Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-10-09

ONCE A COWARD.

- ""o ouO CN OulHS hitCI VIZ uoSS COhoC
in from shooting that she said it. ! Te.
member that. I remember also how
cheerily the library window at the old
Hall cleaned out to welcome us, making
ruddy stain on the wet gravel.-Didnt t
spent in tramping through heavy turnip
fields and stiff wet stubble! And yet
there was a cozier thing than that before
us SOON #H Il
My cousin Helen's face! IN
| 1t beamed out on US, lovely picture
framed in the dark, heavily carved door
way, bright glowing face set against a
bright glowing background like the por-
trait OF some medieval saint; glorious
face always, but when, as now, bringing
the full light of its moist blue eyes and
flushed sweet smiles to bear on its fellow
creatures, utterly irresistible.
One OF our party, Ducie of Enderbeau.
did not attempt to resist it. So complete
ly, indeed, had that gentleman fallen un-
der my cousins yoke that daily expected
to hear that, out Of sheer gratitude for his
worship, the young lady had promised to
return him that ''love, honor and obedi-
ence" which we find mentioned in the
Common Prayer Book; nor would the
tidings have displeased me. don't know
how it would have been if had wished
to marry Helen myself; but when fel-
low has got dear little girl of his own
waiting for him he can afford to be mag
unanimous about his cousins. hs1a
De plus, Ducie was one Of my dearest
friends, one of those men who managed
to carry away every heart, male and fe-
male; a sort of Saxon Apollo. F
| He turned into the library at once, say
ing something to Helen. as he passed her,
which made the flush deepen pinkily in
her fair cheeks; and Tom jackson and
followed. Cis Devereux slipped up stairs
to dress. He was too great a dandy to
present himself to the fair sex under the
disadvantages of rumpled locks and mud
dy leggings.
Looking at Ducie. fancied that the said
disadvantages made him rather more
handsome than usual. l wonder il he
knew it. The girls did. for they accepted
most amiably his apologies for our intru-
sion in such guise (Tom jackson said "as
such guys!"), and declared that we might
have full half hour to toast in front of
the fire before going up to dress for din
ner. fE M sgs
fancy it was Devereux's absence which
turned the conversation on him. jackson
never could bear him, and said, adding,
| like the broad, out-spoken Yorkshireman
he was, that the fellow had no more cour-
age than arabbit; ''actually WINGED every
time gun went off near him." ,
One of the girls rather objected to this
but Mary jackson took her brothers part,
and gave an amusing instance of Devcr-
eux'S want of courage in some mountain
adventure they had enjoyed together.
She made us all laugh by the way she told
it; and it was then Helen exclaimed, with
scornful curl of her pretty lip,
81 am sorry you told US. l never liked
Captain Devereux, but l detest cow
ard"
Girls, when of impetuous disposition.
sometimes use much stronger expressions
than they have any idea Of The bitter
word coward, flung like shot into the
middle of our little group by girl, pro-
duced momentary silence: and began
to feel annoyed with my fair cousin for
forgetting that Devereux was our guest,
and to mediate giving her private lsc-
ture
To my unutterable surprise. Ducie saved
me the trouble by taking the reins into his
own hands, and bringing up the spirited
offender with jerk. He had been lean
ing against the mantle-piece, gazing down
at her with sort Of dreamy admiration In
his dark eyes, but now he straightened
himself as suddenly as If the shot had
struck him, and spoke in dry. hard tone,
which must have been quite new to his
beautiful young hostess. aav
"Do you think that is fair term to ap-
ply to the gentleman in question, Miss
Curtis?"
Helen stared She was not used to re-
Dukes from her lovers, and instantly
resented this one by as dry and hard an
answer. ....
"After what Miss jackson has just told
usp Yes, Mr.. Ducie, l do"
Then l think you are very wrong. If
you will allow me to say So"
"You do not wait TO be allowed-"H Helen
began, haughlily; then flushed up and
softened, like regular woman, into q
personal appeal but l could hardly
make allowance even for you, Mr.. Ducie,
whom y know to be brave man, if you
did not hate cowardice at least as much
as do"
81 do-hate cowardice," he answered,
with an unwonted emphasis which struck
us all. 80 much so, that / do not like
even to hear the word applied to man
Wno propaDiy uocS hoe ucScISo ~
"But if he doesp'
"You have no proof that Captain Dev-
ereux does"
Not Mary's story9 Oh, Mr.. Ducie"
(getting angry again, and her blue eyes
flashing impatiently), You can not bring
me to look at bad things with simple ia
difference. The word may be ugly. the
thing is much uglier; and not even your
eloquence" (very scornfully) "could make
me regard coward with any feelings but
pity and contempt -
Did you ever see picture Git was In
the Academy some years ago) OF Mary of
Scotland turning on the rebel lords who
have come to extort her signature to the
deed of abdication? Do you remember
the look of unutterable scorn with which
she bares her white arm, bruised black
with the grip OF Ruthven's mailed fingersp
Helen Curtis looked like the outraged
queen just then, as she sat erect in her
low chair, her eyebrows raised, her ripe
lips curved in a beautiful scorn.
Ducie. white as death. looked at her
steadily, his hands clinched behind his
back, but made no reply. thought Of