The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1908-09-03


/ llrrr-~ crossed the Potomac and
WV occupied Washington.
~ Shirley Claiborne
called for her horse and rode forth TO
greet the conqueror The afternoon
was keen and sunny. aud she had turn
ed impatieDtly from tea 10 which
she was committed 10 seek the open.
The call Of the outdoor gods sang In
her blood Daffodils and crocuses lift
ed yellow flames and ruddy torches
from every dooryard. She had pinned
a spray Of arbutus 10 the lapel OF her
tan riding coat II spoke TO her OF
the blue horizons OF the Virginia hills.
The young buds In the naples lowered
Ike mist In the treetops. Towering
over all, the Incompatible gray obelisk
climbed TO the blue arch and brought
It nearer earth Washington. the cen
ter Of mans hope. is also In spring the
capital Of the land OF hearts desire.
With q groom trailing after her. Shir-
ley rode toward Rock creekthat rip
pling murmuring. singing trifle OF wa
| ter that laughs day and night at the
margin Of the beautiful city, AZ though
politics and statesmanship were the
bugest Joke In the world. The flag on
the Austro- Hungarian embassy hung
AZ half mast and symbols OF mourning
1uttered from the entire front OF the
house Shirley lifted her eyes gravely
as she passed. Her thoughts flew AT
once to the scene at the house OF the
secretary of state week before, when
Baron Won Marhof had learned of the
death of his sovereign, and by associa-
tlon she thought too. OF Armitage and
Of his look aud voice as he said:
Long live the emperor aud king!
God save AUSTRIA
Emperors and kingsl They were as
impossible today ~ snowstorm. The
grave ambassadors as they appeared at
great Washington functions. wearing
their decorations, always struck her as
being particularly distinguished. It
Just now occurred to her that they
were all linked 10 the crown and scep- |
ter, but she dismissed the whole mat |
ter and bowed to two dark ladies In a
passing victoria with the quick little
nod and bright smile that were the
same for these titled members OF the
Spanish ambassadors household as for |
the young daughters Of western sen
ator, who Economically waved their |
hands to her from doorstep.
Armitage came again to her mind
He had called at the Claiborne house |
twice since the secretary's ball, and she
had been surprised to find how fully |
she accepted him as an American now
that he was on her own soil. He de-
rived, too, a certain stability from the
fact that the Sandersons knew him;
he was. indeed, an entirely different
person since the Montana senator def
Initely connected him with an Amer
lean landscape. She had kept her own
counsel touching the scene on the dark
deck OF the King Edward. but 1t was
not thing lightly 10 be forgotten. She
was half angry with herself this mel
low afternoon TO find how persistently
Armitage came into her thoughts and
how the knife thrust on the steamer
deck kept recurring In her mind and
qulckening her sympathy for man
OF whom she knew so little. and she
touched her horse lmpatiently with the
crop and rode into the park at a gait
that reused the groom to attention.
Alta bend OF the road Chauvenet and
Franzel. the attache. swung into view.
mounted. and as they met Chauvenet
turned his horse and rode beside her
"Ah. these American airsl This
spring. Is II not good to be alive, Miss
Claibornef
III Is all OF that" she replied. II
seemed TO her that the day had not
needed Chauyenet's praise
Il had hoped TO see you later at the
Walllngford tea" be continued
mo teas for me on day like this!
The thought OF being indoors IL tragic
She wished that he would leave her.
for she had ridden out into the spring
sunshine TO he alone. lie somehow
did not appear to advantage In his
riding coat-hIs belongings were too
perfect She had really enjoyed his
talk when they had met here and there
abroad. but she was In no mood for
him now. and she wondered what be
had lost by the transfer TO America
He ran on airily In French. speaking
of the rush OF great and small social
affairs that marked the end OF the sea
ron.
Poor Frnnzei Is indeed triste He
is taking the death OF Johann Wilhelm
quite hard But here In America the
death Of an emperor seems less i'm.
portant A King or a peasant what
does II mafterr'
""Ret,er ask the robin In yonder bud
ding chestnut tree, monsieur This il
hot an hour fof hard qnestionsg'
..Ah. You are very cruell You drive
me tack 10 poor, melancholy Franzel
Sbo Is indeed funeral IN himself
THAT Is very sad monsieur" and
she smiled Ut him with mischief Ia her
eyes My heart goes out 10 any one
who Is left "a MOURN alone"
He gathered his reius aud drew ~
bis horse, lifting bis hat with a perfect
gesture
There are ssdder blows than losing
ones sovereign. mndemolsaler and he
shook bis bsrei head m0urnfully and
rode back 10 fnd his friend
She sought now her fayorIte birdie
paths. and her heart was light with
the sweetness and p@sce of the spring
a. she heard the rush aud splash of
the creek. ssw the Fash of wings and
fel, the mystery ~ awakened life
throbbing about her The heart OF q
giri In spring IL the hone Of dreams.
and shirfey's heart etsrno~ed aIih
them until ber pulse thrilled aud sang
10 quickening caGepc~s
The groom uargeled at The sudden
changes Of salt the gailoss that fea