Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-07-05

With the superb composure Of IN Of
fcnded sovereign Mamie was drawing
tho wreck Of an antebellum veil over
her comical hat Of plated shucks, the
fingers of her white cotton mittens how
ering about her head like % many white
mice Il was necessary TO pass close BY
the desk where Strong stood, steadying
his shaken nerves by strong physical
effort He put out his hand to detain
her. She eluded the slight touch
mamie! One word BY heaven, you
shall hear me-
He placed himself between her and
the door. Without indecorous violence
she could not avoid listening to him.
"The time will come. 1t must come
before very long. when you will judge
my course by different standards You
will feel more lenient then. Just now
You, my mother. none Of you give me
credit for acting upon my convictions
of what was right and what was wrong.
| represent to you q cowardly egotist,
content to let his nearest and dearest
suffer so that he secured to himself the
flesh pots When you come. by the aid
Of that sobercr judgment which time
will bring to rs all. to look at this
monstrous war episode from the out.
side. you Will recognize the possibility
of consistent southern Unionist
Governor Strong was one, but the
sentiment Of class was too strong for
his powers Of resistance. Countless mum.
bers of men, now fighting on the side Of
tho south, stand where do, morally IL
not physically. There were no class
preJudices for me to conserve or TO ont
rage A born pariah, the overseer's son
was free to choose his side. chose the
one which seemed to stand for liberty
and justice, the two consultations most
conspicuously absent from my own ex.
perience
when you come to realize that hold.
ing slavery as did. TO be black blot on
the face Of Gods fair creation / was as
much in duty bound to fight for its
abolition as Adrien Strong was for its
when, in short, You are
ready TO say, after all, il was he who
was in the right-will You send for me.
my dear, and not leave me to languish
under the frown Of the woman love
any longer than need be? The time will
surely come. Mamie. but the waiting
for it will bc dreary work, dear. ="
Ii WAS not easy 10 maintain her fro
zen attitude with that pale. passionate
face bending above her rs he pleaded
Tor mercy Were her standards already
toppling to their fall? Was she feeling
premonitory twinges Of that foreshad-
owed leniencyy Or was she an out and
ont hypocrite. not worthy to breathe
the same air with Adrien Strongs moth
er or Liza, But il only he could have
come back 10 her looking that way
wearing gray uniform instead Of a
blue. He was positively majestic.
Her heart was truer than her lips
She looked away from him while an-
swering him. so that her eyes should
not betray this humiliating fact TO him.
If the time ever does come when ]
can bring myself to look upon traitor
with lenient eyes, Major Strong Martin,
or If my standard Of right and wrong
should ever be so fully reversed rs to
make your transgression your virtue, i
shall send for you promptly and rebuke
myself in your presence for the unutter-
able detestation Of your course which
now has full possession Of my perverted
senses
"You spoke Of being born pariah.
with no class prejudices to conserve or
20 defy ! loved Strong Martin the
overseers son. abhor Strong Martin
the Federal officer.
She was trembling He could detect
the passionate pain beneath the meas
ured coldness of her tones, and he smil-
ed, quite sure that he would be on the
winning side.
He stood aside and opened the door
for the little cavalcade in honespun.
Seth lead the way, then Mamie, and
finally his mother. She turned wistful-
" upon the door sill.
"Strong. my boy Strong. l hate to
leave you here all alone, but it's your
own doin. You oughtn't to have few
in the face Of Providence so brash Ma
mics words sounded mighty severe,
and / could see by the quiver Of your
mouth they was cuttin You like whip
lash. Strong-I-think-I'll kiss you
jus once, my boy. But we don't want
nothin Of you"
Was he on the winning side? He
questioned it that night, sitting alone
on the small roofiess balcony that jut-
ted from the window easement Of his
headquarters and gave him the full ben
eft Of q starry night. He knew just
how those same stars grouped them
selves about the tall trees that shelter.
ed Sans Souci.
In that long ago past, eons It SEEM
ed, when he and Adrien Strong had
been good boy friends. they had climb
ed TO the rallied roof gallery countless
times for the pure JOY Of ignorant star
gazing.
From out the cool, dark stiffness Of
the starlit night there fioated to him
scraps Of song and laughter. 1t came
from the clustered tents that sheltered
the troops under his command He felt
them to be aliens tonight as never be-
fore. In their songs aud their laughter
he had no part.
The tcthered beasts under the shade
trees in the little courthouse square
munched their evening rations with au.
dible gusto. The unlimbered cannon,
which in its unchanged formidableness
had caused such panic to the rural Ses-
sumsport urchins, showed darkly where
II had been rolIad under the sureadiuQ