Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-11-08
NUMBER 45.

either ....f,.ly Il :..c -O,raor's IN
or s.lniins cu;siGc on i!pioe viii IN
terest.
! sat waiting for some time holding
my restiye horse as best mi.hi. lat
there coming no cessation In lie nu-
sic, dismounted. and seeing one OF
Madam Cavendish's black mcn, gave
him the bride to hold and went up to
the house and entered. though not in
my plum colOred velvet, and indeed be-
ing not only in my ordinary clothes. but
somewhat splashed with mire from my
mad gallop through the woods. But |
Judged rightly that I'm so much Of
crowd should pass unnOticeI both as to
myself and my apparel. stood in the
great room near the door and watched
the dance, and twas rs brilliant
scene as ever | had seen anywhere
even in England The musicians In
the gallery were saving away for
their lives on violins and working
breathlessly at the hautboys and all
that gay company Of Nirginia's best
spinning about in country dance or
old England. Such brave show Of
velvet coats and breeches and flow
cred brocade waistcoats and powder
ed wigs and feathers and laces and
ribbons and rich haunts OF petticoats
revealing I'm the whirl Of the dance
clocked hose on slender ankles and
high heeled satin shoes would have
done no discredt 10 the court.
But of them all Mistress Mary Cav
endisI was the belle and the star. She
was iancing with my Lord Estes
when | entered. and such goOdly
couple they We're that | heard many
an exclamation of delight from the
spectators who stood thickly about
the walls. tl:r w.lucws even Deng
filed with faces of black and white
servants. My Lord Estes was hand
some dark man. ha"dSomer and older
than Sir Humphrey Hyde. who, though
dancing with the governors daughter
Cate. had. could see, a rueful eye or
watchfulness toward Mary Caven-
dish.
AS he and Cate Culpeper swung past
me. Sir Humphreys eyes fell on my
face and he gave start and blush,
and presently. when the dJrse was
over and his partner seated. came up
to NE with hand extended as If had
been the noblest guest there. Harry,
Harry" he whispered eagc"!y. sac
hath danced with me three tiiles to-
night and hath promised again; and,
Harry. saw you ever any one so beau
tiful as she in that blue dress:'
| answered truthfully that ! never
had. Sir Humphrey. in his blue velvet
suit with tie silver buttons. with his
rosy face and powdered wig. was one
to look ut twice and yet again. ana |
regarded him. rs always. with that lik-
ing for him and that fury "f i"".JIS%.
| looked at him and loved ....A as
might have loved my son. with such
sweet ana brave honesty Of simplicity
he eyed me and for the sake OF Mary
Cavendish. who might find his love for
her precious. and | wished with all my
heart that might ding him 10 the floor
where he stood. Every nerve and mus
Gle in me tinged with the restraint or
the desire. for such an enhancement
of a woman's beauty as was Mary
Cavendishs that night will do away
with the best instincts Of men wheth-
er they will or not.
The next dance was the minue;. and
Mary Cavendsh danced Ii with my
Lord Culpeper, the governor OF VIZ
einla. The governor, though | liked
him not. was most personable man.
with much grace of manner which had
additional value from a certain harsh
ness of feature which led one not 10
expect such suavity, and lie was clad
most richly in such n dazzle OF gold
broidery and ding of yellow laces and
glitter Of buttons as could not be sur
passed.
Ny lord was in fact clad much more
richly than his wife and daughter,
whose attire. though fair enough, was
not of the freshest. 1t was my good
luck to overhear my Lady Culpeper
telling in no very honeyed tones Il gos-
sip of hers. the lady OF one Of the
burgesses. that her goods for which she
had sent to England had mIscarried,
and were ii not for the fact that there
was whisper OF fever on the ship she
would have had the captain herself for
q good rating. and bad my Lord Cul-
peper not been for him, saying that the
man was of an honest record, she
would have had him set in the stocks
for his remlssness that he had not seen
to it that her goods were on board
when the ship sailed.
[fo BE CONTINUED