Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 32, Number 365, 15 February 1908 — Page 7

THE RICHMOND PALLADIUM AND SUN-TELEGRAM,!

IS FOR OUR

GIRLS

I " If

THE YOUNG LORD OF

THERE came a crashing sound, breaking the shadowy silence of Longwood forest. Out into an open Rlade, where the sunlight fell upon the long, green grass of midsummer, there bounded a splendid stag a stag royal, a stag of ten fit to be the autlered monarch of the king's deer in Longwood. Three leaps, and then the beautiful animal stood till; but aa he turned, panting, ami. lowered his horns, it could be seen that he was wounded. The feather of an arrow in his flank told how deeply the gbaft was driven. He was at bay now, and splendid was his courage at he stood to battle with his pursuers. Out through the leafy barrier of the bushes at the edge of the glade bounded three eager deerhounds, one after another. Loud voices and the thud of galloping hoofs told that the hunters were close at hand; but they were too late in arriving. The foremost hound dashed fiercely on, his white teeth showing, and his eyes flashing with green light; but the ten-tined antlers passed under him and were lifted swiftly. Away the hound was hurled, pierced fatally, and then a sudden side-stroke disabled the second of the four-footed assailants. The third paused, lifting a fore foot doubtfully as he glanced from one to the ether of his unlucky companions. A whizzing shaft passed over his head, and a cloth-yard arrow sped to its mark, inside the shoulder of the deer. The spreading antlers plowed the sod for a moment, and then all was over. A tall, powerful-looking man, who came riding up, sprang from his horse, and stood by the wounded Jogs, exclaiming: "These short-legged galloways have cost us two hounds! We had better stalk a deer than run him, unless we have swifter steeds." "Stalking must serve our turn, now the dogs are gone," growled a shorter man who had come up and now stood beside him. "I would the legs of our nags had been longer!" They were rough-looking men, and they spoke in the burred Saxon-English of Warwickshire Ave hundred years ago. It was another tongue from any now spoken in England. Others had now come up. but they said little. They lifted their game to the back cf ono of the galloways. The arrows were carefully extracted, cleaned, and rcFtored to the qulver3 of their owners. The men were all stalwart fellows, and the bows they carried were tremendous weapons. Desides the bows, they carried short, two-edged swords hanging at their belts, Jn which were also stuck broad-bladed knives or daggers. They wore no armor except light headpieces of steel, and their garments appeared to be made of leather. The carcass of the stag had been bound to one of the horses, and the hunters were mounting, when a loud shout came from under the nearest oaks. "Ho there! Halt! What do ye, killing the King s leer?" "Stand for your lives, men!" exclaimed Ouy the Bow. "I'll not be taken!" "Nor I!" roared a burly hunter at his side, "but It's young Neville of Wartmont. I could not strike him." Only five men came riding out from under the trees, but they were all well mounted, and were better armed than were the hunters. Every man of them wore linked mail, with shield and lance and sword, while at every saddle-bow hung a mace or battle-ax. Their helmets were open in front, and the face of the foremost rider was that of a beardless boy. It was a very resolute face, however, and he raised his hand as he again demanded: "In the King'B name, what do ye?" An arrow was on every bowstring at that moment; hut Guy the Bow spoke again. "Thou art a boy, Richard Neville," he said. "I had verily thought to go and see thee this day. Knowest thou not that Clod of Lee, the Club of Devon, has toeen heard from his side the Avon? He was one of Mortimer's men, and he hatetn. thee and thine. He Is a wolf's head, by all law. He and his outlaws would find at Wartmont much that such as they would peek. Go in haste and hold thy tower against them. If thou canst, and bother not thyself with a free hunt and a nag-load of venison." "Not a dozen swordsmen are at the Mount!" exclaimed Richard. "My mother is unprotected! Guy the Bow, I thank thee for thy warning. What care I for a few deer? Only, watch thou and thy men; for the earl sends soon to put this part of the shire under close forest law. None may escape if work like this go on then." There was a great stir in the village, three miles away, for a man came riding at full speed from one cf the farm houses, shouting loudly as he passed the old palisades: "To the hill! To the castle! The wolves of Devon are nigh! They have wasted Black Tom's place, and have slain every soul!" At that moment there came a terrified shriek. "They come! They come!" screamed the women. "Ob, that they gat so nigh, and none to see! It's over rwith us the day! Yon is the Club, and his men are many!" Partly mounted, but some of them on foot, a wildlooking throng of men came pouring across a stubble, tf.eld from the southward. It seemed as if they might le over a hundred strong. At the head of them ftrode a huge, black-haired, shaggy-bearded brute who bore a tremendous club of oak, bound at its heavier end with a thick ring of iron. He laughed and shouted as he came, as if with a savage pleasure over the wild deeds he had done and the prospect Jefore him. "Short work!" he roared to those behind him.

