Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1908-08-27
v MEREDITH .NICHOLSOJ

Ike a 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 a groom trailing after her. Shirs
ley rode toward Rock creelS-that rip
ping, mGrmuring, singing trife of wa
ter that laughs day and night at the
margin of the beautiful city. as though
politics and craftsmanship We're the
hugest Joke in the world. The flag OF.
the Hungarian embassy huns
at half mast and symbols of mourning
futtered from the entire front of the
house. Shirley lifted her eyes gravel.
as she passed Her thoughts few III
once to the scene at the house Of tbs
secretary of state week before, wheM
Baron Won Marhof had learned of tn
death of his sovereign. and by associa
zion she thought, too, of Armitage and
If his look and voice as he said:
Long live the emperor and king
God save Austrian
Emperors and kings! They were n;
impossible today as snowstorm. The
grave ambassadors as they appeared d
great Washington functions, wearing
their decorations, always struck her as
being particularly distinguished Ii
just now occurred to her that they
were all linked to 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 a 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, 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 it was
not a thing lightly to 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
quickening her sympathy for man
of whom she knew SO little, and she
touched her horse impatiently with the
crop and rode into the park at gait
that reused the groom to attention.
At bend of the road Chauvenet and
Framed, the attache, swung into view,
mounted. and as they met Chauvenet
turned his horse and rode beside her.
"Ah, these American airsi This
spring. Is it not good to be alive, Miss
Claiborne?"
''It is all of that!' she replied. II
seemed to her that the day had not
needed Chauvenet's praise.
81 had hoped to see you later at the
Wallingford tea" he continued
mo teas for me on a day like this.
The thought of being indoors is tragic
| She wished that he would leave her
for she had ridden out into the spring
! sunshine to be alone He somehow
did not appear to advantage in his
riding coat-his belongings We're toe
perfect. She had really enjoyed bis
talk when they had met here and there
| abroad, but she was in no mood fol-
him now, and she wondered what he
had lost by the transfer to America
He ran on airily in French. speaking
of the rush of great and small socia
affairs that marked the end of the sea
son.
"Poor FranZel is indeed triste. He
is taking the death of Johann Wilhelm
quite hard. But here in America tht
death of an emperor seems less i'm
portant. A king or a peasant. what
! does it matterT
Better ask the robin in yonder bud
| ding chestnut tree. monsieur. This j.
not an hour for hard questionsr'
"Ah. you are very cruel! You drive
me back to poor. melancholy Franzel
who is indeed a funeral in himself"
THAT is very sad, monsieur" ane
she smiled at him with mischief in hel
eyes. MY heart goes out to any one
who is left to mourn-alone."
He gathered his reins and drew VI
his horse, lifting his hat with perfec
gesture.
There are sadder blows than losin;
ones sovereign, mademoisellev' and h
shook his barred head mournfully ant
rode back to find his friend
| She sought now her favorite bridl'
paths, and her heart was light witt
the sweetness and peace of the spring
as she heard the rush and splash 0
the creek, saw the fash of wings ant
4 felt the mystery of awakened lif
throbbing about her. The heart of
girl IN spring is the home Of dreams
and Shirley's heart oyerfiowed wit