V
, I V ywxi svnvAT JOURNAL ; FORTUAKD, SUNDAY MORNINO, FEBRUARY 23 '
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AND
FOR
OUR
BOYS
THE yOMVG OF
T
HERB came a crashing sound, breaking tbe
shadowy silence of Longwood foreat.
Out Into an open glade, where the Bun-
light foil upon the long, green grass of
mtdsummor. there bounded a splendid stag
' f-a Btag roy al, a stag of ten lit to be the antlered
hnonarch of tbe king's deer In Longwood.
, I Three leaps, and then the beautiful animal atood
gtlll; but bj he turned, panting, and lowered his
Ijionui, It could be Been that he was wounded. The
feather of an arrow In his flank told how deeply the
haft was driven.
He was at bay how, and splendid was his courage
tea fce stood to battle with his pursuers.
Out through the leafy barrier of the bushes at the
Udge of the glade bounded three eager deerhounds,
ten after another.
Loud voices and the thud of galloping hoofs told
Hhat the hunters were close at band; but they were
too late In arriving. The foremost hound dashed
Mercery on. his white teeth showing, and his eyes
flashing with green light; but the ten-tlned antlers
passed under him and were lifted swiftly.
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Away the nouna was nuriea, piercea iaumj, mu
fca a sudden side-stroke disabled the second of the
r-footed assailants. The third paused, lifting 'a
Hore foot doubtfully as be glanced from one to the
srther of his unlucky companions. A whizzing shaft
passed oyer his head, and a cloth-yard arrow sped to
Its mark, inside the shoulder of the deer. TCe spread
ing antlers plowed the sod for a moment, and then
All was over. A tall, powerrui-iooKing man. wno
came riding up, sprang from his horse, and stood
by the wounded dogs, exclaiming:
"These short-legged galloways have cost us two
"(hounds! We had better stalk a deer than run him.
i unless we have swifter steeds."
"Stalking must serve our turn, now the dogs are
'gone," growled a rhorter man who had come up and
. ( now stood beside him. "I would the legs of our nags
.J had been longer!"
They were rough-looking men, and they spoke in
V the burred SaxonEngllsh of Warwickshire" five hun-
Idred years ago. It was another tongue from any
!B0W spoken in England.
' ,jOthers had now come up, but they Bald little. They
'lifted their game to th back of one. of the galloways.
"The arrows were carefully extracted, cleaned, and re
stored to the quivers of their owners. The men were
' All stalwart fellows, and the bowB they carried were
j tremendous weapons. Besides the bows, thoy car
jried short, twc-dged swords hanging at their belts,
In which were also stuck broad-bladed knives or dag
frs. They wore no armor exoept light headpieces
f steel, and their garments appeared to bo mads of
(leather.
' The carcass of the stag had been bound to one of
the horses, and the hunters were mounting, when
loud shout came from under the nearest oaks.
"Ho there! Haiti What do ye, killing the King's
deer?"
Stand for your lives, meal" exclaimed Guy the
Bow, "111 not be taken!"
,' "Nor I!" roared a burly hunter at his side, "but
-i-tt's young Neville of Wartmont 1 could not strike
tlm."
', Only five men cams riding out from under the
trees, but they were all well mounted, and were bet
ter armed than were the hunters. Every man of them
Ivors linked mall, with shield and lance and aword,
: while at every saddle-bow hung a mace or battle-ax.
Their helmets were open In front, and the face of the
jToremost rider was that of a beardless boy. It was
ft yery resoluta face howsver, and he raised his hand
rs he again demanded:
, In the King's name, what do yer
i iin arrow was on every bowstring at that moment;
Smt Guy the Bow spoke again,
Thou art a boy, Richard Neville," he said. "I had
twrlly thought to go and see thee this day. Knowest
thou not that Clod of Lee, the Club of Devon, has
treen heard from his side the Avon? He was one of
Mortimer's men, and he hateth thee and thine. He
is ft wolfs head, by all law. He and his outlaws
firould find at Wartmont much that Buch as they would
seek. Go In haste and hold thy tower against them,
(If thou canst, and bother-not thyself with a free
Chant and a nag-load of venison."
! "Not a dozen swordsmen are at the Mount!" ex-
kflalmed Richard. "My mother is unprotected! uuy
the Bow, I thank thee for thy warning. What care
I for a few deerT Only, watch thou ana thy men;
for the earl sends soon to put this part of the shire
under close forest law. None may ssoape If work
lllke this go on then."
