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Show ! CONDENSED 1 I CLASSICS I RICHARD CARVEL By WINSTON CHURCHILL 'j Condensation by $ Hon. David I. Walsh, United & v States Senator X W-:wx-w:-k-:--"Wm-:1V ' : i. .' t J!!BC ,- Winston ChureJi-111 ChureJi-111 hnH been almost bm vernntlte ns bin KnKllsh naruenuke. It In a fnr ery from the story of romantic ro-mantic adventure and the historical novel to the tnle of reforming: tendencies, tend-encies, political, social and religious. relig-ious. He hns an acute knowledge of what will Interest Inter-est the great public, pub-lic, and writes a story about It In snch a way that be becomes a phenomenal phe-nomenal beat seller. sell-er. He has learned the profession of writing novels by novel writlne, and he learned to por tray people by careful study of those he wanted to use. He has acquired a power of characterization char-acterization that Is almost photographic. photo-graphic. He uses this power to present pre-sent people of great appeal to a large body of Americans, for they are the type known to tunny. All this shows the seriousness of the man. That bis political novels, for instance, are real stories of politics Is shown by the fact that a former president of tbe United States and two former governors of Massachusetts have consented to retell them In shortened form. Winston Churchill has written his best book, so far. In the opinion of most readers, In "Conlston." It portrays por-trays a vital phase of American political politi-cal life; It has had a potent Influence In Improving the conduct of our public pub-lic affairs. In Jethro Bass be has created cre-ated his greatest character, as yet one that will probably take permanent rank In American literature. I TAKE no shame In the pride with which I write of my grandfather, Lionel Carvel, Esq., of Carvel Ball, in his lordship's province of Maryland, albeit he favored his majesty. He was no palavering turncoat like my uncle Grafton, whom I knew for a great rascal who had been banished to his estate in Kent county for saying in my grandfather's presence that my mother had not been fit to marry a Carvel. But If Grafton was a shadow on ray boyhood, there was also a great light, and this was Mistress Dorothy Manners, Man-ners, my constant playmate. Dorothy bloomed early, and too soon became a great beauty, with all our Thanks to her foppish father, Mr. Marmadu'ke Manners, she gave me to know that none but an English earl could serve her for husband. My boyhood was passed in stirring times. 'Twas in the summer of 1763, made memorable by the Stamp Act, that I first came into touch with the deep-set feelings of the period, although al-though I had already learnt from my friend, Mr. Henry Swain, a lawyer and a man of note among our patriots, the doctrines that were kindling righteous revolt. My friendship with Tatty Swain, his daughter, had begun early, and it was she who gave me heart to hope that Dorothy, for all her fine airs, still thought sometimes f her childhood child-hood sweetheart. Not until my uncle Grafton poisoned his ear against me did my grandfather learn how strong was the republican spirit that stirred me. "A Carvel against the king" was all he said. But I saw that Grafton had triumphed ; and to tell the truth it was no pleasant thing for me to set my face against the king for whom my father had died. About this time Dorothy's wish was fulfilled and she went to London. Soon Lord Comyn arrived at Annapolis with news that every macaroni in London, including himself, was in love with her and that the Duke of Chartersea. a great rake, appeared to lead the race. There was sadness in the pride this gave me ; nevertheless, I was drawn to Lord Comyn, a true man. My grandfather falling seriously ill. my uncle effected a reconciliation. Soon I realized that Grafton was plotting plot-ting to cheat me of my birthright and make himself heir to Carvel Hall. Even murder was tried. One night I was drawn into a duel with Lord Comyn on a pretext. Comyn, as loath to fight as I, wounded me, but the fight only made us closer friends. Soon after Comyn had sailed for England a second attempt to kill me changed the course of my life. I was kidnapped by pirates, and only that I had the makings of a fighting sailor I should have been slain. From the pirate I was rescued by a British brigantine. captained by one John Paul, who, for tbe discipline he maintained, might have been a naval commander. He recognized me as a gentleman and told me how he was returning to Scotland to say good-bye to his mother, for, he said, Scotland had not treated him well. After that he proposed to go to London. I jumped at this, for was not Dorothy there? So, Faul's sad errand done, to London we went, choosing always the best coaching Inns, Paul being for playing the gentleman. At London we