Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-08-15
cogyrist 1905 Tie BoBBs.hEp1l Co

the victoria. glittering in the trim
perfection of Its appointments and
drawn by pair Of well-matched chest
nuts. stood at the curb.
The man on the box touched his
hat with respectful greeting and the
Chinese butler, who had accompanied
her down the steps, arranged the rug
over her knees and stepped back with
the friendly "good-by." which is the
politeness Of his race. They respected.
feared and liked her. Every domestic
who had ever worked in Della Ryan's
service from the first hired girl" Of
her early Shasta days to the staff that
now knew the rigors of her dominion.
had found her a Just and generous II
exacting mistress. She had never been
unfair. she had never been unkind.
She was one of themselves and she
knew how to manage them. how to
make them understand that she was
master, and that no drones were per
mitted in her hive; how to make them
feel that she had a heart that sympa-
thized with them, not as creatures OF
an alien class remotely removed from
her own, but as fellow beings. having
the same passions, griefs and hopes as
herself
As the carriage rolled forward she
settled back against the cushioned
seat and let her eyes roam over the
prospect. 1t was the heart of the aft
ernoon. still untouched by chill. not a
breath stirring. Passing up the long
drive which leads to the park, the dust
raised by wheels hung ruddy in the
air. The long shadows Of trees striped
the roadway in an irregular black pat
tern, picked out with spatterings of
sunshine. like spilled. gold liquid.
Belts Of fragrance, the breaths Of
Towering shrubs, extended from bushy
coppices. and sometimes the keen.
acrid odor Of the eucalyptus rose on
the air. From this lane OF entrance
the park spread fan-like into still,
gracious pleasance. The rich, golden
light slept on level stretches of turf
and thick mound-shaped groups of
trees. The throb of -lusic-the thin,
ethereal music Of out-of-doors-
swelled and sank; the voices Of chill
dren rose clear and fine from compli.
Gated distances, and once the raucous
cry VI u pedCOCh bpilI tHS Quletuc6bi
seeming to break through the pictorial
serenity cf the lovely. dreamy scene.
Mrs. Ryan sat without movement
her face set in a sphinx-like profundity
of expression. People In passing car.
riages bowed to her but she did not
see them and their salutes went unre-
turned. Her vision was bent back on
scenes of her past SO far removed
from what made up the present, SO
different and remote from her life to-
day. that It did not seem as If the
same perspective co-Ild include two
such extremes.
She was thinking this as the car
riage swept into the wider reach of
the drive near the band stand. Though
the music was still throbbing on the
air. people were already leaving. Mrs.
Ryan let her uninterested glance touch
the hated heads Of the women and
then move forward to the man who
headed the column. He held by the
hand a pretty, fair-haired child. who.
leaning out from his restraining grasp.
walked a little before him, looking
back laughingly into his face. Mrs.
Ryan's eyes. alighting on his back, be-
came suddenly charged with fierce
fixity of attention. The carriage over
hauled him and before he looked up
she leaned forward and saw his profile.