Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-08-19
THE VALIANTS OF VIRGINIA

young bucks chance to rig out in
silly toggery and prance their colts
before a lot of petticoatsi''
IT'S an annual affair."" explained
the major: "a kind of spectacle. Tor
many years, by the way, it has been
held on a part of this estate-per-
haps YOU will have no objection to It's
use this son?-and at night thoe2
is dance at the Country Club. Ky
the way, YOU must let me introduce
you there tomorrow I've taken he
liberty already of putting your name
up"
Good lord!' growled the doctor,
aside He counts himself young! II
I'd reached your age. Bristow-"
You. have" said the major, net
tied, -Four years agoI-As ] was
saying, Mr.. Valiant. they ride for a
prize. It's a very ancient thing-I've
seen references to it in colonial
manuscript in the Byrd library at
Westover. No doubt it's come down
directly from the old iousts."
You don't mean to say" cried his
nearer in genuine astonishment,
that Virginia has a lineal descend
ant. of the tourney?"
The major nodded Yes. Certain
sections of Kentucky used to have it,
too. but it has died out there. 1t
exists now only in this State. It's
a curious thing that the old knightlg
meetings of the middle ages should
survive today on American soil and
in a corner of Virginia"
DR.. Southall, meanwhile, had set
his gaze on the litter of pamphlets.
He turned with an appreciative eye.
You're beginning in earnest The
agricultural department. And the
congressional frank
I've gone to the fountainhead.
said Valiant. I'm trying to find out
possibilities. I've sent samples of the
soil. It's lain fallow so long it has
occurred to me it may need special
treatment
The major pulled his mustache
meditatively. mot a bad idea" he
said. He's. starting right-eh,
Southall? You're bringing the view
point of practical science to bear on
the problem. Mr.. Valiant"
I'm afraid I'm sad sketch as
scientist" laughed the other. MY
point of view has to be some
what practical one. must be self
supporting. Damory Court is a big
estate. 1t has grain lands and forests
as well. If my ancestors lived from
it, l can. It's not only that" he
went on, more slowly, 81 want to
make the most of the place for its
own sake, too. Not only of its pos
sibilities for earning, but of its
natural beauties. | lack the resources
once had, but | can give it thought
ana work, and If they can bring
Damory Court back to anything even
remotely resembling what it once was
Ill not spare either"
The major smote his knee, and even
the doctors face showed a grim. if
transient, approval. II believe vou'u
do IT.! exclaimed the former. And
let me say, sab, that the neighbour
hood is not unaware of the splendid
generosity which is responsible for
the present lack of which YOU sneak /"
valiant put out his hand with a
mute gesture of depreciation, but the
other disregarded it. "Confound if.
sab it was to be expected of a
valiant. Your ancestors wrote their
names in capital letters over this
country. They were an up-and-down
lot, but, good or bad (and. as South
all says, l reckon"--he nodded toward
the great portrait above the couch
they weren't all little woolly lambs)
they did big things in big way.
valiant leaned forward eagerly,
question on his lips. But at the mo-
ment a diversion occurred in the
shape of Uncle jefferson, who re-
entered, bearing a tray on which set
sundry jugs and clinking glasses.
glowing with white and green and
gold.
you old humbug," said the doctor,
don't you know the majors that
poisoned with mint juleps already
that he can't get up before in the
morning."
well. sub" Uttered Uncle Jeffcr-
son, "Ah done foun' er mint-baid
down below de kitchen dis mownin'
Yo'-all gemmun' bout de bigges'
expuhts in dis yeah county, en- All
reck'n Mars Valiant sho' 'sist on yo'
samplin' ct"
Sab" said the major feelingly,
turning to his host, I'm proud TO
drink your health in the typical
beverage of Virginia." He touched
glasses with Valiant and glared at
the doctor, who was slipping his own
thoughtfully. I'm my travels he
said, II have become acquainted with
a drink called pousse-cafe. which
contains all the colors of the rain
bow. But for ehaste beauty. sab,
give me this. No garish combina-
ton, you will observe A frosted
goblet, golden at the bottom as an
autumn corn-ear. shading into
emerald and then into snow. On top
white rim of icebergs with the
mint sprigs like fairy pine trees.
Poems have been written on the
julep. sab"
They make good epitaphs, too"
observed the doctor.
II notice your glass isn't going
begging" the major retorted. "Unc'
Jeff9Sson, that's as good mint as
grew in the gyarden of Eden. See
that those lazy niggers of yours don't
grub the patch out by mistake"
"Yas, subj" said Uncle jefferson, as
he retired with the tray. "Ah gwinter
put err fence eroun'' dat ar bald TO
shutdown"
The question that had sprung to
Valiant's lips now found utterance. L
saw you look at the portrait there"
he said to the major (Which of my
ancestors is it?"
The other got up and stood before
the mantlepiece in a Napoleonic at
titude. That" he said, fixing his
eyeglasses, lis your great -grandfath-
er, Devil-John Valiant