Crawfordsville Weekly Journal, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, 11 February 1898 — Page 11

By JEANNETTE H. WALWOETH.

[Copyright, 1897, by the Author.]

CHAPTER IIL

Surprise and perplexity seized upon t'va very brutes in lier kingdom when Manager Martin's wife forgot to pull the rope to the big plantation bell precisely as the harsh voiced clock on her dining room mantelpiece struck the hour of noon.

Duke, the overseer's favorite setter, as spokesman for his loss privileged companions, got up from his recumbent posture on the lowest step, stalked toward her and looked into her face with reproachful sol enmity.

The occurrence was actually without precedent. There was no room for error on his part, for he had boon educated by years of practical experience into a knowledge) of the fact ti at when that clock struck 13 it was Mrs. Martin's imperious duty to seize the big rope fastened to the big clapper of the big plantation bell, planted on a post at the end oil her front gallery, and set the bell into ponderous activity.

In immediate consequence of which the silent and deserted quarter lot would become the arena of an activity thoroughly agreeable to Duke's degraded social instincts.

Mules, burdened with loose jingling trace chains and whistling plowboys, would trot cheerfully through the lot, requiring no spur, in the direction of the cribs, piled high with their noonday allowance of fodder or sweet smelling pea hay. From the throats of 100 clumsy mud and earth chimneys the smoke of oulinary preparation would ascend together, floating lazily over the waving plumes of tho China trees that formed a long green avenue between the two rows of cabins. Responsive to the pungent odor of frying bacon and boiling mustard "greens," Duke's delicate nostrils would quiver appreciatively.

From his superior position on the gal lery of the overseer's house he could tako in all this delightful midday stir without detraction from his own dignity. The crowning delight, however, the one in which he was himself most immediately concerned, was the homecoming of Manager Martin and "the boys.''

No leisurely dalliance before meal, time, no luxurious refreshment of person before assembling at table, would intervene between the home conii -g of the overseer and tho boys and diinn r. Duke himself was not more indifferent, •to saoh troublesome exertions. A hasty

Liana washing at the tin basin, which could be seen of all men. on its shelf on the front gallery: brief, brisk conflict with the coarse roller towel, whose renewal was one of Mrs. Martin's Sabbath day ceremonies, and Oversew Martin, fresh and rosy, -.vddld- bo "rc-uu\ for grub.

Perhaps, after all, Duke's interest: in Mrs. Martin's puncl aality was self seeking. Reasoning fro»u cause to according to his lights, if no beHrope was pulled no dinner would ensue. Tie raised his soft brown eyes reproachfully to his mistress' face and sighed audibly. Translated: "What could the. woman be thinking about?"

Mrs. Martin, with her stoutly booted feet planted ou the vonml of one chair, tho amplitude of her blue cotton skirts completely obscuring another, was a tiug in a manner for which Duke could find no precedent.

She was shelling beans. Pried beans that rattled from tho blunt- extremities of her active fingers in resounding volleys into a tin pan itrnily clasped by her two knees. She was getting the dry lima beans ready foi die seed bags in "the madam's storeroom" up at the big house.

Duke knew perfectly well the significance of that succulent hailstorm. Ho was familiar with the procession of industries that marched through the months, but Jie had never H'fore known the dried limas to affect his mistress so obliviously.

Five more precious, unreelaimable minutes lapsed, and Duke ventured upou a second protest. Laying his long pointed nose delicately on the plump arm from which Mrs. Martin had rolled back her blue calico sleeve, he sniffed suggestively.

The touch of l:-i.s cold nozzle secured him brief attention, but only increased his perplexity. He was not unused

TO

being made a confidant of when his master and The boys were afield, and when his mistress turned her troubled blue eyes in his direction lie assured her in advance of his full sympathy by dignified oscillations of his handsome tail. "Your master and me have made a mistake, Duke, a terrible bad mistake, aud I don't see any way out of tho mess. That's what's pesterin me. We'd better uv lef' well 'nough alone, Duke, but we didn' have the sense to see it at. the right time.

