Maverick

“ It was a novel experience for Maverick to find himself (as he did time and again upon this summer trip in New England) sandwiched, of a Sunday, between his two blooming companions and some sober-sided deacon, in the pew of a country meeting-house. How his friend Papiol would have stared! And the suggestion, coming to him with the buzz of a summer fly through the open windows, did not add to his devotional [Pg 562] sentiment. ”

“ The bitter wind would roar in, puffing out the single oil-lamp, some one would slam the door and the dance would continue, sombrero and ribboned braids sliding steadily past the silvered window. Then the lamp would be lighted, a new batch would start for the keg of raisin-jack and a new hilarity would seize the crowd.
"Tell me, Mr. Alvord," said the schoolma'am, watching a little uneasily as Greg disposed of another drink, "what is a maverick? They all say all you do is to hunt for mavericks." ”

“ Shortly after prayers Rachel retired for the night. The parson and his old friend talked for an hour or more in the study, but always as men whose thoughts were unlike; Maverick filled and exuberant with the prospects of this life; and the parson, by a settled purpose, which seemed like instinct, making all his observations bear upon futurity.
"The poor man has grown very narrow," thought Maverick.
And yet Johns entered with friendly interest into the schemes of his companion. ”

“ Adèle made no reply,—too wise now for that; but she winced, and bit her lip severely, as the irate spinster "gave Miss Maverick to understand that an intercourse which might possibly be agreeable to her French associations could never be tolerated at the home of Dr. Johns. For herself, she had a reputation for propriety to sustain; and while Miss Maverick made a portion of her household, she must comply with the rules of decorum; and if Miss Maverick were ignorant of those rules, she had better inform herself." ”

“ We were about to ask why, when we drove up to the stage-house, and Maverick himself stepped out and took our horses.
"What the—infernal has happened to the man?" my companion, Ferris, exclaimed; and our guide answered indifferently, as if he were speaking of the weather,—
"Some Injuns caught him alone in an out-o'-the-way ranch, when he was a kid, and took a notion to play with him. This is what was left when they got through. I never see but one worse-looking man," he added, speaking low, as Maverick passed us with the team: "him a bear wiped over the head with its paw. ”

“ Blaisdell, Haight and Morgan were talking together. Jim Maverick, coming from behind the house, touched his hat as a salute to Mr. Blaisdell, and after a quick glance of suspicious distrust at the elder Mr. Winters, shuffled off in the direction of the miners’ quarters. A little later, a man with powerful, athletic frame, who walked with quick, elastic step, and yet as though conscious of his power, passed the house, followed by a fine collie. ”

“ In the summer of 1837, Maverick, who had continued eminently successful, determined to sail for America, and to make good his promise of a visit to the Doctor and Adèle. It may appear somewhat inexplicable that a father should have deferred to so late a day the occasion of meeting and greeting an only child. ”

“ Something about wages, and something about money; and Jack patiently explained the matter, until, as he told Maverick, he felt like a cheap-John auctioneer, dispensing wares. [167]
"The best thing will be to have a meeting," declared Maverick. "See here, Darcy: I'll hire Brock's Hall myself; and we will have a lecture, or a conference-meeting. Subject, 'Work and Wages.' I'll have some posters out too. Every one will know what we mean, that we are honest men and true; and you will be spared this everlasting palaver. Then we will have some rules, or by-laws, or something, for the workmen. ”

“ The place was outside the limits of the Robert Gorges patent, and Maverick permanently established himself across the bay at Chelsea, then known as Winnisimmet. He there married the widow of David Thompson, another Gorges associate and the first occupant of Thompson’s island, which, at the mouth of the Neponset, still perpetuates his name. To Samuel Maverick a son was born before 1630.
Thomas Walford, also one of the Gorges following, that doughty blacksmith of Charlestown who, by killing a wolf, discharged the fine imposed on him because of nonconformity in church-going, was a married man. ”

“ But the maverick bull he could not find.
He had no other young bull so promising in his herd. He felt sure that unless coyotes had finished the brute, he could be traced. Yet it was a large and lonely task to which the young rider had set himself. Ash Creek country was big country. Blue range lifting beyond blue range, snow-choked valley opening into drifted cañon. A man could maintain a secret coral for months at a time, and for many days Greg's search was fruitless. ”

