Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-06-12

Il
that the men were coming to her with
all sorts of extraordinary gifts he
agreed that it would be better that they
should unite in one gift. So II was
agreed that / should buy a ring for
her. And were 1t not that the contribu.
tons were strictly limited to 81 the
purse that Slavin handed her when
Shaw read the address at the farewell
supper would have been many times
filled with the gold that was pressed
upon the committee. There were no
speeches at the supper except one by
myself in reply on Mrs. MAYORS behalf
She had given me the words to say,
and I was thoroughly prepared. else
should not have got through. began
In the usual way:
"Nr. Chairman, ladies and gentle
men, Mrs. Mavor is
But got no further, for at the men,
ton Of her name the men stood on the
chairs and yelled until they could yell
no more. There were over $50 Of them,
and the effect was overpowerlng But
I SGT through my speech. remember
It we'll. 1t began:
Mrs. Mavor is greatly touched by
this mark Of your love, and she will
wear your ring always with PRIDE"
And 1t ended with:
"She has one request to make-that
you will be true to the league and that
you stand close about the man who did
most 10 make 1t. She wishes me to say
that, however far away she may have
to go, she is leaving her heart in Black
Rock and she can think of no greater
Joy than to come back to you again"
Then they had "The Sweet BY and
By" but the men would not join in the
refrain, unwilling to lose a note Of the
glorious voice they loved to hear. Be-
fore the last verse she beckoned to me.
went to her standing by Craig's side
as he played for her.
"Ask them to sing" she entreated. II
cannot bear It,"
Mrs. Mavor wishes you to sing in
the refrain" l said, and at once the
men sat up and cleared their Threats.
The singing was not good, but at the
first sound of the hoarse notes Of the
men Craig's head went down over the
L
Of the days before them when they
would long in vain for that thrilling
voice that scared high over their own
hoarse tones. And after the voices
died away he kept on playing till, half
turning toward him. she sang alone
once more the refrain in n voice low
and sweet and tender, as IL for him
oil kn In LODI
up at her his old smile, full Of courage
and full Of love.
Then for one whole hour she stood
saying goodby to those rough, gentle
hearted men whose inspiration to good
ness she had been for FIVE years. 1t
was very wonderful and very quiet. 1t
was understood that there was to be no
nonsense. and Abe had been heard to
declare that he would throw out any
rotton backed fool who couldn't hold
himself down, and, further, he had en-
Joined them to remember that her arm
wasn't pump handle.
At last they were all gone, all but
her guard OF honor-Shaw. Vernon
Winton, Gcordie, Nixon, Abe, Nelson,
Craig and myself.
This was the real farewell. for,
though in the early light of the next
morning 200 men stood silent about the
stage and as it moved out waved their
hats and yelled madly, this was the
last touch they had of her hand. Her
place was up on the drivers seat be-
tween Abe and Mr. Craig, who held
little Marjorie on his knee. The rest
Of the guard of honor were to follow
with Graeme's team. 1t was Winton's
fine sense that kept Graeme from fol-
lowing them close. Let her so out
alone" he said, and SO we held back
and watched her go.
She stood with her back toward Abe's
plunging four horse team and, steady
ing herself with one hand on Abe's
shoulder, gazed down upon us. Her
smile, her eyes glowing with their own
deep light, and so, facing us, erect and
smiling, she drove away, waving us
farewell till Abe swung his team into
the canyon road and we saw her nc
more. A sigh shuddered through the
crowd, and, with a sob in his voice
Winton said, God help us ALL"
close my eyes and see it all again
the waving crowd of dark faced men,
the plunging horses, and, high up be-
side the driver, the swaying. smiling
waving figure, and about all the noun
tains, framing the picture with their
dark sides and white peaks tipped with
! the gold Of the rising sun. 1t Is pic
ture l love 70 look upon, albeit it calls
up another that l can never see but
through tears.
look across a strip of ever widening
water at group OF men upon the
wharf, standing with heads uncovered
every man hero, though not man
Of them suspects it, least Of all the
man who stands in front, strong, reso-
ute, self conquered, and, gazing long
| think | see him turn again to his
J place among the men Of the mountains
not forgetting, but every day remem-
Dering the great love that came to him
and remembering, too, that love Is not
all. 1t is then the tears come
But for that picture two Of US at least
are better men today.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
A LEAF ADDED TO THE CLOVER.
Near Amsterdam, in 1885, Professor D,