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About The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 1890)
(111 II 1111. By WALTER BESAKT, CHAPTER L ALL TIIK I'KOI'I.K STANDI NO. HEN the sun rose over northern England on a certaiu Sunday early In May year of grace sev enteen hundred and six ty four it was exactly fouro'clock In the morn ing As regards the coast of Northumber land, be sprang with a leap out of a per fectly smooth sea Into a perfectly cloud less sky. anil if there were, a generally happens, certain fogs, mists, clouds and vapors lying about the moors and foils anions the Cheviots, they were loo far from the town of Warkwortb for Its peo ple to see them The long cold spring was over at last; the wallflower on the castle wall was in blossom, the pale prim roses bad not yet all gone, the lilac was preparing to throw out its blossoms; the cuckoo was abroad, the swallows were returning with tumultuous rush, as If tlioy had bad quite enough of the sunny south and longed again for the battle ments of the castle and the banks of Co quet, the woods were full of song; the nests were full of young birds, chirping together, partly because they were always hungry, partly because they were rejoic ing in the sunshine, aud all the living creatures in wood and Geld and river were hurrying. Hying, creeping, crawling, swimming, running, with intent to eat each other out of house and home The eye of the sun fell upon empty Streets and closed houses not oven a poacher, much less a thief or burglar, vis ible in the whole of Northumberland, and if there might be here and there a gyp sies' tent, the virtuous toes of the occu pants peeped out from beueutb the can vas, with never a thought of snaring bares or stealing poultry Even tn New castle, which. If you come to think of It. Is pretty well for wickedness, tho night watchmen slept in their boxes, lanterns long since extinguished, and th wretches who hod no beds, no money am! slender hopes for the next day's food slept en the bunks and stalls about the market Noth ing stirred except the bunds of time jurch clock, and these moved steadily: thequar ters and the hour were struck But for the clocks the towns might have been so many cities of the dead, each house a tomb each bed a silent grave The Northumbrian folk began to get up a little later than usual because it was Sun day first in the villages and fiimi houses, next tn the small towns, lost und latest, in Newcastle, which was ever a lie abed city Warkwortb is quite a small town and a great way from Newcastle. It has only one street. At one end of it Is tho church and at the other end is the castle The street runs up hill from church to castle, in the year 174 the castle was more ruin ous than it showed in later years, because the keep itself stood rootless, its stairs broken and its floors fallen tn a great bell, echoing thunderously with all the winds. As for the walls, the ruined gate ways, the foundations of tho chapel, the yawning vaults and the gutted towers, they have always been the same since the destruction of the place The wall flow ers and long grasses grew upon the broken battlements; blackberries and elder bushes occupied the moat; the boys climbed up to perilous places by fragments of broken steps; the swallows flew about the lofty keep: the green woods bung upon tho slopes above the river, and the winding Coquet rolled around the hill on which the castle stood a solitary and deserted place. Vet in the evening there was oue corner In which the light of a fire could always be seen It came from a chamber beside the great gateway that which looks upon the meadows to the south. Uere lived the fugleman lie had fitted a small window in the wall, constructed a door, built up the broken stones, and con stituted himself, without asking leuve of my Lord of Northumberland, sole tenant of Warkwortb castle When the first comers had looked up th Kt.nv.t Htiri down th fctrvt. Rlrairrht. through and across the other, and exam ined the sky and insiected the horizon, and obtained all possible information about the weather, they gave each other the good morning, and asked for opinions on the subject of hay Then one by one they went back to their houses which are of stone, having very small windows with bull s eye glass in leaden casements, and red tiled roofs. After breakfast, for two hours by the clock, they fell to stroking of stubby chins and to wondering when tho barber would be ready This could not be until stroke of 0. at least, because be had to comb, dress and powder first the vicar's wig for Sunday Heaven forbid that the church should be put off with anything short of a wig newly combed and newly curled! And next the wig of his wor ship. Ciithbert Caniaby, Esq..' justice of the peace, aud second cousin to his lord ahip, the Curl of Northumberland. newl Ua uecetxAn.T Uf tiio tuiti v hen tills was done the barber addressed himself to the chins aud cheeks of the townsfolk, and this with such dexterity aud dispatch that before the church bull began he had theoi all dispatched and turned off And then their