Copeland

“ But all men have their peculiar gifts; and I opine that it is only a man born and bred in the north who could have planned such an achievement, and carried it out so shrewdly."
"Well spoken, my brave youth," said Copeland; "and I believe you likewise have gifts that might make a man of you, if you went the right way about it; but trust me that all your fine dreams of chivalry and ambition to perform fine feats of arms will not easily get you five hundred a-year in land, and a pension of a hundred a-year out of the customs of Berwick." ”

“ IT was not until the advent of Copeland, the new First Deputy, that Blake began to suspect his own position. Copeland was an out-and-out "office" man, anything but a "flat foot." Weak looking and pallid, with the sedentary air of a junior desk clerk, vibratingly restless with no actual promise of being penetrating, he was of that indeterminate type which never seems to acquire a personality of its own. ”

“ The King rose with a jerk and took John Copeland's hand. "Ha!" he grunted, "I welcome the squire who by his valor has captured the King of Scots. And now, my man, what have you done with Davie?"
John Copeland answered: "Highness, you may find him at your convenience safely locked in Bamborough Castle. Meanwhile, I entreat you, sire, do not take it amiss if I did not surrender King David to the orders of my lady Queen, for I hold my lands of you, and not of her, and my oath is to you, and not to her, unless indeed by choice." ”

“ Nan replied slowly, repeating the phrase with which she had sought to console herself since the will fell into her hands. “I suppose he thinks he’s done enough for me.”
The phrases of the will danced before her eyes: Copeland’s intimations squared with the facts as she knew them to be; she had seen tangible proof of their accuracy.
“We have to admit that he’s been kind to you, but he hasn’t any right to bring you up as his daughter and then cut you off. You stand in law as his own child, and if he should die without making a will, you’d inherit everything.” ”

“ In politics Mr. Copeland is a stalwart republican and while not an office seeker he has served for twenty-seven years on the school board, the cause of education finding in him indeed a stalwart champion. He belongs to Washington Lodge, No. 19, I. O. O. F., and in his life exemplifies the spirit of the organization, which is based upon the recognition of man's obligations to his fellowmen. His life has been well spent and has gained for him the goodwill and honor of his fellowmen. ”

“ Until Farley retired, the Copeland-Farley account was carried by the Phœnix; when Billy Copeland took the helm he transferred it to the Western, as likely to grant a more generous credit.
Copeland flushed angrily at the slight; Nan bit her lip.
“I’m off!” she said. “Be a good boy. I’ll see you again in a day or two. And for Heaven’s sake, don’t call me on the telephone; papa has an extension in his room, you know, and hears everything. Tell Grace I’m sorry—”
“Let me run you into town; I can set you down somewhere near home. The trolleys are hot and dusty. ”

“ But, unhappily, the aspect of the affair did not improve with time. In fact, Copeland seemed bent on ruining himself by carrying his enterprise too far.
It appeared, on inquiry, that, after capturing David Bruce, Copeland hurried him away towards the castle of Ogle, on the river Blythe, and, after reaching that fortress, placed him under a guard so strong as to preclude the probability of escape or rescue. So far the matter was not so awkward. But when a knight, despatched by the [Pg 139] queen, presented a letter, in which he was commanded to give up his captive, he answered in defiant terms. ”

“ King Edward began, very terrible in his wrath. He saw that John Copeland held a dagger to his breast, and he shrugged. “Well, my man, you perceive I am defenceless.”
“First you will hear me out,” John Copeland said.
“It would appear,” the King retorted, “that I have little choice.”
At this time John Copeland began: “Sire, you are the mightiest monarch your race has known. England is yours, France is yours, conquered Scotland lies prostrate at your feet. To-day there is no other man in all the world who possesses a tithe of your glory ”

“ Copeland was not only unknown outside the Department; he was, in a way, unknown in his own official circles.
[59]
And then Blake woke up to the fact that some one on the inside was working against him, was blocking his moves, was actually using him as a “blind.” While he was given the “cold” trails, younger men went out on the “hot” ones. There were times when the Second Deputy suspected that his enemy was Copeland. Not that he could be sure of this, for Copeland himself gave no inkling of his attitude. He gave no inkling of anything, in fact, personal or impersonal. ”

