Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-04-15
possible to provide seats for the people,
who were consequently obliged to stand
during the exercises, or sit on the grass.
1t was certainly a motley crowd, both

who were consequently oDhged 10 st2ne
during the exercises, or sit on the grass
1t was certainly motley crowd, boil
in its makeup and its appearance. Il
was composed largely of the later settlers
in that part of the state, immigrants MOI
only from the free states, but from
Canada and various countries of Europe
especially Germany. No one who ha:
had experience Of the privations and
struggles incident to making home or
an expanse of "raw prairie' would ex
pect to see company of pioneers
dressed in the height of fashion. Mos'
of the women there wore calico dresses
and for head gear, sunbonnets OF
. shakers. Here and there one might
see bonnet that came originally from
milliner's hand, remnant of former
finery, the style of which usually ante
dated the year in which the wearer came
into the country.
Harry Cotton, as he looked around
him, might perhaps be forgiven thrill
of pride as he glanced at the pretty
young wife hanging on his arm, hel
slim, graceful figure robed in a dainty
buff lawn with a black lace mantle
draped over her shoulders and on hei
head marvel of bonnet in the latest
style from the city of KeOkuk. She wa'
bewitching.
Ginnie was born aristocrat. Aristo
cratic blood ran in her veins, and she
could almost as easily have stopped
breathing as repressed little inward
shudder of disgust rs she looked around
her on the crowd. Dear! dear! it was
not nice looking at all. She had heard
Cotton talk of the dignity of labor, but
she could never see the point. However,
she was too well bred and had too
genuine a respect for her husband, not
to bear herself with becoming gracious,
ness, when he presented her to some OF
his unionist friends among the farmers
and their wives.
1t was an enthusiastic gathering. The
speakers were in dead earnest and EN-
phasized in the strongest terms the duty
of supreme loyalty to the federal gov
ernment on the part of every citizen.
As Cotton had predicted, the speeches
were certainly not to Ginnie's taste,
especially the principal address by the
Virginia preacher. Cotton dared not
look at her when the speaker, who was
fine orator, launched some Of his most
fiery philippics against the men who
were seeking to tear down the best gov.
ernment in the world. But he need
not have given himself any uneasiness;
Mrs. Ginnie, forewarned, was we'll fore
armed. She had made up her mind
beforehand that nobody should convince
her that the South was in the wrong;
those speakers of course would say all
manner of hard things against the
South, but she was not going to believe
a word of their horrid talk. Conse-
auently she was able to listen with COM
parative serenity; famed hersels placidly
and lost some Of Rev. Mr.. Castles most
telling points in taking note of little
funny happenings in her vicinity.
Probably the speeches made about as
much impression on her mind as water
thrown on ducks back avails for wet
ting it.
After the speaking was over, some
one proposed that the loyal men form a
procession and march around the
grounds as an ocular demonstration OF
their strength to all secessionists pres
ent. At first only the men fell into the
line, but presently one enthusiastic
woman took her place in it and called
on others to follow her. Soon there was
long procession Of men and women,
waving hats and handkerchiefs and
cheering loudly for the Union.
The spectacle stirred Cotton deeply as
he stood watching the fast lengthening
line, and when some one in it called out
to him as it was passing near him, "Faii
in, Professor, and show your colors,
he involuntarily started to join them.
But the next moment, Ginnie's small
hand had clutched his coatsleeve and
she whispered eagerly, "Don't, Harry
don't"
For a moment, so strong was the i'm
pulse, Cotton was half tempted to shake
off the clinging fingers; but the next,
remembering that any display in public,
of antagonism between him and his
wife would be neither dignified nor
graceful, he hastily drew her arm within
his and stepped back as the procession
passed on. For almost the first time
since Ginnie's black eyes had smiled on
him, he was half angry with her.
1t was a comparatively small crowd
that failed to fall into line as the long
procession circled around the grounds.
Among them were some OF those pru-
dent people who had refused to "take
sides'' and now sat on the fence, waiting
to see which would "whip", the North
or the South. The more aristocratic
rebels like Judge Harwood had refused
to grace the occasion; but Others were
present, probably from the same motive
that had actuated Ginnie,-curiosity to
see and hear what the "blackies" would
say and do at their grand rally. Some
watched the proceeding with Jeerlng
remarks, others with grave or scowling
looks, thinking perhaps there might be
some difficulty in driving all those
people out of the state, as had been
threatened from time to time.
After all was over, and the people
began to disperse, Cotton stood waiting
by his carriage for Ginnie to exchange a
few words with an acquaintance, when
he heard some one remark behind him
in low voice
"Did YOU observe that the Professor
didn't join the procession? Wonder II
he's gone over to the secesh?"
"Humph! Shouldn't be surprised" ="
was the reply. cat any rate, he's under
| the thumb of that little high stepping
wife of his and, I reckon, darsent say
his souls his own. She's fiercer rebel,
I've been told, than the old Judge him.
self"
Cotton started as if he had been stung.
The blunt remarks flashed upon his
consciousness an aspect of his blind
devotion to his wife that called up the
hot blood to his face. He felt at that
moment there was some truth in that
contemptuous rejoinder.
"You are 80 sober, Harry" said
Ginnie, noticing, soon after she entered
the carriage, his silence and disturbed
looks. "Didn't you enjoy the speeches!
| thought you would, for they were red
hot, sure" she added laughing.
"There was one thing l didn't enjoy,
Ginnie," he answered gravely, after a
pause.
Ginnie's cOuntenance fell. "Were
you displeased with me for keeping you
from joining the procession" she asked
somewhat anxiously.
"You can see, certainly, that it placed
me in mortifying position. Most OF
these people know me as Union man
and when they saw l did not join the