countenances were glorious, and shone In the sun liko unto tho foco of a mirror, ami felt as smooth to the en amored finger as the chin und cheek of a maid Thus does art Improve and cor rect nature Tho savage who wearutb board knows not this delight It was a day on which something out of the common was to huppeu, a day on which ex-ctatlon was on tiptoe; aud when at TO o'clock tno first stroke of the church bell begun, all the boys with oue and the same design turned their steps slowly at first, and as If the business did not greatly matter, yet should be seen into toward the churchyard They were all In Sunday boat; their hair smooth, their hands white, their shoes brushed and their stockings clean, they moved as If drawn by Invisible ropes; as If thoy could not choose but go; aud whereas on ordinary Sundays not a lad among them all entered the church till the very last toll of the bell, on this day they made straight for the porch at the first, and this although they knew that If thoy once sot foot within It, they must pass straight on without lingering, Into the church, and so take their seats, and have half an hour longer to wait In Bilence and good behav ior with liability to discipline For a rod is ever ready in church as well as at home, for the back of him who shows himself void of understanding The fugleman, who wielded that rod was strong of arm; and no boy could call him self fortunate, or boast that he had es caped the scourge of folly till the sorvico was fairly done. Oat in the fields, and in the fair mea dows, and down the riverside, and along the quiet country paths, and among the woods which hang above the winding of the Coquet, the sound of tba bell quick ened the steps of those who were leisurely making their way to church, so that every man put best foot for'ard. with a "Hurry up, hull Lose not this morning's sight I Be in tlmol Quick, laggard I" an I so forth, each to the other. At Morwick Mill. Mistress Barbara Tumble would not go to church, though her brother did. Nor would she let any other of the household go. neither her man nor her maid, nor the stranger, if any. that was within her gates; but at 10:30 of the clock she called them together and read aloud the Peniteutiui Psalms and the commination service. The show, meantime, had begun- At tho 6rst stroke of the bell there walked forth from the vestry room a little proces sion of two First came a tall, spare man of 60 or so, bearing before him a pike. lie was himself as straight and erect as the pike be carried, he wore his best suit. very magnificent, for it was his old uni form kept for Sundays and holidays that of a sergeant in the Fourteenth, or Berk shire Regiment of Foot, namely, a block three cornered hat, a scarlet coat, faced with yellow and with yellow cuffi. scarlet waistcoat and breeches, white garters and white cravat. On the hat was In silver the white horse of his regiment and the motto "Nee aspera terrent." lie walked slowly down tho aisle with the precision of a machine, and his face was remark able, because be was on duty, for having no expression whatever You cannot draw a face or in any way present the effigy of a 'human face which shall say nothing, that is beyond the power of the rudest or the most skilled artist, but some men have acquired this power over their own faces diplomatists or soldiers they are by trade. This man was a soldier. lie was so good a soldier that he had been promoted, first to be corporal, then to be sergeant and lastly to be fugleman, whose place was in the front before the whole regiment, and whose duty it was to lead the exercises at the word of command with his pike. In his ago and retirement he acted as the executive officer in all matters connected with the ecclesiastical and civic functions of the town, whether to lead the responses, to conduct a bap tism, a funeral or a wedding, to set a man in tho stocks and to stand over him. to cane a boy for laughing in church, to put a vagrant in pillory and stand beside him. to tie up an offender to the cart tail aud give him five dozen, or, as in the present case, to wrap a lad in a white sheet and remain with him whilo he did public pen ance for his fault. He was constable, clerk and guardian of the peace. The boy who followed him was a tall and lusty youth past 10. who might very well have passed for 18; a boy with rosy cheeks, blue eyes and brown hulr; but his eyes wore downcast, his cheek was flushed with shame because he was clod from bead to foot in a long white sheet, and he was placed so clothed, for the space of half an hour, while the bells rang fur ser ice in the church porch, and then to stand up before all the congregation to ask pardon of the people, and to repeat the Lord's Prayer aloud in token of re pentance. Tho porch of Warkwortb church is large and square, fifteen feet across, with a stone bench on either side. The boy was stationed within the porch on the eastern side, and close to tho church door, to that all those who passed in must needs behold him At his left hand stood the fugleman, pllte'groiinded and" head drect, looking