Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-26
A Historic Marriage
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BY Mary Johnston.

u t--stIOChS WHICH came 1fCTn England
to De mated TO viz. MIA settlers. It is
upon one of these strange maria ges
that Nary Johnston's latest book, TO
Have and to Hold" published by
houghon MifIiin e Co., is founded. The
following chapter from this book de-
scrlbes the marriage of her hero and
heroine, and in a way describes all Of
thai bit of romantic history in James
town history. z = Before the ar
rival of yesterdays ship there had been
III this natural Eden Geaving the saw
ages out Of the Teckonin2) several
thousand Adams. and but some three
score Ewes. And for the most part, the
Eyes were either portly and busting
or withered and shrewish housewives.
o. age and experience 10 defy the SER
rent. These were different. Ninety
slender figures decked in all the brav-
cry they could assume; 50 cOmely
faces. pink and white, or clear brown
with the rich blood showing through;
80 pair of eyes, laughing and alluring,
or Gowncast with long fringes sweep
ing rounded cheeks; So pair of ripe red
Hps-the crowd shouted itself hoarse
and would not be restrained, brushing
aside like straws the slaves of the mar
shall and his men. and surging in upon
the line of advent urous damsels.
Way for the governor" cried the
marshal. shame on you, my mas
tsrs! Way for his honor and the wor-
shipful counci1.''
The three wooden steps leading
down from the door of the governors
home suddenly blossomed into Grim
son and gold, as his honor, with the
attendant councillors, emerged from
the hall and stood staring at the mob
below.
The governors honest moon face
was quite pale with passion. What a
devil is this?'' he cried, wrathfully.
Did you never see a woman before?
Where's the marshal? I'll imprison
the last one of you for rioters.'
Upon the platform of the pillory,
which stood in the center of the mar
ket place, suddenly appeared man of
gigantic frame, with a strong face
deeply lined and great shock of griz-
zled hair-a strange thing, for he was
not old. l knew him to be one Master
Jeremy Sparrow, a minister brought
and as yet without a charge, but at
that time L had not spoken with him.
Without a word of warning he thun-
dered into a psalm of Thanksgiving,
singing it at the top of powerful and
yet sweet and tender voice, and with
feryor and exaltation that caught the
heart of the riotous crowd. The two
ministers in the throng took up the
strain; Master Pory added a husky
tenor. eloquent of much sack; present
" we were all singing. The audacious
siIitors. charmed into nationality, fell
back. and the broken line reformed.
The governor and the council descend
ed. and with pomp and solemnity took
their places between the maids and
the two ministers who were to head
the column. The psalm ended, the
drum beat laundering roll, and the
procession moved forward in the di-
Iection of the church.
Master Pory having left me, to take
his place among the brethren of the
council. and the mob of those who had
come to purchase and of the curious
idle having streamed away at the heels
OF the marshal and his officers, found
myself alone in the square, save for the
singer, who now descended from the
piliory and came up to me.
Capt. Ralph Percy, if l mistake
not?" he said, in voice as deep and
rich as the bass CT an organ.
The same 1 answered. And you
are Master Jeremy Sparrow
Yea, silly preacher-the poorest,
meekest and lowliest of the Lords
servitors."
His deep voice, magnificent frame
and bold and free address so gave the
lie TO the humility of his words that
had much ado to keep from laughing.
He saw. and his face, which was of
cast most martial, flashed into a smile,
like sunshine on a SCARED cliff.
You laugh in your sleeve he said,
good-humoredly. land yet l am but
what l profess to be. In spirit / am
very Job, though nature hath seen fit
to dress me as a Samson. / assure you.
] am worse misfitted than is Master
Nardstick yonder in those Falstaffian
hose. But, good sir, will you not go to
church?''
The long service of praise
and Thanksgiving was well-nigh over
when | first saw her.
She sat some ten feet from me. in the
corner. and so in the shadow of a tall
pew. Beyond her was a row of milk
maid beauties, red of cheek, free of eve.
deep-bosomed and beribboned like
Maypoles. i looked again. and saw
and sea rose amongst bowed pop
pies and peonies, pearl amidst glass
beads. a Perdita in a ring of rustics 2
nonparella of all grace and beauty!
AS l gazed with all my eyes, l found
more than grace and beauty in that
wonderful face-found price, wit. fire.
determination, finally shame and an
ger. For. feeling my eyes upon her.
she looked up and met what she must
have thought the impudent stare of
an appraiser. Her face, which had
been without color. pale and clear
like the sky about the evening star,
went crimson in a moment. She bit
her lip and shot at me one whitening
glance. then dropped her eyelids and
hid the lightning. When 1 looked at
her again, covertly, and from under
my hand raised as though to push
back my hair. she was pale once more,
and her dark eyes were fixed upon the
water and the green trees without
the window.
The congregation rose, and she |
stood up with the other maids. Her
dress of dark wooden, severe and I'M
adorned. her close ruff and prim |