The Tar Baby and the Tomahawk: Race and Ethnic Images in American Children's Literature, 1880-1939

FREE JOE AND THE REST OF THE WORLD

THE name of Free Joe strikes humorously upon the ear of memory. It is impossible to say why, for he was the humblest, the simplest, and the most serious of all God's living creatures, sadly lacking in all those elements that suggest the humorous. It is certain, moreover, that in 1850 the sober-minded citizens of the little Georgian village of Hillsborough were not inclined to take a humorous view of Free Joe, and neither his name nor his presence provoked a smile. He was a black atom, drifting hither and thither without an owner, blown about by all the winds of circumstance, and given over to shiftlessness.

The problems of one generation are the paradoxes of a succeeding one, particularly if war, or some such incident, intervenes to clarify the
har1887.2007.001.0012.jpg atmosphere and strengthen the understanding. Thus, in 1850, Free Joe represented not only a problem of large concern, but, in the watchful eyes of Hillsborough, he was the embodiment of that vague and mysterious danger that seemed to be forever lurking on the outskirts of slavery, ready to sound a shrill and ghostly signal in the impenetrable swamps, and steal forth under the midnight stars to murder, rapine, and pillage- a danger always threatening, and yet never assuming shape; intangible, and yet real; impossible, and yet not improbable. Across the serene and smiling front of safety, the pale outlines of the awful shadow of insurrection sometimes fell. With this invisible panorama as a background, it was natural that the figure of Free Joe, simple and humble as it was, should assume undue proportions. Go where he would, do what he might, he could not escape the finger of observation and the kindling eye of suspicion. His lightest words were noted, his slightest actions marked.

Under all the circumstances it was natural that his peculiar condition should reflect itself
har1887.2007.001.0013.jpg in his habits and manners. The slaves laughed loudly day by day, but Free Joe rarely laughed. The slaves sang at their work and danced at their frolics, but no one ever heard Free Joe' sing or saw him dance. There was something painfully plaintive and appealing in his attitude, something touching in his anxiety to please. He was of the friendliest nature, and seemed to be delighted when he could amuse the little children who had made a playground of the public square. At times he would please them by making his little dog Dan perform all sorts of curious tricks, or he would tell them quaint stories of the beasts of the field and birds of the air; and frequently he was coaxed into, relating the story of his own freedom. That story was brief, but tragical.

In the year of our Lord 1840, when a negro speculator of a sportive turn of mind reached the little village of Hillsborough on his way to the Mississippi region, with a caravan of likely negroes of both sexes, he found much to interest him. In that day and at that time there were a number of young men in the village who had
har1887.2007.001.0014.jpg not bound themselves over to repentance for the various misdeeds of the flesh. To these young men the negro speculator (Major Frampton was his name) proceeded to address himself. He was a Virginian, he declared; and, to prove the statement, he referred all the festively inclined young men of Hillsborough to a barrel of peachbrandy in one of his covered wagons. In the minds of these young men there was less doubt in regard to the age and quality of the brandy than there was in regard to the negro trader's birthplace. Major Frampton might or might not have been born in the Old Dominion- that was a matter for consideration and inquiry- but there could be no question as to the mellow pungency of the peach-brandy.

In his own estimation, Major Frampton was one of the most accomplished of men. He had summered at the Virginia Springs; he had been to Philadelphia, to Washington, to Richmond, to Lynchburg, and to Charleston, and had accumulated a great deal of experience which he found useful. Hillsborough was hid in the woods of Middle Georgia, and its general as-
har1887.2007.001.0015.jpg pect of innocence impressed him. He looked on the young men who had shown their readiness to test his peach-brandy as overgrown country boys who needed to be introduced to some of the arts and sciences he had at his command. Thereupon the major pitched his tents, figuratively speaking, and became, for the time being, a part and parcel of the innocence that characterized Hillsborough. A wiser man would doubtless have made the same mistake.

The little village possessed advantages that seemed to be providentially arranged to fit the various enterprises that Major Frampton had in view. There was the auction block in front of the stuccoed court-house, if he desired to dispose of a few of his negroes; there was a quarter track, laid out to his hand and in excellent order, if he chose to enjoy the pleasures of horseracing; there were secluded pine thickets within easy reach, if he desired to indulge in the exciting pastime of cock-fighting; and variously lonely and unoccupied rooms in the second story of the tavern if he cared to challenge the chances of dice or cards.

har1887.2007.001.0016.jpg

Major Frampton tried them all with varying luck, until he began his famous game of poker with Judge Alfred Wellington, a stately gentleman with a flowing white beard and mild blue eyes that gave him the appearance of a benevolent patriarch. The history of the game in which Major Frampton and Judge Alfred Wellington took part is something more than a tradition in Hillsborough, for there are still living three or four men who sat around the table and watched its progress. It is said that at various stages of the game Major Frampton would destroy the cards with which they were playing, and send for a new pack, but the result was always the same. The mild blue eyes of Judge Wellington, with few exceptions, continued to overlook "hands" that were invincible -a habit they had acquired during a long and arduous course of training from Saratoga to New Orleans. Major Frampton lost his money, his horses, his wagons, and all his negroes but one, his body-servant. When his misfortune had reached this limit, the major adjourned the game. The sun was shining brightly, and all
har1887.2007.001.0017.jpg nature was cheerful. It is said that the major also seemed to be cheerful. However this may be, he visited the court-house, and executed the papers that gave his body-servant his freedom. This being done, Major Frampton sauntered into a convenient pine thicket, and blew out his brains.

The negro thus freed came to be known as Free Joe. Compelled, under the law, to choose a guardian, he chose Judge Wellington, chiefly because his wife Lucinda was among the negroes won from Major Frampton. For several years Free Joe had what may be called a jovial time. His wife Lucinda was well provided for, and he found it a comparatively easy matter to provide for himself; so that, taking all the circumstances into consideration, it is not matter for astonishment that he became somewhat shiftless.

When Judge Wellington died, Free Joe's troubles began. The judge's negroes, including Lucinda, went to his half-brother, a man named Calderwood, who was a hard master and a rough customer generally- a man of many eccentricities of mind and character. His neigh-
har1887.2007.001.0018.jpg bors had a habit of alluding to him as "Old Spite"; and the name seemed to fit him so completely that he was known far and near as "Spite" Calderwood. He probably enjoyed the distinction the name gave him, at any rate he never resented it, and it was not often that he missed an opportunity to show that he deserved it. Calderwood's place was two or three miles from the village of Hillsborough, and Free Joe visited his wife twice a week, Wednesday and Saturday nights. '

One Sunday he was sitting in front of Lucinda's cabin, when Calderwood happened to pass that way.

" Howdy, marster? "Howdy, master?" said Free Joe, taking off his hat.

"Who are you?" exclaimed Calderwood abruptly, halting and staring at the negro.

"I'm name' Joe, marster. I'm Lucindy's ole man." "I'm named Joe, master. I'm Lucindy's old man. "

"Who do you belong to?"

"Marse John Evans is my gyardeen, marster:" "Master John Evans is my guardian, master"

"Big name-gyardeen. Show your pass." "Big name-guardian. Show your pass"

Free Joe produced that document, and Cal-
har1887.2007.001.0019.jpg derwood read it aloud slowly, as if he found it difficult to get at the meaning:

"To whom it may concern: This is to certify that the boy Joe Frampton has my permission to visit his wife Lucinda."

This was dated at Hillsborough, and signed "John W. Evans."

Calderwood read it twice, and then looked at Free Joe, elevating his eyebrows, and showing his discolored teeth.

"Some mighty big words in that there. Evans owns this place, I reckon. When's he comin' down to take hold?"

Free Joe fumbfed with his hat. He was badly frightened.

"Lucindy say she speck you wouldn't min' my comin', long ez I behave, marster." "Lucindy say she expect you wouldn't mind my coming, long as I behave, master."

Calderwood tore the pass in pieces and flung it away.

"Don't want no free niggers 'round here," "Don't want no free niggers around here," he exclaimed. "There's the big road. It'll carry you to town. Don't let me catch you here no more. Now, mind what I tell you."

Free Joe presented a shabby spectacle as he
har1887.2007.001.0020.jpg moved off with his little dog Dan slinking at his heels. I t should be said in behalf of Dan, however, that his bristles were up, and that he looked back and growled. It may be that the dog had the advantage of insignificance, but it is difficult to conceive how a dog bold enough to raise his bristles under Calderwood's very eyes could be as insignificant as Free Joe. But both the negro and his little dog seemed to give a new and more dismal aspect to forlornness as they turned into the road and went toward Hillsborough.

After this incident Free Joe appeared to have clearer ideas concerning his peculiar condition. He realized the fact that though he was free he was more helpless than any slave. Having no owner, every man was his master. He knew that he was the object of suspicion, and therefore all his slender resources (ah! how pitifully slender they were!) were devoted to winning, not kindness and appreciation, but toleration; all his efforts were in the direction of mitigating the circumstances that tended to make his condition so much worse than that of the negroes
har1887.2007.001.0021.jpg around him-negroes who had friends because they had masters.

So far as his own race was concerned, Free Joe was an exile. If the slaves secretly envied him his freedom (which is to be doubted, considering his miserable condition), they openly despised him, and lost no opportunity to treat him with contumely. Perhaps this was in some measure the result of the attitude which Free Joe chose to maintain toward them. No doubt this instinct taught him that to hold himself aloof from the slaves would be to invite from the whites the toleration which he coveted, and,without which even his miserable condition would be rendered more miserable still.

His greatest trouble was the fact that he was not allowed to visit his wife; but he soon found a way out of his difficulty. After he had been ordered away from the Calderw'ood place, he was in the habit of wandering as far in that direction as prudence would permit. Near the Calderwood place, but not on Calderwood's land, lived an old man named Micajah Staley and his sister Becky Staley. These people were
har1887.2007.001.0022.jpg old and very poor. Old Micajah had a palsied arm and hand; but, in spite of this, he managed to earn a precarious living with his turninglathe. When he was a slave Free Joe would have scorned these representatives of a class known as poor white trash, but now found them sympathetic and helpful in various ways. From the back door of their cabin he could hear the Calderwood negroes singing at night, and he sometimes fancied he could distinguish Lucinda's shrill treble rising above the other voices. A large poplar grew in the woods some distance from the Staley cabin, and at the foot of this tree Free Joe would sit for hours with his face turned toward Calderwood's. His little dog Dan would curl up in the leaves near by, and the two seemed to be as comfortable as possible.

