Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-12-16
CHAPTER xxi.

IF thou Vert HOuoiauio,
Thou would'st have told this tale lor
virtue. not
nor such an end thou seek'st; as pase'
as strange.
Thou wrong'st gentleman VINO 10 do
far >,
From thy report, as thou from nohor.
Summer In Shakespeare Land! sum
mer I'm the heart of England-snhihei
,n wooded Warwickshire,- "a summer
brilliant, warm, radiant with howers'
melodious with the songs OF inc
heayen-aspiring larks, and the sweet
low trill OF the forest-hidden night
ingales. Wonderful and divine 1t Is 10
hear the wild chorus OF nighplhsaies
that sing beside Como IN the NOV
dangerous nights Of an ltallan july
wonderful to hear them maddenlhg
themselves with love and music anu
almost splitting their slender throats
with tho bursting bubbles OF burning
aong--,but there Is something, perhaps,
more dreamily enchanting still,--o
hear them warbliIg less passiohateiy
but more plaintively, beneath tne
drooplng Leakage of those grand oio
trees. some of which may have streten-
cd their branches in shadowy benedic-
lion over the sacred head OF the grand
eat poet IN the world. Why travel TO
Athens, why wander among the
Ionian Isles for love OF the cilssio
ground? Surely. though the clear
Drained old Greeks were the FOUNDERS
of all noble literature, they nave
reached their Illuminating point In the
English Shakespeare and the War
wickshire lanes, decked simply with
hawthorn and sweet-briar roses.
through which Mary Arden walked
leading her boy-angel by the hand, are
sacred as any portion OF that earth
shcs trodden by the feet Of Homer and
Plato.
No. at least, Thelma thought, when
refeased from the bondage OF London
social life, she found herself once
more at Errirgton Manor, then looking
It's loveliest, surrounded with a green
girdle of oak and beech. and set of by
the beauty OF velvety lawns and ter
races, and rose gardens In full bloom.
The depression from which che had
suffered fell away from her completely
she grew light-hearted as child
aud fitted from room TO room, sing
ING to herself for pure gladness. Philip
was with her all day now, save for n
couple Of hours In the forenoon which
he devoted TO letter-wrlting In connec-
zion with his Parliamentary aspira-
tons, and Philip was tender, ador-
ing and passionate as lovers may be,
but as husbands seldom are. They
took long walks together through the
woods, they often rambled across
tho fragrant fields to Anne Hatha'
ways cottage. which was not very fai
away, and sitting down In some Sc
questered nook, Philip would pull from,
Wis pocket volume OF the immortal
Plays, and read passages aloud In his
Ane mellow voice, while Thelma. max
Ing posies OF tho meadow flowers
listened entranced. Sometimes, when
he was In more buslness-like humor
he would bring out Cicero's Oratlons
and after bordering over them for q
while would talk very grandly about
the way In which he meant to speak
In Parliament.
They want dash and fire there" he
said, land these qualities must be
united with good common sense. In
addressing the House. you see. Thelma,
one must rouse and interest the mon -
not bore them. You can't expect
fellows to pass a Bill II you've made
them long for their beds all the time
you've been talking about It,"
Thelma smiled and glanced over her
shoulder ut "Cicero's Orations."
And do you wish to speak to them
like Cicero, my boy?" SHE said gently
Bat do not think you will find that
possible. Because when Cicero spoke
1t was in dlifernet age and to very
different people-people who wero GLAD
to learn how to DO wise and brave
But II you were Cicero himself. do YOU
think you would be able to impress
the English Parliament"
why not, dear?" asked Burlington
with some feyor. II believe that men
taken as men. pur ct simple. are the
same in all ages, and are open to the
same Impressions, Why should no
modern Englishmen be capable OF re,
ceiving the Same lofty ideas as thu
antique Romans, and acting upol
them?"
"Ah, do not ask me- why" sale
Thelma, with a plaintive little shak,
Of her head-"for | cannot tell you
But remember how many members o
Parliament wa did meet in London
and where were their lofty ideas
Philip, had they any ideas at all, d
you think? There was that very IN
gentleman who is brewer,---well, 4
hear him talk, would you not think al
England was for the making OF beer
And he does not care for the countr
unless 1t continues to consume hi
beer! 1t was to that very man l sal
something about Hamlet, and he toll
q.