Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-04
BOOK III.-ARRIvINe.

dream. How could II have happened?'
For the adventures of my wandering fell
from me like a garment. leaving the one
changeless passion.
Skenedonk and met on the ship New
England minister, who looked upon and
considered us from day to day. 1 used
to sit in the stern, the miles stretching
me as a rack stretches flesh AM tendons.
| The minister regarded me as Frustrated
by the spider bite of that wicked Paris;out
of which he learned had come, by talking
to my Oneida.
The Indian and were queer pair Tat
interested him, and when he discovered
that bore the name of Eleazar Williams
his friendship was sealed to us. Eunice
Williams of Deerfield, the grandmother of
Thomas williams, was traditional
brand never snatched from the burning,
in the minister's town of Longmeadow,
where nearly every inhabitant was de-
scended from or espoused to a Williams.
Though he himseii was born Storrs, his
wife was born Williams; and coulo have
lain at his feet and cried. so open was the
heart of this good man to a wanderer re-
bounding from a family that disowned
the pretender. He was my welcome back
to America The breath of eastern pines,
and the resinous sweetness of western
plains I had not yet seen, but which
drew me so that 1 could scarcely wait to
land, came to me with that man. Before
the voyage ended had told him my whole
history as far as 1 knew 1t, except the
story Of Madame de Terrier; and the be-
ginning of IT was by no means new to
him. The New England Williamses kept
a prayerfuI eye on that branch descending
through the Iroquoise. This transplanted
Briton, returning from his one memora-
bic visit to the England of his forefath-
ers, despised my Bourbon claims. and even
the French contraction of my name.
What are you going to do now, Flea
zar?" he inquired.
Hugging my old dream to myself, feel
ing my heart leap toward that western
empire which must fascinate a young
man as long as there remain any western
lands to possess, told him / intended to
educate Our IroQuoise as soon as I could
prepare myself to do it. and settle them
where they could grow into greater ma
ton.
The man OIL God kindled in the face.
He was a dark-eyed. square-browed. Sc
rious man, with black hair falling below
his white band His mouth had a sweet
benign expression. even when he quizzed
me about my dauphinhood. A New Eng
land pastor was flame that burned for
the enlightenment of the nations. From
that hour II was settled that 1 should be
his pupil, and go win him to Longmeadow
to finish my education.
When we landed he helped me to sell
my Babylonish clothes. except the white
court dress, to which I chung with tenao-
ity displeasing to him, and garb myself
in more betting raiment BY Slkenedonk'
hand. I sent some OF the remaining gold
coins to my mother Marianne and the
chief, when he rejoined the true and
went to pass the winter at St. Regis. And
by no means did 1 forget to tell him to
bring me leILers from De Chaumont's
manor in the spring, if any arrived there
for me.
How near to heaven the New England
village seemed. with Mount Tom on the
horizon glorious as Mount Zion, the
mighty sweep OF meadow land, the Con-
necticut liver flowing in great peace, the
broad street of elms like some gigantic
cathedral nave. and in its very midst a
shrine-the meeting house, double-decked
win fan-topped windows.
This being lifted out of Paris and
plunged into Longmeadow was the pouring
of white hot metal into chnl moulds. 1t
cast me. With seething and a roar of
loosened forces. the boy passed TO the
man.
Nearly every night during all those
years of changing, for even faithfulness
has it's tides, put the snuffbox under my
pillow and Madame de Terriers key
spoke to my ear. I would say to myself:
1.-THE one love gave me this key. Did /
ever sit beside her on a ledge of stone
overlooking a sunken garden?-so near
that might have touched herl Does she
ever think of the dauphin Louis? Where
is she? Does she know that Lazarre has
become Eleazor Williams?"
The pastors house was fronted with
huge white fiuted pillars of wood, up
holding a porch roof which shaded the
second floor windows. The doors in that
house had a short-yvaisted effect with lit
tie panels above and long panels below
had chamber so clean and small that 1
called In IL my mind the Monks Cell, near
ly filled with the high posted bed, the aus
tere table and chairs. The whitewashed
walls were bare of pictures, except a
portrait of Stephen Williams, pastor of
Longmeadow from Ills to 1888. Daily his
laughing eyes watched me as If he found
my pretensions a great joke. His black
hair crinlled, and merry crease drew
it's half circle from one cheek around
under his chin to the other.
Longmeadow did not receive me with
out much question and debate. There
were Williames in every direction; dis
guised, perhaps, for that generation, un-
der the names Of Cooley, Stebbins Golfer,
Ely. Hole, and so on. A stately Sarah
Williams. as Mrs. Storrs, sat at the head
of the pastors table. Her disapproval
was a force. though ii never manifested
itself except In withdrawal. II Mrs.
Storrs had drawn back from me while
lived under her roof. should have felt
an outcast indeed. The subtle refine
ment Of those L.ongmeadow women was
like the limited sweetness of arbutus flow
er. Breeding passed from generation to
generation. They had not mixed their
blood with the blood of any outsiders; and
their forbears were English yeomen.
threw myself into books as had done
during my first months at De Chaumonts
before grew to think of Madame de Fer
rier. One of those seven years 1 spent at
Dartmouth. But the greater part of my
knowledge I owe to Pastor Storrs. Greek
and Hebrew he gave me to add to the