Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-02-05

physical equipOsie, and even IN the mere
details of dress, this figure indicated q Ger
tain a~ristocratic exclusiveness. was tue
presentment of a king--a king who py the
irony of circumstances was just then way
ing war against all kingship; q ruler OF
men. who inst then was lighting Tor tDe
right of these men TO govern themselves,
but whom by his W inherent righ' he
dominated. From the crown OF his power
ell head to the silver buckle OF his shoe ne
was so royal that it Was not strange ma.
his brother George of England anu
Hanover--ruliDg by accident, otherwise
impiously known as the grace OF COO
could lind no better way Of resisting MS
power then by calling him Mr.. Wasnlng-
ton"
The sound of horses hoOfs, the formal
challenge of sentry, the grave questioning
of the officer of the guard, tollOwed Oy
footsteps upon the porch, did not apPar,
ently disturbed his meditation. MOI III
the opening OF the outer door, n charge
of cold air into the hall that invaded even
the privacy of the reception room, ana
frightened the dying embers on the hearth
stir his calm preoccupation. but an III
slant later there was tine distinct rustic OF
o feminine skirt in the hall, a hurried
whispering of mems voices, and then the
sudden apparition Of a smooth, fresh iaceo
young officer over the shoulder oil the IN
conscious figure.
II beg your pardon, general" said the
officer d~oubtingly, but
You are not i~ntruding, Col. Hamll-
ton" said the general quietly.
"fhefe Is y young LADY without VINO
wishes IN audience Of your excellency.
It's Mistress Thankful Blossom, the
daughter Of Abner Blossom, charged with
treasonOus practice and ~fayoring the en-
envy, now in the g%uardhOuse at Morris
town"
Thankful Blossom" repeated the gen.
eral interrogatiyely.
Your excellency doubtless remembers
q little provincial beauty and a famous
toast Of the country side-the Cressida oil
our Morristown epic, who led our gallant
Connecticut captain astray'-
''You have the advantages, besides ths
better memory OF a younger man, colonel
said Washington, with a playful smile that
slightly Redeemed the cheek OF his aide-de-
camp. Yet | think | have heard OF this
phenomenon. By all means, admit he'll
and her escort"
'tShe is alone, general" responded the
subordinate.
''Then the more reason why we should
be polite" returned Washington, for the
first lime altering his easy posture. rising
To his feet aud lightly clasping his ruthsd
hands before him. I'VE must not keep
her waiting. Give her access, my dear
colonel, at once, and even as she came
alone"
The aid-de-camp bowed and withdrew.
la another moment the half opened door
swung wide to Mistress Thankful Blossom.
She was so beautiful in her simple riding
dress. so quaint and original i'll that very
beauty, and, above all, 50 teeming with a
certain vital earnestness Of purpose just
positive aud audaciOus enough to set oil
that beauty, that the grave gentleman be-
fore her did not content himself with the
usual formal inclination Of courtesy, but
actually advanced, and, taking her cold
little hand ID his, graciOusly led her to the
chair lie had inst vacated.
Even if your name were not known to
ME, Mistress Thankful" said the con-
mander-in-chief, looking down upon her
with grave polituess, mature has, me-
thinks, spared you the necessity OF any IN
PRODUCTION to the courtesy Of q gentleman.
But how can ! especially serve your
Alack! the blaze OF Mistress TbaJ kluPs
brown eyes had become somewhat dlmmed
in the grave hall lights Of the room, In the
graver, deeper dignity Of the erect, soldier
like figure before her. The bright color
born OF the tempest within aud without
had somehow faded from her cheek; the
sauciness begOtten from hurryiDg her horse
in the last half hours rapid ride was so
subdued by the actual presence of the maj
she bad come to bully that | fear she had
to use all her self control to keep down
her inclination to whimper, and to keep
back the tears that, oddly enough, lose to
her sweet eyes az she lifted them To the
quietly critical yet placid glance OF her III
teTiOcutor.
"IGau readily conceive the motive of
this visit, Miss Thankful" continued
Washington, with a certain digDifed kind
illness that was more reasaurlng than the
formal ~gallantry of the period; and it is,
| protest, to your credit. A fathers well
fare, however erring and weak that father
may be, is most seemly in y maiden"-
rhaukiul's eyes flashed again rs she rose
to her feet. Her upper lip, that had a
moment before trembled in q pretty in
fantina distress, now sliffened and c1rled
as she confronted the diguiiied figure be-
fore hyr. at is not Of my father | would
SPEAK" she said saucilg: 81 did not ride
here alone tonight. in this weather, TO
talk Of him; | warrant he can speak for
himself l came here to speak OF myself,
OF lies --ay, lies told Of me, @ poor girl; ay,
of cOTardly gossip about meand my sweet
heart, Capt. Brewster, now confined in
prison because lie had loved me, a lass
without politics or adherence to the cause
AS if 'twere necessary livery lad should
ask the confidence or permission Of your
self 0T, belize, nay Lady Washington, IN
his preferences"
She PAUSED L moment, out OF breath.
With Il woman's ~quiCkneSS Of intuition she
saw the change in Washington's flce--saw
a certain cold severity OveTShAdOwing il.
With u woman's fateful persisteDcy--a per-
s~istency which | humbly suggest might,
on OCCASION. he hOnorably copied by our
more polite sex--she went OF to say what
was in her, even if she were Obliged, with
q woman's honorable inconsistency, to
unsay il in an hour or two later; an incOn-
sistency which / also bumhly protest
might he as honorablY initiated by us--on
occasion.
at has been said" said Thankful Bios
som quickly, that my father BIAS given
entertainment knowingly TO two spies
two spies that, begging your eXcellency's
pardon and the pardon of copgress, know
only as two honorable gentlemen who have
as hOnorably rendered me their affections.
II is said, and basely ard most falsely too,
that my sweetheart, Capt. Allan Brewster,
has lodged this information. l have rid
den mere 70 deny it. l have ridden here
to demand Of you that an honest wOmsn's
reputation shall not b. sacrificed TO the in
terests of politics; that a prying mob OF
raSamuffius shall not he sent TO an honest
farmers hOuss to spy and spy--sud turn a
poor girl ont Of doors that they might do
II. 'fiS shameful, so tits; there! tits most
scandslOus, so it is; there now! Spies, in-
deed. what are they, prsy?'
In the indignation which the r2cOlleC-
ton Of her wrongs had slowly gathered in
her, nom the beginning of this speech, she