Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-12-29
CHAPTER Z
THE RETURNED TRAVELLER.

covered table singular object, whose
like none Of those present had ever
seen. They gathered about and bent
over it curiously.
"This is that America" the speaker
repeated. Here you have it, bar
barrie. wonderful, abounding!"
With sudden gesture he swept his
hand among the gold coin that lay on
the gaming table. He thrust into the
mouth of the object before him
handful of louis dor and English
sovereigns. There is your America"
said he. ut 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, .sif the ladies of that land have
feet for this sort of shoon, methinks
we might well emigrate. Take you
the money of 1t. For me, would see
the dame could wear such shoe as
this"
Bah! Pembroke" said Castleton,
pushing up the shade above his eyes
till it rested on his forehead, otis q
child's shoe"
Not So" said the first speaker. II
give you my word tbs the moccasin of
my sweetheart, princess in her own
right. who waits my coming on the
Ottawa. And SO far from the shoe
being too small, say as gentleman
that she not only wore it SO, but in
addition used somewhat Of grass there
in in place of hose"
The earnestness of his speech in no
wise prevented the peal of laughter
that followed.
There you have it, Pembroke"
cried Castleton. Would you move to
land where princesses use hay for
hosiery?'
''Tis curious DONE" said Pembroke,
musingly, none the less"
"And done by her own hand" said
the owner Of the shoe, with certain
proprietary pride.
Again the laughter broke out. do
your princesses engage in shoemak-
ing?" asked third gamester as he
pushed into the ring. Sure it must
be rare land. Prithee. what doth the
king in handicraft? Doth he take to
saddlery, or, perhaps, smith5ng?'
Have done thy jests, Wilson" cried
Pembroke. "Mayhap there is some
what to be learned here Of this new
world and of our dear cousins, the
French. Go on, tell us, Moni;ieur du
Mesne-as / think you call yourself
sir?-tell us more of your new coun-
try Of ice and snow, Of princex;es and
little shoes. -
Tell We more-and if did. would ye
believe IL? What if Istell We IL great
rivers far to the west Of the Ottawa;
of races as strange to my princess
people as we are to them; OF streams
whose sands run in gold, where dia.
monds and sapphires are to be picket
up as We like? II I told We, would "
believer"
The martial hearts and :ldvent,frou.
souls of the circle about him began tt
show in the heightened color ant
closer crowding Of the young men tt
the table. Silence fell upon the group
"Ye know nothing, in this old rot
ten world, of what there is yet to b,
found in America" cried Du Mesne
For myself, / have been no farthe,
than the great falls of the Ontonea
grea-a mere trifle of cataract, gen
tlemen, into which We might pitch you
tallest English cathedral and sink
beyond its pinnacle with cas- e. Yet
have spoke with the holy fathers VIII,
have journeyed far to the westward
even to the vast Messasebe, which i
well known to run into the China Sc,
upon some far-off coast not yet wei
charted. have also read the story o
Sagean, who was far to the west o
that mighty river. Did not the latte
see and pursue and kill In fair fight tn
giant unicorn, tabled of Scripture? I
not that animal known TO be creatur
Of the east, and may we. not. therefore
be advised that this neW country take
hold upon the storiad lands of tn
east? Why, this holy friar with whor
l spoke, fresh back from his vo,-agin
to the cold upper ways Of the no,-ther
tribes, who live beyond the tar-ol
channel at Michilimackinac-dhd b
not tell Of a river of the name Of tn
Blue Earth, and did he not hinasel
see turquoises and diamonds and <,m
eralds taken in handfuls from ahi
same blue earth? All, bah! gentle
men, Europe for you IL We like. br
for me, back | go, so soon as l ma
get proper passage and a come ctio
which will warrant me the vo, rag
Back go to Canada, to Americ .,
the woods and streams. woulot sc
again my ancient Du L'hut. and m
comrade Pierre Noir. and Tete Gri
the trapper from the Mistasing- -frt
traders all. Life is there for thee Ii,
ing, my comrades. This old " iorl,
small and outworn, no more Of i h. K
me-"
''None Of ye know the west" We ut Q
the coureur. "Your Virginia, we kn0
well of tia collection Of be; kar
prostitutes and thieves. Your Ne
England lot Of cod-fishing, ste rv1u
snivelers, who are most conc erne
how to keep life in their bodies. frol
year to year. New France herse h, ST
ting ever on the edge Of an icy dealt
with naught but chickering's at IQueb,
and naught but reluctant complain,
from Paris-what hath she to hope?
tell We, gentlemen, tits beyond. in IL
land of the Messasebe, where. ! sha
for my part seek out my home; al
no man shall set iron on my so,
again.
He snolte, hitterlv The orr uys aho,