One Saturday afternoon Free Joe, sitting at the foot of this friendly poplar, fell asleep. How long he slept, he could not tell; but when he awoke little Dan was licking his face, the moon was shining brightly, and Lucinda his wife stood before him laughing . The dog, see-
har1887.2007.001.0023.jpg ing that Free Joe was asleep, had grown somewhat impatient, and he concluded to make an excursion to the Calderwood place on his own account. Lucinda was inclined to give the incident a twist in the direction of superstition.

"I 'uz settn' down front er de fireplace,"she said," cookin' me some meat, w'en all of a sudden I year sumpin at de do'-scratch, scratch. I tuck'n tu'n 'de meat over, en make out I ain't year it. Bimeby it come dar 'gin-scratch, scratch. I up en open 'de do', I did, en, bless 'de Lord! dar 'wuz little Dan,en it look like ter me dat his ribs 'done grow terge'er. I gin 'im some bread, en den, w'en he start out, I tuck'n foller 'im, kaze, I say ter myse'f, maybe my nigger man mought be some'rs 'roun'. Dat ar little dog got sense, mon." "I was sitting down front of the fireplace"she said, "cooking me some meat, when all of a sudden I hear something at the door- scratch, scratch. I took and turn the meat over, and make out I ain't hear it. By and by it come there again - scratch, scratch. I up and open the door, I did, and, bless the Lord! There was little Dan, and it look like to me that his ribs done grown together. I give him some bread, and then, when he start out, I took and follow him, because, I say to myself, maybe my nigger man might be somewhere around. That there little dog got sense, man.

Free Joe laughed and dropped his hand' lightly on Dan's head. For a long time after that he had no difficulty in seeing his wife. He had only to sit by the poplar tree until little Dan could run and fetch her. But after a while the other negroes discovered that Lucinda was meeting Free Joe in the woods, and information
har1887.2007.001.0024.jpg of the fact soon reached Calderwood's ears. Calderwood was what is called a man of action. He said nothing; but one day he put Lucinda in his buggy, and carried her to Macon, sixty miles away. He carried her to Macon, and came back without her jand nobody in or around Hillsborough, or in that section, ever saw her again. For many a night after that Free Joe sat in the woods and waited. Little Dan would run merrily off and be gone a long time, but he always came back without Lucinda. This happened over and over again. The "willis-whistlers" would call and call, like fantom huntsmen wandering on a far-off shore; the screech-owl would shake and shiver in the depths of the woods; the night-hawks, sweeping by on noiseless wings, would snap their beaks as though they enjoyed the huge joke of which Free Joe and little Dan were the victims; and the whippoor-wills would cry to each other through the gloom. Each night seemed to be lonelier than the preceding, but Free Joe's patience was proof against loneliness. There came a time, however, when little Dan refused to go after Lu-
har1887.2007.001.0025.jpg cinda. When Free Joe motioned him in the direction of the Calderwood plate, he would simply move about uneasily and whine; then he would curl up in the leaves and make himself comfortable. One night, instead of going to the poplar tree to wait for Lucinda, Free Joe went to the Staley cabin, and, in order to make his welcome good, as he expressed it, he carried with him an armful of fat-pine splinters. Miss Becky Staley had a great reputation in those parts as a fortuneteller, arid the schoolgirls, as well as older people, often tested her powers in this direction, some in jest and some in earnest. Free Joe placed his humble offering of light-wood in the chimney corner, and then seated himself on the steps, dropping his hat on the ground outside.

"Miss Becky," he said presently, "whar in de name er gracious you reckon Lucindy is?" "where in the name of gracious you reckon Lucinda is?"

"Well, the Lor'd he'p the nigger!" "Well, the Lord help the nigger!" exclaimed 'Miss Becky, in a tone that seemed to reproduce, by some curious agreement of sight with sound, her general aspect of peakedness. " Well, the Lord he'p the nigger! hain't you been a-seein'
har1887.2007.001.0026.jpg her all this blessed time? She's over at old Spite Calderwood's, if she's anywheres, I reckon." "Well, the Lord help the nigger! Haven’t you been a-seeing
har1887.2007.001.0026.jpg her all this blessed time? She’s over at old Spite Calderwood’s, if she’s anywhere, I reckon."

"No'm, dat I ain't, Miss Becky. I ain't seen Lucindy in now gwine on mighty nigh a mont'." "No ma'am, that I ain't, Miss Becky. I ain't seen Lucindy in now going on might nigh a month"

"Well, it hain't a-gwine to hurt you," "Well, it ain't a-going to hurt you," said Miss Becky, somewhat sharply. " "In my dayan' time it wuz allers took to be a bad sign when niggers got to honeyin' 'roun' an' gwine on." "In my day and time it was always took to be a bad sign when niggers got to honeying around and going on.

"Yessum," "Yes ma'm said Free Joe, cheerfully assenting to the proposition, "yessum, dat's so, but me an' my ole 'oman, we 'uz raise terge'er, en dey ain't bin many days w'en we 'uz' 'way fum one 'n'er like we' is now." "Yes ma'am, that's so, but me and my old woman, we was raise together, and they ain't been many days when we was away from one another like we is now.

"Maybe she's up an' took up wi' some un else," "Maybe she's up and took up with someone else." said Micajah Staley from the corner. "You know what the sayin' is: 'New master, new nigger.'"

"Dat's so', dat's de sayin', but tain't wid my ole 'oman like 'tis wid yuther niggers. Me en her wuz des natally raise up terge'er. Dey's lots likelier niggers dan w'at I is," "That's so- that's the saying, but it ain't with my old woman like it is with the other niggers. Me and her was just naturally raise up together. There's lost likelier niggers than what I is," said Free Joe, viewing his shabbiness with a critical eye, "but
har1887.2007.001.0027.jpg " I knows Lucindy mos' good ez I does little Dan dar-dat I does." "I knows Lucindy most good as I does little Dan there- that I does."

There was no reply to this, and Free Joe continued:

"Miss Becky, I wish you please, ma'am, take en run yo' kyards en see sump'n n'er 'bout Lucindy; kaze ef she sick, I'm gwine dar. Dey ken take en take me up en gimme a stroppin', but I'm gwine dar." "Miss Becky, I wish you please, ma'am, take and run your cards and see something or another about Lucinda, because if she sick, I'm going there. They can take and take me up and give me a strapping, but I'm going there.

Miss Becky got her cards, but first she picked up a cup, in the bottom of which were some coffee-grounds. These she whirled slowly round and round, ending finally by turning the cup upside down on the hearth and allowing it to remain in that position.

"I'll turn the cup first," said Miss Becky, "and then I'll run the cards and see what they say."

As she shuffled the cards the fire on the hearth burned low, and in its fitful light the gray-haired, thin-featured woman seemed to deserve the weird reputation which rumor and gossip had given her. She shuffled the cards for some moments, gazing intently in the dying
har1887.2007.001.0028.jpg fire; then, throwing a piece of pine on the coals, she made three divisions of the pack, disposing them about in her lap. Then she took the first pile, ran the cards slowly through her fingers, and studied them carefully. To the first she added the second pile. The study of these was evidently not satisfactory. She said nothing, but frowned heavily; and the frown deepened as she added the rest of the cards until the entire fifty-two had passed in review before her. ifhough she frowned, she seemed to be deeply interested. Without changing the relative position of the cards, she ran them all over again. Then she threw a larger piece of pine on the fire, shuffled the cards afresh, divided them into three piles, and subjected them to the same careful and critical examination.

"I can't tell the day when I've seed the cards run this a-way," "What is an' what ain't, I'll never tell you; but I know what the cards sez." "What is and what ain't, I'll never tell you; but I know what the cards says."

"W'at does dey say, Miss Becky? "What does they say, Miss Becky?" the negro inquired, in a tone the solemnity of which was heightened by its eagerness.

har1887.2007.001.0029.jpg

"They er runnin' quare. These here that I'm a-Iookin' at," " They are running queer. These here that I'm a looking at," said Miss Becky, "they stan' for the past. Them there, they er the present; and the t'others, they er the future. Here's a bundle" "they stand for the past. Them there, they are the present, and the others, they are the future. Here's a bundle" -tapping the ace of clubs with her thumb -"an' here's a journey as plain as the nose on a man's face. Here's Lucinda-"

"Whar she, Miss Becky?" "Where she, Miss Becky?"

"Here she is-the queen of spades."

Free Joe grinned. The idea seemed to please him immensely.

""Well, well, weIll" he exclaimed. "Ef dat don't beat my time! De queen er spades! W'en Lucindy year dat hit'll tickle 'er, sho'!" "If that don't beat my time! The queen of spades! When Lucindy hear that it'll tickle her, sure!"

Miss Becky continued to run the cards back and forth through her fingers.

"Here's a bundle an' a journey, and here's Lucinda. An' here's ole Spite Calderwood." " Here's a bundle and a journey, and here's Lucinda. And here's old Spite Calderwood."

She held the cards toward the negro and touched the king of clubs.

"De Lord he'p my soul I" "The Lord help my soul!" exclaimed Free Joe with a chuckle. "De

har1887.2007.001.0030.jpg

The old woman added the second pile of cards to the first, and then the third, still running them through her fingers slowly and critically. By this time the piece of pine in the fireplace had wrapped itself in a mantle of flame, illuminating the cabin and throwing into strange relief the figure of Miss Becky as she sat studying the cards. She frowned ominously at the cards and mumbled a few words to herself. Then she dropped her hands in her lap and gazed once more into the fire. Her shadow danced and capered on the wall and floor behind her, as if, looking over her shoulder into the future, it could behold a rare spectacle. After a while she picked up the cup that had been turned on the hearth. The coffee-grounds, shaken around, presented what seemed to be a most intricate map.

"Here's the journey," said Miss Becky, presently; "here's the big road, here's rivers to cross, here's the bundle to tote." She paused and sighed. "They hain't no names writ here, an' what it all means I'll never tell you. Cajy, I wish you'd be so good as to han' me my pipe." "They ain't no names writ here, and what it all means I'll never tell you. Cajy, I wish you'd be so good as to hand me my pipe."

har1887.2007.001.0031.jpg

"I 'hain't no hand wi' the kyards," "I ain't no hand with the cards, said Cajy, as he handed the pipe, "but I reckon I can patch out your misinformation, Becky, bekaze the other day, whiles I was a-finishin' up Mizzers Perdue's rollin'-pin, I hearn a rattlin' in the road. I looked out, an' Spite Calderwood was a-drivin' by in his buggy, an' thar sot Lucin'da by him. It'd in-about drapt out er my min'." "but I reckon I can patch out your misinformation, Becky, because the other day, whiles I was a-finishing up Mister Perdue's rolling-pin, I heared a rattling in the road. I looked out, and Spite Calderwood was a driving by in his buggy, and there sat Lucinda by him. It'd in-about dropped out of my mind."