“ It was conceivable that he might advance money to save Copeland-Farley from catastrophe. There was a vein of sentiment in Timothy Farley; brought face to face with the idea of having the business he had done so much to establish eliminated, it was wholly possible that he would come down handsomely if Nan were introduced into the situation as a factor.
Copeland was irritated by Eaton’s cocksure manner—a manner well calculated to cause irritation. Men did not make such offers from purely philanthropic motives. ”

“ Wiser and better men no doubt there were, but a braver man never lived than Shields Green.” [53]
He behaved with becoming coolness and heroism at his execution, ascending the scaffold with a firm, unwavering step, and died as he had lived, a brave man, expressing to the last his eternal hatred to human bondage, prophesying that slavery would soon come to a bloody end.
John A. Copeland was from North Carolina, and was a mulatto of superior abilities, and a genuine lover of liberty and justice. He died as became one who had linked his fate with that of the hero of Harper’s Ferry. ”

“ But the branch of ceramic art which Copeland carried to the highest degree of perfection was the manufacture of parian groups and statuettes, in which he secured the co-operation of some of the most eminent sculptors of the day, including Gibson, Calder Marshall, Foley, Marochetti, and Durham. Copeland was in early life a keen sportsman, keeping a stud of race-horses, and always identifying himself with those who sought to maintain the honour of the sport as an old English institution. ”

“ Copeland finally confessed.
"I think I am, too," she retorted. "Although I have n't used that intelligence in the right way. Don't smile! I 'm not going to turn mawkish. I 'm not good. I don't know whether I want to be. But I know one thing: I 've got to keep busy—I 've got to be active. I've got to be!"
"And?" prompted the First Deputy, as she came to a stop.
"We all know, now, exactly where we 're at. We all know what we want, each one of us. We know what Blake wants. We know what you want. ”

“ We had not traveled far before Thomas Copeland was taken sick and turned back, at Dog River. We then [Pg 101] traveled on by Fairley’s ferry, the O’Neal settlement and by James Batson’s to Harvey’s place. We traveled leisurely and camped out every night. We did not stop at any house after we left Pascagoula, and we reached Harvey’s place early in the day on the Saturday following. I was well acquainted with the place for I had been there with Wages and McGrath when Allen Brown lived there. ”

“ He glanced at it several times, then opened a drawer in his desk, peered in, and absently closed it. He was waiting for Copeland, and as usual, when he expected a visitor, was planning the interview to its minutest details.
Since the reorganization of the Copeland-Farley Company he had been seeing much of Copeland. The winter had wrought changes in Billy—changes that at first provoked cynical comment from persons who had no faith in his reformation. But people were now beginning to say that they always knew Billy had the right stuff in him. ”

“ All Mr. Copeland said about Millmount, and the rent and tithes and income tax and other taxes, and the rotation of crops, and the payment of his labourers was exceedingly interesting to Jessie. She liked to hear a man not much older than her own father talk on subjects that had often been discussed at Branxholm in her hearing.
Whether she had been interested in Mr. Copeland's talk or not, she would have tried for George's sake to appear as if she was; but it cost her no effort ”

“ There fell poor Kagi, the friend and adviser of Captain Brown in his most trying positions, and the cleverest man in the party; and there also fell Sherrard Lewis Leary, generous-hearted and companionable as he was, and in that and other difficult positions, brave to desperation. There fought John Copeland, who met his fate like a man. But they were all “honorable men,” noble, noble fellows, who fought and died for the most holy principles. John Copeland was taken to the guard-house, where the other prisoners afterwards were, and thence to Charlestown jail. ”

