Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1909-11-06

now. Why should he not ask Katie
to be its mistress and his well beloved
little wife3 Then and there he would
do IL.
She had hidden him lift her into a
grapevine swing that looped itself
from branch TO branch OF two wild
plum trees. They were white with the
fullness OF their blossom tide,
She was bat a light armful. He
could easily have put her In the covet-
ed seat with one hand. but he trembled
under the pressure of her sweet young
body, and his great heart thumped VIC
lently against his ribs. all because he
was such a coward Ralston. you seel
The swaying OF the swing set the
delicate plum blossoms a-falling. They
gemmed her brown hair and fell upon
her lap. She filed her little hands
with them and laughed gayly:
such pretty, gauzy petals! They
look like fairy lace. Titania's wedding
veil might well have been woven OF
just such stuff"
He had thrown himself on the ground
ut her feet. His great brown eyes We're
full of the dumb alteration of slave.
when I get married." he heard her
say, "I'll have a wedding bell made
Of the wild plum blossoms-so much
daintier than the stiff, conventional
things one always Sees"
He laughed nervously. "I'1l have
whole wagon load of them gathered as
soon as you say the word
She stared at him insolently. "What
wordT"
"Such a little word. Katie-yes."
She still held him mercilessly with
the blue eyes that had taken on the
chill of polished steel.
what are you talking about. John
sic Ralston?"
He rose from his crouching posture
to tower over her commandingly.
Don't you know that l love you,
Katie? You will have to answer Yes
to that There's no other honest an
swer."
She flung her answer at him defiant
ly: "Yes What then?"
"And don't you know that want to
marry your Haven't you known 1t
these half dozen years, Katier
Eyes. What then2"
"Then"-he held out pleading hands
to ber-"oh. my little girl, will you
not, come to me while the sweet wild
plums are blossoming for you and for
me? will try SO hard to make you
glad all the days of your life"
From under her crown of wild flow.
ers she looked at him with a cruel
smile of negation. She vaulted lightly
earthward and stood before him with
her small hands clasped behind her.
Standing thus. she dealt him his death
blow.
"Never, never, never, John Ralston!
| I'll marry no coward. an II please you,
sir. Why didn't you kill Dave Sturms
the other day instead Of turning the
| other cheek? All. you thought would
never hear of 1t, but you see i haye--l
haveT Her pretty face was dark with
| passion. mo man shall ever point the
finger of scorn at my husband. We'd
| ding bell will never hang over you
| and me, John. Goodby"
| She flung him hooking farewell
| from the tips of her fingers and sped
| homeward alone through the leafy
| aisies Of the forest.
He stood like a man who has re-
cetyed his deathbiow IN battle. All
| the sweetness had gone out of the
air, all the light out Of the sunny
day. He flung out his hands with .
gesture of despair
She had never loved him or she could
not have condemned him unheard.
How easy to convict her of error 1t
it had been worth whilel
It was then that he retired to the
Cross Bayou place and took up the life
of hermit crab, all because he was
| a coward, you see.
Only one human being accepted him
unquestioningly. believed in him abso-
lutely. That was Black Prince, and
when Johnsie went into retirement on
fhe Cross Bayou place Black Prince
wPrince was his foster brother and
bis ecbattel. Nanny Ann had hursed
them both from her fpll 'phaterAal foup!
| tains. There was nothing pFincely
about the chattel save his loyalty and
a chivalric devotion that found all the
reward It asked In obliterating self for
the object it adored.
| "Me and Marse Johnsie" comprised
the universe for Black Prince.
From Black Princes point of view
life as 1t was lived at Cross Bayou by
fine and Marse Johnsie" was simply
perfect Alittle labor and great deal
or restingLwhat more could heart of
Tnan aa,rS "nef 81 - & No II
II the white man had his periods Of
self disgust and bitter retrospection.
the black one was never the wiser for
tt. IF there came TO the master mo-
ments OF passionate longing, when
shadowy girl face looked at him from
out the memory land with cruel
smile of hegation on her sweet face.
the chattel was never the sadder for
it. II Prince was conscious Of any de-
fined longings, 1t was to have things
go ON just as they were forever and
forever unless, indeed. it might be for
the glorious annual excitement Of a
There was an unwritten law which
impelled the people npUut Gross Bayou
to rally once ;yeaF ahd"'ketch up
with local affairs -"
No man assuming to be considered
good citizen dared absent himself from
eta