Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-11-04

So that in few moments the black, curly
head Of the little artist and the white, flowing
locks OF the senator were close together bend
ing over the rack that contained the engrav-
! ings. 1t was then that Carmen, listening to
graphic description OF the early rise of art
in the Netherlands, forgot herself and put her
shawl around her head, holding its folds in
her little brown hand. In this situation they
were, at different times during the next two
hours, interrupted by five congressman, three
senator's, cabinet officer and judge of the
supreme bench-each of whom was quickly
but courteously dismissed Popular senti-
ment, however, broke out in the hall
aWell, I'm blanked, but this gets me.p Che
speaker was territorial delegate.)
9At this time o life, too, lookin over pic
lures with gal young enough to be his
grandchildp This from venerable official,
since suspected of various erotic irregular
ities)
"She don't handsome any" The honorable
member from Dakota)
"This accounts for his protracted silence
during the sessions CA serious colleague
from the senator's own state)
@Oh, blank it alp lOmnes)
Four went home to tell their wives. There
are few things more touching in the matri-
monial compact than the superb frankness
with which each confides to each the various
irregularities Of their friends 1t is upon
these sacred condolences that the firm founda-
tions of marriage rest mistaken.
OF course the objects of this comment, ut
least one of them, were quite oblivious. II
trust, said Carmen, timidly, when they had
for the fourth time regarded in rapt admira-
ton an abominable something by some Dutch
woodchopper, II trust l am not keeping you
from your great friends"-her pretty eyelids
were cast down in tremulous distress--"I
should never forgive myself. Perhaps it is
important business of the slater
"Oh, dear, mol They will come again-it's
their business"
The senator meant it kindly. 1t was as near
the perilous edge of a compliment as your
average cultivated Boston man ever ventures,
and Carmen picked it up, femininely, by its
sentimental end @And suppose i shall not
trouble you again?"
II shall always be proud to place the port
folio at your disposal. Command me at any
time" said the senator, with dignity.
"You are kind. You are good" said Car
men, "and II am bullock you-only
poor girl from California, that you know
not"
pardon me, know your country well"
And indeed he could have told her the exact
number of bushels of wheat to the acre in her
own county of Monterey, its voting popula-
ton, its political bias. Yet of the more i'm
portant product before him, after the manner
Of book-read men, he knew nothing.
Carmen was astonished, but respectful 1t
transpired presently that she was not aware
of the rapid growth of the silkworm in her
own district, knew nothing of the Chinese
question, and very little of the American
mining laws. Upon these questions the SEN
ator enlightened her fully. "Your name is
historic, by the way" he said pleasantly.
"There was Knight of Alcantara, de
Haro,' one of the emigrants with La Casas."
Carmen nodded her head quickly. "Yes;
my great-great-g-r-e-a-t grandfather!'
The senator stared
sob, yes. 1 am the niece of Victor Castro,
who married my fathers sister"
|
miner asked the senator abruptly.
"Yes," she said quietly.
Had the senator been Of the Gashwiler type
he would have expressed himself, after the
average masculine fashion, by long-drawn
whistle But his only perceptible apprecia-
ton Of a sudden astonishment and Suspicion
in his mind was lowering of the social
thermometer of the room so decided that poor
Carmen looked up innocently, chilled and
drew her shawl closer around her shoulders
II have something more to ask" said
Carmen, hanging her head-"it is great, oh,
a very great favor"
The senator had retreated behind his bas-
ton of books again. and was visibIy prepar-
ing for an assault. He saw it all now. He
had been, in some vague way, deluded. He
had given confidential audience to the niece
OF one of the Great Claimants before con-
gress. The inevitable AK had come to the
grindstone. What might not this woman
dare ask of hims He was the more implaca-
BILE that he felt he had already been prepos-
sessed-and honestly prepossessed-in her
favor. He was angry with her for having
pleased him. Under the icy polish of his
manner there were certain Puritan callosities
caused by early straight lacing. He was not
yet quite free from his ancestors cheerful
ethics that Nature, as represented by an I'M
pulse, was as much to be restrained as Order
represented by Quaker
Without apparently noticing his manner,
Carmen went on, with certain potential
freedom of style, gesture and manner scarcely
70 DO indicated in her mere words @You
know, then, am of Spanish blood, and
that what was my adopted country, our
motto was God and Liberty II was of you.
sir-the great Emancipator-the apostle of
that Liberty-the friend of the down-trodden
and oppressed-that I, as a child, first knew.
In the histories of this great country l have
read of you, have learned your orations.
have longed to hear you in your own pulpit
deliver the creed Of my ancestors. To hear
you, of yourself, speak, ahl Madre de Diosl
what shall say-speak the Grafton eloquent
to make the-what you call-the debate,
that is what have for so long hoped Ehi
Pardon-you are thinking me foolish-wild,
shl "a small child -ehp