The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1894-11-10
THE DENTVELLE AWAKENING.

copyright, 1894, by Edgar L. Wakeman. All
rights reserved.l
The early winter winds were whistlng
wildly across the gray New England
hills and beating plaintive threnodies
through the ancient elms and naples
which swayed and dashed above the
streets and homes of quaint old Dent
vile, budding sleepily and comfortably
beneath.
All this day and all the day and night
before, with the bitter blast had come the
singing sleet. It had sheeted the wall of
stone winding along the highways and
lanes and between the tiny farms, until
they shone like polished marble. 1t had
pointed the stubble in the fields unit! it
stood like myriad barbs of steel. 1t had
armored the outlying shocks of corn
until they paled and flashed like ghostly
sentinels at their posts. and had mantled
the peaked stacks beside the farmsteads
along the hillsides until they seemed like
gigantic cowls of huddled monks at
prayer.
From end to end of Dentville its broad
rooted homes lay silvered, ce-Dound and
cIutched as in a remorseleSs iron hand,
the fierce swirIs OF broken Joe prisms,
cones and circlets swept from the tossing
limbs above, had scourged the village
folk from struggling streets to homes.
Ii the dominating spirits OF such ele-
mental hours have consciousness as the
day wore on they could not but have no
Liced that the storms power seemed TO
have greatest force and fury at four sep
arate points within and about the little
village.
One of these was where mass of stately
larches threateningly twisted around
and over a great stone mansion, at the
highest and most exposed portion OF the
principal village street, and where
hard-1aced old man stood at the broad
windows of his ample home, looking
with unrelenting and almost triumphant
face into the deserted street below.
Another was where great elms, in
protecting hollow square, came between
the village church, and entirely around,
The pretty village parsonage The struct-
ure was set back a little from the street,
aud was reached from the roadway
through rows OF box and lilac where, in
summer, birds must have come and built
and sung, aud at the dainty latticed WIN
dow of this parsonage a mans sad and
thoughtful face was pressed, in mute
seeming, that the possessor's heart was
troubled for the hurts which winter ever
brings.
Still another, was just at the village
edge, in the middle of stony field;
long, low, rambling structure, cherries
as the storm-swept, outjuttings rocks
around it; comtortless as the ghostly hills
which made its pitiless horizon; HghtleSs
as the shuddering night which was clos
ing in upon it; more hopeless TO its in
mates than icy storms, granite rocks or
even death; Tor here was one OF those sub
Innate antiques of New England Chris
tian charity, the village poorEouSe, the
very starveliDg trees around it beating
it's lev shingles as if in bitter taunt and
menace at the half starved wretches be-
meath. And well it was for the peace of
Dentville that what faces, if any, peered
from these rafting windows, were safely
hidden by distance from village eyes be-
low.
The last was where half-dozen gigan-
tic silver poplars whipped and moaned
above the village tavern. Though il stood
in little hollow over against the village
Dostoffice and general store; though it
was surrounded and protected by rising
ground on the one side and fine old build
ings on the other; though the elnS and
NAPLES opposite should have broken the
force of the blast. and this place of all
places in Dentville been quiet and hush
full in the fiercest of storms, it seemed
that the elements now combined III most
furious pranks and antics about 1t.
Its ancient sign swung wildly and
groaned dismalIy. Its great chimneys
gave out hoarse murmurings. Its dimin-
ntive windows ratified and trembled as
though every succeeding blast would
beat them in. Its tiny shutters were torn
from their fastenings. The poplars above
il seemed writhing and bending as if
about to crash through Its warped and
slivered roof
And as il in keeping with the intensity
of the elemental struggles around and
old cd ion Inn Of
vile, the most pitiful and desperate face
that had ever been seen in the village-a
woman's face from which the last CLEAN
of hope had been effaced as though by
this very storm-was now and then
pressed against its icy window panes.
If TOO, such relentless forces OF nature
could be conscious and all-obseryant, it
would have been noticed that at least
three of the wild storm -centerS in Dent
Vile had their corresponding surgings of
troublous human emotion housed be-
meath them.
More unaccountabie still, the three
faces at the three separate windows, that
of the chief mansion of the village, the
village parsonage and the village inn,
were all looking with deep intentness at
the same object in the now dimly-lghted
village postofiice window.
This object was a miserable placard in
dingy black and white, telling the pitiful
old legend upon which countless ambti-
Gus and hopes had before been broken,
how certain Grand Star Combination,
appealing to the cultured appreciation OF
Dentville, had, after repeated urgent re-
Quests. turned aside from its victorious
route through the chief cities OF the coun-
fIv TO present in Dentville Hall, for three
niphts only, its matchless renditions OF
Shakespearean tragedy.
Ponsonby Addington, it proclaimed in
its hugest and most notified block-type
letters. before whom even Kings and
TuTnerors had bowed in feryor of his
tronic admiration, had consented to APP
near in the leading roles. The queen OF
the tragic stage, Letitia Addington, had
been secured to delineate Shakespeare's
marvellous heroines, and these renowned
stars would have the able support OF the
highest talent procurable in the dramatic
centers of the East.
The costumes were heralded as brilliant
ana gorgeous; the orchestral scores would
he charningly rendered; TO add to the
,lnrivaled effectiveness of these ever
memorable performances there would be
an impressive array of knights, courtiers,
guards. men-at-arms, pages and attend
ants. and, Notwithstanding the extraor-
binary expense of this mastodonlc aggre-
cation of talent, prices had been reduced
tn suit the times and admission would