There was great stir In the village, three miles
away, for a man came riding at full speed from one
of the farm houses, shouting loudly as he passed
the old palisades:
' "To the hill! To the castle! The wolves of Devon
re nigh! They have wasted Black Tpm's place,
and have slain every soul!"
' At that moment there came a terrified shriek.
"They come! They come!" screamed the women.
"Oh, that they gat so nigh, and none to see! It's over
I with us tbe day! Ton is the Club, and his men are
jraaayP
t farOy mounted, but some of them on foot, a wild
J looking throng of men came pouring across a stubble-
field from the southward. It seemed as if they might
be over a hundred strong. At the head of them
strode a huge, black-halrtd. shaggy-bearded hrute
jrbo bore a tremendous club of oak, bound at Its
JheaTier nd with a thick ring of Iron. He laughed
I and thou ted as he came, as if with a savage pleasure
tover th wild deeds he had done and the prospect
Uiefor him. ,
' . ."Short work!" hs roared -to those behind him.
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"I HAVE THEE,' CRIED CLOD, 8WINQINQ HIGH HIS CLUB, AND PREPARING FOR A DEADLY
BLOW."
"Burn all ye cannot take. And then for the hills
o' Walesl But we'U harry as we go!"
Tall and stately was Maud Neville, the widowed
lady of Warmont Cast! a. Hor hair was white, but
she was as erect as a pine, and all who looked into
her resolute face might well have taken courage.
Some seemed to do so, and around her gathered a
score of stalwart retainers, with shields, axes, and
swords. Some who had bows were bidden to man the
loopholes on the second floor, and bide their time.
"Men," she said, "you know well what wolves these
are. If they force their way Into the keep, not one
of us will be left to tell the tale."
A chorus of loyal voices answered her, and the
men gripped their weapons.
The robber chief and his savages hed now reached
the palisades. '
With loud yells, on they rushed. The foremost
fighters on each side closed in a desperate strife, and
the Wartmont farmers showed both skill and strength.
Half of them carried battle-axes or pole-axes, and they
plied them for their Uvea. Had It not been for Clod
himself, the rush might even have been checked; but
nothing could stand before him. He fought like a
wild beast, striking down foemen right and left, and
making a pathway for his followers.
Victory for the outlaws would have been shortly
gained but for the help that came to the villagers.
"Onward, my men!" shouted Lady Maud, as she
sprang across the narrow bridge. "Follow me! Save
your kith and kin!"
Still they were too few; and the white head of the
brave woman was quickly the centre of a surging
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WARTMONT
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mass, her own men being almost surrounded by tbe
horde of robbers.
No shout came up the road. There was no sound
but the rapid thud of horses' feet; but suddenly five
good lances charged furiously In among the wolves.
The foremost horseman wont clean through them, but
his horse sank, groaning, as a Welsh pike stabbed
him, and his rider barely gained his feet as the
horse went down. Sword In hand, then, he turned
to face his foes, but he spoke not to them.
"Mother!" he shouted, "I am here!"
"Thank God for thee, my son!" responded the brave
woman. "Thou are but Just In time!"
Dire had been her peril at that moment but Rich
ard's presence gave courage to the defenders, while
his charge had staggered the outlaws. He was more
than a match, with three of his discounted men-at-arms
at his side, for the foes Immediately in front
of them. His fourth follower lay several yards away,
with his steel cap beaten in by a blow of the terrible
club.
"Hah! Hah! Hah!" yelled Clod as he turned from
that victim to press his way toward young Neville.
"Down with him! Out of my path! Give the young
ster to me!"
"Face him, my men!" said Lady Maud. "And
heaven's aid be with thee! Oh, for some o' the good
King's men!"
"I have thee!" roared Clod, swinging high his club
and preparing for a deadly blow.
Firm as a rock stood the young warrior, raising
his shield to parry.
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Down cam ths club, but forward flashed the sword
with an under-thrust
"Oh, my son!" burst from the Hps of the Lady of
Warmont. "My son has fallen! Stand firm, men!"
Fallen, Indeed, but so had Clod the Club, pierced
through by the sword-thrust; and a fierce yell burst
from hla followers as thty sprang forward to avenge
him.
' All were too Intent on the fray to note the arrival
of newcomers; but now there came a sudden dropping
of the outer men of the throng of robbers. Shaft
after shaft, unorrlng, strongly driven, pierced them
from back to breast
"Shoot close!" shouted a voice. "Miss not Steady,
men! Oh, Richard Neville of Wartmont, we are the
killers of the Ring's deer!"
