Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-01-22
CHAPTER ".

uOWu yolueT!
The imposing white gate and the trim
%pyracantha hedge that shut from view
the CRASHES trampled quarter lot were
before her. The huge, unsightly corn
cribs, the clustered cabins, the overseer' $
%unlovely house, were behind her. The
big gate swung with smooth noiseless-
ness on its strong hinges, the latch
clicked against its hasp with well regu-
lated %gentleness, leaving her Oh the side
OF elegance, beauty, refinement.
The scent of heliotrope and June roses
was af1oat OH the air. Liza loved hello
trope the ''best in the world. There
was a struggling plant Of it on the wa
ter shelf at home that every member of
the family with unskillful solicitude
had tried to keep alive. Maybe Liza
wouldn't SO much as look at it, let alone
rememberin how she had fetched 1t
home from the big house the day she
went to say goodby to Gabrielle. Poor
Gabrielle who had pined away and
died in the city boarding school such g
little while after.
In front of her, stately and white
pillared, the big house reared it's crest
proudly. 1t had sheltered many genera
lions OF Strongs, each one Of whom had
made his entrance and his exit upon the
worlds stage with unblemished propri-
ETY.. Shining leafed japonica bushes
crowded close up to the broad white
stucco steps. Behind them she could
hear the governors voice raised in ex-
cited expostulation with an unseen au-
ditor or auditors.
She had told Eben there would be
folks to dinner at the mansion that day.
She wished she had made her entrance
by the side gate. The governor had
never ceased to be formidable to her, al.
though 90 years Of her life had been
spent within sound Of the imperious
voice that ioated angrily across the
shining shrubbery. Mrs. Martin shifted
scornfully.
Politics! I knowed it. Jest lis'n at
him"
"No, sir, / am not for secession. I
am for sticking to the old f1ag-our flag
as much as it is a Yankee flag. This
internal rumpus is all the work Of a lot
of hot headed, thin skinned fire eaters
who would cheerfully send the whole
country to the devil rather than submit
to any fancied affront to their own pre-
cious selves. Gradual emancipation is
what we want. Emancipation is ineyi-
table. The voice of Christendom is
against slavery. D-n the darkies; let
them go. We are too Internally tender
toed. We are freezing for a tight-that
is, you are, Clements, and you, Dial.
ghren. Oh, don't look at me with those
innocent blue eyes. And you need not
trouble yourself to chew that blond
mustache into fringe. The devil himself
couldn't scare you. But if you don't
get your fill Of buster and gore before
we're out Of this mess, then you may
boil my head for d fiat Dutch cabbage.
It is all wrong, sir, all wrong, this in
fernal twaddle about our rights, our su-
premacy, u divinely appointed mas
tership. Well?'
Mrs. Martin started nervously. She
had emerged from behind the japonicas
and was waiting for a chance to deliver
Eben's message. This sudden turning of
the governors batteries on her unpro-
tected front clustered" her more than
ever. She delivered herself briskly:
"Eben wants some new brushes Or
dered. Rats
"Hey? What? Gin brushes? Rats?
The same cry eyery year. Ask Martin if
he thinks ! am made Of money. I tell
you. sir, you are Understanding the
magnitude Of this thing. When we get
at it, 1t will be no holiday affair. You
are going to get licked ont of your boots,
D~alghren. and / only hope l may live
long enough to say, 1 told you So"
Upon my word and honor, Eben,"
Mrs. Martin said that night, when she
was entertaining her ''men folks with
a recital Of all that had happened since
dinner, you would "a thought the
fight vas comm off t'morrer mornin,
right there and then, to "a heard him.
I left him rantin and prancin and shak-
in his fist now at Colonel Clemens, then
bellerin 1t young Dalghren real outra-
geous. He's one Of 'em, the old man
is!''
Eben chuckled comfortably. He rather
enjoyed his wife's 1t was
not easy to upset Becky.
"He wouldn't hurt a hair on a dogs
back, the gov'nor wouldn't. lido believe
he's the one thing Oh top Of the earth
you're scared of, Beck"
II amt goin t. admit that I'm scared
Of arer man that walks, Eben Martin,
but when it comes to good, hard com
mon sense that keeps on q level, that
knows how to regulate its voice and
amt liable to fly off at the handle eff
you do but look at it, give me Mrs.
Strong every tins. The old man amt a
patchin to her"
"Well?n
Eben tilted his chair back at a more
u angle against the gallery post.
He was prepared to wait patiently for
Mrs. Strong's views touching their Liza.
Becky was apt to be discursive always,
and today she was suffering from undue
excitement.
well, / left the old man snortin and
prancin and went straight todes the
storeroom, where / made sure Of find
in her. She amt the q that finds
time to talk politics. and set on front
galleries. You amt been through the
Lo,,so 1o<o1x ho rrr..a,, |