straight before him, and saying nothing except at the beginning, when discipline for a moment gave way to friendship and he murmured: "Ileart up. Master Ralph I What odds Is a white sheet?" Then be became rigid, and neither spake nor moved. As for the penitent, be. tried (1 jfck. I wo- vim- At hi ''") (ai' th fvnlrman. Uriuilt:. tuTiyiJllty of his" i'E.inioii. but with poor success, for his month trembled, aud his eyes sank, and his color came and went as the people, all of whom he know, passed htm with reproachful or pitying gaxe The church and the porch aud the churchyard were all eyes, he was himself a gTgantlo monument of shame Uere was a lad found out and convicted ou the clearest evidence and coufesslon, he hud mode fools of the whole town, bore he was before all. undergoing the sen tetice pronounced upon him by his wor ship Mr Carnally; and a sentence so so! dom pronounced as to make It an occasion for wonder, aud the offender was not a gypsy or a vagrom man. or one of them sel vea, but young Ralph Enibletou. of Morwick Mill, and the offense wss not robbing, or pilfering, or cheating, or smuggling, or beating aud striking, but quite an unusual aud even a romantic kind of offouso. for which there was no name even, aud an offense not foiling within any law Toward iL? close of the ringing there entered the church, walking majestically through the lane formed by the rustics. Mr Cuthbcrt Carnaby. justice of the pH-e. with madam his good lady He was attlrvd In a full wig aud a purple coat with laced ruffles, laced cravat, a flowered silk waistcoat, and gold buckles in his shoes, iu his hand he carried a heavy gold headed stick, and under his arm he horw Iiih laced hat. his amnio cheeks were red. and red was his double chin Though his bearing was full of au thortty Ins eytn were kiud. and when he saw the boy standing In the porch he felt inclined to remit the remuiudur of the punishment "So Ralph." be said, stopping to ad mouisb him. "thy father was a worthy man. he halb not lived to see this But courage, hoy. and do the like no more Slmiim attends folly Thou art young, let this lie a lesson After punishment aud r'x'iiUiice cometb forgiveness, so cheer up. my lad " "Ralph." said bis wifo. with a smllo tn her eye and a frown on her brow, "I could find it in my heart to flog thee soundly, but then thou art punished enough (Ihosts indeed! and not a muld would go past the castle after dark, for fear of this boy I Let us heur no more about ghosts ." Sho shook her finger they both shook their fingers she adjusted her hoop, and entered tho church The boy's heart fell lighter; Mr Carnaby and madam would forgive him His worship went on. bear bug before him his gold bended stick and wulked up the aisle, to his pew. a large room within the chancel, provided with chairs and cushions, curtains to keep oft the draught, and a fireplace for winter After Mr. Burn a by there walked into the porch a man dressed in good broad cloth with white stockings, and shoes with silver buckles Aud bis coat had sliver buttons, which marked him fur a man of substance ills cheeks were full and his face fiery, as If be was one who although young, lived well, and his eyes were smu!! aud too close together, which mode him look like a pig It was Mathew Humble. Ralph's cousin and guardian At sight of him the boy's face Hushed ind his lips parted, but he restrained himself and said nothing, while the fnglo .nun gave him an admonitory uudgo with his elbow The man looked at Ralph from top to w, as If examining into tho arrange iieuts and anxious to see that all was lroierly anil scientifically curried out "To la tol" he said with an air of dis mtisfactiun "What is this? Call you this M-nunco? Whore is the candle? Did is worship say nothing about thecandlc?" "Nothing." replied the fugluinun with shortness "He ought to have carried a candle l)eur me! this Is Irregular This spoils .ill But Ahl bareheaded 'he stood is far back as the breadth of the porch von Id allow, so as to get the full effect ind to observe the picture from the best point of view "In a long white sheet! Ahl bareheaded and In a long white sheet' Oh. what a disgraceful day! These aro things, fugleman, which end In the gal lows For an Embleton. tool if the old man can see it whut will ho think of the boy to whom be loft the mill? And to beg pardon" he smacked his lips with satis faction "to beg purdon of the people' Ab. and to repeat the Lord's prayer in tho church the Lord's prayer in the church aloud' The Lord's prayer In the church aloud before all the people! Ahl Dear me dear mel" . He wagged his head, as If be could not tear hli.iself away from tho spectacle of so much degradation Then be added with a smile of perfect satisfaction a de tail which he bud forgotten: ,11. 1 J'V.'