“ James Copeland, the subject of this memoir, was born near Pascagoula river, in Jackson county, Miss., on the 18th day of January, 1823. He was the son of Isham Copeland and Rebecca Copeland, his wife—formerly Rebecca Wells. The parents had resided for many years near Pascagoula river.
Isham Copeland was a farmer in easy circumstances, with a good farm, several negroes, plenty of horses and mules and [Pg 20] other live stock; and, in fact, he might be said to have everything about him that a family in moderate circumstances could require to enable him to live comfortably. ”

“ Copeland spoke in a dry, tart way that lent weight to his dicta, whether he was talking at the club or addressing the directors of his company. He was thoroughly self-contained and with emotions that never got out of bounds. About once a month he received and declined an offer of the presidency of some bank or trust company. A business man who is a good fellow, and who, moreover, can say no to his best friend without offense, names his own salary in this golden age of commerce. ”

“ Many broken ships have come to land, and, be that as it may, you were wont to be brave in the face of a foeman; and credit me that a man never asks pardon from a king with such grace as when he has proved his strength and courage against the king's enemies."
"Be it as you have said," replied the outlaw, much affected.
"And, Roger," added Copeland, "in token that I deem you capable of redeeming your good name, I, in presence of these valiant squires, give you my hand as that of a friend and kinsman, who, if you stoutly battle to redeem your fair fame, will aid your efforts to the utmost. ”

“ Manning cut your acquaintance, I believe, when he found what you had done. You owe him an apology, at least. And if you want to act the part of a man, [335] you will go to Mrs. Copeland and tell her the truth.”
Eaton’s feelings had for once got the better of him; several times his voice betrayed deep emotion. He turned toward his desk as the buzzer sounded a cryptic message. He telegraphed a reply, and a moment later the sound of steps in the corridor was followed by the closing of a door.
“I will do it—I will do it,” said Copeland. ”

“ It appears that, so far as the King of Scots was concerned, everything had ultimately been settled to Philippa's satisfaction. On reaching England, Copeland, as he had intended, assembled his friends and neighbours, conducted David Bruce to York, and there, in the king's name, presented his royal captive to the queen with such handsome excuses, that she expressed herself quite satisfied. ”

“ The incidents involved during the time here referred to have ponderous bearings, in a circumstantial point of view, toward establishing the substantial correctness of Copeland’s confessions, although intended to invalidate them and make a nullity of the whole.
During imprisonment Copeland seemed to fully comprehend the profound plans and commanding power of one by the name of Shoemake. This is the man who played so conspicuous a part before and on trial in combination with the three prosecuting parties of Mobile. The arch-enemy of all mankind cannot surpass him in perfidious deception. ”

“ Copeland laughed. “He does it adorably.”
“There was never anything like him when he’s well heated,” Eaton continued. “He never means anything—it’s just his natural way of talking. [25] His customers rather liked it on the whole—expected him to commit them to the fiery pit every time they came to town and dropped in to see him. When he got stung in a trade—which wasn’t often—he’d go into his room and lock the door and curse himself for an hour or two and then go out and raise somebody’s wages. A character—a real person, old Uncle Tim!” ”

“ Copeland.
“Certainly; I shall be very glad to go, papa,” she answered.
“Nan,” he said, laying his hand on her wrist, “there was never any trouble between you and that woman about Copeland, was there? If it’s goin’ to make you uncomfortable to stop at her house, why, we won’t do it.”
“Of course not, papa. I hope she understood that I couldn’t help the gossip. It wasn’t my fault.”
“Well, it was nasty, anyhow,” he remarked. “And as you’ve got rid of Copeland, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to let her know it. I guess it won’t be long before that worthless scamp goes to the dump. ”

“ Last week Bob Fisher gave us a blackboard talk in the locker-room and made a comparison between war and football. It sounded just like Mr. Twice. Maybe Mr. Twice put him up to it. It's beginning to seem to me as if that man ran everything in this world. The only thing I've enjoyed much is going round to Copeland's. He's an assistant professor in English. I take a course with him about Dr. Johnson and his Circle. I don't care anything about Dr. Johnson. He seems to have been the Rufus Twice of his day. But I do like hearing Copeland. ”