The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-06-02

open from within, there appeared, In the
first place, like black shadow emerging
into sunshine, the grim and grizzly pres
ence of the town beadle, with a sword
by his side and his staff of Office in his
hand. This parsonage prefgured and
represented IN his aspect the whole dis
NAL severity of the Puritanic code Of
law, which it was his business to admin
lister In its final and closest application
to the offender. Stretching forth the
official staff In his left hand, he laid his
right upon the shoulder of a young
woman, whom he thus drew forward
until, on the threshold of the prison
door, she repealed him by an action
marked with natural dignity and force
of character and stepped into the open
air, as if by her own free will She bore
in her arms child, baby of some
three months old, who winked and turned
aside its little face from the too vivid light
Of day, because its existence heretofore
had brought it acquainted only with the
gray twilight of dungeon or other
darksome apartment of the prison.
When the young woman-the mother
of this child-stood fully revealed before
the crowd, it seemed to be her first i'm
pulse to clasp the infant closely to her
bosom; not SO much by an impulse of
motherly affection, as that she might
thereby conceal a certain token which
was wrought or fastened into her dress
In a moment, however, wisely judging
that one token of her shame would but
poorly serve to hide another, she took
the baby on her arm, and with burn
ing blush and yet naughty smile, and
glance that would not be abashed,
looked around at her townspeople and
neighbors. On the breast of her gown,
in fine red cloth, surrounded with an
elaborate embroidery and fantastic -four
ishes of gold thread, appeared the letter
A. It was so artistically done, and with
so much fertility and gorgeous luxuri-
ance of fancy, that it had all the effect
Of a last and fitting decoration to the
apparel which she wore, and which was
of splendor in accordance with the
taste of the age, but greatly beyond
what was allowed by the sumptuary
regulations of the colony.
The young woman was tall, with a
figure of perfect elegance on a large
scale. She had dark ana abundant hair,
so glossy that it threw off the sunshine
with CLEAN and face which, besides
being beautiful from regularity of fea-
ture and richness of complexion, had
the impressiveness belonging to a
marked brow and deep black eyes. She
was ladyhke, too, after the manner of
the feminine gentility of those days;
characterized by certain state and dig
nifty, rather than by the delicate, evan
escent and indescribable grace which is
now recognized as it's indication. And
never had Hester Prynne appeared more
ladylike, in the antique Interpretation
of the term, than as she issued from the
prison. Those who had before known
her, and had expected to behold her
dimmed and obscured by a disastrous
cloud, were astonished and even startled
to perceive how her beauty shone out
and made halo Of the misfortune and
ignoniny in which she was enveloped.
It may be true that, to sensitive OBJ
server, there was something exquisitely
painful in it. Her attire, which, in
deed, she had wrought for the occasion,
in prison, and had modelled much after
her own fancy, seemed to express the
attitude of her spirit, the desperate reck-
lessness of her mood, by its wild and
picturesque popularity. But the point
which drew ali eyes, and, as it were,
TRANSPORTED the wearer-so that both
men and women who had been famil-
iarly acquainted with Hester Prynne
were now impressed as if they beheld
her for the first time-was that scarlet
letter, so Enthusiastically embroidered and
Illuminated upon her bosom. It had the
effect of a spell, taking her out of the
ordinary relations with humanity and
inclosing her in a sphere by herself.
"She had good skill at her needle,
that's certain" remarked one of her
female spectators; "but did ever wom-
an, before this brazen huzzy, contrive
such way of showing it? Why, gos-
sips, what is it but to laugh in the faces
of our godly magistrates, and make
pride out of what they. worthy gentle
men, meant for punishlnent?'
cit were WELL" muttered the most
iron visaged of the old DANES, eff we
stripped Madam Testers rich gown off
her dainty shoulders; and as for the red
letter, which she hath stitched so curl
ously, I'll beStow a rag of mine own
rheumatic flannel to make filter one!''
"Oh, peace. neighbors, peacer whis-
pered their youngest companion; do not
let her hear you'll Not stitch in that
embroidered letter, but she has felt it in
her heart.
The grim beadle now made gesture
with his staff.
''AIake way, good people, make way,
In the kings namer' cried he. "Open
passage, and. promise ye, Mistress
Prynne shall be set where man, woman
and child may have fair sight of her
brave apparel, from this time TIL an hour
past meridian. A blessing on the right
eous colony of the Massachusetts, where
iniquity is dragged out into the sun
shine! Come along Madam Hester. and
show your scarlet letter In the market
place."
A lane was forthwith opened through
the crowd of spectators. Preceded by
the beadle and attended by an irregular
procession of stern browed men and nm
kindly Yisaged women, Hester Prynne
set forth toward the place appointed for
her punishment. A crowd of eager and
curious schooIboys. understanding ht-
tie Of the matter in hand, except that it
gave them a holiday, ran before her
progress, turning their heads continually
TO stare into her face and at the wink
ing baby in her arms, and at the igno-
t1,-k-s~