Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1899-05-18
cu,pTER V.-(Continued.)

bar absence from the room,
pa.r' Salome reviewed the conversa-
1 L,s0 With much complacency. She con-
wv .tr,tpd herself on the ease with which
sta' baJ convinced her sister-in-law of the
sle ,.no ~ sending the girls away for a
While. . hoeo,o Mis-
Vn' Estbpr returned, followed by her
n bond II was hot day, and he wore
ooot over bis clean. homespun shirt.
S ~ trousers of blue Holland and heavy
S,t.kiD shoes completed his attire. His
s;sk chestnut hair lay in little rings
.bnnt his white forehead, moist with per-
...otion His cheeks and neck showed
.m,st hronze in hue above and below his
%,t heavy beard. BY far the finest fea-
-nh his open, attractive face was his
y., rank blue eyes. These rested with
an, aioSity on Mistress Salome as he
ucs Emself near her and waited to
S-4reason of his summons to meet
Eabis unusual hour.
lhp briefly than to his wife, but still
rbAtreme cleverness, she laid her plan
khp him. He listened to the end and
rrpr once removed his steady look from
cOuntenance.
bid the girls come in, wife," he said,
ben, turning to Mistress Esther.
"AI of them, Timothy?" she asked.
Yes, every one. | wish them all to
bear what have to say"
In silence the four daughters of the
house entered the room and sat opposite
their father There was slight resem-
Nance between them. Delight, sitting
quite erect, showed in the poise Of her
small head, the alert glances Of her dark
blue eyes, the proud curve of her red lips,
spirit willful, eager, daring.
Desire, in contrast, was like stately
lily beside a luxuriant rose. Both these
sisters displayed quiet dignity of man
ner leaving all the curiosity to be wildly
depicted on Sylvia's brilliant face. Her
wIdeopen, hazel eyes made no secret of
her burning desire to know what was go
Inc on. She tossed her thick, auburn hair
back from her glowing cheeks and cast
impatient glances from one to another.
Dolly, whose gypsy-like aspect made her
the odd one of the four, was wholly occu-
pied in wondering how long it would be
before she should be old enough to wear
a beautiful carved-shell comb like her
Aunt SalOme's.
Timothy Leland was the first to speak.
He rose to his full height and addressed
his daughters directly.
Your Aunt Salome has asked your
mother and me to let you three, Delight,
Desire and Sylvia, so with her to her old
home in Devonshire, England, where also
your mother and | were born and bred,
as often you have heard us say. She de-
SreS to take you away from the hard
ships of a farmers household and Of a
soldiers family in these unhappy days, to
provide for you all the luxuries and re-
hnements wealth can procure and to mar
Fy you, if it should so transpire, to ele-
CANT gentlemen of high degree.
My ears would have refused to listen to
Der offer; my tongue would scorn to repeat
It were it not that | know it to have been
made out Of love for you alone. She is a
Just woman, and your Uncle Francis is an
upright man. l doubt not of your return
to us untrammeled by views of their inn
parting. They would no more seek to fos-
Ter IN your hearts any disloyalty to your
parents chosen country than your mother
and | would do, were our positions revers-
ed. Therefore, | have heard her patient
" to the close of her speech. and there
Tore also, now rehearse to you her re-
quest. You shall answer it each of your
own pleasure.
First, however, l would have you hear
my feeling in the matter. Each drop of
oood shed on Lexington Green last April
out sealed and cemented forever my re-
So.ve to oppose to the last drop in my
VEINS the unholy and illegal oppression OF
Tue mother country. Never by thought or
word OF deed will Timothy Leland do 9th
sFWlSe. Neither, with his consent, will
us children openly or tacitly espouse the
cause Of their country's enemies.
You, my beloved daughters, are free to
Choose. Should you elect to remain loyal
% Your father and your mother, my love
,'' YOU and pride in you will be greater
Juan ever, if such a thing can be- If your
Io,ee IS to accompany your Aunt Salome
England at this time, understand that
Nv Nv. return TO this family is possible. Take
"''e time to weigh the matter well. 'Tis
So' Meet that you should be forced to sud-
w" decision. Your amt will remain with
IN w I'LL afternoon. At two o'clock we will
- meet here again for final conclusion
Of the subject"
=. de spoke with exceeding gravity and
= S-0neSS. AS he turned to leave the room,
sylvia sprang up.
1, rather she cried impetuously, 81
~; wv heed to wait. know now that moth
- could make me wish to leave you and
SJ.'oer' nor to be on the British side. l
~. e Them with all my heart, and wish |
&c man that l might fight them
sa sle crossed over to him and slipped her
S S-5u II his, her eyes flashing. her whole
:, vibrant with emotion. He paused
l.. Instant, glaucing involuntarily toward
n. sisters, They sat with downcast eyes.
ups were tightly compressed under
b,,3 50ady beard as, still holding Sylvia's
~ ~ 'hey passed out.
S'ne, Desire" said Delight, rising;
sss VIII excuse us, mother? / wish to
@SsWith her alone"
q, smlnsly. And you, too, Dolly. run
Jon, poW' would consult further with
WY hunted around for Sylvia, and at