A Pilgrim Maid: A Story of Plymouth Colony in 1620Taggart, Marion Ames
History
A Pilgrim Maid: A Story of Plymouth Colony in 1620
Taggart, Marion Ames
Massachusetts -- History -- New Plymouth, 1620-1691 -- Juvenile fiction
Stephen Hopkins was beginning his house on what he had named Leyden
Street, in memory of the pilgrims' refuge in Holland, though only by the
eyes of faith could a street be discerned to bear the name. Like all
else in Plymouth colony, Leyden Street was rather a matter of prophecy
than actuality.
Giles was helping to build the house. All day he worked in silence,
bearing the cold without complaint, but in no wise evincing the
slightest interest in what he did. At night, in spite of the stringent
laws of the Puritan colony, Giles contrived often to slip away with John
Billington into the woods. John Billington's father, who was as unruly
as his boys, connived at these escapades. He was perpetually quarrelling
with Myles Standish, whose duty it was to enforce the law, and who did
that duty without relenting, although by all the colonists, except the
Billingtons, he was loved as well as respected.
Early one morning Constance hurried out of the community house, tears
running down her cheeks, to meet Captain Myles coming toward it.
"Why, pretty Constance, don't grieve, child!" said the Plymouth captain,
heartily.
"Giles hath come to no harm, I warrant you, though he has spent the
night again with that harum-scarum Jack Billington, and this time
Francis Billington, too."
"Oh, Captain Standish, it is not Giles! I forgot Giles," gasped
Constance.
"Rose?" exclaimed the captain, sharply.
Constance bent her head. "She is passing. I came to seek you," she said,
and together she and the captain went to Rose's side.
They found Doctor Fuller there holding Rose's hand as she lay with
closed eyes, breathing lightly. In his other hand he held his watch
measuring the brief moments left, in which Rose Standish should be a
part of time. Mary Brewster, the elder's wife, held up a warning finger
not to disturb Rose, but Doctor Fuller looked quietly toward Captain
Standish.
"It matters not now, Myles," he said. "You cannot harm her. There are
but few moments left."
Myles Standish sprang forward, fell upon his knees, and raised Rose in
his arms.
"Rose of the world, my English blossom, what have I done to bring thee
here?" he sobbed, with a strong man's utter abandonment of grief, and
with none of the Puritan habit of self-restraint.
"Wherever thou hadst gone, I would have chosen, my husband! I loved
thee, Myles, I loved thee Myles!" she said, so clearly that everyone
heard her sweet voice echo to the farthest corner of the room, and for
the last time.
For with that supreme effort to comfort her husband, disarming his
regret, Rose Standish died.
They bore Rose's body, so light that it was scarce a burden to the two
men who carried it as in a litter, forth to the spot upon the hillside
whither they had already made so many similar processions, which was
fast becoming as thickly populated as was that portion of the colony
occupied by the living.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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