Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1900-06-07
THE MISTRESS OF
Cover Place,

|
w to the mountain town after hi
long absence, he was quite an unknown
quantity to that young portion of the
community which might be supposed
most interested. That he had gradua
ted with honor, although not without
rumor Of some wild gayety, that he had
since travelled from one end of Europe
to the other, that he was the son and
heir of old Squire Cover, that he had
come home to live in his fathers place
contented with the fortune he had, and
perhaps, to bring back, in time, wife
from the outside world to be the mistress
of Cover Place, comprised all the facts
in his case. But, whether helped by
facts or Imagination, there was many a
sweet lass who felt it would be no unen.
viable fate to be the mistress of Cover
Place; and the bows were picked out on
many bonnet little more carefully
the next Sunday morning, and many a
pretty face turned tor one more look in
the glass to see if it really was pretty;
but none so pearly fair. so rose-petal
soft, of such starry brightness as Mar
ian Temples was. That Sunday it was
learned, by ocular evidence. that the
newcomer, who had been away a dozen
years and over, was of a mighty stature,
tall and straight and dark as young
Indian, and, as the doctors wife said
the next day, in telling how he picked
up the hymn book that she dropped,
young Cover had the courtesy Of a
prince.
Now, Cousin Anne, what do you
know about a prince" asked Marian
Temple, who lived with her in a sort Of
adopted fashion.
The traditional prince said Mrs.
Phillips.
'The traditional prince isn't lovely
king said Marian counting her threads
Let us say a knight, them laughed
the elder lady.
Why not say an American citizen?'
'Oh, you are so prosaic, Marian. When
] was your age | had some romance
about me. | liked to hear Of princes
and knights and
u think there isn't any romance in
the world to compare to the romance of
plain Amerca-its unknown history Of
unknown races, its waiting all these
ages, its hospitality to adventurous spr.
its these thousand years and more, its
civilization and expansion from one
ocean to another. Oh, yes, she cried,
Strengthening her tall, slender shape
with personal pride. u had rather be
an American citizen than any European
potentate alive
Almost thou dost persuade me- said
voice at the long, open window, and
there stood Harley himself, with DR..
Phillips beside him. >Certainly,' he
said lightly, little later, and after the
necessary tormali'es, you would per-
suade me that | have returned none too
early to take up my citizenship, if it
were not evident that the interests of
the country were so safe in fairer hands.
And he thought: But they are fair
handsp And she thought: He is only
mocker,' and went back to her needle.
ut must be hypnotism,' said he, THAT
makes me believe the Wisshisson is
lovelier than the Rhine, the village
mseting house statelier than the West
minister, the sidewalk here gayer than
the asphalt over there; the gap of Bell
Mountain yonder grander than the Sim,
plon Pass Let him say what he would
now; she saw only badinage 1t it all.
He is only mocker,' she said when
any Of the admiring coterie repeated his
words from time 10 time. But she said
it to herself.
Perhaps it was this reluctant attitude
of hers, in distinction to that of other
damsels which piqued Harley Cover,
and made him, on one pretext or an
other, an almost daily visitor at the
doctors, where Marian received him
with that cool Indifference with which
fine manners are not unacquainted.
She is like mint-julep,' he said
once to the doctors wife, apropos of the
matter. All fire and ice and sweet
ness. No, no, that is profanity! She
is like an iceberg bearing down at sea
to wreck the sailor. She is statue cut
in lce,' he said with a mock shiver, ,full
of an awful, cold beauty. Like one of
the moon and ice visions | used to see
in winter In the Bell Mountain gap.
Ice,' he continued. does not always
freeze. l have seen it burn in tie lab
ratory. | mean to make this ice burn
Take care, said Mrs. Phillips, 1T is
quite within the bounds of posi- bility
that you may get burned YOURSELF
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