The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-08-22
Out of the
Dungeon
A Story of Ancient
England
By F. A. mitchell

U44S BUfoIumcuL Lu6Ho WSNo 1AuAJ nAA5e
there. These kings ruled little tracts
that afterward became counties, and
their rulers became mobiles. The full
regalia Of a peer of England includes
coronet, and the fact that these petty
kings were In time reduced from roy.
atty to nobility is the reason why the
higher British mobiles wear kingly
headgear.
The residences of these kings were
not called palaces. but castles. They
were usually built on an eminence and
were surrounded by heavy walls and a
moat and the entrance was protected
by a drawbridge. The reason for this
was that the sovereign Of all England
bad very little power. and In conse-
Quence the subkings were usually fight
ing with each other and needed to live
In fortified homes.
Away back IN early times when this
feudal system was the only English
system OF laws known there was q
king Of Gloucester. He had been q
powerful sovereign In his day and had
won many victories over the neighbor.
ing potentates. He and the sovereign
Of Warwtck had been IN perpetual
Waxfare and Gloucester had conquered
Bis enemy, who had fed. no one knew
whase with his wife and child. the
latter Q boy only few years old. Aft
erward one Of warwick's subjects
named Conrad led an army agains,
Gloueester's forces and. achieving his
independence, made himself king.
In this contest a young man not over
twenty-one or twenty-five years old
distinguished himself fighting in the
ranks Of Warwick. He was captured
and imprisoned in one Of the dungeons
under Gloucester castle. There he re
manned for long while forgotten.
Meanwhile the new king of Warwick
was becoming daily more powerful and
his former enemy, Gloucester, was
growing old and the number of bis
armed retainers was diminishing. Al
last it occurred to Conrad that be
might overthrow his neighbor and add
his kingdom to his own.
In order to pick a quarrel with
Gloucester. Conrad went to Gloucester
castle to make upon the old king GER
tain insolent demands that he knew
would not be granted While there he
saw the kings daughter, Eleanor. a
beautiful girl who had just come to a
maTriageable age. Upon beholding her
he agreed to withdraw his demands
provided the king would give him bis
daughter to wife.
Now, Conrad was not only a bad
man, but he was very repulsive physi-
cally.
The old king of Gloucester, aware
that he no longer possessed the power
10 resist a strong enemy, knew not
what to say to Conrad's proposition.
Eleanor understood her fathers posi-.
ton and the terrible alternative be-
fore her. Either she must become the
wife Of her fathers enemy or he would
be overpowered. and they would meet
the fate they had inflicted on the real
king Of Warwick. She had often heard
the story Of his fight with his wife and
child and regretted that her father
had been instrumental In bringing
about his fall and the rise Of the
usurper. And now the latter had come
to revenge the man he had driven from
his kingdom.
Eleanor had never seen the usurper
and before deciding consented to meet
him. When he came into her presence
he bent his long body on his handy
legs, the plume Of his hat sweeping
the floor, expressing at the same time
his admiration In leer. She could
not conceal her disgust. Turning from
him, she swept out of the room.
The hot blood mounted to Conrad's
cheek. He scowled, half drew his
sword, then thrust It back into its
scabbard and, stalking out into the
courtyard, mounted bis horse and. fol-
lowed by his attendants, rode out
through the castle gateway. crossed
the drawbridge and went down the
darlivitv.
iSoCnng remained for the old king
Of Gloucester but to put his castle In
as good state for defense as possible
arm his retainers and sell his kingdom
as dearly as possible. His daughter
did what she could to assist In the
preparations. but her efforts were con.
fined principally to getting together
material that would be needed by the
wounded She knew that there were
prisoners in the dungeons below, and
she went down there to see If any Of
them could be persuaded to fight for
the king Of Gloucester.
A young man, pale from confinement,
was led out to her. It was some time
before he could see her in the strong
light.
"Who are your she asked.
II was taken prisoner, l know not
how long ago. fighting In the army of
Conrad the usurper."
why do you call him the usurperT'
Because there is but one king OF
Warwick. and he is not on the throne"
1--WE are to be attacked by this pre-
tended king Of Warwick"
"Grant me leave to fight for you.
good lady, and / VIII do So"
"Win you fight for the king Of Glou-
eester2"
"No; for you"
what is your Manner
"Harold-"
az q signal from Eleanor the younl
mans chains were knocked OF him
He was taken up int the castle. whert
he was washed and fed and armed fol
q soldier. The next day he met Eleanor
hurrying through the courtyard ant
said to her:
"Good lady. have I your permission
to point out to you certain weak point
"a the CASTER
lou nave"
Taking her to a part of the wall b
showed her that it was ready to TIM
bae. Then, In the armory. he convince'
her that most Of the weapons wer
blunt and certain armor had rusted til
It could be punctured with a woodel
sword Leading her here and there, h
showed her various imperfections, ant
she gave orders that they should b
made good
Going to her father. she asked hin
who was to lead In the defense. h
replied that he would command. The
she told him about the released prison
er who had noticed the deficiencies ant
suggested that he be made second Il
command since he seemed to have beel
trained for q soldier and there were n
leaders among the defenders Of tn
castle. The king said that he care'
not who was second in command. 70
ell must obey his own orders. But i
made no difference, he added, VIII
commanded since defeat was inevi
| table.
When Eleanor told Harold that b.
would command under her father b
said to her: