The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-09-23

DR.. Chantry had told me many things
It fascinated me far more than an
cient history, which my master was
inclined to press upon me.
ssHow can you go back to France
madame"
."That's what I ask myself every day
That life was like strange night
mare. Yet there was our chateau,
Mont-Louis, two or three days jour,
rey east from Paris. The park was 50
beautiful. think Of it and Of Paul."
"And what about this country, ma
dame? Is there nothing beautiful
here?"
sThe fact has been impressed on me,
monsieur, that it does not belong to
me. am an emigre. In city or coun-
try my father and Cousin Philippe
kept me with them. I have seen moth
Ing Of young people except at balls. We
had no intimate friends. We were al
ways going back. ! am still waiting to
20 back, monsieur, and refusing to so
if I must"
After that we met each other as COM
rades meet, and both Of US changed
Ike the face Of nature when the snow
went ard warm winds came.
This looking at her without really ap.
preaching was going on tnnocently
when one day Count de Chaumont rode
up to the manor, his horse and his at
tendant servants and horses covered
with mud, filing the place with a rush
Of life.
he looked me over from head to foot
with more interest than he had ever
before shown.
eve are getting on, we are getting
on! Is it DR.. Chantry, or the little ma
dame, or the winter housing? Our
white blood is very much In evidence.
When Chief Williams comes back to
the summer hunting he will not know
his boy"
'1The savage is inside yet, monsieur" )"
told him. Scratch me and see."
'Not l." be laughed.
stIt is late for thanks, but will now
thank you for taking me into your
house"
"He has learned gratitude for little
favors. That is Nine. de Ferriers
work.
Il hope I may be able to Go some
thing that will square our accounts
That's Dr.. Chantry's work. he is
full Of benevolent intentions, and never
empties himself. When you have
learned all your master knows, what
are you going to dc with it?''
'I am going to teach our Indians"
"Good. You have full days work
before you. Founding an estate in the
wilderness is nothing compared to that
You have more courage than De Chau-
mont"
Whether the spring or the return Of
De Chaumont drove me out, could no
longer stay indoors, but rowed all day
long on the lake or trod the quickeline;
woods. Before old Pierre could get au-
dience with his house accounts De
Chaumont was in Nine. de FerriersI
rooms. inspecting the wafer blotchecl
letter. He did not appear as depressed
as be should have been by the death OF,
his old friend.
"These French have no hearts," /
told DR.. Chantry.
He took off his horn spectacles and
wiped his eyes. responding:
"But they fnd the way to ours7'
Ny master told me few days later
that the count decreed Nine. de Fer
rier must go back to france. He IT,
tended to so with her and push her
claim, and his daughter and his daugt-
te7's gogerness would bear them coul-
pany. Dr.. Chantry and I contemplated
each other, glazing in mutual solemn
ty. His eyes were red and watery, AMI
the nose sharpened its cone.
"When are they going?'' inquired.
''As soon as arrangements for COM
Portable sailing can be made. I wish l
were going back to England. I shall
have to save twenty-five years before
can go, but the fund is started"
If saved a hundred and twenty-five
years 1 could not go anywhere, for
had nothing to save The worthless
ness of civilization rushed over me.
When I was an Indian the boundless
world was mine I could build shell
ter and take food and clothes by my
strength and skill. Ny boat or my
strong legs carried me to all bounda-
rieS.
did not know what allied me, but
chased by these thoughts to the lake,
determined not to so back again to
De Chaumonts house. was sick, and
my mother woods opened her arms.
Before night I penetrated to the heart
Of an island so densely oTerGroWn'
even in spring, when trees had no cur
tains, that you were lost as in thou
sand mile forest. I camped there in
dry ravine, with hemlock boughs IN
der and over me, and next day rolled
broken logs and cut poles and ever
green's with my knife to make lodge.
It was boyish, unmannerly conduct.
But the world had broken to chaos
around me, and I set up the rough
refuge with skill Some books, my
fish line and knife were always in the
boat with me as we'll as box Of tin
der. / could go to the shore, get a
breakfast out Of the water and cook it
myself. Yet al that day I kept my
fast, having no appetite.
1t was very probable that De Chau-
mont's household gave itself no trou-
bic about my disappearance. sat on
my hemlock floor until the gray OF
twilight and studied Latin, keeping
nv mind on the text, save when a
squirrel ventured out and glided bushy
trained and sinuous before me, or the
marble birches, with ebony limbs,
drew me to gloat on them. The white
birch is a woman and a goddess. |
have associated her forever with that
afternoon. All alabaster and ebony
she glows from q distance, as think
ing Of her I saw another figure glow
through the loopholes of the WOODS.