Free Joe sat on the door-sill and fumbled at his hat, flinging it from one hand to the other.

"You ain't see um gwine back, is you, Mars Cajy?" "You ain't see them going back, is you, Master Cajy?" he asked after a while.

"Ef they went back by this road," said Mr. Staley, with the air of one who is accustomed to weigh well his words, "it must 'a' bin endurin' of the time whiles I was asleep, bekaze I hain't bin no furder from my shop than to yon bed." " If they went back by this road,"said Mr. Staley, with the air of one who is accustomed to weigh well his words, " it must have been enduring of the times whiles I was asleep, because I ain't been no further from my shop than to yonder bed."

"Well, sir!" exclaimed Free Joe in an awed tone, which Mr. Staley seemed to regard as a tribute to his extraordinary powers of statement.

"Ef it's my beliefs you want," continued the old man, "I'll pitch 'em at you fair and free. My beliefs is that Spite Calderwood is gone an' took Lucindy outen the county. Bless your.
har1887.2007.001.0032.jpg heart and soul! when Spite Calderwood meets the Old Boy in the road they'll be a turrible scuffle. You mark what I tell you." "If it's my beliefs you want,"continued the old man, "I'll pitch them at you fair and free. My beliefs is that Spite Calderwood is gone and took Lucindy out of the county. Bless your heart and soul when Spite Calderwood meets the Old Boy in the road they'll be a terrible scuffle. You mark what I tell you."

Free Joe, still fumbling with his hat, rose and leaned against the door-facing. He seemed to be embarrassed. Presently he said:

"I speck I better be gittin' 'long. Nex' time' I see Lucindy, I'm gwine tell 'er w'at Miss Becky say 'bout de queen er spades-dat I is. Ef dat don't tickle 'er, dey ain't no nigger 'oman never bin tickle'." "I expect I better be getting along. Next time I see Lucindy, I'm going tell her what Miss Becky say about the queen of spades- that I is. If that don't tickle her, they ain't no nigger woman never been tickled."

He paused a moment, as though waiting· for some remark or comment, some confirmation of misfortune, or, at the very least, some endorsement of his suggestion that Lucinda would be greatly. pleased to know that she had figured as the queen of spades j but neither Miss Becky nor her brother said anything.

"One minnit ridin' in the buggy 'longside er Mars Spite, en de nex' highfalutin' 'roun' playin' de queen er spades. Man, deze yer nigger gals gittin' up in de pictur's; dey sholy is." "One minute riding in the buggy alongside of Master Spite, and the next highfaluting around playing the queen of spades. Man, these here nigger gals getting up in the pictures, they surely is."

With a brief "Good night, Miss Becky, Mars C . " " Good night, Miss Becky, Master C. Free Joe went out into the darkness fol- Free Joe
har1887.2007.001.0033.jpg lowed by little Dan. He made his way to the poplar, where Lucinda had been in the habit of meeting him, and sat down. He sat there a long time; he sat there until little Dan, growing restless, trotted off in the direction of the Calderwood place. Dozing against the poplar, in the gray dawn of the morning, Free Joe heard Spite Calderwood's fox-hounds in full cry a mile away.

"Shoo!" he exclaimed, scratching his head, and laughing to himself, "dem ar dogs is des a-warmin' dat old fox up." "Shoo!" he exclaimed, scratching his head, and laughint to himself,"them there dogs is just a warming that old fox up.

-But it was Dan the hounds were after,. and the little dog came back no more. Free Joe waited and waited, until he grew tired of waiting. He went back the next night and waited, and for many nights thereafter. His waiting was in vain, and yet he never regarded it as in vain. Careless and shabby as he was, Free Joe was thoughtful enough to have his theory. He was convinced that little Dan had found Lucinda, and that some night when the moon was shining brightly through the trees, the dog would rouse him from his dreams as he
har1887.2007.001.0034.jpg sat sleeping at the foot of the poplar tree, and he would open his eyes and behold Lucinda standing over him, laughing merrily as of old; and then he thought what fun they would have about the queen of spades.

How many long nights Free Joe waited at the foot of the poplar tree for Lucinda and little Dan no one can ever know. He kept no account of them, and they were not recorded by Micajah Staley nor by Miss Becky. The season ran into summer and then into fall. One night he went to the Staley cabin, cut the two old people an armful of wood, and seated himself on the doorsteps, where he rested. He was always thankful- and proud, as it seemed-when Miss Becky gave him a cup of coffee, which she was sometimes thoughtful enough to do. He was especially thankful on this particular night.

"You er stilliayin' off for to strike up wi' Lucindy out thar in the woods, I reckon," said 'Micajah Staley, smiling grimly. The situation was not without its humorous aspects. "You are still laying off for to strike up with Lucindy out there in the woods, I reckon " said Micajah Staley, smiling grimly. The situation was not without its humorous aspects.

"Oh, dey er comin', MarsCajy, dey er comin', sho," Free Joe' replied. "I boun' you dey'll
har1887.2007.001.0035.jpg come; en w'en dey does come, I'll des take en fetch um yer, whar you kin see um wid you own eyes, you en Miss Becky." " Oh, they are coming, Mr. Cajy, they are coming, sure," Free Joe replied." I bound you they’ll come, and when they does come, I’ll just take and fetch them where you can see with your own eyes, you and Miss Becky."

"No," said Mr. Staley, with a quick and emphatic gesture of disapproval. "Don't! don't fetch 'em anywheres. Stay right wi' 'em as long as may be." "Dont! Dont fetch them anywheres. Stay right with them as long as may be."

Free Joe chuckled, and slipped away into the night, while the two old people sat gazing in the fire. Finally Micajah spoke.

"Look at that nigger; look at 'im. He's pine-blank as happy now as a

"Niggers is niggers," said Miss Becky, smiling grimly, "an' you can't rub it out; yit I lay I've seed a heap of white people lots meaner'n Free Joe. He grins-an' that's nigger-but I've ketched his under jaw a-tremblin' when Lucindy's name uz brung up. An' I tell you," she went on, bridling up a little, and speaking with almost fierce emphasis, "the Old ,Boy's
har1887.2007.001.0036.jpg done sharpened his claws for Spite Calderwood. You'll see it." "Niggers is niggers,"said Miss Becky, smiling grimly, "and you can’t rub it out; yet I lay I’ve seed a heap of white people lots meaner than Free Joe. He grins and that’s nigger- but I’ve catched his under jaw a trembling when Lucinda's name was brung up. And I tell you," she went on, bridling up a little, and speaking with almost fierce emphasis, "the Old Boy’s done sharpened his claws for Spite Calderwood. You'll see it.

"Me, Rebecca?" said Mr. Staley, hugging his palsied arm; "me? I hope not. "

"Well, you'll know it then," said Miss Becky, laughing heartily at her brother's look of alarm.

The next morning Micajah Staley had occasion to go into the woods after a piece of timber. He saw Free Joe sitting at the foot of the poplar, and the sight vexed him somewhat.

"Git up from there," Get up from there," he cried, "an' go an' am your livin'. A mighty purty pass it's come to, when great big buck niggers can lie a-snorin' in the woods all day, when t'other folks is got to be up an' a-gwine. Git up from there!" "and go and earn your living. A might pretty pass it’s come to, when great big buck niggers can lie a snoring in the woods all day, when the other folks is got to be up and a-going. Get up from there!

Receiving no response, Mr. Staley went to Free Joe, and shook him by the shoulder; but the negro made no response. He was dead. His hat was off, his head was bent, and a smile was on his face. It was as if he had bowed and smiled when death stood before him humble to the last. ,His clothes were ragged; his hands were rough and callous; his shoes were literally
har1887.2007.001.0037.jpg tied together with strings; he was shabby in the extreme. A passer-by, glancing at him, could have no idea that such a humble creature had been summoned as a witness before the Lord God of Hosts.

LITTLE COMPTON

VERYSouthern country towns have been more profitably influenced by the new order of things than Hillsborough in Middle Georgia. At various intervals since the war it has had what the local weekly calls "a business boom." The old tavern has been torn down, and in its place stands a new three-story brick hotel, managed by a very brisk young man, who is shrewd enough to advertise in the newspapers of the neighboring towns that he has "special accommodations and special rates for commercial travelers." Although Hillsborough is comparativelya small town, it is the centre of a very pro'ductive region, and its trade is somewhat important. Consequently, the commercial travelers, with characteristic energy, lose no opportunity of taking advantage of the hospitable invitation of the landlord of the Hillsborough hotel.

har1887.2007.001.0039.jpg

Not many years ago a representative of this class visited the old town. He was from the North, and, being much interested in what he saw, was duly inquisitive. Among other things that attracted his attention was a little onearmed man who seemed to be the life of the place. He was here, there, and everywhere; and wherever he went the atmosphere seemed to lighten and brighten. Sometimes he was flying around town in a buggy; at such times he was driven by a sweet-faced lady, whose smiling air of proprietorship proclaimed her to be his wife: but more often he was on foot. His cheerIulness and good humor were infectious. The old men sitting at Perdue's Corner, where they had been gathering for forty years and more, looked up and laughed as he passed; the ladies shopping in the streets paused to chat with him; and even the dry-goods clerks and lawyers, playing chess or draughts under the China trees that shaded the sidewalks, were willing to be interrupted long enough to exchange jokes with him.

"Rather a lively chap that," said the observant commercial traveler.

har1887.2007.001.0040.jpg

Well, I reckon you won't find no livelier in these diggin's," "Well, I reckon you won't find no livelier in these diggings," replied the landlord,to whom the remark was addressed. There was a suggestion of suppressed local pride in his tones. "He's a little chunk of a man, but he's monst'us peart. " He's a little chunk of a man, but he's monstrous pert.

"A colonel, I guess," said the stranger, smiling.

Oh, no," the other rejoined."He ain't no colonel, but he'd 'a' made a prime one. It's mighty curious to me," "He ain't no colonel, but he'd a made a prime one. It's might curious to me, " he went on, "that them Yankees up there didn't make him one." " that them Yankees up there didn't make him one.

"The Yankees?" inquired the commercial traveler.

"Why, yes," said the landlord. "He's a Yankee; and that lady you seen drivin' him around, she's a Yankee. He courted her here and he married her here. Major Jimmy Bass wanted him to marry her in his house, but Captain Jack Walthall put his foot down and said the weddin' had to be in his house; and there's where it was, in that big white house over yander with the

"Oh," said the commercial traveler, with a
har1887.2007.001.0041.jpg cynical smile, "he stayed. down here to keep out of the army. He was a lucky fellow."

"Well, I reckon he was lucky not to get killed," said the landlord, laughing. "He fought with the Yankees,· and they do say that Little Compton was a rattler."

