The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-09
Harrys horse resents
Mays lash

/ abOuts and if there were, here are all
/ these English sailors and Captain Ia
| Dor. Why need you stay? Indeed,
| shall be quite safe-and hear, that
must be the last stroke of the bell"
| But / was not TO be moved by whee-
ding. l repeated again that l should
remain where she was. Then She
grown suddenly stern again, withdrew
little from me, but sat still, watching
the unlading with gravity which gave
me a vague uneasiness. l began to
have feeling that here was more
than appeared on the surface. and my
suspicious grew as / watched the sail
ors lift those boxes which were sup
posed to contain Mistress Mary's
fnery. In the first place. there were
enough of them to contain the ward
robe of lady in waiting; in the second
place. they were of curious shape for
such purposes; in the third place, twas
all those lusty English sailors could do
to lift them.
"They be the heaviest furbelows that
ever maiden WORE" l thought as /
watched them strain at the cases, both
hauling and pulling, with many men
to the ends to get them through the
hatch, then ease them to the deck,
with regard to the nipping of fingers.
I noted, too, an order given somewhat
privately by Captain Tabor to put out
the pipes. ana noted that not one man
but had slowed his away.
There was bride path leading
through the woods to Laurel Creek,
and by that way, to my CONSERVATION,
Mistress Mary ordered the sailors to
carry the cases. Twas two miles in
land, and l marveled much to hear
her, for even should nearly all the
crew go, the load would be a grievous
one, it seemed to me- But to my mind
Captain Calvin Tabor behaved as if
the order was one which he expected.
Neither did the sailors grumble, but
straightway loaded themselves with the
cases raised upon a species of hurdles
which must have been provided for the
purpose and proceeded down the bride
path, singing to keep up their hearts
another song even more at odds with
the day than the first
The captain marched at the head of
the sailors, and Mistress Mary and I fol-
lowed slowly through the narrow aisle
of green. j rode ahead. and often pulled
my horse to one side, pressing his body
hard against the trees that / might
hold back a branch which would have
caught her headgear. All the way we
never spoke When we reached Laurel
Creek, Mistress Mary drew the key from
her pocket, which showed to me that
the visit had been planned should the
ship have arrived. She unlocked the
door, and the sailors, no longer singing,
for they We're well nigh spent by the
journey under the heavy burdens, de-
posted the cases in the great room.
Laurel Greek had belonged to Mistress
Mary's maternal grandfather. Colonel
Edmond Lane, and had not been in
habited this many year, not since
Mary was IA baby in arms.
The old furniture still stood in the
accustomed places, looking desolate
with that peculiar desoIateness Of life
less things which have been associated
with man. The house at Laurel Greek
was a fine mansion, finer than Drake
Hill. and the hall made me think Of
England. Great oak chests stood
against the walls, hung with rusting
swords and armor and empty powder
horns. A carved seat was beside the
cold hearth. and in a corner was tall
spinning wheel, and the carved stair
led in a spiral ascent of mystery to the
shadows above.
When the cases were all deposited
in the great room Mistress Mary held
a short conference apart with Captain
Calvin Tabor. and / saw some gold
pass from her hand to his. Then she |
thanked him and the sailors for their |
trouble very prettiiy in that way she |
had which would have made every |
one as willing TO die for her as to car |
~ heavy weights. Then we all filed |
out from the house and Mistress Mary |
locked the door and babe goodby to |
Captain Tabor; then he and his men /
took again the bride path back to the |