Wiping her fingers free from the stains of pea pods, she reverently lifted an imperial photograph from where it had been propped against the back of the chair in mint of her. "This is her picture, Duke, your little Miss Eliza's, that used to pull your ears mos' out by the roots, and you never even snapped 'bout it. She signs her name Liza now, like it was spelled with a double ee. How Martin laughed when she wrote us word how to pronounce our own child's name! But reckon she's outgrowed you, Duke, along with the old name. You used to watch over her mighty good, old boy. whenevor I laid her down on the risiu sun quilt she used to think the world and all on. When the pink crape myrtles was shading the sun from her purty eyes and tho risin sun was just under her fat little fingers and you a-curled up nigh her, could go up t' big house, if need be, and stay hours with an easy mind."

Mrs. Martin sixdied nonderouslv and

flocked a grain of dust from the smooth surfaco of tho picture. "I was sorry when the wind blowed tho pink myrtle tree down, Duke, 'cause we always called it Liza's tree. The rising sun is packed away in the press right now. 1 ts colors is as bright as when I put it on tho gallery floor for you and baby to romp on, but you're a sight older than you was then, Duke, and I reckon she's outgrowed you along with lots of other things. It's eight years, Duke, goin on nine, since I givo my Liza up because they all said I had ougliter." With a certain fierce regret she tapped the smooth oval cheek of the photograph with her work roughened finger. "We've done you a wrong, Liza, wo can't never undo. We've sent you off and made a lady of you. and we hadn't oughter done no such thing. It's her doin's, all liGrs."

Mrs. Martin shook her fist vindictive ly in direction of the governor's mansion, whose gleaming white walls, surrounded by clustering gardens and orchards, were just visible from where she sat.

Tho odor of scorching meat smote upon her nostrils. Duke lifted up his voico in a howl of reproach. Tho dinner was burning up aud no smpmons had yet been sounded on tho big bell. She canio back to the sordid requirements of the hour with a violent start that sent the remainder of tho beans, pods and all, into the pan like a rattle of musketry. "Good God! It's nigher 1 than 12. That picture's got me all upset—plum' outdone!"

By way of remedying tho irremediable, Mrs. Martin gave tho bell pull two or three startling, vigorous jerks before proceeding to examine the incinerated dinner.

Soon from out a cloud of dust, amid a mighty clatter of hoofs and trace chains, to tho discordant accompaniment of yelping curs and hissing geese, Manager Martin's broad shoulders and florid face appeared. He was carrying his coarse straw hat in his hand and mopping his moist forehead with a dubious bandana handkerchief.

For the lirst time in her married life Mrs. .Martin regarded her husband critically. "How would he strike Liza?"

Everything in her microcosm.was beginning to revolve about that test question. As he galloped past her point of view, conscientiously minded to see that the brutes had their feed before he enjoy his own, she challenged his attention by waving her blue cotton apron vigorously at him. "Don't stay long at the lot, Eben. I'm in a hurry for you.

Across tlie clatter of hoofs, tho yelping of curs and hissing of geese a clear, wholesome laugh floated to her.

You rung that bell like you was in a hurry Consult the shudders." She consulted the shadows. Eben hud always told her when she had any doubts about the harsh voiced clock that had been her mentor for 15 years to consult the shadows about tho roots of two sentinel China trees that flanked the front steps. If the shadows were "plumb round," she was to ring. The shadows were slanting toward the cart "It's the picture. It got me all flustered up.''

With this apology for herself to herself she went inside and made ready for "the old men" and the boys with a great ado over her bone handled cutlery and her heavy quoensware plates, all of which suddenly inspired her with nil intense scorn of their clumsv coarsencss. "How would they strike Liza?"

With spiteful emphasis she smoothed the wrinkles out of the red checkered tablecloth that, never had showu such suspicious marks of bard usage as it did today, looked at with her newborn distrust of all her possessions. A few grease spot:-', metro or less, wouldn't "foaze tho old man" nor the boys, but she shouldn't won tier if Liza had forgot how to eat off a red tablecloth, and like as not she was used to napkins every day.

Her preparations were .still incomplete when Eben put his shining face through tho open window nearest to the roller towel, which was just then in active service. "Short 'lowance of time for puib. Becky. How come you to forget us? Never knowed you do it before." "I've been flustered till mornin, Eben —at least ever since Dan fetched the mail home." "Mail? Anything wrong with Strong?" "Strong's all right, for anything I know to tho contrary. It's about Liza, old man." "Well?"