The commercial traveler gave a long, low whistle, expressive of' his profound astonishment. And yet, under all the circumstances, there was nothing to create astonishment. The lively little man had a history.

Among the genial and popular citizens of Hillsborough, in the days before the war, none were more genial or more popular than Little Compton. He was popular with all classes, with old and with young, with whites and with blacks. He was sober, discreet, sympathetic, and generous. He was neither handsome nor magnetic. He was awkward and somewhat bashful, but his manners and his conversation had the rare merit of spontaneity. His sallow face was unrelieved by eitner mustache or whiskers, and his eyes were black and very small, but they glistened with good-humor and
har1887.2007.001.0042.jpg sociability. He was somewhat small in stature, and for that reason the young men about Hillsborough had given him the name of Little Compton.

Little Compton's introduction to Hillsborough was not wholly without suggestive incidents. He made his appearance there in 1850, and opened a small grocery store. Thereupon the young men of the town, with nothing better to do than to seek such amusement as they could find in so small a community, promptly proceeded to make him the victim of their pranks and practical jokes. Little Compton's forbearance was wonderful. He laughed heartily when he found his modest signboard hanging over an adjacent barroom, and smiled good-humoredly when he found the sidewalk in front of his door barricaded with barrels and dry-goods boxes. An impatient man would have looked on these things as in the nature of indignities, but Little Compton was not an impatient man.

This went on at odd intervals, until at last the fun-loving young men began to appreciate Little Compton's admirable temper; and then
har1887.2007.001.0043.jpg for a season they played their jokes on other citizens, leaving Little Compton entirely unmolested. These young men were boisterous, but good-natured, and they had their own ideas of what constituted fair play. They were ready to fight or to have fun, but in neither case would they willingly take what they considered a mean advantage of a man.

By degrees they warmed to Little Compton. His gentleness won upon them; his patient good-humor attracted them. Without taking account of the matter, the most of them became his friends. This was demonstrated one day when one of the Pulliam boys from Jasper County made some slurring remark about "the little Yankee." As Pulliam was somewhat in his cups, no attention was paid to his remark; whereupon he followed it up with others of a more seriously abusive character. Little Compton was waiting on a customer; but Pulliam was standing in front of his door, and he could not fail to hear the abuse. Young Jack Walthall was sitting in a chair near the door, whittling a piece of white pine. He put his knife in his
har1887.2007.001.0044.jpg pocket, and, whistling softly, looked at Little Compton curiously. Then he walked to where Pulliam was standing.

"If I were you, Pulliam," he said, "and wanted to abuse anybody, I'd pick out a bigger man than that."

"I don't see anybody," said Pulliam.

"Well, d-- you!" exclaimed Walthall, "if you are that blind, I'll open your eyes for you!"

Whereupon he knocked Pulliam down. At this Little Compton ran out excitedly, and it was the impression of the spectators that he intended to attack the man who had been abusing him; but, instead of that, he knelt over the prostrate bully, wiped the blood from his eyes, and finally succeeded in getting him to his feet. Then Little Compton assisted him into the store, placed him in a chair, and proceeded to bandage his wounded eye. Walthall, looking on with an air of supreme indifference, uttered an exclamation of astonishment, and sauntered carelessly away.

Sauntering back an hour or so afterward, he found that Pulliam was still in Little Compton's
har1887.2007.001.0045.jpg store. He would have passed on, but Little Compton called to him. He went in prepared to be attacked, for he knew Pulliam to be one of the most dangerous men in that region, and the most revengeful; but, instead of making an attack, Pulliam offered his hand.

"Let's call it square, Jack. Your mother and my father are blood cousins, and I don't want any bad feelings to grow out of this racket. I've apologized to Mr. Compton here, and now I'm ready to apologize to you."

Walthall looked at Pulliam and at his proffered han'd, and then looked at Little Compton. The latter was smiling pleasantly. This appeared to be satisfactory, and Walthall seized his kinsman's hand, and exclaimed:

"Well, by George, Miles Pulliam I if you've apologized to Little Compton, then it's. my turn to apologize to you. Maybe I was too quick with my hands, but that chap there is such a d-- clever little rascal that it works me up to see anybody pester him."

"Why, Jack," said Compton, his little eyes glistening, "I'm not such a scrap as you make
har1887.2007.001.0046.jpg out. It's just your temper, Jack. Your temper runs clean away with your judgment"

"My temper! Why, good Lord, man! don't I just sit right down, and let folks run over me whenever they want to? Would I have done anything if Miles Pulliam had abused me?"

"Why, the gilded Queen of Sheba!" exclaimed Miles Pulliam, laughing loudly, in spite of his bruises; "only last. sale day you mighty nigh jolted the life out of Bill-Tom Saunders, with the big end of "a hickory stick."

"That's so," said Walthall reflectively; "but did I follow him up to do it? Wasn't he dogging after me all day, and strutting around bragging about what he was going to do? Didn't I play the little stray lamb till he rubbed his fist in my face?" "

The others laughed. They knew that Jack Walthall wasn't at all lamblike in his disposition. He was tall and strong and handsomee, with pale classic features, jet-black curling hair, and beautiful white hands that never knew what labor was. He was something" of a dandy in Hillsborough, but in a large. manly,
har1887.2007.001.0047.jpg generous way. With his perfect manners, stately and stiff, or genial and engaging, as occasion might demand, Mr. Walthall was just such a romantic figure as one reads about in books, or as one' expects to see step from behind the wings of the stage with a guitar or a long dagger. Indeed, he was the veritable original of Cyrille Brandon, the hero of Miss Amelia Baxter's elegant novel entitled "The Haunted Manor; or, Souvenirs of the Sunny Southland." If those who are fortunate enough to possess a copy of this graphic book, which was printed in Charleston for the author, will turn to the description of Cyrille Brandon, they will get a much better idea of Mr. Walthall than they can hope to get in this brief and imperfect chronicle. It is true, the picture there drawn is somewhat exaggerated to suit the purposes of fictive art, but it shows perfectly the serious impression Mr. Walthall made on ~he ladies who were his contemporaries

It is only fair to say, however, that the real Mr. Walthall was altogether different from the ideal Cyrille Brandon of Miss Baxter's power-
har1887.2007.001.0048.jpg fuly written book. He was by no means ignorant of the impression he made on the fair sex, and he was somewhat proud of it; but he had no romantic ideas of his own. He was, in fact, a very practical young man. When the Walthall estate, composed of thousands of acres of land and several hundred healthy, well-fed negroes, was divided up, he chose to take his portion in money; and this he loaned out at a fair interest to those who were in need of ready cash. Ifhis gave him large leisure; and, as was the custom among the young men of leisure, he gambled a little when the humor was on him, having the judgment and the nerve to make the game of poker exceedingly interesting to those ;who sat with him at table.

No one could ever explain why the handsome and gallant Jack Walthall should go so far as to stand between his own cousin and Little Compton j indeed, no one tried to explain it. , The fact was accepted for what it was worth, and it was a great deal to Little Compton in a social and business way. After the row which has just been described~ Mr. Walthall was usu-
har1887.2007.001.0049.jpg ally to be found at Compton's store-in the summer sitting in front of the dpor under the grateful shade of the China trees, and in . the winter sitting by the comfortable fire that Compton kept burning in his back room. As Mr. Walthall was the recognized leader of the young men, Little Compton's store soon became the headquarters for all of them. They met there, and they made themselves at home there, introducing their affable host to many queer antics and capers peculiar to the youth of that day and time, and to the social organism of which that youth was the outcome.

That Little Compton enjoyed their company is certain; but it is doubtful if he entered heartily into the plans of their escapades, which they freely 'discussed around his hearth. Perhaps it was because he had outlived the folly of youth.· . Though his face was smooth and round, and his eye bright~. Little Compton bore the marks of maturity and experience. He used to laugh, and say that he was born in New Jersey, and died there when he was young. What significance this statement possessed no one ever
har1887.2007.001.0050.jpg knew; probably no one in Hillsborough cared to know. The people of that town had their own notions and their own opinions. They were not unduly inquisitive, save when their inquisitiveness seemed to take a political shape; and then it was somewhat aggressive.

There were a great many things in Hillsborough likely to puzzle a stranger. Little Compton observed that the young men, no matter how young they might be, were absorbed in politics. IThey had the political history of the country at their tongues' ends, and the discussions they carried on were interminable. This interest extended to all classes: the planters discussed politics with their overseers; and lawyers, merchants, tradesmen, and gentlemen of elegant leisure discussed politics witrr each other. Schoolboys knew all about the Missouri Compromise, the fugitive slave law, and States rights. Sometimes the arguments used were more substantial than mere words, but this was only when some old feud was back of the discussion. There was one question, as Little Compton discovered, in regard to which there
har1887.2007.001.0051.jpg was no discussion. That question was slavery. It loomed up everywhere and in everything and was the basis of all the arguments, and yet it was not discussed: there was no room for discussion. There was but one idea, and that was that slavery must be defended at all liazards, and against all enemies. That was the temper of the time, and Little Compton was not long in discovering that of all dangerous issues slavery was the most dangerous.

The young men, in their free-and-easy way, told him the story of a wayfarer who once came through that region' preaching abolitionism to the negroes. The negroes themselves betrayed him, and he was promptly taken in charge. His body was found afterward hanging in the woods, and he 'was buried at the expense of the county. Even his name had been forgotten, and his grave was all but obliterated. All these things made an impression on Little Compton's mind. The tragedy itself was recalled by one of the pranks.of the young men, that was conceived and carried out under his eyes. It happened after he had become well used to the ways of ,Hillsbor-
har1887.2007.001.0052.jpg ough. There came a stranger to the town, whose queer acts excited the suspicions of a naturally suspicious community. Professedly he was a colporteur; but, instead of trying to disp.ose of books and tracts, of which he had a visible· supply, he Ievoted himself to arguing with the village politicians under the shade of the trees. It was observed, also, that he would frequently note down observations in a memorandum book. Just about that time the controversy between the slaveholders and the abolitionists was at its height. John Brown had made his raid on Harper's Ferry, and there was a good deal of excitement throughout the State. It was rumored that Brown had emissaries traveling from State to State, preparing the negroes for insurrection; and every community, even Hillsborough, was on the alert, watching, waiting, suspecting.

The time assuredly was not auspicious ~or the stranger with the ready memorandum book. Sitting in front of Compton's store, he fell into conversation one day with Uncle Abner Lazenberry, a patriarch who lived in the country, and
har1887.2007.001.0053.jpg who had a habit of coming to Hillsborough at least once a week "to talk with the boys." Uncle Abner belonged to the poorer class of , planters; that is to say, he had a small farm and not more than half a dozen negroes. But he was decidedly popular, and his conversationsomewhat caustic at times-was thoroughly enjoyed by the younger generation. On this occasion he had been talking to Jack Walthall, when the stranger drew. a chair within hearing distance.

