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
"Well, Giles," said his father, with a smile that Giles took to be
mocking, but in which the father's hidden gratification really strove to
escape, "so you played a man's part with the _Mayflower_ captain, at the
same time proving yourself? I am glad to get my papers, boy, and glad
that you have shown that you had no share in their loss, but only in
their return. Henceforth be somewhat less insolent when appearances are
against you; still better take care that appearances, facts as well, are
in your favour."
"Appearances are in the eye of the on-looker," said Giles, drawing
himself up and flushing angrily, though, had he but seen it, love and
pride in him shone in his father's eyes, though his tone and words were
careless, gruff indeed.
"If Dame Eliza is to be the glass through which you view me, then it
matters not what course I follow, for you will not see it straight. Nor
do I care to act to the end that you may not suspect me of being fit for
hanging. A gentleman's honour needs no proving, or else is proved by his
sword. And whatever you think of me, I can never defend myself thus
against my father. A father may insult his son with impunity."
"But a boy may not speak insultingly to his father with impunity, Master
Giles Hopkins," said Stephen Hopkins, advancing close to the lad with
his quick temper afire. "One word more of such nature as I just heard
and I will have you publicly flogged, as you richly deserve, and as our
community would applaud."
Giles bowed, his face as angry as his father's, and passed on cutting
the young sprouts along the road with a stick he carried. And thus the
two burning hearts which loved each other--too similar to make
allowances for each other when the way was open to their
reconciliation--were further estranged than before.
In the meantime Constance, Priscilla, and the younger girls, were
starting out, tools in hand, baskets swinging on their arms, to prepare
the first garden of the colony.
"Thank--I mean I rejoice that we are not sent to work amid the graves on
the hillside," said Priscilla, altering her form of expression to
conform with the prescribed sobriety.
"Oh, that is to be planted with the Indian corn, you know," said
Constance. "It grows high, and will hide our graves. Why think of that,
Prissy? I want to be happy." She began to hum a quaint air of her own
making. She had by inheritance the gift of music, as the kindred gift of
love and taste for all beauty, a gift that should never find expression
in her new surroundings.
Presently she found words for her small tune and sang them, swinging her
basket in time with her singing and also swinging Humility Cooper's hand
as she walked, not without some danger of dropping into a sort of dance
step.
This is what she sang:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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