The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1901-08-03

NHAvERICK'S sail came slipping
lvI down the creek in the hour be-
fore dawn. There was an arc of
growing light in the east with Jupi-
ter shining white above.
He had been to the county town to
try to raise money on his last bit Of
land, of which the waves were MAX
ing an island before plotting it out
altogether.
When estates were to be had for
the asking. the first Maverick could
go 20 miles on his own domain. He
built the church of st. Deny's, B &
M, that is still standing, and gave
the glebe lands; he abhorred q
Puritan, upheld the authority of the
king and the lord proprietary, signed
his name with q cross, and left to his
articled servant, Haines, such unman-
ly employment as reading and writ
ing. Master and man lived in 1640,
before the men from Nansemond
made trouble in camp and state.
After 1776, Maverick of the fourth
generation was q loyalist impover-
ished by . patriotic Haines. who
through cleverness at statecraft
had come to . responsible position,
and who had married the daughter of
colonial dignitary. In marriage .
Haines had ever . taste for alliance
with his betters; several spinster
brides had aided their rising fortunes
with the influence of . name.
The matrimonial ventures of .
Maverick were brought about by the
attraction of the moment. A milk
maid, or . girl from wayside INN
made a charming bride, providing she
had the beauty and brilliance Of
youth
Haines' statesmanship of the pres
emit day had narrowed to county poll
ticsand q controlling hand over lucra-
tive Offices; while Maverick earned .
scant living from the water and from
the few acres he had left. Something
more by inheritance still remained to
him-a contempt for books, two tank
ards with well-worn thumb pieces, =
superstitious reverence for the hos
pitality of his poor house, and an un-
impaired hatred of Haines.
He kept careless hand on the till
er, and went over the news he had
heard in town: Haines, who was
county treasurer, had defaulted. His
political opponents were in power,
even the judges on the bench were
against him; he was fugitive, with
the certainty of vigorous justice be-
fore him. He might have got out Of
the country II he had not risked his
freedom for the sake of sick child,
. SON whom he dearly loved.
Maverick recalled the tax gather
er's petty prosecutions over his own
insignificant 1.-THE. He summed up an
account of generations, and laughed
at the result.
As his keel dragged the sand, his
wife ran down through the half light
to the edge of the water. She was
small and very young, and she ran
on tiptoe, beating the air with hel
hands as II buoying her movements
Eagerness shone in her eyes and IN
the trembling Of her compressed lips
He had married after the custom Of
his people, and in her he worshipet
youth and beauty in the concrete.
She pushed him away and turned
from his kiss to ask:
did the man let you have thu
money!"
"No."
She skipped from one foot to III,
other:
srve got It. can do better'n 70.
by staying home."
ssWhat?"
eve got the money. Hurry up"
Maverick made the boat fast, and
ramaged In the locker for his pur
chases.
.what difference does IL maxi
about the old boatf Hurry, hurry
He swkwsrdly united : packag'
and held . red ribbon and some min
sticks above her head.
''What1l you give for them7"
Here she said. impatiently. an
lifted her fscesto kiss him. ~Don't yo'
see the sun71 be mp in less than .,
hour2 Come up to the house. There
the money for the mortgage on tn
room fioor.~
Re followed her up the path. 81
signed to him TO walk softly and b
Initiated her Night uotiops, The inne