"You take all your men," Uncle Abner was saying-" take all un 'em, but gimme Hennery Clay. Them abolishioners, they may come an' git all six er my niggers, if they'll jess' but lemme keep the ginnywine ole Whig docterin'. a'hat's me up an' down-that's wher' your Uncle Abner Lazenberry stan's, boys." "You take all your men," Uncle Abner was saying,"take all of them, but give me Henry Clay. The abolishioners, they may come and get all six of my niggers, if they'll just but let me keep the genuine old Whig docterine. And that's me up and down- that's where your Uncle Abner Lazenberry stands, boys." By this time 'the stranger had taken out his inevitable notebook, and Uncle Abner went on: "Yes, siree! You may jess mark me down that away. 'Come,' sez I, 'an' take all my niggers an' the ole gray mar',' sez I, 'but lemme keep my Whig docterin',' sez I. Lord! I've seed sights wi' them
har1887.2007.001.0054.jpg niggers. They hain't no manner account. ifhey won't work, an' I'm ablidge to feed 'em, else they'd whirl in an' steal from the neighbors. Hit's in-about broke me for to maintain 'em in the'r laziness. Bless your soul, little children! I'm in a turrible fix-a turrible fix. I'm that bankruptured that when I come to town, ef I fine a thrip in my britches-pocket for to buy me a dram I'm the happiest mortal in the county. Yes, siree I hit's got down to that." "Yes, siree! You may just mark me down that away. 'Come,' says I, and take all my niggers and the old gray mare,' says I, 'but let me keep my Whig docterine,' says I. Lord! I've seed sights with them niggers.
har1887.2007.001.0054.jpg They ain't no manner account. They won't work, and I'm oblige to feed them, else they'd whirl in and steal from the neighbors. It's in- about broke me to maintain them in their laziness. Bless your soul, little children! I'm in a terrible fix- a terrible fix. I'm that bankrupted that when I come to town, if I find a thrip in my britches-pocket for to buy me a dram I'm the happiest mortal in the county. Yes, siree! It's got down to that."

Here Uncle Abner Lazenberry paused and eyed the stranger shrewdly, to whom, presently, he addressed himself in a very insinuating tone:

"What mought be your name, mister?" "What might be your name, mister?"

"Oh," said the stranger, taken somewhat aback by the suddenness of the question, "my name might be Jones, but it happens to be Davies," Uncle Abner Lazenberry stared at Davies a moment as if amazed, and then exclaimed: "Jesso! Well, dog my cats ef times hain't a-changin' an' a-changin' tell bimeby the natchul world an' all the hummysp'eres'll make the'r
har1887.2007.001.0055.jpg disappearance een'-uppermost. Yit, whiles they er changin' an' a-disappearin', I hope they'll leave me my ole Whig docterin', an' my name, which the fust an' last un it is Abner Lazenberry. An' more'n that," the old man went on, with severe emphasis-"an' more'n that, they hain't never been a day sence the creation of the world an' the hummysp'eres when my name mought er been anything else under the shinin' sun but Abner Lazenberry; an' ef the time's done come when any mortal name mought er been anything but what hit reely is, then we jess better turn the nation an' the federation over to demockeracy an' giner'l damnation. Now that's me, right pine-plank." "Just so! Well, dog my cats if times ain't a-changing and a-changing until by and by the natural world and all the hemispheres make their
har1887.2007.001.0055.jpg disappearance een'-uppermost. Yet, while the are changing and a-disappearing, I hope they'll leave me my old Whig docterine, and my name, which the first and lost one it is Abner Lazenberry. And more than that," the old man went on, with severe emphasis-"and more than that, they ain't never been a day since the creation of the world and the hemispheres when my name might have been anything else under the shining sun but Abner Lazenberry, and if the time's done come when any mortal name might have been anything but what it really is, then we just better turn the nation and the federation over to democracy and general damnation. Now that's me, right point-blank."

By way of emphasizing his remarks, Uncle Abner brought the end of his hickory cane down upon the ground with a tremendous thump. The stranger reddened a little at the unexpected criticism, and was evidently ill at ease, but he remarked politely:

"This is just a saying I've picked up somewhere in my travels. My name is Davies, and I am traveling through the country selling a
har1887.2007.001.0056.jpg few choice books, and picking up information as I go."

"I know a mighty heap of Davises," said Uncle Abner, "but I disremember of anybody named Davies."

"Well, sir," said Mr. Davies, "the name IS not uncommon in my part of the country. I am from Vermont."

>"Well,well!" said Uncle Abner, tapping the ground thoughtfully with his cane. "A mighty fur ways Vermont is, tooby shore. In my day an' time I've seed as many as three men folks from Vermont, an' one un 'em, he wuz a wheelwright, an' one wuz a tin-pedler, an' the yuther one wuz a clockmaker. But that wuz a long time ago. How is the abolishioners gittin' on up that away, an' when in the name er patience is they a-comin' arter my niggers? Lord! if them niggers wuz free, I wouldn't have to slave for 'em." " "A mighty far ways Vermont is, to be sure. In my day and time I've seed as many as three men folks from Vermont, and one of them, he was a wheelwright, and one was a tin-pedler, and the other one was a clockmaker. But that was a long time ago. How is the abolitionists getting on up that away, and when in the name of patience is they a-coming after my niggers? Lord! If them niggers was free, I wouldn't have to slave for them."

"Well, sir," said Mr. Davies, "I take little or no interest in those things. I have to make a humble living, and I leave political questions to the politicians."
har1887.2007.001.0057.jpg fhe conversation was carried an at some length, the younger men joining in occasionally, to ask questions; and nothing could have been friendlier than their attitude toward Mr. Davies. ifhey treated him ,with the greatest consideration. IHis manner and speech were those of an educated man, and he seemed to make himself thoroughly agreeable. ;But that night, as Mr. Jack :Walthall was about to go to bed, his body-servant, a negro named Jake, began to question him about the abolitionists.

"What do you know about abolitionists?" Mr. Walthall asked with some degree of severity.

"Nothin' 'tall, Marse Jack, 'cep'in' w'at dish yer new w'ite man down dar at de tavern say." "Nothing at all, Master Jack, excepting what this your new white man down there at the tavern say."

"And what did he say?" Mr. Walthall inguired.

"I ax 'im, I say, 'Marse Boss, is dese yer bobolitionists got horns en huffs? ' en he 'low, he did, 'dat dey ain't no bobolitionists, kaze dey er babolitionists, an' dey ain't got needer horns ner huffs." " I ask him, I say, 'Master Boss, is this here abolitionists got horns and hooves? And he allow, he did, that they ain't no abolitionists, 'cause they are abolitionists, and they ain't got neither horns nor hooves.

"What else did he say?"

har1887.2007.001.0058.jpg

Jake laughed .. It was a hearty and humorous laugh.

"Well, sir," he replied, "dat man des preached. He sholy did. He ax me ef de niggers' roun' yer wouldn' all like ter be free, en I tole 'im I don't speck dey would, kaze all de free niggers w'at I ever seed is de mas' no 'countes, niggers in de Ian'." "that man just preached. He surely did. He ask me if the niggers around here wouldn't all like to be free, and I told him I don't expect they would, because all the free niggers what I ever seed is the most no account niggers in the land."

Mr.Walthall dismissed the negro somewhat curtly. He had prepared to retire for the night, but apparently thought better of it, for he resumed his coat and vest, and went out into the cool moonlight. He walked around the public square, and finally perched himself on the stile that led over the court-house enclosure. He sat there a long time. Little Compton passed by, escorting Miss Lizzie Fairleigh, the schoolmistress, home from some social gathering; and finally the lights in the village went out one by one-all save the one that shone in the window of the room occupied by Mr. Davies. Watching this window somewhat closely, Mr. Jack Walthall observed that there was movement in the room. Shadows played on the white win-
har1887.2007.001.0059.jpg ow-curtains-human shadows passing to and 'fro. {The curtains, quivering in the night wind, distorted these shadows, and made confusion of them; but the wind died away for a moment, and, outlined on the curtains, the patient watcher saw a silhouette of Jake, his body-servant. Mr. iWalthall beheld the spectacle with amazement. It never occurred to him that the picture he saw: was part-the beginning indeed-of a tremendous panorama which would shortly engage toe attention of the civilized world, but he gazed at it with a feeling of vague uneasiness.

The next morning Little Compton was somewhat surprised at the absence of the young men who were in the habit of gathering in front of his store. Even Mr. J ack Walthall, who could be depended on to tilt his chair against the China tree and sit there. for an hour or more after bteakfast, failed to put in an appearance. After putting his store to rights, and posting up some accounts left over from the day before, Little Compton came out on the sidewalk, and walked up and down in front of the door. IHe was in excellent humor" and as he walked he hummed
har1887.2007.001.0060.jpg a tune. He did not lack for companionship, for his cat, Tommy Tinktums, an extraordinarily large one, followed him back and forth, rubbing against him and running between his legs j , but somehow he felt lonely. The town was very quiet. It was quiet at all times, but on this particular morning it seemed to Little Compton that there was less stir than usual. There was no sign of life anywhere around the public square save at Perdue's Corner. Shading his eyes with his hand, Little Compton observed a group of citizens apparently engaged in a very interesting discussion. Among them he recognized the tall form of Mr. Jack Walthall and the somewhat ponderous presence of Major Jimmy Bass. Little 'Compton watched the group because lie had nothing better to do. He saw Major Jimmy Bass bring the end of his cane down upon the ground with a tremendous thump, and gesticulate like a man lab'oring under strong excitement j but this was nothing out of the ordinary, for Major Jimmy had been known to get excited over the most trivial discussion; on one occasion, indeed, he had even
har1887.2007.001.0061.jpg I mounted a dry-goods box, and, as the boys ex-pressed it, "cussed out the town."

Still watching the group, Little Compton saw IMr. J ack Walthall take Buck Ransome by the arm, and walk across the public square in the !direction of the court-house. ;They were followed by Mr. Alvin Cozart, Major Jimmy Bass, and young Rowan Wornum. They went to the court-house stile, and formed a little group, ,while Mr. Walthall appeared to be explainingsomething, pointing frequently in the direction of the tavern. In a little while they returned to those they had left at Perdue's Corner, where they were presently joined by a number of other citizens. Once Little Compton thought he. ,would lock his door and join them, but by the time he had made u~ his mind the group had dispersed.