“ The fourth was Samuel Maverick, an earnest adherent of the Church of England and bitter enemy of Massachusetts, in which colony he had passed his early manhood. These commissioners, or any three or two of them,—Nicolls always included,—were invested with full power in all matters, military and civil, in the New England colonies. To Colonel Nicolls the Duke of York entrusted the charge of taking possession of and governing the vast territory [389] covered by the King’s patent. To one more capable and worthy the delicate trust could not have been confided. ”

“ Skillet’s great voice rang through the room. “An’ if it ain’t the wonderfulest thing ye may call me a maverick to onct.”
“Maverick! What’s a maverick?” asked Willie.
[84] “I’ll tell you,” answered Cranny. “A good many years ago, a man named Maverick went out to Texas to run a ranch. He was such a soft-hearted chap that he’d never brand a steer or slice its ears, an’ the way dishonest stockmen swiped them was simply awful. Out here, they sometimes call an easy mark a maverick.”
“Wal, as I were about to say, them air-ships flies jist like birds,” went on Sam Skillet ”

“ Among some of them he saw black looks and scowls, and heard muttered comments regarding himself: “Git onto the dude!” “D’ye see the tenderfoot?” “Thinks he’s goin’ to boss us, does he? we’ll show him a trick or two.” These were mainly from Maverick’s consorts, and men of their ilk, ignorant and brutal. Houston paid no attention to their remarks or frowns, but continued his rounds among them, conscious that he was master of the situation, meanwhile giving instructions to the foreman who accompanied him. ”

“ But the search was of no avail, and dark suspicion again hovered about Greg, who had fought bitterly and publicly with Artie over the matter of the maverick bull. Greg was away from home on the hunt for two days. When he came back to the sheep wagon, he started his fire going, then went to the corral to feed a fresh milch cow. ”

“ Half an hour later the three elder visitors with the governor, the captain, Allerton, Doctor Fuller, and one or two more, were closeted in the new room recently added to the governor’s house, and used by him as a council chamber and court room.
Moses Maverick, the handsome young boatman, had meanwhile somewhat pointedly sought out Bart Allerton, and almost invited himself to accompany him home.
“Go you into the front room and entertain him, Remember,” directed the young step-mother with a mischievous smile. “I am too busy with little Isaac to leave him just now.” ”

“ A run-away boy, he had joined an expedition of about twenty men, which invaded Mexico at the town of Mier prior to the Mexican war. The party was captured. The Mexicans put ten white beans in a bag with ten black ones, ordering them to draw a bean each. Those who got the black beans were immediately shot. Maverick began locating land soon after the war and became the largest land-holder in Texas, if not in the United States.
He owned more cattle on the free public range than any other man in Texas. In 1861 nearly all the people went into the war. ”

“ The engines played until the air was filled with smothering smoke, and there was nothing left but a long, blackened ruin.
"It may be ungenerous to rejoice in any man's misfortune," said Maverick, "but in a sanitary point of view I am thankful those old rookeries have come to an end. Boyd wouldn't do any thing to them, and they were unfit for pigs to live in. And, as for Keppler's, there will be but one verdict this end of the town." ”

“ Jimmy is on the blacklist in Wyoming, because of his expertness with rope and telegraph wire. No Wyoming cowman wants anybody but himself to brand a maverick. I know one or two Wyoming and Colorado fortunes which have got into statesmanship by the maverick route ”

“ I’ll rope him now—I know jest the sort of a hawse you’d oughter ride——”
“No; you go eat your breakfast with the other boys,” laughed Ruth, preparing to go back to the ranch-house. “Jane Ann says we’re all to have ponies to ride and she maybe will be disappointed if I don’t let her pick out mine for me,” added Ruth, with her usual regard for the feelings of her mates. “But I am going to depend on you, Mr. Ike, to teach me to ride.”
“And when you want to ride over to Tintacker tuh interview that yere maverick, yo’ let me know, Miss,” said Bashful Ike. ”