"Aye!" added Ben of Coventry. W are with Ouy
the Bow, and 'Us a wolf-hunt!"
They werenot many, but their archery was ter
rible. Fast twanged the bows, and fast the outlaws
Ml.
"Closer, men! Spare not any!" commanded Ouy the
AN ALICE ALPHABET
By CAROLYN WELLS
t3
A Is for Alice, who wrote to her fett
B Is the Bandersnatch, frumlous and fleet.
C is the Cheshire Cat, who slowly appears.
D Is the Duchess who boxed the Queen'sars.
E Is the Eaglet who barred out long words.
F, the Flamingo, the queerest of birds.
G Is the Gryphon, loquacious and gay.
H, Humpty-Dumpty in gorgeous array.
I for the Insects with curious names.
J is the Jabberwock, breathing forth flames.
K Is the King who was whizzed through the air.
L is the Lobster who sugared his hair.
M, the Mock Turtle, whose tears freely flowed.
cAN OPTICAL DELUSION J.
T
HERE Is a remarkable picture painted by the
celebrated English painter Hogarth. It is
called "False Perspective." There are houses
In the foreground, a stream in the middle
distance, and a hill In the background. In a
spirit of humor Hogarth has filled the picture, with
Impossibilities from the standpoint of perspective, and
yet at the first glancj a careless observer would detect
nothing wrong In It
Here Is a somewhat similar picture that shows what
a queer-looking Jumble would result If tbe artist
should neglect tbe rules of perspective In parts of
his drawing and follow them in others.
If you were asked to point out which of the three
elephants and which of the three giraffes traveling
through the long, queer-looking corridor or bridge
shown in the accompanying picture are the tallest
would you not at once place your finger upon the
hindmost animals? The giraffe that brings up the
rear seems to overtop the other two, and the elephant
In front appears but a dwarf compared with his big
brother occupying the last place behind; and yet
surprising as it may seem, you will find, by carefully
measuring the heights of the animals, that the near
est ones are really either taller than those that fol
low or fully equal to them in size.
The reason that the latter look so much larger than
they really are is because they do not grow smaller
In the same proportion as do their surroundings
which are drawn according to the rules of perspective.
For you will notce that the lnes of the roof, floor
and sides of the building grow closer together as they,
vanish. In the distance. The Illusion, is further em
phasized by the three men on the platform. These
also are drawn in accordance with the laws of per ,
Bow, and the line of galloways wheeled nearer.
It was too much. ' The remaining robbers wouf
have lied If they could, but, they wer between U
fires.
"Oh, Richard!" murmured Lady Maud. Thou a!
not dead?"
His fine dark eyes opened just then, and a smi
came faintly upon his Hps as he replied:
"Only stunned, mother. The caitiffs club bang'
my shield down upon my head, but my steel cap bo
It well, else toy neck were broken. Did he go down
"He Ilea among the ruck," she said. "But oh, thaif
God! The archers of Longwood have come! Tl
flght Is won!"
It was won, Indeed; for neither the archers
tbe Wartmont men. were showing any mercy to tl
Btaggerlng, bewildered remnants of the outlaw br
which had been such a terror to the Welsh bordl
and was to other counties almost as far Inland
was Warwick Itself. Never more would any peacef
hamlet or lonely tower be left In ruins to tell
the ruthless barbarity of the wolves of Devon.
N Is for Nobody, Been on the road.
O Is for Oysters, with shoes on their legs.
P Is for Pigeon who guarded Its eggs.
Q Is for Queen who breathlessly ran,
R Is the Rabbit who hunted his fan.
S is the Sheep, on her knitting intent
T, Tweedledum, with his noisy lament
U is the Unicorn, valiant in feud.
V is the Violet saucy and rude.
W 's the Walrus with appetite keen.
X the Executioner employed by the Queen.
Y is the Touth Father William surveyed.
Z is the Zigzag the Mouse's tale made.
spectlve that is, they appear larger or smaller sv
cording to their distance from the eye of the observe
.THE MUSICAL '.LIONi
$t Oliver HnroRo
Stid-the Lion: "On music I dote,
. But tomething ii wrong with my. throat
- When I practise telle,
The listeners qufl, i
And flee at the very' first aoteM
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UopfHyM, If Qtnivry Q