There was a sharp note of anxiety in the loud, fresh voice. Strong and Eliza wero the objects about -which all the family pride and homage revolved. "She's sent her picture home, Eben. Here it is. What do you think of it?"

With gingerly defercjico the overseer took the imperial photograph into his freshly scoured hands, first making sure

"I'f/U rung that bell like yoxi vas In a hurry." by passing the backs of them carefully down his'trousers legs, that no moisture could possibly cling to them. His wife stood silently at his elbow, gazing wistfully at the white .throated, delicately

featured lace or tne mseoiiecrrihg pic-~ turo. The overseer's long and silent inspection culminated in a prolonged whistle of amazement. "That our girl! That our littlo Eliza I used to take afield on tho pommel of my saddle? You're foolin me, Becky! Why, this here's the picture of a queen. She looks like a young empress. "She does, indeed. That's what's pesterin me.'' "Pesterin yon?" "Yes. What are we goin to do with a queen in this hole, Martin? Look at that slim white neck of hers and that round bit of a waist. She's a lady. Eben, from them purty waves falling over her forehead down to the tips of her toes, which we can't see in the picture.

Eben was still" studying the fair, unfamiliar face of his only daughtw. The sweet serious eyes looked at him unsmilinglv. They did not know each other—that burly man and dainty girl. "1 hope she won't bo too fine for the home that's been good enough for hotmother all these years," Eben said gently. "Her and me are cut out by different patterns, Eben. She ain't goin to fit in here. It'll be a shock to her, old man, a positive shock. We'vo done wrong more than oneet by our own daughter, Martin, and I'm just in a tremble all over since. I've, seen what she's growed up to be." "Done wrong? How do you make tlnit out?"

He placed the photograph conspicuously on the dining room mantelpiece, lodging it on top the wooden lurrets in which the eight day clock culminated. "Thar. Leave it thar till tho boys come in uid make 'em guess who it is. I'm bound to eat and cut.'' "Where are the boys, father?" "Down in tho new cut. Setli said he'd rather finish that bit o' fenein while he was down thar than t' barter go back t'morrer, and Charlie's turned in t'help him. It ain't likely they'll get through before sundown.''

He dragged a chair to the table. 11 grated harshly across the bare, floor. Mrs. Martin disappeared with the coffeepot. She went to put it on the kitehen stove. The boys liked their strong black fluid hot. Eben was cutting a liberal wedge out of tho circular pone of egg Ipread when she got back. He accosted her with a full mouth. "You ain't never explained yet what you meant by us doin Liza a wrong. 1 thought we wasgivin her the lies' chance in tho world. .Mrs. Strong said we didn't have no right to deny her the blessin's of a good education." "Mrs. Strong! That's just it. Mrs Strong! She's been rnunin the big house and the governor and the boy:: and the yard hands so long that she can't keep her linger out of anybody's pie." "You sound sorter snappish, Becky. You know they set a heap of store by book learnin up at the gov'nor's, and our girl was uncommon bright and purty. It was a sorter freak of nature our bavin such a child given to us. with her yellow curls and her great biu eyes and little hands and feet." "Strong is just as good lookin in bis way." "Vr "And I don't think it's for us fo complain when the governor's kep' Strong at Shingleton college these years at liis own cost.'' "That is because Strong is named for him, o.udhe wants the respectability of the name kep' up. But Strong tuid Eliza is two different people, Eben, and I'm not say in college is goin to harm our boy. He's got his way to make in the world, and all three of the boys can't oversee for Adrien when the governor's gone. Strong don't expect to come home aud spend the rest of his days star in out at them niggers' cabins, listenin to that everlastin slambang in the blacksmith's shop, and at a lot of mules switchin tho flies off close to our very bedroom windows. Sometimes it sorter grates even on me, old man. specially if I've just come back from the big house, where it's all so different, but I've got used to it, and she's been out of it now for eight blessed years. And there. Eben, I done wrong in lcftin Mrs. Strong send her all poor Gabriella's fine clothes aud things." "Gabriella was dead. She didn't want the frippery no longer. "Yes, I reckon 1 knowed that as well as you do. But it lias helped to spoil our Liza. She's got: on a silk dress right there in that picture now, Eben. Shu used to say when she was a little girl that she loved to hear Mrs. Strong's silk dresses go swish swish along the hall at the big house. I remember that, very dress. It's a little blue and white cheek silk with lace—real lace, old man—in the throat and sleeves. I don't think she'll care to hear it go swish swish over these rough plank floors, Martin, do you?''

