The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-07-27
A Prince of
Highwayr1lctl
By KATHARINE lyman
lcopyIIgAt. bg Joseph 3. Dowlosl

CCopyright, by Joseph b BowlosO
was a born turbulent. l suppose, the
child Of my hard-ridlng. matchmaking
father rather than Of my gentle moth
er. II my father had lived things had
been better with me, for | remember
his great Jolly laughter when | had
behaved 81, or so my mother thought,
yet out of mere childish roguery and
daring rather than with evil intent
He was not many months dead wnen
my brother Aymer was born.
People used to wonder that we could
be sprung OF one stock-I 50 dark, he
so fair; / so rude and Wild in my ways,
he all gentleness,
was ever lusty. and as the years
passed l grew strong as young colt
and unmanageable as one yet un
bitted.
He, on the other hand, kept his fair
delicacy OF look. and was somewhat
frail of health which made another
reason for my mothers loving him.
since she blamed herself that excessive
GRIEF for my father had weakened the
unborn child.
was lonely till my cousin Joan
came. Her mother, Dame Winchester,
was my mothers sister. and now both
were widowed. Therefore they thought
wei Of housing their grief under one
roof
But these are childish things. and let
me on to the time OF the great war
My mother was dead before those
evil dnys hefell, or else she had died
of them. perhaps, as many "a loyal lady
did. And even at the last, dear soul,
she LEFT a barbei wound in my heart,
for, said she to me, in those last pre-
cious hours while we yet kept her:
Roger, my son, do you love your cou-
sin Jcang
II know not, dearest" said I, and
Redeemed. even at that moment. for
was a callow, rough lad, and would
have been ashamed 10 think upon love.
She laid her thin hand on mine, and
] thought she would have kissed me,
for we had drawn closer during her
illness, but what she said was:
Listen, Roger. II Aymer loves her.
too. as / fear he does. let Aymer wed
her, You viii forget, You will go out
in the world among other men and
Will see other ladies 20 love You are
strong aad valiant. my son; he is gen
tie and delicate, Let him have his
love-"
l did not discreditably, and for my
part in certain exploits came TO be
known as Mad Maiuwaring."
But, alack! those glories were well
over, and here was l. ragged cavalier,
with but my horse, my sword and my
little dog. And ere joined some gay
friends of mine, who were making war
in another fashion. a great hunger
came upon me to look upon the home
OF my childhood. 10 see that which
had renounced. and visit once again
my mothers grave.
I turned my face westward. there
fore. and rode night and day, tin the
watery sunset of spring evening
/ showed me Kings Beeches, with It's
turrets and chimneys black against the
sky.
The window was open and some one
was singing. a ripe voice. which | was
slow to recognize as that Of my rro-
ther Aymer
With the song went the thin music
of a spinet. | hoisted myself by my
hands on the window sill. yet. ere /
had looked within, knew what /
should see.
My brother, dressed soberly, yet with
richness, leant by the spinet which my
cousin Joan was playing
Several years had gone. and some
thing almost matronly had come upon
my cousins beauty, something so noble
and so tender that must swear .or-
ever no woman's beauty were perfect
! lacking that The waves OF her chest
nut hair we're rolled away from the
pure outline OF her face. could see
her little ears and the fun, milky
throat below the golden head.
For an instant | feasted on her beau.
ty. Then my eyes wandered 20 my
brother. lie looked less slight than OF
old, but his Apollo grace and fairness
which used to think unbecoming a
man, had not deserted him.
The whole scene was so peaceful. 30
full OF home. that Il made his heart
ache who had doomed himself to be
homeless. And then thought cane
10 me that sent the blood surging 10
my head. Why, H. was a home scene
l looked upon, and this pair, with their
happy quietude, we're no lovers oxcep,
welded onesl
/ had willed II so. or the dead mad
willed II for me; yet | turned 10 the
night with an oath on my lips and
despair IN my heart, for never until
then, / think. had / realized my love
for my cousin. And 80. swearing
would not come again, lest worse be-
fan, strobe on 70 the dell IN the wood
where my Saiadin paved the ground
and nGlghed the way | bad taken.
We. gentlemen Of the road. drop OUT
OF the world we once knew, as much
az If we were dead
TWO years aid Tom selby, Dick La
vader and myself lead the highway
mans life, and II / said IL had not
things to recommend Il should err.
There came a night rode alone. as
fate would hive IL, and was scarce