The militia, at last a sole charge, became the one all absorbing
interest that Young would encourage.
Love had passed from his reach, as a thing beneath him.
The elections, now close at hand, were of no moment; Cole had selected
his man, whose broadening comprehension and settled opportunity fired
ambition with larger aims, conjuring a grander, more comprehensive
union than theirs had in fact foreshadowed.
“War is vital, peace an ignoble thought,” said he, in reply to Cole’s
friendly protestations. “True we are Americans, and our governmental
institutions are founded upon the principle that all men are equal,
but--excepting only the most trivial circumstance of birth or
death--this is no less false than just. It is with the living, life,
that we have to do; and not until mankind, not men, is enlightened can
the ideal attain reality; art alone equalizes all things accidental:
that we are moving in that direction, the works of man speak in
no uncertain tone, but--the force, with which we advance, whether
industrially, socially, or spiritually, is war.”
As a compromise, Aokahameha had finally consented to stand for election
to the lower house in Congress, their duly allotted representative at
Washington, and when the poles closed and the votes were counted,
Kaiuolani truly rejoiced.
Her ideal lay deeper than state or fancy, hearkened the voice of love.
Nor was Norton oblivious to the new, that hers had perished. Duty
called, and was she in turn justified?
The inauguration ball approached with a brilliancy that dazzled even
those who had witnessed the oldtime fétes at their best. Cole’s
election had stirred them to loftier thought and a better appreciation.
They would now do honor to their chief, and wealth nor show, culture,
refinement, modesty or sincerity ever proffered heartier representation.
Kaiuolani at first rebelled against the growing spectacle.
“Democracy, the kind that I foresee,” said she to Aokahameha, whose
every effort was putting forth to win her over, “does not abide where
pampered worth obtains; it is elemental within every human heart, and
real beauty conserves better a more harmonious adjustment--the real and
the ideal shall sometime marry, and forsooth joy shall truly reign.”
“And America is the span over which that civilization shall pass but
to merge with the greater, if silent Orient. Let us, then, be doing;
the time draws near at hand, and I promise I cannot be happy, at the
festivities, unless you too are there.”
“Then I shall go,” said she, with the sweetest possible assurance.
Young, too, declined the privilege of attending in just the manner that
Norton had planned.
“It is revolutionary,” said he, in reply to her anticipations.
“What of that?” queried she. “Each revolution places man on a higher
plane of civilization and opportunity: then comes the slow process of
legislating or lapsing his rights and liberties away. You would not
rest oars at mid stream?”
“Conquest makes toward larger accomplishment--however, I shall not deny
you; I but serve your pleasure, Martha.”
The night came on, under the starriest kind of skies, and all nature
seemed like to make this a fitting finale, as well an auspicious
beginning. Rich and poor, great or small, the new and the old, were
there in one sympathetic accord. No expense had been spared to make
those halls and that scene a brilliant setting. On the outside, flowers
and bunting stretched away to the humblest cottage or grandest palace,
and everywhere the stars and stripes waved a glorious freedom.
“Liberty? No,” said Cole, looking out at the stirring scenes around
him; “freedom and liberty are antithetical: continuance of the one
necessitates restraining the other--it is, freedom!”
The governor and Mrs. Cole led the march down through the long,
pillared and arched-over halls. Visiting dignitaries and ranking
officials followed, with Norton and Young arm in arm abreast the
procession.
Pale and severe, Norton heeded anxiously every word so earnestly or
kindly spoken. Her simple dress and plain adornment contrasted severely
with Young’s elaborate regalia. These were serious.
After them, statesmen and representatives lined up, in order. Kaiuolani
leaned gracefully upon Aokahameha’s arm. He tall and genteel, she
gowned in purple and gold, they were the admired of all who chanced to
look or fashioned themselves to learn and know the sequel to these long
and arduous friendships. This two chatted in livelier vein.
Perhaps they had forgotten former rank and place, or had become too
interested in the future to observe well the present.
The march over and the dance begun, Norton and Young seated themselves,
at one side, under the mistletoe, that hung in large epaulet-like
bunches, quite round the edges. Norton flushed the least bit, perhaps
her heart beat faster, for presently Kaiuolani and her escort bore
directly down upon them.
Both Young and Norton arose: the latter’s face brightened, and
Aokahameha looked deep, and knowingly into Young’s eyes.
Turning to Kaiuolani and begging excuses--it was Aokahameha and Norton,
now, who fell back, and away, again, into the crowds that whirled and
surged, on and on, round and round.
“By jove!” said Elmsford, confronting them, at the opposite side of the
room, “you both did yourselves clever.”
“Not I, Elmsford; nor half as nicely as you yourself shall do, if I am
privileged to guess,” replied Aokahameha, begging Norton’s pardon and
once more turning to enter the swirl.
“Oh, well; it’s British, you know; and, I dare say, this little
American quite suits my fancy, after all,” shouted Elmsford,
laughingly, over the shoulder and after his rapidly retreating friend.
A lonely but satisfied man presently appeared at the opposite end of
the halls. Behind him stood the dumb walls, echoing the dead and spent
vibrations of an ever-living, all sufficient time; and his eyes fell
wistfully and his heart beat warmly toward those there repeating the
lesson, so simple yet true, that now and always leads on to empire.
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
Missing opening/closing quotes in dialogue added.
The below typos have been corrected:
Page 25: “sacrfice” corrected to “sacrifice”
Page 106: “sensibilties” corrected to “sensibilities”
Page 172: “verined” corrected to “verified”
Page 189: “premit” corrected to “permit”
Page 197: “spirt” corrected to “spirit”
Page 199: “contemplatation” corrected to “contemplation”
Page 215: “wierdly” corrected to “weirdly”
Page 230: “horison” corrected to “horizon”
Page 231: “runners” corrected to “runner’s”
Page 238: “measused” corrected to “measured”
Page 249: “Kiauolani’s” corrected to “Kaiuolani’s”
Page 257 and 270: “rendesvous” corrected to “rendezvous”
Page 261: “percipitating” corrected to “precipitating”
Page 264: Duplicate word “the the” corrected
Page 277: “lulabies” corrected to “lullabies”
Page 285: “disenting” corrected to “dissenting”
Page 288: “Daimond” corrected to “Diamond”
All other errors and inconsistencies not noted above, particularly in
grammar, word choice, punctuation, and hyphenation, have been left
unchanged.