Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-06
CHAPTER XYIY.
(Contiuued.1


If one is to follow the compass
he can have but one king-his
God.
am near the end. I rode back
TO Baltimore that forenoon. They
had nominated Mr.. Polk of Ten
Eessee for president and S1las
Wrighs for vice president, the lat
ter by reclamation. 1 knew that
Wright would decline the honor, az
he did.
I hurried northward to keep mg
appointment with Sally. The boats
we're slowed by fog At Albany !
was day behind my schedule. ]
should have only an hours leeway
if the boats on the upper lakes and
the stage from Plattsburg were on
time. / feared to trust them. SO
7. caught the west-bOund train and
reached Utica three hours late.
There I bought a good horse and
his saddle and bride and hurried
I'D the north road. When he was
near spent traded him for a we'll
knit Morgan mare up in the little
village of Sandy Creek. On, l knew
a good horse as well as the next
man and a better one than she !
never owned-neveT. / was back
in my saddle at in the afternoon
and stopped for feed and an hours
rest at nAne and rode on through
the night. I reached the hamlet o.
Richville soon after daybreak and
put out for a rest of two hours. l
could take 1t easy then At O'Clock
the mare and / started again, well
fed and eager to go on.
It was a summer morning that
shortens the road-even that Of the
young lover It's air was sweet
with the breath of the meadows.
The daisies and the clover and the
cornflowers and the wild roses
seemed to be waving a welcome to
me and the thorn trees-shapely
ornament of my native hills-were
in blossom. A cloud of pigeons
swept across the blue deep above
my head. The great choir of the
fields sang to me-bobolinks, song
sparrows, meadowlarks, bluebirds,
warbIers, wrens, and far away in
the edge of a spruce thicket l heard
the flute Of the white-throated spar
row. When, years later, I heard
the wedding march in Lohengrin
knew where Wagner had got his
theme
1 bathed at a brook in the woods
and put on a clean silk shirt and
tie out OF my saddlebags. I rode
slowly then to the edge of the vii
lage of Canton and turned at the
bridge and took the river road, al
though / had time TO spare. How
my heart was beating as 7 ueared
the familiar scenei The river
slowed its pace there, like a dis
corning traveller, to enjoy the
beauty of its shores. Smooth and
silent was the water and in it were
the blue of the sky and the feathery
shadow-spires of cedar and tama-
rack and the reflected blossoms of
iris and meadow rue. 1t was
lovely scene.
There was the pine, but where
was my lady? I disuounted and
tied my mare and looked at my
watch. It lacked 20 minutes of II.
She would come-I had no doubt of
it. 1 washed my hands and face
and neck in the COOE water. Sud
denly [ heard voice I knew sing
ing: Barney Leave the Girls
Alone" l turned and saviour
mother, my son. (These last lines
were dictated to his SOM She was
in the stern Of a birch canoe, all
dressed in white with roses in her
hair. l raised my hat and she threw
{ kiss at me. Old Kate sat in the
bow waving her handkerchief. They
and Sally asked in a tone
or playful seriousness:
Young man why have you come (
here?"
''To get you" I answered.
What do you want of me?" She
was looking at her face in the wa
ter.
q want to marry you" I an
5wered bravely.
Then you may help me ashore If !
you please. l am in my best, white /
slippers and you are 10 be very /
careful"
Beautiful. She was the spirit of
The fields Of June then and al
ways.
= | helped her ashore and held her |
n my arms and, you know. the lips /
nave a way of speaking then in the
I'D, convincing, final argument of i