.l k jt u if i i ',i , t it", ,ii ii i. r "Maiming, toot "Fiie Uird's prayer In tho church aloud before nil tho people standing! This Is a pretty beginning, fugloman, for sixteen years " If the Lord's prayer in Itsolf werosomo thing to be ashamed of he could not huvo spoken with greater contempt. The boy, however, looked struight up Into tho roof uf the porch, made no answer nor soomod to hear The speaker hold up both hands, shook his head, sighed and slowly withdrew Into the church Thou there ciimo down tho street an old lady In a white cap. a white apron, ashnwl ami black mittens, an old lady with a face lined ull over, with kind soft eyos and white hulr. but hur face was troubled. Beside her walked a girl of 13 or there abouts, dressed In white frock and straw hat trimmed with white rll,.xm. aud white cotton mittens, and she was crying and sobbing "Thou mnyest stand up tn the church," said the old lady, "whan ho repeats the Lord's Prayer, but not boside htm In the porch." "But 1 helped him." she cried "Oh, I am as bad as hot I am worse, because I laughed at him and encouraged him." "But thou host not been sentenced," said tho old lady "It Is thy punish ment, child aud a heavy one to feel that Ralph boars thy shame aud his owu, too." "1 was on one aide of the bedgo when Dame Ridley dropped bar basket." the child went on. crying more bitterly "I was on one side and be on the other Ohl ohl obi She said there wore two ghosts 1 was ono " When they reached the porch the girl, at sight of the boy In the sheet, run and threw her arms about his neck and kissed him. and cried aloud enough fur all within to hear "Oh. Ralph. Ralph, It Is wicked of theml" These words .were heard !! over the church, and Mathew (lumble sprang to his feet, as If demanding that the speaker should bo carried off to instant execution for contempt of court All eyos were turned upon his worship's pnw. and I know not what would have happened, be cause bis periwig was seen to bo agitated and the gold bead of his stick appeared above the pow; but luckily. Just then the bells clashed all together, frightening the swallows about the lower so that they flow straight to the castlo and stayed there, and the vicar came out of the vestry aud sat down In the reading desk, and. as was his custom, surveyed his church and enngregutiou for a few minutes before the service begun It Is an old church of Norman work In parts, patched up and rebuilt from time to time by the Perries, but there are no monumonts of them The vicar's eyes fell upon a plum whitewashed building, pro vided with rows of ancient and worm eaten benches, worn block by many gun orations of worshiers The choir aud the music sat at the west end In front of the chuncel was a square space In which was set a long stool While tho vicar waited the fugleman marched up the aisle, followed by the boy In the sheet, and both sul on this stool of n;entance Then the vicar no he was a beulgnunt old mail, with white hair aud began to read in a full and musical voice how sin nnrs may reetil and find forgiveness But the people thought be rrrttit his words to apply this morning especially and only to the boy In the sheet This made them fool surprisingly virtuous and in cliued to sing praises wtth a glad heart So. loo. with the lessons one of which doalt with the fule of a wicked king All the people looked at the boy In the sheet, and fell that, under another name. It was his own story told beforehand prophet ically, and when they stood up losing In thanksgiving their gratltinb took the form of being glud that they were not upon tho stool When the psalms were read the people paid unusual attention, lotting the boy have tho benefit of all the penitential utlentncss. but taking tho joy ous verses to themselves And the litany they regarded as composed, as well as read, exclusively for this convicted sinner Among the elder ladles there was hope that the offended ghosts might some at least be present in the church and sue this humiliation, which would not fail to dispose their ghostliuesses to a benevolent attitude, and even liifiueiico tho weather It seemed to the boy as If that service never would end To the congregation It seemed, on account of this unusual epi sode, as If there never had been a service so short and so exciting When the commandments had been re cited. Ralph almost expected to henr an additional one, "Thou ahult uot pretend to be a ghost," end to be culled on to pray, all by himself, for an Inclination of the heart to keep that Injunction But tho vicar threw away the opportunity and ended as usual with the tenth command ment. He gave out the psalm and retired to put on Ins black gown The music con sistlngof a violin, a violoncello and a clarionet struck up the tunc, and the choir, among whom Ralph ought to have (een, hemmed and cleared their voices. The Northumbrians, as Is well known, have good voices and good ears Tho tune was "Warwick," and the psalm was that which began. Lord, In the morning thou shall bear My voice ascend to thee. Tho boy trembled because the words seemed to refer to the part be was about to play ills own voice would. Immedi ately, be ascending high, but all by Itself, fie saw the face of his cousin, Muthew Humble, fixed upon him with HI concealed and malignant joy Why did Mathew hate him with such a bitter hatred? Also he saw tho face of the girl who hud boon Ulu ill HfllUH ""." Li'.il.lt. Wtlk, ' til 