She caught her breath and went more anxiously: "Aud then, Eben, worst wrong of all I've done her was lettin Mrs. Strong do all the letter writill, and when she conies home her er—her own mother'll be the worse shock of all to her, old man." The words culminated in a hard, dry sob. "But. somehow when her first letter came home, lookin so sweet and clean and prim, I just couldn't bear to send her back one of my awful scrawls, and when Mrs. Strong said it sorter comforted her by niakin her feel as if she was writ in to her own Gabriella, I just lei things go on, never lookin far enough ahead to see the time when the would get through school and

a

come home And now, Eben, she'll find out what a cheat am. I almost v, i.-,b she did not hafter come back at all." "Don't say that. Becky. She oughter toe a real comfort to you when nie and the boys has to leave you by yourself ,»o much. She'll get used to things little by little." "Duke's fitter company for me than that slim, dainty thing, Eben. I'm goin to be afraid of her. She won't fit in here. Eben. Never, never, never! And if she don't reproach us in words she will ill her heart. She'll pine away here, Martin.

From its turreted perch on top of the wooden clock the cause of all this an.\i-

ety looked down with placid, iowly eyes that were shaded by a bread strawhat whose brim cast .Rembrandt ish shadows over the smooth oval of her cheeks and the rounded perfection of a slender white throat. It was the picture of a very beautiful girl. From where he sat facing it the overseer scanned it critically. "It must bo the books and the pianners and tho nice clothes anil the soft tilings all about her. It makes a good deal of difference, I reckon, to grow up to fine ways and smooth goin's. Liza didn't used to be too lino for her mammy and her daddy. lie dragged his chair, a clumsy, splint bottomed affair, back to its place against the wall'with his left hand. He was conspicuously picking his teeth with a long, gleaming quill pick. lie offered his wife some clumsy comfoit while ho was tilling his brierwood pipe from the bag of tobacco" that stood on the dining room mantelpiece for his and tho boys' convenience. "Don't von sro to borrow in trouble in wholesale packages, Beekv. After all, we are not such a bad lot at hi art. "it's, by our outsiiles Liza's goin to judge us. Martin. ".ledge us! By jingo! 1 don't, see as she's got any right to jedge us at all. "It. ain't, a. question of her rights. It's? a question of what she's likely to do.

The overseer rumpled his thick, gray locks with an impntieiitliand. I lis frank eyes were tilled with perplexity. It was not often be was called on to decide ethical points, aud as a comforter he was consciously inefficient. "I don't know what to say for your comfort, old woman. She's our own girl. 1 reckon we can't disown her. How would it do to tako the picture up to the big house and talk your trouble over with the madam?"

Mrs. Martin caressed Duke's silky ears abstractedly. Eben waited for his good advice to lie absorbed. "Well, I s'pose 1 might as well. Sooner or later I'm sure to come toil. There's three things there's no mo' use tryin to get out of reach of than there is of flyin. One is Mrs. Strong's advice and the other two is her dose of castor oil and caloman if you're ailin. But 1 don't see clear how she can help me outer this trouble, Eben. "Neither do I, but mos' gen'rally she does come up to the scratch, and mebbo she will thi:. time. "I'll give her a trial.

Eben looked relieved. Rebecca was already preparing for her visit to the governor's mansion. She had taken off' her ample check apron and rolled her sleeves into normal position. Her husband. mounted on the most patient, of mares, put his face in at the open window of her bedroom for a last word: "Oh, Becky, I forgot to tell you to tell the gov'nor that 1 examined them gin brushes got 1 this on 1 in, and they're gnawed all to pieces by the rats. Tell him please don't- let any mail day pass, without orderin new ones. "That: is, if 1 can get speech'"of hi in. H«y's got'Coii'nel. Clermiits and young Dalghren up there. They all three rid by just before you come in. He's mighty full of politics these days."

