The Real America in Romance, Volume 6 | Page 7

after she was released, she sat in the chair, strangling,
coughing and shivering.
John Stevens made his way through the crowd and, going up to the
woman, who seemed almost lifeless, began:
"Dame Linkon, I am most truly sorry that this has been done--"
At sound of his voice, the half-inanimate form seemed suddenly
inspired with life and vigor, and, bounding to her feet with a shriek of
rage, she dealt him a blow with her open hand on the side of his head,
which made him see more stars than can usually be discerned on the
clearest night. He staggered and, but for the sheriff, would have fallen.
CHAPTER II.
SEEKING BETTER FORTUNE.
On peace and rest my mind was bent, And fool I was I married; But
never honest man's intent As cursedly miscarried. --BURNS.
In Virginia's colonial days, no man was better known than John Smith
Stevens. His father was one of the original founders of Jamestown and,
it was said, had felled the first tree to build the city. John Smith was his
first born, and was named in honor of Captain John Smith, a personal
friend.
John Smith Stevens was born about the year 1625, the same year that
Governor Wyat defeated the Indians. He was four years of age when
John Harvey became colonial governor in 1629, and a year later, 1630,
Sir George Calvert came to Jamestown on his way to colonize
Maryland under the charter of Lord Baltimore. He was old enough to
remember the stormy days in the assembly, when, on the "28th of April,
1635, Sir John Harvey thrust out of his government, and Captain John
West acts as Governer till the king's pleasure is known." He never
knew exactly why Sir John Harvey was thrust out; but he heard some

one say he was interfering with the liberties of the people.
He knew that the king replaced him, however. Then the people said that
all Virginia was divided into eight _Shires_: James City, Henrico,
Charles City, Elizabeth City, Warwick River, Warrosquoyake, Charles
River, and Accawmacke, and that a lieutenant was appointed over each
to protect them against the Indians. John Stevens remembered when
William Claybourne, the famous rebel of colonial Virginia, tried to
urge the people, against the will of the king, to drive the colonists out
of Maryland, which they claimed as a part of their domain.
Claybourne established a colony at Kent Island, from whence a burgess
was sent. Leonard Calvert was governor of Maryland, and a
misunderstanding arose between him and Claybourne on Kent Island.
Claybourne must go, for the island was part of Maryland, although the
right of his lordship's patent was yet undetermined in England.
Claybourne resisted. He declared that he was on Virginia territory by
the king's patent, and was the owner of Kent Island, and that he meant
to stay there. He would also sail to and fro in his trading ship, the
Longtail, to traffic with the Indians. If he were attacked he would
defend himself. He soon had an opportunity to make good his boasts.
Leonard Calvert seized the Longtail, and Claybourne sent a swift
pinnace with fourteen fighting men to recapture her. This was in the
year 1634, when John Stevens was nine years of age; but the affair was
the talk of the time, and consequently was indelibly stamped on his
young mind. Two Maryland pinnaces went to meet Claybourne, and a
desperate fight occurred on the Potomac River. A volley of
musket-balls was poured into Claybourne's pinnace, and three of his
men fell dead. Calvert captured the pinnace; but Claybourne escaped.
He was driven from Kent Island and escaped to Virginia; but Sir John
Harvey refused to surrender him, and John Stevens saw the rebel when
he embarked for England, where he made a strong fight before the
throne for Kent Island. Although he seemed for a while about to
triumph, the lords commissioners of plantations finally decided against
his claims, thus dispelling the rosy dreams of Claybourne.
In 1642, there came to Virginia as governor of the colony Sir William

Berkeley, then almost forty years of age, when John Stevens was only
seventeen. Berkeley was a man of charming manners, proverbially
polite, and he delighted the Virginians, who had a weakness for
courtliness. He belonged to an ancient English family, and believed in
monarchy as a devotee believes in his saint, "and he brought to the little
capital at Jamestown all the graces, amenities, and well-bred ways
which at that time were characteristic of the cavaliers. He was a
cavalier of the cavaliers, taking the word to signify an adherent of
monarchy and the established church," and thoroughly hated anything
resembling republicanism. For his king and church, this smiling
gentleman, with his easy and friendly air, was going