Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-01-28


The day was rawing near 10 close
and the Proprietasy though,fully
paced the ball. 'f'he 6aiuscoted
walls around him we're hung with
costly paintings, mingled, not un-
tastefully, with Inaian war clubs.
shields, bows and arrows, and other
trophies won from the savage. There
were also the ponderous antlers OF
the elk and the horns OF the buck
sustaining draperies Of the skins of
beasts OF prey. Meskess. cutlasses
and partisaus were bss rived on
brackets ready for use In case of
sudden invasion from that race of
wild men whose steaIthy incursions
in times past had taught this policy
OF preparation. The level rays OF
the setting sun. striking through
the broad open door flung a mellow
radiance over the fian. givinga rich
picture-like tone to its sylvan furni-
ture.
Lord Baltimore. at the period
when / have introduces him, might
have been verging upon fifty. He
was OF q delicate and slender stature,
with Q grave and dignified couuteu
ance. His manners were sedate and
graceful. and distinguished by that
Rentleness which is characteristic
OF an educated mind when chasten-
cd by sffliction. He had been school
ed 70 this gentlepess both by domes
tic and public griefs. The loss OF a
fav0rite son. about two years before.
had thrown a shadow upon his
spirit. and o succession of unrulv
political irritations in the province
served TO prevent the return of tha,
buoyancy OF heart which is indiffer.
emily slow to come back at middle
age, even when solicited by hcaltb,
fortune. friends, and all the other
Indictments which. in younger men,
are won't to lift up a wounded spirit
out OF the depths OF a casual sorrow
Charles Calvert had come TO The
province in 1862. and from that date,
until the death OF his father, thirteen
years afterwards, administered the
government In the capacity of Lieu
tenant-General. Upon his accession
20 she proprietary rights. he found
himself compelled by the intrigues
of.a faction TO visit London where
DO was detained nearly four years.
having left Lady Baltimore, with a
young family OF children, behind
him. under the care OF his uncle
Philip Calvert, the chancellor of the
province He had now, within little
more than twelvemonth. returned
70 bis domestic roof, to mingle his
sorrows. with those of his wife for
the deash of his eldest son. Cecilius
who had sunk into the tomb during
bis absence.
The, pub blic cares of his govern
ment LEFT him scant leisure to d we'll
upon his personal Affections. The
province was surrounded by power.
full tribes, OF Indians who watched
the white settlers with an eager hos
tility, and seized every occasion &C
molest them by secret inroad. and
often by open assault A perpetual
war OF petty reprisals prevailed upon
the frontier. and even sometimes
Invaded the heart of the province.
A still more vexatio1s ANNOYANCE
existed 10 the partysdivisions OF
the In NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. unluckily
resting on religious distinctions
the most fierce OF all dissensious.
Ever since the Restoration. the zeal
ousy OF the Protestant subjects Of
the crown against the adhereuts OF
the Church OF Rome had been grow.
ing into q sentiment that finally
hroke forth into the most fragrant
persecution. In the province, the
Protestants during the last twenty
years had greatly increased in num-
bar, and az the date OF this narrative
constituted already the larger mass
oflthe population. They murmured
against the dominion of the Proprie.
tary as one adverse TO the welfare OF
the English Church; and iutrigues
were set on foot 20 obtain the estab-
lishment OF that church in the pro-
vince through the interest of the
ministry In England. Letters were
written by some of the more ambi-
tious clergy Of Maryland 70 the
Archbishop Of Canterbury toinvoke
bis aid in the enterprise. The gov
ernment of Lord Baltimore was ira
duced in these representations, and
every disorder attributed to the as
cAndanCy 0f tha panizfs Ts -..