rMi rzwirm m1 Hm 'mrn'Tnnnii "ti - - - "'I HAVE THEE,' CRIED CLOD, SWINGING HIGH "Burn all ye cannot take. And then for the hills o' Wales! But we'll harry as we so!" Tall and stately was Maud Neville, the widowed lady of Warmont Castle. Her 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 Becond 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 had 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 lives. 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 sho 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 m mrson 6t d) fesgvr . iB n H

WARTMONT t

- - HIS CLUB, AND PREPARING FOR A DEADLY mass, her own men being almost surrounded by the horde of robbers. No shout came up the road. There was no sound but the r-iid thud of horses' feet; but suddenly five good lances charged furiously in amonf the wolves. The foremcst horseman went 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, ray son!" responded the brave woman. "Thou are but Just In time!" Dire had been her peril at that moment, but Richard'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 youngster 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 Mow. Firm as a rock stood the young warrior, raising his shield to parry.

CQlSUHDERSTOOD .

x4 a

if H speak -1 . U n - , n

5i AcvyM

W( -''ft

&'d&FSe OS's alii ret

7 Cov:rrvjht by Century Co.

Down eair.e the club, but fcrwar.1 Cshed tl:; sword

with ai; un-ier-thrust. "Oh, my son:" lur fret:-, the li.-.s cf the La.jy i,f Warmcr.t. "My oa hus fallen: S:.i.u f.rrn. men!" Ka:;p:i. :v,dced. ti:i jo had Clou :h Club. pU-r.vvi through by the fwrr.Mhrus:: and u : r-e y. burst '. rum bus follower.-! as ::y j rang fcrwar.l to avenge him. All were too intr.t c r. the fray to nee t.:" urrival of nc-wi cni'-rs but there canv.- uJ u Ir '.ng cf the outer men cf the t!:ro::. rf rcb! cr.- - f after shaft, u-'rrir.. 5ron; Ur!v--:.. ; : t c- t ..em from Ln:l: U. tre:iL.t "Sheet vlcso!" shcurcl a tie. ik t. Steady, men! Oh; Kkhard Neville c: V.'annio." v.-..- u;i- tl:? killers cf the King's deer!" "Aye!" added 13 en CovT.try. "We w.:', tiuy thf l'(jv. and 'tis v. wo'.f-hur.t! " T'.iev v.rre r.ot raary. I ::t tli''.r ,.r,- liery r a." ter-ril;1.-. I"a. t tv.ar.;-:u the b. ati.l fast tl;.- out!avs f-V;!. Closer, men! Spare rot any!" eotnraatoied Guy the

AN ALICE ALPHABET By CAROLYN WELLS

A is for Alice, who wrote to her feet. P. is the Haadersuatcli, frumious ami f.ee; C is the Cheshir Cat, who slowly ai'i'car? 1) is the Dueliess who boxed the yiK-m's'i K is the- Eaglet who barred out long winh: F, the Flamingo, the queerest of birds. C Is the Crynhon. loquacious and H, Humpty-Dumpty in gorgeous array. 1 for the Insects with curious nair.es. J is the .Tabberwoik. breathing forth fames. K is the King who was whizr.ed through the air. L is the Lobster who sugare,! his hair. M, the Mork Turtie, wliose tears freely flowed.

