The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-04-01

niture. all told the story of contentment
and conservatism. Of respect for associ.
atoms and obedience TO traditions.
Even the active man Of the present
felt the subtitle charm OF the past. as he
gazed into the old room and let his eyes
wander from the antlers above the door
10 the family portraits on the walls
The light touched the faded gliding Of
their frames and made faint golden
glimmer here and there against the dark
ness of the wainscot. He knew them
all. those pictured men and women-the
founder of the Virginia branch OF the
family. in a curly wig and lace ruffies
the statesmen. soldiers. men and women
Of repute who were little Mary's GRANDPA.
theirs and grandmothers and greatuncles
and greataunts
When he was an -unkempt lad in
hoinespun and nsed to steal over from
the oyerseer's house across the ravine to
play with the dainty little daughter Of
the Beverleys. she used to tell him
stories about them. for she was an ear.
nest child, older than her years He
had forgotten all the stories and had
never cared much about them. but he
had never forgotten the narrator
There were changes in the room which
his eye wasquick tonote-slight changes
such as grow into most rooms with the
passing of the years. A soft red cover
with an arabesque border covered the
old piano on which Miss Cornelia Bev
erley, the elderly young lady Of the house,
used formerly to practice scales and
tinkling, threadbare old tufies-Miss Cor
nelia, whom his boyish soul had abb
horred because she treated him exactly
as she did the little negroes, with i'm
periousness and condescension, and If
differences arose preferred even them
before him. He wondered what had be-
come Of her. and whether she was dead
and rather hoped that she was.
Against the wall. in the recess by the
fireplace, underneath the portrait OF the
Revolutionary soldier. five modern
sabers were fastened into sort OF star.
between the points of which hung five
worn gray caps. Anthony ticketesl
them off-Mr. Beverley and his four
sons, Hector. Boiling. Archer and Ran
dolph. There had been ten years al
least between little Mary and her young
est brother. he remembered Within
the first few years Of his absence had
come the civil war. and he knew that
Mr.. Beverley and three OF his sons had
laid down their lives for Virginia He
knew also that. since the ending of the
strife. Hector Beverley had married and
died, leaving behind him some children
and widow.
The center of the picture Of which the
old room formed the background was il
woman sitting by the hearth rug read
ing Anthony had been conscious of her
presence from the first. although an awk-
ward shyness had prevented him from
looking stl.....eis ut ler, and sent his eyes
rowing about the familiar objects of her
surroundings. Ills bold. assertiye nature
chafed under the unaccustomed re-
straint, and he shook himself and
squared his strong shoulders as though
Riding himself of visible oppression
II this was little Maryland he hoped it
was-he would take a long look at her.
and discover into what manner Of wom-
an she had developed.
The lady was sitting by small table,
with her profile toward the window.
but partially concealed by the shadow
OF her wrist, for her head rested ON her
hand and her elbow was ON the table.
Her figure was full and womanly, her
dress plain and well fitting, and her gem
eral appearance indicated height. Her
book lay upon the table within the circle
of the. lamplight, and she bent over it in
an attitude of deep absorption. There
was something grand and gracious
about her that impressed itself on An
thony and made the wish in his heart
grow stronger.
BY Georgel if that's Mary" he NUT
tered, pressing his face to the glass,
shed stand to a fellow as steady and
true as she used to do in the old days
when every damned niger in the yard
used to laugh at her for playing with the
oyerseers brat, and Miss Cornelia used
70 twit her with her taste for low com
pany. Mary didn't care y continental
for any of 'em. She was stout of heart
and straight Of grain for little kid.
God bless her!"
Now that he was here. he was fain to
admit to himself that this was what he
had come for: that as all the romance
and beauty of his bare. prosaic boy
mood had been gathered around Mary
Beverley the child. so. when scarcely
understood yet keenly felt yearning after
romance and beauty cropped mp amid
the sterility Of his bare, prosaic man
hood, that strange conservatism. that
mysterious clinging to things of associ-
alton which is inherent in Virginians Of
all grades had brought him back to the
vicinity Of Mary Beverley the woman
TO seek its fruition.
And yet, SO complex are human moods,
20 subject to the ebb and dow of inn
pulse, passion or presentiment, when Ned
Anthony turned away at last from the
window and retraced his steps across
the yard his face was clouded and his
eyes dark and moody under their heavy
lids. His gloom deepened as he let the
orchard gate slam shut behind him, and