1 I I Jill U mill at sight of her gi'iuf bis own eyes be came hum Id He did not take any part at all In tho hymn When It was finished, tho vicar stood in his pulpit waiting his worship stood up hi his pow, his lace turned toward the culprit, In his hand Iiih grout gold headed ciuio All the people si iired ut vhs culprit wit h curious eyes, as boys stare at one of their companions when hu Ik about to be (logged Just then the girl loft her seat and stepped deliberately up the ulslu and stood besidii the boy In t ho sheet And the congregation uiiii'imired wonder The fugleman touched tho boy's shoul der and brought his pike to 'tuntiou "Say aftm me. " he said aloud Thon to the congregation ho added "And ull the people standing " "I confess my fault," ho began "1 confess my fault," repeated hoy and girl together "Ami um heartily sorry, and do beg for giveness " And then tho Ixird's Prayer The boy spoke out the words clearly and boldly, and with his was heard the girl' voice as well but both were nearly drowned by the loud voice of the fugle man It was over then. All sat down; the girl beside itulph on the stool of repent ance, and the sermon began. When the vicar hod drubbed the pulpit to tho very end of his manuscript, and tho service was ovor, the three stood up again aud reuiulued standing till the people wore all gone "Come, lass." said the fugloman whan the church was empty, "we can all go now Off with that rag. Master Ralph." Do unbent; his face assumed a human expression, he laid down the pike. "What odds, 1 say, Is a white sheetT Why, think, twas a show for the hula which thoy haven't had for many a year. And May nigh gone already, and nover a man In tho stocks yot, and the pillory rot ting for want of custom, and never a tblof flogged, nor a bear baiting If It 'twaaut for the cocks of a Sunday afternoon and the wrestling, there would have boon nothing for the poor follows but yom ghosts to keep 'em out of mischief And, lad," he pointed In the direction of tht mill, "your cousin means more mischief. It was him thut laid Information before his worship " "Ohl" said Ralph, clutching bis fistB. "Ay. him It was, and ids worahly thought It mean, but he was bound to take notice, for why says his worship, 'he can't let this boy frighten all the tnnlds nut of their silly senses Tet, for his own cousin uud hisguurdiuu' that's what his worship suld " "Oh!' Again Ralph clinched his fists "Should I. an old soldier, pruned mutiny? Never , But seeing that your cousin is no rightful oflicor of yourn. nor yet commis sinned to carry pike in your company. why, I, for one "What, fugleman?" "1, for one. if t was a well grown boy, nigh upon 17, the next time he gave orders for another six dozen, or even three do.on. I would ask him If he was strung niintiirh to tin on n mntltiiwr " 1 he boy nodded his heud I "Cousin thof he be." continued th4 fugleman, "cuptain ur lieutenant Is bJ not The boy hud by this time divested him self of his sheet, and stood dressed In a long brown coat and plainly cut waistcoat, he. loo, worn silver buckles to his shoes. like his cousin, but, not silver buttons, his hulr was tied with a black riblsm, and his hut was plain, without luce or orna ment When his adviser had finished, h walked slowly down the empty church, bund In bund with the girl in tho porch hu stopped, threw his arm round her neck and kissed her twice. "No one but you, Drusy," he said, "would have done It. I'll nover forgot it, uuvor, as long as I live. Go home to grauny, my dear, and hove your dinner.'' "And you will go home. too. Ralph?" "Yes. 1 am going home I've got to baveatalk with Mathew Uumble." Left alone In the church, the fugleman sat down Irreverently ou tho steps of tho pulpit, and laughed aloud. "Mathew Humblo." he said, "Is going to be astonished." CHAPTER It THE ASTONISHMENT OK MATHEW tlUMM.E. Ralph wulked homeward with head erect, oyos flushing and clinched fists, lie was thinking what ho should do, how ho should begin his mutiny: what would he the Issue of tho fight Whatever tho result, there would be joy In bringing, if only for once, bund, fist, or stick Into con tuct with the face or figure of his cousin. It was ho, was ,it, who Informed against him to his worship? It was no other than, his cousin who had compassed this most disagreeable of mornings And now, doubtless, ho wulted, with a great cane, his arrival at homo, In order to administer another of those "corrections" of which ho was to fond. Hitherto, Ralph had sub mitted quietly! but he had boon grow Ing; be was within a month of 17; was It to be endured that he should bo beatea and flogged like a child of 10, because his cousin hated him? When he left tho fields ond turned into the lane leading down Into tho river, bo began to look ubout among tho trees and underwood as if searching for something, Presently ho espied a long, pliunt aldtfr" brunch In its second year of growth which eemed promising He cut it to a length of about three foet, trimmed of? leaves and twigs, balanced It crlticully with a. -Mittttiv. flourish or..t,wo.iii i.'u-.'iij'. (TO UK CONTINUED.)