The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-12-09
CHAPTER XX.

E said Of my escape from the
80 Tuileries: "It was dream.
How could it have happen
cd?" for the adventures Of my wan
dering fel! from me like garment,
leaving the one changeless passion.
Skenedonk and I met on the ship q
New England minister, who looked
upon and considered US from day to
day. I used to sit in tie stern, the
miles stretching me as rack stretches
flesh and tendons The minister re-
garded me as prostrated by the spider
bite Of that wicked Paris, out Of which
be learned had come by talking to
my Oneida.
The Indian and.I were q queer pair
that interested him, and hen he dis
covered that T bore the man, Of Flea
zar Williams his friendship was sealed
to US. Eunice Williams Of Deerheld,
the grandmother Of Thomas Williams,
was a traditional brand never snatched
from the burning in the minister's
town Of Longmeadow, where nearly
every inhabitant was descended from
or espoused to Williams. Though he
himself was born Storrs, his wife was
born Williams, and I could have lain
at his feet and cried, so open was the
heart Of this good man to a wanderer
rebounding from q family that dis
owned the pretender. He was my vel
come back to America. The breath OF
eastern pines and the resinous sweet
ness Of western plains had not yet
seen. but which drew me so that l
could scarcely wait to land, came to
me with that man. Before the voyage
ended I had told him my whole history
as fer as knew 1t, except the story or
Nine. de Ferrier, and the beginning or
Il was BY no means new to him. 1he
New England Williamses kept a pray
erful eye on that branch descending
through the Iroquois. This transplant
ed Briton returning from his one mem
orable visit to the England Of his fore-
fathers despised my Bourbon claims
and even the French contraction OF my
name.
"What are you going to DO now,
Eleazar?" be inquired.
Hugging my old dream to mEsen.
feeling my heart leap toward that
western empire which must fasctnate
q Young man as long as there remain
any western lands to possess, told
him intended to educate our Iroquols
as soon as could prepare myself to DO
it, and settle them where they coulo
grow into a greater nation.
The man Of God kindled in the face.
He was q dark eyed, square broWed,
serious man, with black hair falling
below his white band HiS mouth bad
a sweet benign expression even when
he ouizzed me about my dsuphinhood.
A New England pastor was fame
that burned for the enlightenment OF
the nations. From that hour It was
settled that I should be his pupil and
20 with him to Longmeadow to finish
my education.
When we landed he helped me to sell
my Babylontsh clothes, except the
white court dress, to which I clung
with tenacity displeasing to him, and
sarb myself in more BETTING raiment
By Skenedonk's hand sent some Of
the remaining gold coins to my mother
Marianne and the chief when he re-
Joined the tribe and went to pass the
winter at St. Regis And by no means
did I forget to tell him to bring me let
ters from De Chaumont's manor in the
spring II any arrived there for me.
How near to heaven the New Eng
land village seemed. with Mount Tom
on the horizon glorious as Mount Zion,
the mighty sweep Of meadow land, the
Connecticut river flowing in great
peace, the broad street Of elms like
some gigantic cathedral nave and in
its very midst q shrine, the meeting
house, double decked with fan topped
windows!
Religion and education were the
nainsprings Of its life. Pastor storrs
worked in his study nearly nine hours
a day and spent the remaining hours
In what he called visitation Of his
flock.
This being lifted out Of Paris and
plunged into Longmeadow was the
pouring Of white bot metal into chill
1nolds. 1t cast me. With seething
and roar Of loosened forces the boy
passed to the man.
Nearly every night during all those
years of changing, for even faithful
ness has It's tides. I put the snufbox
under my pillow, and Nine. de Fer
riers key spoke to my ear. would
say to myself: "The one I love gave
me this key. Did ever sit beside her
on c. ledge Of stone overlooking sunk
en- garden. 30 near that I might have
touched her? Does she ever think OF
the dauphin Louis? Where Is she?
Does she know that Lazarre has BE-
come Eleazar WilnamsY'
The pastors house was fronted with
huge white duted pillars Of wood, up
holding porch roof which shaded the
second floor windows The doors In
that house had short wasted effect
with little panels above and long pan
els below. I had chamber so clean
and small. that / called it in my mind
the monks cell, nearly filled with the
high posted bed, the austere table and
chairs. The whitewashed walls were
bare Of pictures, except painted por-
trait Of Stephen Williams, pastor Of
Longmeadow from IT'S to 1888. Daily
his laughing eyes watched me- as If he
found my pretentions great joke. He
had long nose and a high forehead.
His black hair crinkled, and merry
crease drew its half circle from one
cheek around under his chin to the
other.
Longmeadow did not receive me
without much question and debate
There were Williamses in every 6irec-
ton: disguised. perhaps, for that gen.
GRAFTON, under the names Of Cooley,
stebbins, Golfer, Ely, Hole, and so on.