Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-03-30

]I~1OR some time the two in the
coach rode in silence. The way,
IH when they had left the clus-
~ tered shipping of the town be-
hind them, wound along the reed rim
med bank of the river where plethoric
crows cawed to their mates. The after
noon had come with vivid sky burn
ing to Il char on the horizon. The
young secretary gaZed out of the open
window, and through it the wind came,
sweet with the clean smell of dry grass.
Anne stole side glance from under
dropping lids.
"You are deeply occupied, monsieur"
she said Mt length, with lurking
thread of sarcasm. 81 should not mar
vel since all Virginia lies just outside"
He threw her smile that softened
his clean cut mouth and lightened his
eyes. Cali Virginia is not outside the
window-for me, mademoiselle."
With woman it is the new sensa-
ton which captivates. Mistress Tillot-
Son had been used enough to pretty
speeches. The beaus of half Virginia
had recited quatrains to her fan. Here
was an unaccustomed subtlety.
yet your eyes were there" she re-
Joined. Had your thought fled still
farther? OVERSEE, mayhap?"
He met her look full eyed. "Shall
tell you of what was thinking?
have seen many fair ladies in my own
land, gracious and kind belize, but
few whose charity could reach to an
4 object so far beneath them as n bond
woman; fewer yet whose graciousness
would lead them to sue for pardon
from stranger-like me-"
a." she answered more lightly, twas
thinking of how the frost has set the
woods afire. Saw you ever such copper
reds and russell Colds? And those
wedges of pink rock-they have the
look of raspberries crushed in curdled
milk. God is spendthrft of his lues."
The country through which they
passed was hung with the marvellous
colors which Nirginian autumn Law
ishes so prodigally. There We're the ma
room Of the wild rose stalk, the ripe
brown seams of butternut bark and the
shifting tints the sun lends the frosted
alder, the gray lichen and bronze fir
| splotched with scarlet creeper and stip-
pied MOSES like saffron butterflies
Here and there showed the splash Of n
bluebird's wing or the vermilion crest
Of a kingfisher.
at is very fair" he said, "as it
should be-"
Again silence fell, while the road
swung across forest stretches, under
| springing roofs through which the sky
swan in dazzles
At last she spoke demurely:
"And Of what else were you think
ing, monsieur?"
81 was thinking what you are most
1 like. Some indies are like snow noun
tains that stand very far off, white
and beautiful, but cold-so cold you
cannot warm them, and so high. Some
are like blossoms, sweet and perfumcd,
made for only a nosegay in the even
ing. When the sun is hot they wither.
Some are like song that one hears
and thinks lovely-hums it awhile and
forgets."
"And which of these am l, sir?"
"You are like a sword-slim and shin
ing and straight and yet delicate 1t
took centuries to make the sword,
mademoiselle. 1t will bend, bend, but
not break. 1t is sharp and cold to all
the world save one-the one who wears
it at his side. But to his touch 1t be-
comes alive to ward him harm, to
guard his life, to keep his honor"
"An we were truly swords" she
flashed, 1--WE ladies of Virginia, there
were less of bitterness in this fair
colony of ours"
$50 the sword has the temper!" he
cried, his eyes kindling. at is not for
ornament alone! And these troubles
Of the colonies they strike so deeply
then? DO even the ladies of land
such as this feel the sting?"
She gaZcd out toward the low knob
bed hills limned against the deepening
sky, her elbow on the window sill, her
chin in her gloved hand. silent Above
them in sun stained air shrcds of torn
| clouds folded away like dreams. From
near by came the startled 1utter of
field larks and the rustic of ripcning
corn.
The road curved quickly and lurched
into pine forest, where the day filmed
to twilight and the hoofs fell noiseless-
ly into carpet of brown needles. 1t
was Il pleasant way, full of mingled
odors all strangely pure and agreeable,
where clamorous wood things piped to
4 musical silence
"'Tis not all Virginia, after all, that
one sees here, monsieur" she said slow
ly after time. Far to the west of us
is a vast region, raw, full veined and
Of scattered tenants. There are great
mountain peaks and ravines, wastes
waiting seed and hoe, plateaus and
woodlands where the musket and the
ak are never silent. Deer run in the
brake. Wolves race along the ridges.
There strong men have lived and
toiled and fought back the savages
and cleared themselves homes. Their
children have grown up unyielding like
the granite in the mountains heart, I'M
trammeled like its torrents And this
life amid the silences has taught them
Justice that may not be bought,
strength that knows neither fear nor
favor. The region you see here, mon:
sieur, to this great weave speak of is
but the raveled edge.
Here broad rivers run brackish with
tidewater, and ships lie at the wharfs.
They bring to our manor houses all of
luxury and refinement which Virginia
tobacco can buy. And here the planters
for Virginia was first settled by gen
tlemen, monsieur = choose to put on
courtliness and dress in gold lace and
make bit Of London for themselves
OIL the edge Of the wilderness.
Just beyond those hills to the south
ward is Williamsburg, the capital they
have built. 1t has college and a
court. There the cocks are ever fight
ing, the horses are ever running, the
hddles are ever playing, and there in
his palace sits the royal governor his
majesty is pleased 10 put over his colo
mails, levying on their leaf and sheer