The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-07-14
CHAPTER Xxx.
A Social Crisis.

CHAPTER Xxx.
A Social Crisis.
On day the ship sailed into SPLEEN
did roadstead, big enough to hold the
ships of half the world. Then into a
wide flashing river, the James river,
four or five miles wide down there at
ITS mouth. And up and up and up the
bright river, the narrowing river, be-
tween it's low green banks, with now
and again a glimpse of a large house
and of gardens and lawns green with
June, as one sailed past
Harry Hampton told Francois who
lived in them as they went by-Har-
risons and Carriers and Byrds and Ran
dolphs = strangesounding, difficult,
English names in the ear of the
Frenchman. Young Mr.. Hampton knew
them all, 1t seemed; many Of them
were his cousins; Francois listened,
surprised. interested, to the word pic
ture which the virginian unconscious
ly drew, as he talked Of everyday hap
penings, OF a society and way Of liv-
ing quite different from any the
Frenchman had ever heard of.
With that they were in sight Of
Roanoke house-one might see the
roofs of the buildings over the trees
Harry Hampton pointed 1t out with a
touch of excitement in his grave man
ner. Then, as one slipped along the
sparkling water, there was a sharp
bend in the stream, and as they turned
it the large silvery green slope Of the
lawn lay before them, with its long
wharf and barges lying at the water
side, and ship unloading its return
cargo from England.
ut 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 his pathetic broken step-for this
only 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 Shout
ders, straw hat with blue ribbons
tying down some Of the golden curls,
but not all-stood and watched and
waved an eager friendly hand.
ut is my cousin Lucy" Harry
Hampton said, and Francois, looking
at him. saw his eyes fixed on her in
tently.
In a few minutes more, leaving the
ship with his hating careful step,
Francois saw him kiss her cousinly-
yet it seemed not altogether cousinly
and with that he was saying 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 tail man,
with large featr. -, and first seized
Harry Hampton hand and then
turned to the strs ager with the same
air Of entire pleasure and hospitality
"My nephew'e friend is welcome at
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 hos
pitality.
1T is my uncle. Colonel Hampton. .
Harry's voice was explaining.
They would not hear of his going to
Carnifax-not for days, not for a
month; why should he go at all?-
Colonel Hampton asked. If he were to
be only year or two in Virginia, why
trouble to set UP housekeeping alone
in that big house, when Roanoke house
was here and in order, and only toe
glad to keep him. So Francois for a
week or two stayed. And found him
self, shortly, notability. Harry Hamp
| ton, his boyish ambition for adventure
and daring denied every personal out
let, because of that accident in baby
| hood which had started him in life
! hopelessly lame, was as proud of his
/ Salvage ITOH Tie AuSLilclu G4AO vi
prey as if Francois record had beer
his own. Much more frankly proud, fol-
he could talk about it, and did Alike
had told him great deal, and the
episode of the headlong rescue o.
Prince Louis Napoleon, the capture
and imprisonment and final theatrica
escape, went like wild-f1re about the
countryside, and stirred all the 70
nance Of the warm-blooded southern
ers Every house wanted the hero tt
break bread, and under young Harry's
proud wing Francois went gladly t.
meet all these friends of his friend
AS the general had said years ego
his simplicity struck the finest nott
of sophisticated high breeding; more
over, he had lived with high-bret
people in more than one country; tht
aristocrats of Virginia were delighted
with his young nobleman, as the,
thought him--yIth his charm of man
ner and his stirring history, with this
lines of suffering still in his thin facs