cAN OPTICAL DELUSION

i -ik

'll-1l?n i. ri rem.irkahJe fiii tnre Tiainteri hv tho iielebiair-ii English painter Hogarth. It is i ailed "False Perspective." Ther are houses in the foreground, a. stream in the middle flis'ance. and a hill in the background. In a spirit of humor Hogarth has filled the picture with itx!po-ibHUies" from the standpoint of perspective, and ye: at the first glance a careless observer would detect nothing wrong ia it. Here is a somewhat similar picture that shows what a queer-lookicg jumble would result if the artist should neglect the rules of perspective in parts of his drawing and follow intra iu others. If you were as. ed to point cut which cf the three elephants an l wiich of the three girafT- s traveling through the ion;-, queer-look !ng corridor or bridge shown in the accompanying picture are the tallest, would you rot at once placa your flnr-er upon tho hindmost animals? The glraCe that brings up the rear seems to overtop the otiitr two, and the elephant in front apptuis but a dwarf compared with his big Lroi.a.-r occupying the last place behind; and -t surprising it may s'.-eru, you will find, by carefully measuring the heights of the animals, tha' the nearer-; ones a:v rta!!y either taller than those that folyt or fully equal tu them in size. The reason thuL the latter look so much larger than they Tca.ily are is beeautc taey do not grow smaller in the sarnr proportion s do their surroundings, w hich are drawn according to the rules of perspective. For you will notce that the lnes of the roof. Boor and sides of the building grow closer together as they vanish in the distance. The illusion is further emphasized by the three men on the platform. Thess also are drawn ia accordance with the laws cf per

Itow. and the isue cf galloways wheeled nearer.

It wa tic much. The remaining robbers would have tb-i ;f they could, but they were between two tires Oh flu-hard!" murmured I-ndy Maud. "Thou art net :e.ul .'" His tine dark e; ts opened juet then, and a smil can." faiutly upon his lifs ; he replied: "Only -turi"e.! mother. The eitift"s rlub banged my slsie'.-l ,i-nvn upon my head, but my steel cap bore it we!;, else my t:wk were broken. Oid he go down?" "He Hi ariu ni; the rmi; " sbe -aid "F.ut oh. thank "odl The i.-h --rs rf Lcnv oo l have come! Tb tight : woe!" It wns won. iadecd; for r.eithi r the archrs nor 'he Wartmont men were showing any mercy to th staggering, bewildered remnants of th outlaw band v. h:h h.i been such a tern-:' to th ;h border, ar. 1 was to other (ctiuties almc.rt as far inland as ..s Warwick itself. Never mor would any pcaeeful lan-let lonely tower bo lef in rtiirs to t'll cf the ruthb'-ss barbarity of th wolves of Devon. is fur Nobody, t-ef.i on the road, is for Oysters, w ith shoes on their legs, is lor Pigeon who guarded it;, ;gs. is for Queon who breathlessly ran. is the Ualibit who hunted his fan. is the Sheep, on her knitting intent. Tweedledum, with hla noisy lumen:, is the Unicorn, valiant in feud, is the Violet, saury and rude. 's the Walrus with appetite keen the Executioner employed by the Queei:. is the Youth Father William surveyed is the Zig.ag the Mouse's tab made. spective that i3. they appear larger or smaller a cording to their distance from the eye of the observer. ... '. THE MUSICAL LION': B 0;jvr Htror. Siid the Ln : " On mcsc I Jo., Bat tomethisg ia wTor.g with ay throat. When I pnetue a scii, The hitener quail, Aad Cee it the very fcru Bote!"