“ But those of Plymouth being Mungrell Dutch, and some of the Grandees amongst them haveing a sweet trade with the Dutch or debts oweing to them, from them; And those of the Massachusetts haveing some other by-reason for it so long held out the dispute till it was to late the peace being concluded.
There lye between this Long Island and the Mayne severall Islands, the most Considerable is Shelter-Island, about 8 miles in lenth and three in breadth, This belongs to Collonell Thomas Midleton and Mr Silvester, on which they have some people & store of Catle. ”

“ It is pleasing to notice how much credit such men as Mavick obtain in the world by circumspect reticence and a knowing manner. Jack, blundering along in his free-hearted, emotional way, and never concealing his opinion, was really right twice where Mavick was right once, but he never had the least credit for wisdom.
It was late in August that the Delancy yacht steamed into the splendid Bar Harbor, making its way slowly through one of the rare fogs which are sometimes seen by people who do not own real estate there. ”

“ For a moment we stood gaping in amazement.
“If we only had a few bows and arrows here,” said Charles, “we could hold off an army.”
“At any rate,” I answered, “we can hide here and rest. They will think we have gone on through the woods.”
We turned and faced the great rock which, I said, was as big as a house. The front of it was like an overhanging shed. Underneath was what seemed an opening to the mouth of a cavern—dark and smelling of dampness.
Step by step we ventured forward. The ground under our feet grew sticky like wet clay. ”

“ The map lying in front of Keller was one of Noches County. The nester located, with his index finger, the town of that name, and traced the road from it to Seven Mile. Then his finger went back to Noches, and followed the old military road to Fort Lincoln, a route which almost paralleled the one to the ranch.
The eyes of Phyllis were already shining with excitement. She divined what was coming.
"Is this road still travelled, Jim?"
"It goes out to the old fort. Nobody has lived there for most thirty years. I reckon the road ain't travelled much." ”

“ Mavis walked to her rooms with a light heart. It was good to tread the hard, firm roads, with their foundation of rock, to meet and be greeted by the ruddy-faced, solidly built Wiltshire men and women, many of whom stopped to stare after the comely, graceful girl with the lithe stride. ”

“ Mavis followed Mrs Hamilton to the drawing-room, where a man rose at their entrance, to whom Mavis was introduced as Miss Devereux.
He scarcely glanced at Mavis, gave her the most formal of bows, and, as the few remarks he made were directed to Mrs Hamilton, the girl had plenty of time in which to observe him. He was elderly, tall, distinguished-looking. He had the indefinable air of being, not only a man of wealth, but a "somebody." She was chiefly attracted by his grey eyes, which seemed dead and lifeless. ”

“ A new doctor has arrived in Green Hill!
Sarah told me so this morning when she brought in my breakfast. She set the tray down with an agitated thump, and after her strong arms had raised me a little higher among the pillows, she stepped back, folded her hands beneath her apron, and fixed me with a portentous eye.
"Now do try and relish your breakfast, Miss Mavis," she coaxed, "there's a good girl!"
An undercurrent of excitement colored her tone. I looked upon her with suspicion. But I know my Sarah. Like Fate, and the village fire-company, she is not to be hurried. ”

“ I said.
“The man’s a rogue,” added the Count of Gramont. “If I were you, André, I would put a guard about the house. There’s something brewing that we have no knowledge of.”
“I shall have one of the servants watch in the hall upstairs,” my brother said. “Another will stay here during the night. We must learn what his purpose is so that we can meet the situation. In the morning if he smiles again, I shall be like honey to him. I think that is the better way.”
The old Count laughed in his throat and grunted. ”

“ It seemed to me, at times, that it was not I who wrote, but another Mavis, a happy Mavis, living in a tropical dream, companioned and at peace,—the Mavis I might have been—if—
What tears my guardian angel must have shed! What blotted pages must have soiled the ledger!
I wondered very often, if lies we tell to spare others are counted lies in the heavenly books. After all, surely 179 we are not judged by earthly standards, there must be a larger vision and a more tolerant viewpoint. ”