She was tying the rumpled strings of a green gingham sun bonnet under her fleshy chin. The clnmsinessof this piece of headgear presented a sharp contrast to the modish much beplumul hat thatcast Rembrandtish shadows over the pictured face she had wrapped carefully in a clean handkerchief bel'oro putting it into licr pocket. She sighed wistfully over her own enmmoiipLaceiiess. "How will this poky old sun bonnet strike Liza? I reckon she won't think her mammy the finest lady she ever seen, but. I can't make myself over brand new. She'll hafter take us jest as we are.''

IIAFTER IV.

"How will it strike Liza? Won't she feel more like she belonged up hero than down vondi r?"

The imposing white, gate and the trim pyracantha hedge that shut from view the grassloss trampled quarter lot wero before her. The

huge,

unsightly corn-

cribs, tho clustered cabins, the overseer's unlovely house, were behind her. The big gate swung with smooth noiselessliess on its strong hinges, the latch clicked against its hasp with well regulated gentleness, leaving her on the. side of elegance, beauty, refinement.

The scent of heliotrope aud tine ro.-es was afloat on the air. Liza loved heliotrope tho "best in the world." There was a struggling plant of it on the watwshelf at home that- every member of the family with unskillful solicitude had tried to keep alive. ".Maybe Liza wouldn't sc,i much as look at it let. ali ne rememberiii how she had fetched it home from tho'- big house the day she went to say goodby to Gabrieila. Poor Gabriella! who had pined awav and died in the city boarding .-.cliool such litt.lo while after.

In front' of her, stalely""and white pillared,,the lug house reared its crest proudly. It had sheltered many generations of Strongs, each one of whom had made his entrance and his exit, upon the world's stage with unblemished propriety. Shining leafed japonica bushes crowded close tip to the broad white stucco steps. Behind tliem she could hear the governor's voice raised in oxcited expostulation with an unseen auditor or auditors.

She had mid Eben there would be folks to dinner at the mansion that day. She wished she hail made her entrance by thi! side gate. The governor had never ceased to be formidable to her, although 22 years of her life had been spent within sound of the imperious voice that floated angrily across the shining shrubbery: Mrs. Martin sniffer, scornfully. "Politics! I knowed it .Test lis'n i't him." "No, sir, I am not for secession. I am for sticking to tho old flag—our flag as much as if is a Yankee flag. This infernal rumpus is all the. work of a lo: of hot headed, thin skinned fire eater wlio would cheerfully send the whole country to the devil rather than submit to any fancied affront to their own precious selvets. Gradual emanciuation is

what we want. Emancipation is inevitable, The voice of Christendom is against slavery. D—n the darkies: let them go. We are too infernally tenderized. We are freezing for a light—that is, you are, lements, and you, Dalghren. Oh, don't look at me with those innocent blue eyes. And you need not trouble yourself to chew that blond mustache into fringe. The devil himself couldn't scare you. But if yon don't get your fill of bluster and gore before we're out of this mess, then you may boil my bead, for a- flat Dutch cabbage. It is all wrong, sir, all wrong, this infernal twaddle about our rights, our supremacy, our divinely appointed mastership. Well?"

Mrs. Marl in started nervously." She had emerged from behind the japonieas anil was waiting for a chance to deliver Ebon's message. This sudden turning of the governor's batteries on her unprotected front ••flustered" her more than ever. She delivered In rs If briskly "Eben wants some new brushes ordered. Hats"— "Hey/ What? Gin brushes? Rats? Tho same cry every year. Ask Martin if he thinks 1 am made of money. 1 tel! you, sir, you aro underestimating the magnitude of this thing. When we got at it, it will bo no holiday affair. Yon are going to got licked out of your boots, Dalghren. and I only hope I may live long enough to say, '1 told you so.' "Upon my word and honor, Eben." Mrs. Martin said that night, when she was entertaining her "men folks" with a recital of all that, had happened since dinner, "you would 'a' thought the fight was eoinin off t'morrer uiomin, right there and then, to 'a' heard him. I left him rantin and pranein and sliakin his fist now at Colonel Clemens, then belleriu at young Dalghren real outrageous. He's one of 'em, the old man is!"