A little later on, Compton's curiosity was more than' satisfied. One of the young men, . Buck Ransome, came into Compton's store, bringing a queer-looking bundle. Unwrapping it, Mr. Ransome brought to view two large pillows. Whistling a gay tunel be ran his keen ..
har1887.2007.001.0062.jpg knife into one of these, and felt of die feathers. ,His manner was that of an expert. lfhe examination seemed to satisfy him; for he rolled the pillows into a bundle again, and 'deposited them in the back part of the store.

"You'd be a nice housekeeper, Buck, if you 'did all your pillows that way,'" said Compton.

"Why, bless your great big soul, Compy," said Mr. Ransome, striking an attitude, "I'm the finest in the land."

Just then Mr. Alvin Cozart came in, bearing a small bucket, which he handled very carefully. Little Compton thought he detected the odor of tar.

"Stick her in the back room tnere," said Mr. Ransome; "she'll keep."

Compton was somewhat mystified by these, proceedings; but everything was made clear when, an hour later, the young men of the town, reenforced by Major Jimmy Bass, marched into his store, bringing with them Mr. Davies, the lV ermont colporteur, who had been flourishing his note-book in the faces of the inhabitants. Jake" Mr. NV a1tnal1~s body,-servant, was promi-
har1887.2007.001.0063.jpg nent in the crowd by reason of. his color and his frightened appearance. The colporteur was very pale, but he seemed to be cool. As the last one filed in, Mr. Walthall stepped to the front 'door and shut and locked it.

Compton was too amazed to say anything. The faces before him, always so full of humor and fun, were serious enough now. As the key turned in the lock~ the colporteur found his voice.

"Gentlemen!" he exclaimed with some show of indignation, "what is the meaning of this? What would you do?"

"You know mighty well, sir, what we ought to do," cried Major Bass. "We ought to hang you, you imperdent scounderlI A-comin' down here a-pesterin' an' a-meddlin' with t'other 'people's business." "We ought to hang you, you impertinent scoundrel! A-coming down here a-pestering and a-medding with the other people's business."

"Why,gentlemen," said Davies, "I'm a peaceable citizen; I trouble nobody. I am simply traveling through the country selling books to those who are able to buy, and giving them away to those who are not."

"Mr .. Davies," said Mr. ] ack Walthall, lean-
har1887.2007.001.0064.jpg gracefully against the counter, "what kind of books are you selling?"

"Religious books,sir."

"Jake!" exclaimed Mr. Walthall somewhat sharply, so sharply, indeed, that the negro jumped as though he had been shot. "Jake I stand out there. Hold up your head, sir I-Mr. Davies, how many religious books did you sell to that nigger. there last night?"

"I sold him none sir'!'"

"How many did you try to sell him?"

"I made no attempt to sell him any books; I knew he couldn't read. I merely asked him to give me some information."

Major Jimmy .Bass' scowled dreadfully; but Mr. J ack Walthall smiled pleasantly, and turne~ to the negro. "J ake I do you know this man?" "I seed 'im, Marse Jack; I des seed 'im; dat's all I know 'bout 'im." "I seed him, Master Jack, I just seed him, that's all I know about him." " What were you doing sasshaying around in his room last night?"

Jake scratched his head, dropped his eyes, and shuffled about on the floor with his feet.
har1887.2007.001.0065.jpg AIl eyes were turned on him. He made so long a pause that Alvin Cozart remarked in his 'drawling tone:

"Jack, hadn't we better take this nigger over to the calaboose?"

"Not yet," said Mr. Walthall pleasantly. "If I have to take him over there I'll not bring him. back in a hurry."

"I wuz des up in his room kaze he tole me fer ter come back en see 'im. Name er God, Marse Jack, w'at ail' you all w'ite folks now?" "I was just up in his room because he told me for to come back and see him. Name of God, Master Jack, what ailing you all white folks now?"

"What did he say to you?" asked Mr. Walthall. '·

"He ax me w'at make de niggers stay in slave'y," said the frightened negro; "he ax me w'at de reason dey don't git free deyse'f." "He ask me what make the niggers stay in slavery," said the frightened negro, " he ask me what the reason they don't get free theyself."

"Call it what you please," said the Vermont colporteur. "I asked him those questions and more." He was pale but he no longer acted like a man troubled with fear.

"Oh, we know that, mister," said Buck Ransome. "We know what you come for, and we
har1887.2007.001.0066.jpg know what you're goin' away for. We'll excuse you if you'll excuse us, and then there'll be no hard feelin's-that is, not many; none to growl about.-J ake, hand me that bundle there on the barrel, and fetch that tar-bucket.-Y ou've got the makin' of a mighty fine bird in you, mister," Ransome went on, addressing the colporteur; "all you lack's the feathers, and we've got oodles of 'em right here. Now, will you shuck them duds ?"

For the first time the fact dawned on Little Compton's mind that the young men were about to administer a coat of tar and feathers to the stranger from Vermont; and he immediately began to protest.

"Why Jack" said he "what lias the man " , 'done ?"

"Well," replied Mr. MT althall, "you hear'd what the nigger said. We can't afford to have these abolitionists preaching insurrection right in our back yards. :We just can't afford it, that's the long and short of it. Maybe you don't understand it; maybe you don't feel as we do; but that's the way the matter stands. Weare in a
har1887.2007.001.0067.jpg sort of a corner, and we are compelled to pro- tect ourselves." ..

"I don't believe in no tar and feathers for this . chap," remarked Major jimmy Bass, assuming a judicial air. "He'll just go out here -to the town branch and wash 'em off, and then he'll go on through the plantations raising h- among the niggers. That'll be the upshot of it-now, you mark my words. He ought to be hung."

"Now, boys," said Little Compton, still protesting, "what is the use? This man hasn't done any· real harm. He might preach insurrection around here for a thousand years, and the niggers wouldn't listen to him. N ow, you know that yourselves .. Turn the poor devil loose, and let him get out of town. Why, haven't you got any confidence in the niggers you've raised yoursel ves ?"

"My dear sir," said Rowan W ornum, in his most insinuating tone, "we've got all the confidence in the world in the niggers, but we can't afford to take any risks. Why, my dear sir," he went on, "if we let this chap go, it won't be six months before the whole country;'ll be full
har1887.2007.001.0068.jpg De of this kind. Look at that Harper's Ferry business. "

"Well," said Compton somewhat hotly, "look at it. What harm has been done ? Has there , been any nigger insurrection ?"

Jack W althalliaughed good-naturedly. "Little Compton is a quick talker, boys. Let's give the man the benefit of all the arguments."

"Great God I You don't mean to let this d-.- rascal go, do you, Jack?" exclaimed Major Jimmy Bass.

"N0, no, sweet uncle; but I've got a nicer dose than tar and feathers."

rrhe result was that the stranger's face ana hands were given a coat of lampblack, his arms were tied to his body, and a large placard was 'fastened to his back. The placard bore this inscription: ABOLITIONIST!
PASS HIM ON, BOYS

,Mr. Davies was a pitiful-looking object after the young men had plastered his face and hands
har1887.2007.001.0069.jpg with lampblack and oil, and yet his appearance bore a certain queer relation to the humorous exhibitions one sees on the negro minstrel stage. Particula"rIy was this the case when he smiled at Compton.

"By George, boys I" exclaimed Mr. :Buck IRansome, "this chap could play Old Bob Rid- ley at the circus." . .

When everything was arranged to suit them, the young men formed a procession, and marched the blackened stranger from Little Compton's door into the public street. Little Compton seemed to be very much interested in the proceeding. It was remarked afterward that he seemed to be very much agitated, and that he took a position very near the placarded abolitionist. rfhe procession, as it moved up the street, attracted considerable attention. Rumors that an abolitionist was to be dealt with had apparently been circulated, and a majority of the male inhabitants of the town were out to view the spectacle. The procession passed entirely around the public square, of which the court-:house was the centre, and then across the square
har1887.2007.001.0070.jpg to the park-like enclosure that surrounded the temple of justice.

as the young men and their prisoner crossed this open space,' Major Jimmy Bass, fat as he was, grew so hilarious that he straddled his cane as children do broomsticks, and pretended that he had as much as he could do to hold his fiery wooden steed. , He waddled and pranced out in front of the abolitionist" and turned and faced him, whereat his steed snowed the most violent symptoms of running away. The young men, roared with laughter, and the spectators roared with them, and even the abolitionist laughed. All laughea. but Little Compton. The procession was marched, to die court-house enclosure, and there the prisoner was made to stan'd on the sale-block so that all might have a fair view of him. He was kept there until the stage was 'reaay to go; and tnen he was given a seat on that swaying vehicle, and forwarde'd to Rockville, where, presumably, the "boys" placed him on the train and "passed him on" to the "boys" in odler towns.

For months thereafter there was peace in
har1887.2007.001.0071.jpg Hillsborough, so far as the abolitionists were co.ncerned; and then came the secession movement. A majority of the citizens of the little town were strong Union men; but the secession . movement seemed to take even the oldest off their feet, and by the time the Republican President was inaugurated, the Union sentiment that had marked Hillsborough had practically disappeared. In South Carolina companies of minutemen had been formed, and the entire white male population was wearing blue cockades. With some modifications, these symptoms were reproduced in Hillsborough. The modifications were that a few of the old men still stood up for the Union, and that some of the young men, though 'they wore the blue cockade, did not aline themselves with the minutemen.

Little Compton took no part in these proceedings. He was discreetly quiet. He tended his store, and smoked his pipe, and watched events. One morning he was aroused from his slumbers by a tremendous crash-a crash that rattled the windows of his store and shook its very walls. He lay quiet a while, thinking that a small ..
har1887.2007.001.0072.jpg earthquake had been turned loose on the town. Ifhen the crash was repeated; and he knew that Hillsborough was firing a salute from its little six-pounder, a relic of the Revolution, that had often served the purpose of celebrating the nation's birthday in a noisily becoming manner.

Little Compton arose, and dressed himself, and prepared to put his store in order. Issuing forth into the street, he saw that the town was in considerable commotion. A citizen who had been in attendance on the convention at Milledgeville had arrived during the night, bringing the information that the ordinance of secession had been adopted, and that Georgia was now a sovereign and independent government. rThe . original secessionists were in high feather, and their hilarious enthusiasm had its effect on all save a few of the Union men.

Early as it was, Little Compton saw two flags floating from ·an improvised flagstaff on top of the court-house. One was the flag of the State, with its pillars its sentinel' and its legend of "Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation." The design of the other was entirely new to Little
har1887.2007.001.0073.jpg Compton. It was a pine tree on a field of white, with a rattlesnake coiled at its roots, and the inscription, "DON'T TREAD ON MEl" A few hours later Uncle Abner Lazenberry made his appearance in front of Compton's store. He had just hitched his horse. to the rack near the court-house.

