "a piece
of advice. His Excellency likes not
babblers, neither does he countenance
gossip; and if you'd fare well, keep
your tongue to YOURSELF"
"Ill-I'll try to remember" said the
mountebank docilely, but as he spoke,
looked back toward the balcony; at
the cleaning reflection full on its win
dOws; then a turn in tire way cut off
the pleasing prospect, and only the
grim foundations of the lofty. heavier
structure on one hand and the mas
sive masonry ramparts on the other
greeted the eye.
For some distance they continued
along the narrow way, the mounte-
bank bending lower under his load
and observing the injunction put upon
him, until the path, broadening, led
them abruptly on to platform where
stone house OF ancient construction
barred their further progress. But
two stories in height, this building,
an alien edifice amid loftier piles,
stood sturdily perched on a precipi-
tous cliff. The rough stonework of its
front darkened by time, made it seem
/ almost part of the granite itself, al
though the roof, partly demolished
and restored, impaired to it an anon
alous distinctness, the bright new tile
prominent as patches on some dilapi-
dated garment. In its doorway, be-
meath monkish inscription, well-nigh
obliterated, stood a dwarf, or bunch.
back. who, jingling a bunch of great
keys, ill-humoredly regarded the ap-
preaching trio.
What now" The little mans wei.
come, as mountebank and soldiers
came within earshot, was not reassur-
ing. Isn't it enough to make prison
ers Of all the scamps in Christendom
without taking vagabond players into
custody"
Orders, good Jacques!" said one OF
the soldiers in conciliatory tone.
The commentaries"
The commandment" grumbled the
grotesque fellow. at is all very well, "
mimicking: Turn them over to
Jacques. He'll find room. II this
keeps on, We'll soon have to make
cages Of confessionals, or turn the
winebutts In the old cellar into oubli
cites"
IF any of our ancient flavor fingers
in the casks. your guests would have