Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-12-22

mi away. II Is now scene in
AN new land. Under grove
of mighty trees, the forest
primeval, indeed. on the brow of
hill, gray old manor-house stands
upon grassy lawn stretching down
TO the shining waters of the broad
Potomac. on the edge of the bluff
looking far over the river. is a little
plcasure-house. 1t is late spring in
the Old Dominion.
Philip and Anne Grafton for some
time past have been established in the
ancestral home Of the family from
which her mother sprang, which had
descended to her shortly before.
Though he had given up active serv-
ice in the English navy. out of defer
ence to his wifes feelings, who would
not see him war against her country
men, and who could not bear to think
Of him on that sea which had taken
her grandfather and father as well,
Grafton had retired with the sanction
and approval of the king. His beauti-
FIJI wife and her story had won the
kind heart Of queer little George H.,
and, while loath to lose so good an
officer, he had al last said yes" to
all her pleadings for her husband She
had suffered enough and she was en-
titled to consideration.
From tall masthead, erected on
the sloping lawn, every day futters a
small blue flag, which is especially
under the care OF a certain ancient
mariner of aspect curious and lam
guage quaint. who rolls along the
walks and drives of the Virginia
plantation as if he were still on the
heaving deck of a ship. He answers
to the name of Jabez Slocum, and is
full of strange tales Of distant lands
and teeming seas The children of
the vicinity love him.
Philips neighbors. in common with
this old man. call him Admiral
Grafton" He is. in fact, a rear adj
miral of the blue, and the flag is that
of his rank
In the little summer-house there are
two women The difference between
them is as marked thinks Philip. as
he observes them, himself unseen.
from the porch of the house above, as
when he first saw them in the old
Chateau de Josselin in Brittany in
France. There is but one doll be-
tween them now. It is not Toto nor
any of the demoiselles de Paris This
one has blue eyes like his father and
mother. and the midnight hair of Anne
has been frightened into curly brown
that speaks of Philip. JOsette. who
had been brought from France after
the battle, lneels at her mistress feet
in alteration. From where Grafton
stands he can sec the downy head Of
his young son nesting against the fair
white bosom of his mother. Young
Philip de Rohan Grafton is hungry
but he will not be so long,
The two women break into he
words of familiar song The man
watches ana listens There is a step
behind him lie turns and finds him
self face to face with o,d Jean-Renaud
They sing londor. Do you hear?'
asked Graz On
Yes. mon .our," answered the ,old
man smiiinl.
"Do you NOW what it is they sing?"
PHILIP knows it well, he has heard il
often but still he asks the question,
thinl ing the while of the morning he
first heard il from the children at the
foot of the tower when he asked jean
Remand about it long ago.
Yes, Monsieur IAmiral. It's a
RrotOn crodlo-e1n0 with vhic" the
mothers put their babies TO Sleep
The Two men look and listen. The
two women sing on. The baby sleeps.
There is peace in the land.
THE ENID