The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-01-03

were about his neck and her kisses raining
on his face. Harry could scarce unsadd!e
his horse and stable him for the caresses
of the happy mother and sisters. And the
questions they piled him with were innu
merable.
Where did you come from?"
| When did you leave Albany
How long are you going to stay%
Where have you beenT'
Hold on. for goodness, mercy sake.
laughed Harry. Don't make your string
of questions so long that l shall not re-
member the order in which they come:
Give me time to put my horse away, and
/ will answer ALL
rs that your horse. Harry" asked
Laura, accompanying her brother TO the
stable.
Yes; go in the house. child. 1t is grow
ing colder and you will be frozen"
| Where did you get him, Harry
| Don't ask so many questions" returned
| the irritated brother, and on one pretext or
another he put her of until his horse was
stabbed, groOmed and fed, then went to the
house with the happy child elinging to his
! arm and prattling all the time.
| Where did you come from, Harry
his mother asked when he had entered the
house and greeted the grandfather, who
sat in his corner "Surely You did not come
direct from Albany?' The question was
| too pointed to admit of any evasion, and
| Harry answered:
Il came from Marietta"
From Marietta? Why did you go a
| hundred miles out of your way?" asked
| Mrs. Granger.
II went there to deliver n message TO
Col. Burr, but he had already gone to
Washington"
Grandfather Granger shook his head in
disapproval and murmured:
"Oh, Harry, Harry Why don't We get
.Nff TlFf t..hn pf hat
Don't alarm yourself. grandfather. /
know what am about"
Afraid you don't, boy; afraid you
don't" sighed the old man, shaking his
white head sagely. But it's the way with
young blood. It's too rash, too bold. too
trusting. They believe all they hear; they
think man honest because he has a
smooth tongue and soft voice. They for
get that that the devil had the softest
voice, the smOothest tongue and the most
Brilliant eye of any of the creation"
'Grandfather, you don't understand
me-" declared Harry.
mo, | don't. You are too mysterious"
perhaps | am. But you must remem-
Der, grandfather, that it is impossible for
me to explain all now. There are certain
business secrets one is not expected to
tell
do ye fully understand what you are
| about, my boyT"
Harry was forced to admit to himself
that he did not, but he avoided the keen
interrosatories by asking questions leading
from the subject, and the old man closed
his eyes and became silent.
His mother meanwhile prepared supper,
and when it was over, he sat by her SIDE
trying TO instill in her doubling soul some
of the warmth and enthusiasm which he
felt in the mysterious undertaking.
What is this enterprise, Harry" she
asked.
Mother. / cannot explain" he an
swered. at is too grand. too magnificent
for us to comprehend. Think, mother, of
your son titled nobleman in the greatest
empire of the New World"
Harry, your father loved republics. He
despised kings, monarchies and despot-
ism"
Mother, the past generation could not
see as we now do. They had their preju-
would not give them a representation. But
in this we are to be represented. | am
assured that 1 shall have one of the high
est places"
"Where is this new kingdom to be set
up?" the mother asked.
Il do not know
"And whenT
81 only know that it will be at an early
date. Nothing will be done until Spring
opens, however"
There was few moments silence,
broken only by the click of the busy
housewives knitting kneedles. Then she
asked:
Who is Mt the head of this business"
The youth glanced at his grandfather, |
TO be assured that the old man was sleep |
ing, and said in a low tone:
Col. Burr"
''Your father never liked that man."
Il know father was prejudiced against |
him."
HE believed him dishonest"
Because he disliked him. But, mother |
my dear, good father, whose memory / re- |
we're above all other men, was human, |
after all. He was prejudiced and allowed |
his judgment to become warped"
At this Grandsire Granger reused from |
his nap and said:
young blood is rash; it disdains the ad- |
vice of older heads. Forget not, old men |
for counsel and young men for war;" and |
again he closed his eyes.
Laura, looking up into her brothers |
face, asked:
Harry, is it dangerous?"
Not very" he muttered with a smile.
Because if it's at all dangerous, won't
ct you 60"
Harry smiled and stroked his sisters
'ilken curls. Since her fathers death he
had been both elder brother and father to
Ter.
Harry, you must not do anything that
will disgrace YOU" said his mother, after
silence.
do anything that will disgrace me,
mother? How can you talk of my disgrace
ng myself"
There is such thing as political dist
race"
He shrugged his shoulders uneasily and
that he did not see how it was
possible for him to be Jisgraced politically.
There is whisper in the air, Harry"
aid Mrs. Granger, that Aaron Burr con-
emplates treason to this Government"
Mother. you must not believe those
umors. He has often told me they were
tarted by malicious, designing enemies,
nXions to ruin his reputation"
why does he cover all his movements
With mystery, if he is honest in his inten-
ions?" the mother asked.
"A good General never exposes his
'lans," the youth answered. HE keeps
his for purpose"
light. 1t was useless TO try to dispel the &,
elusiOn. Harry seemed so wholly infatu-
ted with Col. Burr that the charm could
lot be broken, and the mother had long
ince given over all hope of dispelling the
eusiOn until the fine-spun plans of Burr ,
lad collapsed in ruin. Then it would be z
90 late to save him, and she could only {
ope and pray. She had exhausted all her ,
rgument and entreaty in vain, and re-
olved not TO spoil the few remaining days
@ could spare with her in useless endeay-
rs to dissuade him from the chief object d
( his life. II
why did you go to Albany this Winter, Y
larry? she asked.
II Il