The Idaho Republican., 1914-05-08

well, sah," the major said, II
reckon under the circumstances, your
first Impressions of the section aren't
anything for US to brag about"
I'm delighted; it's hard for me to
tell how much"
"Wait till you know the fool place"
growled the doctor testify. You'll
change your tune"
The major smiled genially. Don't
be taken in by the doctors pessimism.
You'd have to get yoke OF three
year oxen to drag him out OF this
state"
1T would take as many for me-"
Valiant laughed a little. you VINO
have always lived here, can scarcely
understand what am feeling, l imag-
inc. You see, l never knew till quite
recently-my childhood was largely
spent abroad, and have no near rela-
tives-that my father was a Virginian
and that my ancestors always lived
here. Why, there's room upstairs
with the very toys they played with
when they were children! To learn
that belong to it all; that l myself
am the last link in such a chain!"
"The ancestral instinct" said the
doctor. "I'm glad to see that 1t means
something still, in these rotten days"
"Of course" John Valiant continued.
every one knows that he has ances-
tors. But I'm beginning to see that
what you call the ancestral instinct
needs a locality and place. In
way it seems to me that an old estate
like this has a soul too-a sort OF
clan or family soul that reacts on the
descendant"
Rather a Japanesy idea, isn't it,"
observed the major. But | know
what you mean Maybe that's why old
Virginian families hang on to their
land in spite of hell and high-Water
They count their forebears real live
people, quite capable of turning over
in their graves"
mine are beginning to seem very
real to me. Though l don't even
know their Christian names yet, l can
Judge them by their handiwork. The
men who built Damory Court had a
sense of beauty and of art"
"And their share Of deviltry, too"
put in the doctor.
'T suppose So" admitted his host.
"At this distance can bear even that.
But good or bad, I'm deeply thankful
that they chose Virginia. Since I've
been laid up, I've been browsing in the
library here"
"A bit out of date now, reckon.
said the major, "but it used to pass
muster. Your grandfather was some
thing of a book-worm. He wrote a
history of the family, didn't he?
"Yes. I've found it. The Valiants
of Virginia. I'm reading the Revolu'
tionary chapters now. It never seemed
real before-it's been only a slice OF
impersonal and rather dull history
But the book has made 1t come alive
I'm having the thrill Of the globe
trotter the first time he sees the Tow
er of London or the field Of Waterloo
| S6G more Lnan that StuUulc-Aclu Vu'
yonder; see big wooden stockade
with soldiers in ragged buff and blue
guarding it."
The major nodded, "Ah, yes" he
said. "The Continental prison-camp.'
"And just over this rise there car
see an old courthouse, and the Vir
ginia Assembly boiling under the
golden tongue-lashing of lean raw
boned Patrick Henry. see messen
ger gallop up and see the members
scramble to their saddles-and then
Tarleton and his red-coats streaming
up, too late"
WELL" commented the doctor delib
erately, "all l have to say is, don
materialize too much to Mrs. Pol!
Clifford when you meet her. Shell
have you lecturing to the Ladies
Church Guild before you know It,"
II hope you ride, Mr.. Valiant?" tn
latter asked genially.
'Tm fond Of it," said Valiant, "bu
have no horse as yet"
" was thinking" pursued the ma
jor, "of the coming tournament"
Tournament"
The doctor cut in. "A ridiculou
cock-a-doodle-do which gives the younl