Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-01-29
with Eben Martins family affairs sufi-

with Eben Martins family affairs sufi-
ciently?"
"Meddled?"
Mrs. Strong repeated the word in soft
voiced wonder. How was it possible for
her to NEEDLE? Could a sovereign med
die with the affairs Of his own subjects?
Sans Souci plantation was her kingdom.
Within its boundary fences she was alb
solute sovereign. Its menservants and
it's maidservants, its oxen, its sheep,
its asses and all that therein was, were
her subjects. She had done autocratic-
ally just as she pleased, with man and
beast, on Sans Souci, ever since the
hour that Adrien's father had installed
her as mistress, or, rather, crowned her
its sovereign with a very pretty speech.
Adrien's father, the ex-goyernor's
son, had passed away in the prime Of a
self indulgent life. His widow had held
the helm in careful hands so undisturb-
eddy since that the comings and the go.
ings Of the old politician caused but
slight d~eviations from the regular order
Of things.
Eben Martin was simply her steward.
A necessary and satisfactory medium
between her and the multitude of living
things, biped and quadruped, which ex-
listed principally to minister to the COM
fort of the Strongs. The serene dignity
of her social status was not the result of
any vulgar commercial success. She had
been born into it. Her social importance
was prenatal. 1t would exist after she
was dead. She had not come dowerless
into the Strong family. She had added
to the magnitude and Importance Of
their estate by joining her own to it.
When she laid down her scepter, Adrien
and Adrien's children would lift it up.
To the ex-governor, plantation affairs
were secondary and incidental. State
affairs were absorbing.
"My daughter in laws steward" was
the facetious way in which he referred
to Eben Martin among the neighbors.
Eben Martin and his wife and his sons
were among the many things that were
simply tributary to the fuller, freer life
of the big house. Therefore it presented
itself in the light of q duty that Mrs.
Strong should see that the domestic ma
chinery Of her overseer's house was kept
in smooth working order.
AS a conscientious sovereign she was
minded to look into everything fearless
ly. She was seriously disturbed about
this vivid, ~esoteric girl, who was given
to violent horseback exercise and be-
witching red pompons. Under the given
circumstances she considered her father
in-law's selection of the word ~"meddle"
as not only inappropriate but bordering
OH the offensive.
Finding a discussion of the H. rtins
and their domestic affairs inevitable,
the governor resignedly laid his spec
tacles across the pile Of unopened papers
and went into the subject with some
acerbity.
Eyes, NEEDLE That was the word l
used. I have come to lock upon the
whole Martin brood as an ungrateful
and stiff necked lot. Really, I have,
Adele, my dear"
"WhyY"
"Well Eben stood out so %stubbornly
for a reduction in the price I had placed
on Neck or Nothing. I never would
have sold the land at all had not that
boy Seth stubbornly refused 10 remain
on the place unless I would sell him
land to start a small place for himself.
As for the second son, my namesake,
Strong, his attitude is nothing short of
incomprehensible. He refused point
blank to he Adrien's travelling compan-
ion, although the fellow is SO quick and
intelligent I would rather have paid his
expenses twice over than to have sent
Adrien off with hat dullard, Spencer. "
"Mr. Spencer belongs to a very good
family, father, and he is not likely to
embarrass my son by any social blum
ders. Perhaps young Martin thinks he
has accepted enough at your hands.
Moreover, it is quite time he was get
ting to work. I believe the plan is for
him to study under DR.. Whitcomb?"
"Was, but, hang it all, be positively
refuses to go into Whitcomb's office"
Refuses? Refuses to study medicine
under one of the best practitioners in
the south?"
$50 Eben told me yesterday"
"What does he propose to do, pray?"
HE is going to on to the Pc
"Neck or Nothing? Impossible! What
would he do there?"
"Open it for Seth, is the plan. At
any rate, he is going there to live Or
work or rust"-the governor gave an
impatient outward sweep of his delicate
hands-"or rot there. Confound the fell
low, I never was more disappointed in
any one in all my life"
"But there is no house on the Neck.
1t is a brambly wilderness, a dreary,
fenceless, out Of the way hole"
"It is all that or a little less, Zeke's
old cabin is still standing on it. Rather
dilapidated mansion to be chosen by a
valedictorian, with all the world
him"
Upon my word and honorv' Mrs.
Strong S amazement was boundless. HE
be lacking in ordinary perception
his duty as q man of education and
Totally without ambition, I
suppose. His class generally is"
The governor caressed his chin reflect
ively.
"No, his entire college record is
that theory. I am afraid he has
left Singleton under something Of a
cloud. I saw Redmond in town yester-
lay and was talking with him about
He would not speak out plain
", but limited darkly that Strong, in
she last months Of his stay at Single
son, had furnished a brilliant record and
,trinnad himcolf Of wo1l ,xro,A lanrola y