The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-11-20
CHAPTER K.
The ToWn.Crier.

The Town-Crier.
The bell in the unseen chapel ceased
ringing as We came out on the cliffs of
Paradise, where, on the horizon, the
sun hung low. belted with a single
ribbon of violet cloud.
Below the cliffs, on a crescent of fiat
sand, from which sluggish, rosy rivu-
let's crawled seaward, a man stood
looking out across the water. And
the mayor stopped and called down to
him: "Ohe, the Lizard | want some
body to drum and read a proclamation.
Where's JaCqueline?'
At this instant young girl, a mere
child, appeared on the beach, dragging
a sea-rake over the ground behind her
She was a 1.-THE creature, bare-limbed
and ragged, with the sea-tan on throat
and knee. The girl caught sight of
the mayor and gave him a laughing
greeting which he returned with a
shrug.
IF you want town-crier," she
called up, in a delciously fresh voice,
scarcely tinged with the accent, TN
cry your edicts and III drum for you,
too"
The girl threw her rake into a boat
and leaped upon the rocks at the base
of the cliff.
"Jacqueline! Don't come up that
way" bawled the mayor, Mortified.
Hey! Robert! Ohe!! Lizard! Stop
her or she'll break her neck"
Breathless, hot, and laughing, the
girl pulled herself up over the edge of
the cliff. l held out my hand to aid
her, but she pushed it away, crying,
Thank you all the same, but here I
am"
The mayor looked at her angrily,
but, probably remembering he was at
her mercy, suppressed his wrath and
held out the telegram, Can you read
that, my child?"
Yes, l can read it. Why not? Can't
you?"
Read? I the mayor Of Paradise!"
repeated the outraged. magistrate
What do you meaI.te rsn,of lizards!
en- Now if vo,,e sind 4 nd a.,v suc,.
things I won't DIS. I'll Inter said the
child, glancing at inV pot her sea-
blue eyes and giyil aI5ahake to her
elf-locks. -
| gave her a hand bill, at the first
glance her eyes sparkled, the color
deepened under her coat of amber tan;
she caught her breath and read rapidly
to the end
"Oh, how beautiful" she said, softly.
Am | to read this in the square,"
Il will give you a franc to read it,
Jacqueline"
mo, no-only-oh, do let me come
in and see the heavenly wonders!
Would you, monsieur? II cannot
pay-but would-could you let me
come in? l will read your notice, any
way" she added, with quaver in her
voice.
Come whenever you like. JacQue-
line" | said. Ask for me at the gate"
And who are you, monsieur"
My name is Scarlet"
Scarlet" she whispered, as though
naming a sacred thing.
The mayor, who had toddled some
distance ahead of us, now halted in the
square, looking back at us through the
red evening light
"Jacqueline, the drum is In my
house. I'll lend you a pair of satots,
too. Come, hasten little idler!"
We entered the mayors garden,
where the flowers we're glowing in the
luster of the setting sun The mayor
soon reappeared with drum and drum
sticks in one hand and pair of sa bots
in the other. Co. my child" he said,
and Jacqueline marched through the
garden out into the square by the foun-
tain, drum-sticks clutched in one
tanned fist. the scrolls of paper in the
other.
In the center of the square she stood
moment, looking around, then raised
the drum-sticks; there came a click,
fash of metal, and the quiet square
echoed with a startling outcrash. AL
ready knot of people had gathered
around her; others came swiftly to
windows and doorsteps; the loungers
left their stone benches by the river.
the maids of Paradise fiocked from the
bridge. The drum-roll ceased.
Attention! Men of Finistere. BY
order of the governor of Lorient, all
men between the ages of twenty and
forty, otherwise not exempt. are or
dered to report at the navy yard bar
racks, war-port of Lorient, on the 5th