put on a bold front and went to the Star and Garter in Pali Mall. I at once set out to find Mr. Manners, and caught him at his door, j but he feigned not to see me, where- upon Mr. Dix, my grandf , agent. declared I was an imposter And had U5 both thrown Into Jail. After three weeks rescue came from an unexpected quarter from Jack Comyn, who brought Dorothy to meet us at the prison gates. I was overwhelmed. over-whelmed. Dorothy greeted me sn warmly that I aliiinst believed Comyn and Patly to. have been right when they vowed that Dolly loved only me. Paul declared he was "an American, the compatriot of the beautiful Miss Manners." I was minded to go back to America at once and reward Paul, hut Comyn would not hear to this, declaring that I alone could save Dolly from Charter-sea. Charter-sea. I knew that Comyn, in telling Dorothy that I loved her, had sacrificed himself. When I met Mr. Manners he declared that he had not seen me on the former occasion, but I knew he lied. As for Taul, when he saw how the land lay, he gave us the slip and sailed for America as captain of the Betsy bark. In the betting books of White's and Brooks' is the record of much of my life in London, for I traveled in fast company. My friendship with Charles James Fox is a story in itself. He admired ad-mired highly my defense of the colonies, col-onies, although he did not then openly espouse our cause. Fox warned me that Chartersea was plotting against me, and proof came when the duke wagered that I could not ride Baltimore's Balti-more's horse Follux, for Pollux was a man killer. Nevertheless, I rode the beast, and when Chartersea tried to follow me Pollux threw him Into the Serpentine. Thus foiled, Chartersea waylaid me at Vauxhall, and I knew that Manners had helped to trap me. Comyn came to my rescue and was wounded, but I was unhurt. Manners showed his hand when he brought me news that my grandfather was dead and Grafton was master of Carvel Hall. I struck him. Mr. Dix was quick to tell me that I was penniless, penni-less, but Comyn insisted on offering his security for me. Then back I v. ent to Annapolis, to learn that my uncle had intercepted my letters so that my grandfather had believed me dead. Henry Swain had been successful in business and he made me factor of his new estate. There I stayed until the dreary summer sum-mer of 1774, Then Liberty lost a friend by the death of Mr. Swain. His last wish was that I should marry Patty, but when I asked her to marry me she saw what was in my heart and asked me whether I loved her. And for that there was no answer. But when I rode away to fight for my country she told me she would pray for me and for Dorothy. At Annapolis, on my way north, I received a great surprise. Learning that one Jones had spoken of me, I went to see him and found that it was Jghn Paul himself, who had an estate in Virginia and was bound for Philadelphia Phila-delphia to lay before congress his plan for an American navy. How he succeeded suc-ceeded is known. I sailed with him, and was with him in many of his great sea fights, the last being that of his Bon Homme Richard against the Serapis, in the North sea. This was the hottest battle of all, and my last memory of it is the sight of a naked seaman rushing at me, pike in hand. I awoke. Where was I? What room was this? Who was this coming to tend me? Who but Mammy Lucy, Dorothy's old nurse, to tell me that I was in London, in Mr. Manner's house? Where was Dolly? I was to see her soon, if the doctor permitted. She came! The little room was heaven, though I was stretched on a bed of pain. Mrs. Manners answered my questions. Jones had contrived to let Dolly know I was wounded and in hospital hos-pital in Holland, and Comyn had brought me to England. I learned also that my uncle had been deprived of his estate for treachery and that Carvel Car-vel Hall was mine. And now I was to be smuggled out of England again. This time Fox played smuggler, and soon Dolly was to be my wife. But did I not love Patty? she asked me. I told her the truth. "Dear Richard," Dolly said, "I believe be-lieve I have loved you all my life." We were married on the 15th of June, and Patty dressed the bride. Poor Patty. You have heard your mother speak of Aunt Patty, my dears. Ere I had regained my health the war for independence was won. "I pray God that time may soften the bitterness it caused, and heal the breach in that noble race whose motto is Freedom. That the Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack may one day float together to cleanse the world of tyranny '" Copyright. 1919. by Post Publishing Co. (The Boston Post). - All rights reserved. re-served. Condensed from "Richard Carvel," by Winston Churchill, copyright. copy-right. 1S39, 1914. by The Macmillan Company. L'sed by permission of author au-thor and publisher. |