Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-01-03
ENSIGN RANSOM.
Argosy.

scene rises up before me NlNldly as
memory touches those magic plates
which she keeps stored up in her mys-
terious chamber.
There were several young people
gathered in Mrs. Martins "parlor."
Probably there was not another old
lady in London had such "parlor."
From the long deep windows, the slop-
ing walls, the low ceiling, and the chimp
ing OF birds, to say nothing of the
scent of wall-howefs and musk, one
fancied ones self in the ground-tloor
apartment Of some quaint, country
cottage In fact, il was room on the
topmost story of Il grand old house in
IN old city square.
In that house Mrs. Martin had spent
the last happy married days of her early
womanhood, and there it was her wish
to remain till she died. The house was
far too large and too costly for widow
ed woman's sole occupation, and SO she
had retreated, up and up, until she
had reached solitude and silence
which the occupant OF many country
Hieh-street might have envled. a per
feet curiosity was her little habitation,
its walls covered with pictures, ITS corn
ers bright with dainty old china, its
whole replete with every simple COM
fort. The old lady herself rarely went
out now, but she did not lack visitors.
There were some with great names and
great powers who, in the world of fash
ion, found no temptation to forget old
friends; and there were many more,
bright, saupY lads, and sweet, enthu-
siastic girls, who found with her re-
fuge and a rest, where they could tlutter
their incipient wings safely and hap
ply.
i can only remember that, at that
time, some great trial was running It's
course, and all England was eager for
the sight of the evening papers, which
one of Us had brought in, and the con-
tents of which we had all been eagerly
discussing, rashly giving our decided
judgments on points over which the
Jury of twelve "good men and true"
would have to spend many All hour of
weary consideration.
One witness came i'll tor our special
animadversion. In her cross-examlna-
ton some question had been put to her
which she had declined to answer, and
on appealing to the Judge whether she
was compelled to do so, had received
M answer in the negative.
ave all know what that means" was
the dictim Of our juvenile leader, m
which we all heartily concurred. III
what she must have answered would
have been to her credit, she would not
have hesitated, whether the question
was q iustifiable one or not. we may
be sure that her answer would prob
ably have evoked some further ques-
ton with results still more discredtable
to her.
There was quite little chorus Of as
sent on this point; only Mrs. Martin was
quite silent, and gave her knitting need
les peculiar shift, which we had long
learned to recognize as what would be
described in parliamentary language as
murmurs Of dissent
"Don't YOU think 50, too?' asked one
If us, turning to the old lady with that
Difference which we always felt to be
due 10 her, even when her wisdom
differed from that of our contemporary
Solomon.
"Mv dear, it may be so-but it may
not" she answered. II know little
story on this very point. | knew gen
tleman who was present when the mel
dent happened. >
We were all attention. a story was
not to be sighted, even when told to
prove us in the wrong.
well" said Mrs. Martin, "many
years back, long before | was born, and
that il nearly sixty years ago, young
man came out of Little house at the
eastern end Of town by the sea. There
was plenty of life and gayety at the 9TH
er end of the town, which was enlivened
by one or two barracks, fort, and a
castle. But the eastern end was very
poor, and would have been quite lonely
but for the fishermen and their boats.
The house from which the young man
came was beyond even this homely bus
tie, and was little mole than wooden
hut, tarred TO defend it from wind and
weather. It's only near neighbor was
huge windmill, whose gaunt arms were
almost over its humble roof; and,
though its windows and doorsteps were
clean and It's curtains white, it was clear
y a very poor-place, where none but
very poor people would live.
but the young man VINO came out
was III the full dress Of military offic-
er, though that was screened from first
view hy the long gray cloak which the
Wild March wind made so necessary
He looked back and waved his hand to-
ward tht-little home, Al if be knew that
somebody there was watching HIM,
though, certainly, nobody could beseeni
from the outside. And then he turned
ard struggled against the strong gale
wh'eh blow il from the sea.
He Nls quite young, and his face
M Anely cut, and would have been
as 5ut FIR look Of stern and
Pasaia .Draiw, nj, unmixed with bit
tsFaea, which seemed strangely IN
eos Vith his years and his dress.
III. nliked 81 quite through the
t9e There wfrp s,-a people taking
f 6 Measure iii that rough
vestaes. 4e ~ VI shipping III