"Merciful heavens" he exclaimed, wiping his read face with a red handkerchief, "is the Ole Boy done gone an' turned hisself loose? I hearn the racket, an'. 1 sez to the ole woman, sez I: 'I'll fling the saddle on the gray mar' an' canter to town an' see what in the dingnation the matter is. An' ef the worl's about to fetch a lurch, I'll git me another dram an' die happy,' sez I. Whar's Jack Walthall? He can tell his Uncle Abner all about it." "is the Old Boy done gone and turned hisself loose? I heared the racket, and I says to the old woman, sais I,'Il fling the saddle on the gray mare and canter to town and see what in the dingnation the matter is. And if the world's about to fetch a lurch, I'll get me another dram and die happy,' says I. Where's Jack Walthall? He can tell his Uncle Abner all about it."

"Well, sir," said Little Compton, "the State has seceded, and the boys are celebrating."

"1 know'd it," "I knowed it," cried the old man angrily. "My min' tole me so." "My mind told me so." Then he turned and looked at the flags flying from the top of, the court-house. "Is them rags the things they er gwine to fly out'n the Union with?" "Is them rags the things they are going to fly out in the Union with?" he exclaimed
har1887.2007.001.0074.jpg scornfully. "Why, bless your soul an body, hit'll take bigger wings than them! Well, sir, I'm sick; I am that away. I wuz born in the Union, an' I'd like mighty well to die thar. Ain't it mine? ain't it our'n? Jess as shore as you're born, thar's trouble ahead--big trouble. You're from the North, ain't you?" "Why, bless your soul and body, it'll take bigger wings than them! Well, sir, I'm sick; I am that away. I was born in the Union, and I'd like mighty well to die there. Ain't it mine? ain't it ours? Just as sure as you're born, there's trouble ahead--big trouble. You're from the North, ain't you?" Uncle Abner asked, looking curiously at Little Compton.

"Yes, sir, I am," Compton replied; "that is, I am from New Jersey, but they say New Jersey is out of the Union."

Uncle Abner did not respond to Compton's smile. He continued to gaze at him significantly.

"Well" the old man remarked somewhat , bluntly, "you better go back where you come from. You ain't got nothin' in the roun' worl' to 'do with all this hellabaloo. When the pinch comes, as come it must, I'm jes gwine to swap a nigger for a sack er flour an' settle down; but f " you had better go back where you come rom." "you better go back where you come from. You ain't got nothing in the round world to do with all this hellabaloo. When the pinch comes, as come it must, I'm just going to swap a nigger for a sack of flour and settle down, but you had better go back where you come from."

Little Compton knew the old man was friendly but his words so solemnly and sig- , , nificantly uttered, made a deep impression. r.fhe
har1887.2007.001.0075.jpg Little Compton words recalled to Compton's mind the spectacle of the man from Vermont who had been paraded through the streets of Hillsborough, with his face. blackened and a placard on his back. The little J erseyman also recalled other incidents, some of them trifling enough, but all of them together going to show the hot temper of the people around him; and for a day or two he brooded rather seriously over the situation. Hie knew that the times were critical.

For several weeks the excitement in Hillsborough, as elsewhere in the South, continued to run high. The blood of the people was at fever heat. The air was full of the portents and premonitions of war. Drums were beating, flags were flying, and military companies were parading. Jack Walthall had raised a company, and it had gone into camp in an old field near the. town. iThe tents shone snowy white in the sun,' uniforms of the men were bright and gay, and the boys thought this was war. But, instead of that, they were merely enjoying a holiday. The ladies of the town sent them wagon-loads of provisions every; day, and the occasion was a veri-
har1887.2007.001.0076.jpg table picnic-a picnic that some 0"£ the young men remembered a year or two later when they .were trudging ragged, barefooted, and hungry; through the snow and slush of a Virginia winter.

But, with all their drilling and parading in the peaceful camp at 'Hillsborough, the young men had many idle hours, and they devoted these to various forms of amusements. On one occasion, after they had exhausted their ingenu- , ity in search of entertainment, one ?f them, Lieutenant Buck Ransome, suggested that it might be interesting to get up a joke on Little Compton.

"But how?" asked Lieutenant Cozart.

"Why, the easiest in the world," said Lieutenant Ransome. "Write him a note, and ten him that the time has come for an Englishspeaking people to take sides, and fling in a kind of side-wiper about New] ersey." Captain ] ack Walthall, leaning comfortably against a huge box that was supposed to bear some relation to a camp-chest, blew a cloud of smoke through his sensitive nostrils and laughed.
har1887.2007.001.0077.jpg "Why, stuff, boys I" hOe exclaimed somewhat impatiently, "you can't scare Little Compton. He's got grit, and it's the right kind of grit. Why, I'll tell you what's a fact-the sand in that man's gizzard would make enough mortar to build a fort."

"Well, I'll tell you what - we'll do," said Lieutenant Ransome. "We'll sling him a line or two, and if it don't stir him up, all right; but if it does, we'll have some tall fun."

Whereupon, Lieutenant Ransome fished around in the chest, and drew forth pen and ink and paper. With some aid from fiis brother officers he managed to compose the following:

har1887.2007.001.0078.jpg

This was duly sealed and dropped in the 'Hillsborough post-office, and Little Compton received it the same afternoon. He smiled as he broke the seal, but ceased to smile when he read thenote. It happened to fit a certain vague feeling of uneasiness that possessed him. He laid it down on his desk, walked up and down behind his counter, and then returned and read it again. J'he sprawling words seemed to possess a fascination for him. He read them again and again, and turned them over and over in his mind. It was characteristic of his simple nature that he never once attributed the origin of the note to the humor of the young men with whom he was so familiar. He regarded it seriously. Looking up from the note, he could see in the corner of his store the brush and pot that had been used as arguments on the Vermont abolitionist. He vividly recalled the time when that unfortunate person was brought up before the self-constituted tribunal that assembled in his store.

Little Compton thought he had gage'd accurately the temper of the people about him;
har1887.2007.001.0079.jpg and he liad,but his modesty prevented him from accurately _gaging or even thinking about, the impression he had made on them. The note troubled him a good deal more than he would at first confess to himself. 'He seated himself on a low box behind his counter to think it over, resting his face in his hands. A little boy who wanted to buy a thrip's worth of candy went slowly out again after trying in vain to attract the attention of the hitherto prompt and friendly storekeeper. Tommy Tinktums, the cat, seeing that his master was sitting down, came forward with the expectation of being told to perform his famous "bouncing" trick, a feat that was at once the wonder and delight of the youngsters " around Hillsborough. But Tommy Tinktums was not commanded to bounce; and so he contented himself with washing his face, pausing every now and then to watch his master with half-closed eyes.

While sitting thus reflecting, it suddenly occurred to Little Compton that he had had very few customers during the past several days; and it seemed to him, as he continued to think
har1887.2007.001.0080.jpg the matter over, that the people, especially the young men, had been less cordial lately than they had ever been before. It never occurred to him that the threatened war, and the excitement of the period, occupied their entire attention. He simply remembered that the young men who had made his modest little store their . headquarters met there no more. Little Compton sat behind his counter a long time thinking. IThe sun went down, and the dusk fell, and the night came on and found him there.

After a while he lit a candle, spread the communication out on his 'desk, and read it again. To his mind, there was no mistaking its meaning. It meant that he must either fight against the Union, or array against himself all the bitter and aggressive suspicion of the period. He sighed heavily, closed his store, and went out into the darkness. He made his way to the residencef Major Jimmy Bass, where Miss Lizzie Fairleigh boarded. The major himself was sitting on the veranda; and he welcomed Little Compton with effusive nospitality-a hospitality that possessed an old-fashioned flavor.

har1887.2007.001.0081.jpg

"I'm mighty glad you come-yes, sir, I am. It looks like the whole world's out at the camps, and it makes me feel sorter lonesome. Yes, sir; it does that. If I wasn't so plump I'd be out there too. It's a mighty good place to be about this time of the year. I tell you what, sir, them boys is got the devil in 'em. Yes, sir; there ain't no two ways about that. When they turn themselves loose, somebody or something will git hurt. N ow, you mark what I tell you. It's a ( tough lot-a mighty tough lot. Lord! wouldn't I hate to be a Yankee, and fall in their hands! I'd be glad if I had time for to say my prayers. :Yes, sir; I would that." "I'm might glad you come-yes, sir, I am. It looks like the whole world's out at the camps, and it make me feel sort of lonesome. Yes, sir, it does that. If I wasn't so plump I'd be out there too. It's a might good place to be about this time of the year. I tell you what, sir, them boys is got the devil in them. Yes, sir, there ain't no two ways about that. When they turn themselves loose, somebody or something will get hurt. Now, you mark what I tell you. It's a tough lot - a mighty tough lot. Lord! Wouldn't I hate to be a Yankee, and fall in their hands! I'd be glad if I had time for to say my prayers. Yes, sir, I would that."

Thus spoke the cheerful Major Bass; and every word he said . seemed to rime with Little Compton's own thoughts, and to confirm the fears that had been aroused by the note. After he had listened to the major a while, Little Compton asked for Miss Fairleigh.

"Oho I" said the major. Then he called to a negro who happened to be passing through the hall: "Jesse, tell Miss Lizzie that Mr. Compton is in the parlor." Then 'he turned to Comp-
har1887.2007.001.0082.jpg ton. "I tell you what, sir, that gal looks mighty puny. She's from the North, and I reckon she's homesick. And then there's all this talk about war. She knows our boys'll eat the Yankees plum up, and I don't blame her for being sorter down-hearted. I wish you'd try to cheer her up. She's a good gal if there ever was one on the face of the earth."

Little Compton went into the parlor, where he was presently joined by Miss Fairleigh. They talked a long time together, but what they said no one ever knew. They conversed in low tones; and once or twice the hospitable major, sitting on the veranda, detected himself trying to hear what they said. He could see them from where he sat, a.nd he observed that both appeared to be profoundly dejected. Not once did they laugh, or, so far as the major could see, even smile. Occasionally Little Compton arose and walked the length of the parlor, but Miss Fairleigh sat with bowe'd head. It may have been a trick of, the lamp, but it seemed to the major that they were both very pale. -

Finally Little Compton rose to go. The major
har1887.2007.001.0083.jpg observed with a chuckle that he held Miss Fairleigh's hand a little longer than was strictly necessary under the circumstances. He held it so long, indeed, that Miss Fairleigh half averted her face, but the major noted that she was still pale. "We shall have a wedding in this house before the war opens," he thought to himself; and his mind was dwelling on such a contingency when Little Compton came out on the veranda.

