Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-03-31
circle ID lrlres around n council fire.

circle OF braves AROUND u council ur6-
When in after years the grandson o
the artist had married bride with In
dian blood III her veins the punch bow
had been added rs a special compliment
to the lady. and the china lad beer
sent wedding gift from the Masons o.
England TO the Masonsof Virginia. Tn,
bowl was very graceful and contained
on side lovely representation of the
landing at jamestown, with the tran
quill smiling river, the vessel in the
ofiing and the group OF friendly red men
on the shore. On the other was. OF
course. depicted the rescue of Captain
John Smith by the Indian girl. Tie
bowl was finished at top and bottom
with wreaths of Virginia creepers, for
est leaves and blossoms
To bring out this precious heirloom in
honor of a guest was making him Of
consequence indeed.
Jim knew all about it, and when he
caught sight Of the pretty tea table he
understood the girls intention and shot
quick. grateful glance across to her
from his brown eyes. A whimsical
memory of a superb breakfast he had
once seen served to a man about TO be
hanged obtruded itself. but he banished
it Loyalty. As he took the cup with the
dreaming maiden on it from Mrs. Ma
sons hand, lie said gratefully;
"How good of you TO have out the
beautiful old china in my honor When
| was boy, always imagined that
coffee from these cups tasted different
had a woo,lsy. adventurous favor. !
think so still
1t was a merry meal, despite the
shadow in the background, for the gen
tlemen taking their cue from Pocahontas
We'd with each otheri in talking nonsense.
and depicting ridiculous phases of camp
life in the tropics. with Jim always for
the hero of the scene. And Jim. shak-
ing off the d anal emotions peculiar to
farewell VISITS. responded CALAMITY. de-
Tending himself from each sportiye at
tack and illnmining his exile with such
rays Of promise as occurred TO him. He
knew these old friends were sorry to lose
him, aud trying to lessen the wrench of
parting; and being quiet, self con-
trolled man-more given TO action than
speech, and with deep adherence Of
scenes, he appreciated their efforts.
After tea, Berkeley and Royal lit their
pipes and strolled out toward the sta
bles, leaving Jim and Pocahontas alone
together on the porch. The girl leaned
back in her chair silently, not trying to
make conversation any more, and Jim
sat on the steps at her feet, letting his
eyes follow wistfully the slope of the
lawn and the flow of the river. Pres
emily, without turning his head. he
asked her to walk with him down to the
old willows by the riverside. for a fare
well look on the scene so dear TO him,
and Pocahontas rose instantly and slipped
her hand within his proffered arm.
Down by the river, where the lawn
bent softly to the wooing of the water,
stood two ancient willows of unusual
size; they were gnarled with age, but
vigorous and long limbed The story
ran that once Pocahontas Mason, the
lady of the manor here, had lovers
twain-twin brothers who being also
Masons We're her distant cousins. One
she loved and one she did not, but both
loved her, and being passionate men
both swore that they would have her,
come what might. and cause any man
that came between most bloodily to rue
it. Between the brothers there arose
quarrels and i'll feeling, which afflicted
hA NH al
averse to breaking the peace of families.
That brothers-twin brothers should
be scowling venomously at each other
because of her appeared grievous thing.
and she set herself to mend it.
By marrying the man she loved she
could end the affair at once, but his
brother would never forgive him, and
before love had maddened them the
men had been friends ms well as broth
ers. She gagged their characters
thoughtfully. and hit upon plan which,
at the expense of some self sacrifice,
would arrange the matter peacefully.
both lovers attend her one day,
she brought them to this spot, and cu.-
ting two willow wands of exactly the
same length and thickness she stuck
them deeply into the moist soil and an
her decision. They would wait
three years. she said. and at the end of
that time the man whose tree had grown
the strongest should come and claim his
answer She would attend to both will
lows herself. giving TO each the same
care. and treating them with equal fair
ness. Then she made the men shake
hands in amity once more and swear to
abide by her decision
The story further tells that both will
lows fiourished finely, but that in the
last year the true lovers tree outstrIpped
its mate, as was right and proper. As
the lady had anticipated, when the term
Of probation expired only one of the
twins appeared to claim an answer to his
suit. And in the pocket of the constant
man, when he kissed his own true love, +
ay letter from across the seas, full of
Drotherly affection and congratulation.
This LITTLE story was a favo1-i re- with