The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-15
BOOK I-ENGLAND
CHAPTER !.
The Returned Traveller.

cHAPTERl
The Returned Traveller.
''Gentlemen, this is American
The speaker cast upon the cloth covered
table a singular object, whose like none
of those present had ever seen. They
gathered about and bent over 1t curiously.
''This is that America the speaker
repeated. Here you have 1t, barbaric,
wonderful aboundng!
With sudden gesture he swept his hand
among the gold coin that lay on the gam
ing table He thrust into the mouth Of
the object before him handful Of louis
dor and English sovereigns. There Is
your America" said he. TT runs over
with gold No man may tell its richness
ITS beauty you cannot imagine"
Faith" said Sir Arthur Pembroke
bending over the table with glass In eye,
''if the ladies Of that land have feet for
this sort Of shoon. methinks we might
well emigrate. Take you the money of it..
For me, would see the dame could wear
such shoe as this
One after another this company OF
young Englishmen, hard players, hard
drinkers. gathered about the table and
bent over to examine the little shoe. 1t
was an Indian moccasin, cut after the
fashion Of the Abenakis, from the skin Of
the wild buck, fashioned large and full
Tor the spread Of the foot covered deep
with the stained quilts Of the porcupine,
and dotted here and there with the pre-
c1ous beads which, to the maker. had
more worth than any gold. A little flap
came up for cover to the ankle, and a
thong fell from it's upper edge. 1t was
the ancient foot Of the red race
OF America, made for the slight but eff
xectual protection of the foot, while CIV
ing perfect freedom to the tread Of the
wearer. Light. dainty and graceful, its
size was much less than that Of the aver
age woman's shoe of that time and place.
bah! Pembroke" said Castleton, push
Ing up the shade above his eyes till it rest
ed on his forehead tits g. child's shoe. j."
mot so,' said the first speaker. Il
give you my word It's the moccasin of my
sweetheart, q princess in her own right,
who waits my coming on the Ottawa. And
so far from the shoe being too small, I say
asa gentleman that she not only wore it SO,
but in addition used somewhat OF grass
therein in place Of hose
The earnestness of this speech in NO
wise prevented the peal Of laughter tina,
followed.
There you have it. Pembroke" cried
Castleton. Would you move to a land
where princesses use hay for hosiery"
"'Tis curious DONE" said Pembroke
anusingly. none the less"
"And done by her own hand" said the
owner Of the shoe, with q certain pro
prietary pride.
Again the laughter broke. out. do YOU
princesses engage in shoemaking?" asked
q third gamester as he pushed into thu
ring. Sure 1t must be rare land
Prithee, what doth the king in handicraft
I Doth he take to saddlery, or, perhaps
smithing?"
Have done thy jests, Wilson, erie,
" Pembroke. 'Mayhap there is somewha
to be learned here Of this new world an,
Of our dear cousins the French. Go on
tell us, Monsieur du Mesne--as I thin)
you call yourself, sir?-tell us more o
your new country Of Ice and snow, o
princesses and little Shoes
The original speaker went a bit sullen
what with his wine and the jests of hi
companions. 'I'll tell We naught." sal
he. go see for yourselves, by leave O
Louis"
"Come now" said Pembroke, conciliat
ingly. We'll all admit our Ignorance
',Tis little we know of our own province G
Virginia, save that Virginia is land c
poverty and tobacco. Wealth-faith,
We have wealth in your end Of the con
tinent, tbs time we English fought y
for it,
''Meth1nks you English are havin
enough to do here close at home,' sneere
Du Mesne. Il have heard somewhat {
Steinkirk. and how We ran from the hall
Dark looks followed this bold speecl
which cut but too closely to the quic
of English pride. Pembroke quelled tt
incipient outcry with calmer speech.
Peace, friends" said he. "'Tis n,
arms we argue here. after all. We al
but students at the feet Of Monsieur q
Mesne, who hath returned from foreie
parts. Prithee, sir, tell us more
Tell We more-and If I did, would
believe it? What fl tell We of great RI
ers far to the west of the Ottawa; Of rae
Is strange to my princess people as '
are to them; of streams whose sands r,
In gold, where diamonds and sapphir
are to be picked up as We like? If I to
We. would We beleve?''
The martial hearts and adventure
souls OF the circle about him began
show In the heightened color and clos
croWding OF the young mon to the tab
Silence fell upon the group.
Eye know nothing, in this old rott
world, Of what there is yet to be found
America" cried Dus Mesne. For myse
I have been no farther than the ere
falls Of the Ontoneagrea-a mere. tri1e
a cataract, gentlemen, into which
might pitch your tallest English cathedl
and sink it beyond it's pinnacle with ca!
Yet have spoke with the holy fathe
who have journeyed far to the westwal
even to the vast Messasebe. which is W
known run INTO inc china sea- up
some oft coast not vet well chart,
have also read the story of Sagean, W
was far to the west Of that mighty riv
Did not the latter see and pursue and
In fair fight the giant unicorn. fabl
of Scripture7 Is not, that animal kno'
to be creature of the east, and may
not, therefore, be advised that this n
country takes hold upon the stored lar
Of the east? Why, this holy friar w
whom spoke, fresh back from his voye
ing to the cold upper ways Of the mort
ern tribes, who live beyond the far
channel at Michilimackinac-did he I
tell Of river Of the name Of the b
Earth, and did he not himself see t,
quoise and diamonds and emeralds TAX
In handfus from this same blue ear
All, bah! gentlemen, Europe for you If
like, but for me, back I go, as soon a.
may get proper passage and connect
which will warrant me the voyage. Be
30 to Canada, to America, to the WOO
and streams. I would see again my
4 cient Du Lhut, and my comrade Pie
Noir, and Tete Girls. the trapper from
Mistasing-free traders all. Life is tn
for the living, my comrades. This
world small and OutWorn, no more OF
for me-
"And why came you back to this III
old world of ours; as you loved the n
world 50 much?" asked the cynical vo
of him who had been called Wilson.
by the body of God!'' cried Du Mes
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