Milford chronicle., 1908-08-14
8 s7E>' SS
Chapter KN
This IS AMERICA, Mr.. ARAnrAoE."

WD occupied Washington.
~ Shirley Claiborne
called for her horse and rode forth to
greet the conquerOr. The afternoon
vas keen and sunny, and she had turn
4 impatiently from a tea to which
e was committed to seek the open
ae call Of the outdoor gods sang in
ht blood. Daffodils and crOcuses lift
ed reIow flames and ruddy torches
fromvery dooryard. She had pinned
a spW Of arbutus to the lapel of her
tan ring coat 1t spoke to her Of
the bluho-' Of the Virginia hills
The youg buds in the naples lowered
ike a mt i'm the treetOps. Towering
over all, lie Incompatible gray Obelisk
climbed tdhe blue arch and brought
St nearer e,th. Washington. the cen
ter Of man'sope, is also in spring the
capital Of thdand Of hearts desire.
With a groo trailing after her, Shir-
ley rode towal Rock creek-that rip
ping murmuug, singing trifle Of wa
ter that laugh day and night at the
margin Of the tautiful city, as though
politics and sttesmanship were the
hugest joke IN le world. The flag on
the Ausuo-Huf8rian embassy hung
at half mast ad symbols Of mourning
11uttered from ne entire front of the
house Shirley ifted her eyes gravely
as she passed Her thoughts flew at
once to the scee at the house Of the
secretary Of stat a week before when
Baron Won Marbf had learned Of the
death of his sovereign, and by aSsocia-
tion she thoughttoo. of Armitage and
Of his look and oice as he said:
Long live the emperor and king!
God save Austria
Emperors and Gngs! They were as
impossible today IS a snOwstorm. The
grave ambassador rs they appeared at
great WashingtQ functions, wearing
their decora tons. always struck her as
being particular distinguished. 1T
just now occurred TO her that they
were all linked t3the crown and scep-
ter, but 81 -utsed the whole mat
ter and boz ueI 2. vo dark ladies in a
passing victoria With the quick little
nod and bright smile that were the
same for these tilted members of the
Spanish ambassadors household as for
the young dauehtes of a western SEN
ator, who dcmocra icaiIv waved their
hands to her from doorstep.
Armitage came again 10 her mind
He had called at the Claiborne house
twice since the seeraary's ball, and she
had been surprised t0 md how fully
she accepted him as am American now
that he was on her own soil. He de-
rived, too, a certain stability from the
fact that the SandesJus Knew him;
he was, indeed am entirely different
person since the Montana senator def
jnitely connected hin with an Amer
lean landscape. She Lad kept her own
counsel touching the s-eue ou the dark
deck of the King Edward, but it was
not a thing lightly TO be forgotten. she
was half angry with herself this mel
low afternoon to and low persistently
Armftace came into her thoughts and
now the knife thrust ON the steamer
deck kept recurring i'm her mind and
quickening her sympathy for a man
Of whom she knew so little, and she
souched her horse impat emily with the
crop and rode into the 1ark at a gait
that reused the groom TO attention.
At bend of the road ohauvenet and
FranzeI. the attache swung into view
mounted. and as they met Chauvenet
turned his horse and rode beside her.
"Ah. these American airs! This
spring! Is it not good to be alive, Miss
ut is all Of that" she replied. It'll
seemed to her that the day had not
needed Chauvenet's praise.
"I had hoped to see you 'ater at the
Vallingford tea" he continued.
mo teas for me on day like this!
The thought of being indoors is tragic
She wished that he would leave her,
for she had ridden out into .he spring
sunshine to be alone. He somehow
did not appear to advantage in his
riding coat-his belongings were 100
perfect. She had really en'ovo'
talk when they had uet
abroad, but she w
bim now, and she Nta'
had lost by the trt Ae yea
He ran on airily in i
Of the rush of grea and shN s0.--
affairs that marked ,ba en1 3l fla s-a-
son.
Poor Franzel is ad ttis,e he
Is taking the death 0 Johann Ns1ae %
quite hard. But het in america te
death of an empero SEEMS less lr
portant. A king or peasant @lst
does it matter|
Better ask the robg % yonner tHa
ding chestnut tree, monsieur ~
not an hour for hard questions
"Ah. you are very crlo A2a atlfe
me back to poor, mela pt1iidei
who is indeed a funera A@
THAT is very sad, uoi ud
she smiled at him with m 14I 70 r
eyes. MY heart goes Qa, NY II
who is left to mourn-aio-
He gathered his rein4 and e.+" u
bis horse, lifting his hat vita peflee