Eben chuckled comfortably. He rather enjoyed his wife's nervousness. It was not. easy to upset Becky. "He wouldn't hurt a hair ou a dog's back, the gov'nor wouldn't. 1 do believe he's tho one thing on top of the earth you're scared of. Beck. "1 ain't goin t' admit that I'm scared of arer man that walks, Eben Martin, but when it comes to good, hard common sense that keeps em a level, that knows how to regulate its voice and ain't liable to fly off at the handle el' you do but look at it, givo mo Mrs. Strong every time. The old man ain't a patch in to her. "Well?"

Eben tilted his chair back at a more secure tingle against the gallery post. He was prepared to wait patiently for Sirs. Strong's views touching their Liza. Becky was apt to be discursive always, and today she was suffering from undue excitement. "Well, I left tho old man snort in and pranein and went straight todes the storeroom, where I made sure of findin her. She ain't tho one that lmds time to talk politics and set on lront galleries. You ain't been through the house lately, have you, Eben?" "Notsencel help'd put up that big plaster figger in the hole- in tho wall, jest whar the steps take a turn. It was a hefty figger too. "That Agger's marble, Eben, solid marble. No plaster jini cracks yi that house. I hear her call it Dianner. Though I mus' say it don't look like any Dianner I ever saw. I'd mos' its lief set up a tombstone in my ball. But everybody to his taste. They've painted the wtills beautiful, Eben, just beautiful. And the long parlor, that laid the yellow satin curtains and things, i« all been done over spick span now from the carpet up. It's crimson and gol' now." "They're fresh'nin up for .Adrien," said the overseer with the air of imparting valuable informal ion. "Yes, 1 know. For Adrien. Everything's for Adrien, and him a boy. "Mammy

A soft, rebuking sound from one of the recumbent forms on the hard wooden steps. "Yes, Setli. 1 know what: you moan, son. can't help it. always, went, with her up into his room, and helped her put the pink Marseilles spread on his bed, and helped her tie back the ha curtains at the windows with pink ribbon broad (-nough and good enough fo, a girl's party sash. Black Suzanne was fillin the fireplace with fresh ribbon grass and Mammy Nan was sprinklin violets and rose, leaves in every blessed drawer in the room. You would 'a' thought, a. king was com in to sleep in that: room, Eben, you would indeed." "Adrien's more'n a king .to his molher and his grandfather. "I couldn't help contrasfih'tliat sweet smellin, lacetrimnie.il bedroom that was get-tin ready for Adrien Strong with tl.e room our girl was coiuin home to, old man, and, the Lord forgive me, did feel ugly and bitter about, it. I don't know but what I. let some of it slipoll 'ii mv ton truo:

Fben placidly knocked the ashes on', of his pipe against the gallery post, and put tho evil smelling th-ug in his coat pocket. "I hope you did not make a fool of yourself, Beck".'' "I skinned mighty close to it, Eben. I said, 'Seems like all this purple and fine linen was fitter for a girl's home com in than fur a boy's.' "Purple! I thought you said die room was pink, mi'.muiy?" "Don't take me so literal, Setli. I was talkin Scripture when 1 called it purple and tine linen. It was pink for true.'' "Oh!" "Well, boys, I could 'a' gone through a auger hole when the madam turned around and looked at mo with them great, soft, brown eyes of her'n, for all the world like a hurteil doe's, and said, sorter ketchin her breath: 'This was Gabriella's room. It has never been used since she left it. I think Adriivi will like the view.' Then she walked over to the winder and stood there with her back to me. You'd 'a' thought that was lier first look at the duck pond and the lily pads and the blackberry patch, she stared at 'en. so straight.

"And what did you do, mammy?" Seth's interest in the answer to this question was sufficient, to bring him into a sitting posture, with his broad back planted firmly against a post and hi* euffless wrists clasped about his gaunt knees. "What did 1 do? Why, I just stepped close up to her and I held Liza's pioturo in front of her, and I said: 'That's what's pesterin me, Mrs. Strong. Look at if, please. What can 1 do with such a lookin girl in such a lookin home?* Sho took it in both hands, boys, and stared hard at it. I could see sho was nil took back before sho turned round and said, pr ^zled like 'You don't mean that this is Eliza Martin—that little, round cheeked girl

