Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-08-12
CHAPTER XIV.
A SOCIAL CRISIS.

On a day the ship sailed nto a splen-
did roadstead, big enough to hold the
ships of half he world. Then into a
wide flashing river. the James river.
four or five miles wide down there at
it's mouth And up and up the bright
river. the narrowing river, between it's
low green banks, with now and again
a glimpse of a large house and of gar
dens and lawns green with June, as
one sailed past.
Harry Hampton told Francois who
lived in them as they went by--Har-
rlsons and Carriers and Byrds and Ram
dolphs-strange sounding, difficult,
English names in the ear of the
frenchman. Young Mr.. Hampton
them We're his cousins; Francois list
ened, surprised. interested. to the word
picture which the Virginian uncon-
sclously drew, az he talked of every
day happenings, of a society and u
way of living quite different from any
the Frenchman had ever heard of.
With that they were in sight of Roa-
noke house-one might see the roofs of
the buildings over the trees-Harry
Hampton pointed it out with a touch of
excitement in his grave manner. Then.
as one slipped along the sparkling wa
ter, there was a sharp bend in the
stream, and as they turned it the large
silvery green slop of the lawn lay be-
fore them, with it's long wharf and
barges lying at the watcrside.. and a
ship unloading it's return cargo from
England.
1T is the Sea Lady" called young
Hampton. She is in before us-and
she sailed SO long AFTER
He made a quick movement forward
with him pathetic broker step-for this
" son OF the Hampton family was a
cripple.
There were people gathering on the
lawn. negroes drawn up in line; the
women in bright colored turbans, men
and women both showing white teeth
as they grinned with the pleasure and
the excitement of watching the ship
come In. Then a white light figure ran
down the broad greenness, and a girl
stood, golden curls on her shoulders, a
straw hat with blue ribbons tying down
some of the golden curls, but not all
stood and watched and waven an eager
friendly hand.
1T is my cousin, Lucy Harry
Hampton said, and Francois, looking at
him, saw his eyes fixed on her intently.
In a few minutes more, leaving the
ship with his hating careful step,
Francois saw him kiss her cousinly-
yet 1t seemed not altogether cousinly-
and with that he was saying a word
about MY new friend, the Chevalier
Beaupre," and the girls quick hand
clasp and the warm welcome in her
voice of honey, made Francois feel as
If a place in her friendship had been
waiting for him always.
Then, from back Of her, from some-
where, lowered suddenly a tall man,
with large features, and first seized
Harry Hampton's hand and then turned
to the stranger with the same air of
entire pleasure and hospitality.
UNTx, ,,n,,ln,,S~ Cn;@-l 3: -
Roanoke house." he said, and Francois,
with his few words of English. under
stood enough to be warmed to the
soul at his first contact with southern
hospitality.
ut is my uncle, Colonel Hampton"
Harry's voice was explaining.
They would not hear of his going to
month; why should he go at ALP
Colonel Hampton asked. If he were to
be only a year or two in Virginia, why
trouble to set up housekeeping alone in
that big house, when Roanoke house
vas here and in order, and only too
glad to keep him. So Francois for a
week or two stayed. And found him.
self, shortly, a %notability. Harry
Hampton, his boyish ambition for adj
venture n daring denied every per-
sonal outlet. because of that accident
in babyhood which had started him in
life hopelessly lame, was as proud of
his salvage from he Austrian bird of
prey as if Francois record had been
his own. Much more frankly proud, for
he could talk about it, and did. Alike
had told him a great deal, and the
episode of the headlong rescue OF
Prince Louis Napoleon. the capture and
imprisonment and final theatrical es-
cape. went like wild fire, about the
countryside, and stirred all the ro-
nance OF the warm-blooded southern
ers. Every house wanted the hero to
break bread, n under young Harry's
proud wing Francois went gladly to
meet all these friends of his friend. AS
the general had said years ago, his
simplicity struck the finest note OF So
phisticated high breeding; moreover,
he had lived with high-bred people in
more than one country; the aristocrats
OF Virginia were delighted with his
young nobleman, as they thought him
stirring history, with h lines of
suffering still in his thin face
and the broad lock of gray-the badge
of that suffering = in his dark
hair; with h quaint foreign accent
too. and the unexpectedness in the
turns Of his rapidly increasing English.
Francois accepted the title Of Chew
speaking to Henry Hampton, and
ducing him to thy noblesse of the
south. partly because he believed it
his. partly because it pleased the child
like French vanity in him. He had no
thought of claiming a social position
not his own; no thought that a social
position might count with these hos
pitable new friends. Names known in
American history We're spoken at the
Inner table of those days in Virginia.
1T is the Chevalier Beaupre, Mr..
Clay" Lucy Hampton answered a ques-
ton from a tall man with a great
domed head.
She was placed next him at a dinner
at Martins Brandon, the old home of