Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-08-31

/ streaming black LOCKS ana burning
beauty of cheeks and catlike shrek
of voice, she was enough to have made
the governor and even the king him
self quail had he been there, and all
i the time that mild husband of hers
was plucking vainly at her gown. But
the men only shouted with laughter,
and presently the woman, with saw
age glare at them, sank into her chair
again and Mistress Allgood went up to
her and the two whispered with hand
some, fiercely wagging heads. Then
entered another woman, after clatter
of horses hoofs in the drive, and she
/, had a presence that compelled all the
men except one to their feet, though
/ there was about her that foolishness
which, in my mind, doth always ham
per the extreme of enthusiasm.
This woman, Madam Tabitha Story,
| was a widow of considerable property,
owning a plantation and slaves. and
she had, as was well known, gone
mad with zeal in the cause of Nathan
iel Bacon and had furnished him with
money, and would herself have fought
for him had she been allowed. But
Bacon, though no doubt with graft
\ tude for her help, had, as I believe is
the usual case with brave men when
set about with adoring women, but
little liking for her 1t was, in faith,
a curious sight she presented as she
entered that hall of Barry Upper
Branch with the men rising and bow
ing low and the other women eying
her, half with defiant glares as of
responsibility on the defense and half
with admiration and comradeship, for
she was to the far front in this re-
bellion as In the other Madam Story
was a woman so tall that she exceed
ed the height of many a man, and she
was clad in black and crowned with
a great hat feathered with sable like
a hearse, and her skin was of white
| ness more dazzling against the black
than any color. Her face had been
handsome had it not been so elongated
and strained out of its proper lines of
beauty, and her forehead was Of a
! wonderful height, a smooth expanse
/ between punches of black curls, and
in the midst was set that curious patch
which she had worn ever since Bacon's
untimely death, it being, as | live.
i nothing more nor less than mourn
ing coach and four horses, cut so cum
ningly out of black paper that 1t was
a marvel of skill
She stared with scorn at the one
black woman approaching her with
the silver tray, then she turned and
stared at Nick Barry, sitting half over
come with drink lolling against the
other. He cast look of utter sheep
ishness at her and then Strengthened
himself and rose like the other men,
and Dick Barry motioned to both OF
the black women to withdraw, which
they did. sinking out darby, both
with a fine rustic of silks.
| Then Madam Story saluted the other
women, though somewhat stif1y, and
Dick Barry, who was never lacking
in a certain gloomy dignity, though
they said him to be the worse Of the
two brothers, stepped forward. Mad
am" he said, Il pray you to be seat
ed" With that he led her with q
courtly air to great carved chair
in which his father had been used to
sit, and she therein, somewhat molli-
fed. her black length doubled on itself
and that mourning coach on her fore
/ head, was wonderful sight.
Then arrived Major Robert Beverly
and another notable man, one of the
burgesses. whose name | do to this
day conceal in consequence of vow
to that effect. and then two more
Then Major Beverly. who was in fact
running greater risks than almost any
I inasmuch as he was clerk of the as
sembly and was betraying more OF
trust, after he had saluted Madam
Story conferred privately with Dick
Barry and my Lord Estes and Parsor
Downs, with this effect
Dick Barry, with such q show of gal
lantry and seriousness as never was
prevailed npon the three ladies to for
give him his discourtesy. but limited
broadly that in an enterprise fraugh'
with so much danger it were best thai
none but the ruder sex should confer
together, and they departed, Mistress
Longman enjoining upon her husband
to remain and deport himself like
man OF spirit, and Mistress Allgood
whispering with sharp hiss into hel
good mans alarmed ear, be noddins
the while in token of assent.
But Madam Tabitha Story paused
on the threshold ere she departed
standing back on her heels with
marvellous dignity and waving one
long, black draped arm. Gentlemen O
Virginia" said she in voice OF sucf
solemnity as I had never heard ex
celled, Il beseech you to remember
the example which that hero who hal
departed set you. beseech you t.
form your proceedings after the fash
ion of those Of the immortal Bacon
and remember that If the time comes