Shewn.? t\jii\(j the rumpled stringR of a vrccn giwjhnm suubunnct. with yellow hair and the quick wit that my Gabriella used to bo so fond of liavin up here from the quarters?' "I didn't know whether to feel mad or proud at her astonishment, boys. Sounded something like she didn't think our Liza had any right toiler good looks and her proud air. 1 think sho seen th.it I wasn't particularly complimented, for she said very quick and very sweet: 'She was always very pretty and very bright, but this is the picture of a patrician beauty.' "Then I says: '1 suppose you mean sho don't look like she belonged to Martin and me. I reckon the books and tho smooth days and ways has done a heap for lier. Brooms and dishwater don't help nobody's good looks. 1 warn't as rough lookin by a deal when I went to livo in the quarter lot, and i'vo seen many a worse lookin feller theu my Eben.' "Now, Eben, don't let that silly old head, of yours get turned. The nuulam sorter smiled when I spoke up so spunky and said, 'Mr. Martin is an unusually handsome man, Rebecca, and if you had cared 'nough for appearances you would have been as good lookin today as when you wero married.'

Here Mrs. Martin waved such small pleasantries aside, with a broad sweep of her blunt fingered hand. 'But that'* neither here nor there. Mrs. Strong,' I sain, short and crisp. 'I wanted to talk to you about uiy girl. You was the one' that urged us on to sendin her away from the quarters till her schoolin was done. You was tho one that done all the letter writhi for mo and helped to keep her til the dark without our ever fhinkin of ll:e day when she'd haffer me back to it all. But she's com in. We can't keep her away no longer. She's .finished..' Don'tvon reckon.we'll-bo somethinof a shock to li'-r—us dowii home, I. mean—i.:e and Martin and the boys?' "What did she say, m:numy'J'*

II was a moment of thrilling interest, fo them all. Mrs. Slrong's minion carried incalculable Weight with it. Mrs. Martin had paused i-eCei-tively.'v: "She is a great woman, Selh. Sho weighs lier words its exact as she weighs out the sugar for black Sir/.anne to preserve. with, "peakiit of preserves, Ebon, she wants von to have them gherkins gathered for the pickles. She says gherkins is Adrien's favorite pickle." "All right about the gherkins—»but 'bout Liza. What did she say?" "Nothin. She asked me fo leave the picture there. Sho wanted to show it to her father. Sho came down stairs still a-holdin on to it,. 1 Lor face looked soberer than when wo went up to fix Adrien's room. 1 reckon sho was thinkin how sweet it would bo if her Gabriollu was comin home lookin like that to sleep in I ho rose scented room that: looks out over the lily pad. ." "She didn't gay nothin?" Seth's voice was full lit disappointment. "Nothin that counted, Setli. She just said oneet or twieet, 'Mrs. Martin, 1 envv von.' The ideacf horenvvin me!"

TO 1!K rONTiNUKU,

ins IJr:vill'.yV Horistou 1 LnxtNG't'ON. Ky., Feb. 7.--Miss (-iirts tine Bradley's announced intention to christen this'battleship Kentucky with Wiiter was indorsed by the executive committee, of the State Women's Christian Temperance union here resolutions unanimously passed. The resolutions recite that the local union in Lancaster, Miss Bradley's native placo, will also indorse her action.

NIh'I'MT lotiu'lixi l-iii* AKSUS, Nov.,

7 .—Sheriff

Brock-'"'

liss of Douglass county, wnere the lynching of Adam tjber

recently

no

cnrroit, has been indicted for willful neglect of duty in not taking steps to prevent the illegal execution. 11 is trial has been set for the !(tli. A similar charge against the county commissioners was ignored.

I'lUMTUl O ilfMI. tf. r. Smith. lui A A O., Feb. 7.—The tuneral of the late Hon. J. P. Smith, director of the bureau of American Republics, will be held at his home here tomorrow afternoon. His friends. Dr. S. M. Mnsgrovo, Captain William S. McGiunisand Hon. G. B. HamloJt accompanied Mrs. Smith from Miami, Fiu.. with the remains.

-f.r Accidentally

Shot by

U«r Mother.

riwuepokt. o., Feb. 7.—A 5-year« old daughter of--Joseph Lamot received fatal injuries Saturday by the accidental discharge of a revolver in the hands of its mother, who is nearly crazed witu tenet.