"Don't tear yourself away in the heat of the day,"said Major Bass jocularly.

"I must go," replied Compton. "Good-by!" He seized the major's hand and wrung it.

"Good night,." said the major, "and God bless you I"

J'he next day was Sunday. But on Monday it was observed that Compton's store was closed. Nothing was said and little thought of it. People's minds were busy with other matters. The drums were beating, the flags flying, and the citizen soldiery parading. It was a noisy and an exciting time, and a larger store than Little Compton's might have remained closed for sev-
har1887.2007.001.0084.jpg eral 'days without attracting attention. But one day, when the young men from the camp were in the village, it occurred to them to inquire what effect the anonymous note had had on Little Compton; whereupon they went in a body to his store; but the door was closed, and they found it had been closed a week or more. They also discovered. that Compton had disappeared.

This had a very peculiar effect upon Captain Jack Walthal!. 'He took off his uniform, put on his citizen's clothes, and proceeded to investigate Compton's 'disappearance. He sought in vain for a clue. He interested others to such an extent that a great many people in HillsDorough forgot all about the military situation. ,But there was no trace of Little Compton. His store was entered from a rear window, and everything found to be intact. Nothing had been removed. , The jars of striped candy that had proved so attractive to the youngsters of Hillsborough stood in long rows on the sh.elves, flanked by the thousand and one notions that make up the stock of a country grocery store. Little Compton's disappearance was a mys-
har1887.2007.001.0085.jpg terious one, and under ordinary circumstances would have created intense excitement in the community; but at that particular time the most sensational event would have seeme'd tame and commonplace alongside the preparations for war.

Owing probably to a lack of the faculty of organization at Richmond-a lack which, if we are to believe the various historians who have tried to describe and account for some of the results of that period, was the cause of many bitter controversies, and of many disastrous failures in the fie1d-a month or more passed away before the Hillsborou"gh company received orders to go to the front. IFort Sumter had been :tired on, troops from all parts of the South had gathered in Virginia, an"i tEe war was begin-" ning in earnest. Captain J ack Walthall of the Hillsborough Guards chafed at the delay that kept his men resting on their arms, so to speak; but he had ample opportunity, meanwhile, to wonder wnat had oecome of Little Compton. In his leisure moments :lie nften Iouna himself - sitting on the ory-goo'ds boxes in tne neighbor-
har1887.2007.001.0086.jpg hood of Little Compton's store, Sitting thus one day, he was approached by his body-servant. Jake had his hat in his hand, an'd showed by his manner that he had something to ·say.He shuffled around, looked first one way and then another, and scratched his head.

"Marse Jack," "Master Jack," he began.

"Well, what is it?" said the other, somewhat sharply.

"Marse Jack, I ~ope ter de Lord you ain't gwine ter git mad wid me; yit I mas' knows you is, kaze laughter done tole you a long time ago." "Master Jack, I hope to the Lord you ain't going to get mad with me, yet I most knows you is, because l ought to done told you a long time ago."

"You ought to have told me what?"

" 'Bout my drivin'. yo' hoss en buggy over ter Rockville dat time-dat time what I ain't never tole you 'bout. But I 'uz mas' 'blige' ter do it. I 'low ter myse'f, I did, ' dat laughter come tell you right den, but I 'uz skeer'd you mought git mad, en den you wuz out 'dar at de camps, 'long widdem milliumterry folks." " About driving your horse and buggy over to Rockville that time-that time what I ain't never told you about. But I was most oblige to do it. I allow to myself, I did, that I ought to tell you right the, but I was scared you might get mad, and then you was out there at the camps, along with them military folks."

"What have you got to tell?"

"Well Marse Jack des 'bout ta III yo ass", en buggy, Marse Compton 'lowed you wouldn t
har1887.2007.001.0087.jpg keer, en w'en he say dat, I des went en hich up de hoss en kyar'd 'im over ter Rockville." "Well Master Jack just about and buggy, Master Compton allowed you wouldn't care, and when he say that, I just went and hitch up the horse and carried him over to Rockville."

"What under heaven did you want to go to 'Rockville for?".

"Who? me, Marse] ack? 'Twa'n't me wanter go. Hit 'uz Marse Compton." "Who me, Master Jack? It ain't me want to go. It was Master Compton."

"Little Compton?" exclaimed Walthall.

"Yes, sir, dat ve'y same man." "Yes, sir, that very same man.

"What did you carry Little Compton to Rockville for?"

"Fo' de Lord, Marse Jack, I dunno w'at Marse Compton wanter go fer. I des I{now'd I 'uz doin' wrong, but he tuck'n 'low dat hit'd be all right wid you, kaze you bin knowin' him so monst'us well. En den he up'n ax me not to tell you twell he done plum out'n yearin'." "For the Lord, Master Jack, I don't know what Master Compton want to go for. I just know I was doing wrong, but he took on how that it'd be all right with you, because you been knowing him so monstrous well. And then he up and ask me not to tell you well he done plum out of hearing."

"Didn't he say anything? Didn't he tell you where he was going? Didn't he send any word back?"

This seemed to remind ] ake of something. He clapped his hand to his nead, ana exclaimed:

"Well, de Lord he'p my soul I Ef I ain't de beatenest nigger on de top side er de yeth I :Marse Compton gun me a letter, en I tuck'n
har1887.2007.001.0088.jpg shove it un' de buggy seat, en it's right dar yit ef somebody ain't tared it up." "Well, the Lord help my soul! If I ain't the beatenest nigger on the top side of the earth! Master Compton gave me a letter, and I took and shove it under the buggy seat, and it's right there yet if somebody ain't teared it up."

By certain well-known signs Jake knew that his Marse Jack was very mad, and he was hurrying out. But. Walthall called him.

"Come here, sir I" ;The tone made Jake tremble. "Do you stana up there, sir, and tell me all this, and think I am going to put up with it?"

"I'm gwine after oat note, Marse Jack, des ez hard ez ever I kin." "I'm going after that note, Master Jack, just as hard as ever I can."

Jake managea to find the note after some littlesearch, and carried it to Jack Walthall. It was crumpleo ana soilea. It had evidently seen rough service under the buggy seat. Walthall took it from the negro, turned it over and 100Kea at it. It was sealed, -and addressed to Miss Lizzie Fairleigh'.

Jack Waltllall arrayed himself in his best, 'and made liis way to Major Jimmy Bass's, where he inquired for Miss Fairleigh. That young lady promptly made her appearance. She was pale and seemed to be troubled. Walthall explained his errand, and handed her the Ilote. He tliouglit her 'nand trembled, but he :may
har1887.2007.001.0089.jpg have been mistaken, as he afterward confessed. She read it, and handed it to Captain Walthall with a vague little smile that would have told him volumes if he had been able to read the feminine mind.

Major Jimmy Bass was a wiser man than Walthall, and he remarked long afterward that he knew by the way the poor girl looked that she was in trouble, and it is not to be denied, at least, it is 'not to be denied. in Hillsborough, where he was known and respected, that Major Bass's impressions ,were as important as the average man's convictions. This is what Captain J ack Walthall read:

"DEAR MISS FAIRLEIGH-

When you see this I shall be on my way home. My eyes have recently been opened to the fact that there is to be a war for and against the Union. ~ have strong friendships here, but I feel that I owe a 'duty to the old flag. When I bade you good-by last night, it was good-bX forever. I had hoped - I had desired-to say more than I did; but perhaps it is better so. Perhaps it is better that
har1887.2007.001.0090.jpg I should carry with me a fond dream of what might have been than to have been told by you that such a dream could never come true. I had intended to give you the highest evidence of my respect and esteem that man can give to woman, but I have been overruled by fate or circumstance. I shall love you as long as I live. One thing more -: should you ever find yourself in need of the services of a friend-a friend in whom you may place the most implicit confidence-send for Mr. Jack Walthal1. Say to him that Little Compton commended you to his care,and attention, and give him my love."

Walthall drew a long breath and threw his head back as he finished reading this. Whatever emotion he may have felt, he managed to conceal but there was a little color in his usually pale face, and his dark eyes shone with a new light.

"This is a very unfortunate mistake," he exclaimed. "What is to be done?"

'Miss Fairleigh smiled.

";There is no mistake Mr. Walthall," she re-
har1887.2007.001.0091.jpg plied. "Mr. Compton is a N ortnern man, and he has gone to join the Northern army. I think he is right."

"Well," said Walthall, "he will do what' he thinks is right, but I wish he was here to-night."

"Oh, so do I I" exclaimed Miss Fairleigh, and then she blushed; seeing which, Mr. Jack Walthall drew his own ,conclusions.

"If I could get through the lines," she went on, "I would go home." Whereupon Walthall o'ffered her all the assistance in his, power, and offered to escort her to the Potomac. But before arrangements for the journey could be made, there came the news of the first battle of Manassas, and the conflict was begun in earnest; so earnest, indeed, that it changed the course of a great many lives, and gave even a new direction to American history.

Miss Fairleigh's friends in Hillsborough would not permit her to risk the journey through the -lines; and Captain Walthall's company was ordered to the front, where the young men composing it entered headlong into the hurly-burly that goes by the name of war.

har1887.2007.001.0092.jpg

There was one little episode growing out of Jack Walthall's visit to Miss Fairleigh that ought to be told. When that young gentleman bade her good evening, and passed out of the parlor, Miss Fairleigh placed her hands to her face and fell to weeping, as women will.

Major Bass, sitting on the veranda, had been an interested spectator of the conference in the parlor, but it was in the nature of a pantomime. fIe could hear nothing that was said, but he could see that Miss Fairleigh and Walthall were both laboring under some strong excitement. When, therefore, he saw Walthall pass hurriedly out, leaving Miss Fairleigh' in tears in the parlor, it occurred to him that, as the head of the household and the natural protector of the women under his roof, he was bound to take some action. He called Jesse, the negro houseservant, who was on duty in the dining-room.

"Jess! Jess! Oh, Jess!" There was an insinuating sweetness in his voice as it echoed through the hall. Jesse, doubtless recognizing the velvety quality of the tone, made his appearance promptly. "Jess," said the major softly, "I wish
har1887.2007.001.0093.jpg you'd please fetch me my shotgun. Make 'aste, Jess, and don't make no furse." "I wish you would please fetch me my shotgun. Make haste, Jess, and don't make no fuss."

Jesse went after the shotgun, and the major waddled into the parlor. He cleared his throat at the door, and Miss Fairleigh looked up.

"Miss Lizzie, did Jack Walthall insult you here in my house?"

"Insult me, sir! Why, he's the noblest gentleman alive."

The major drew a deep breath of relief, and smiled.

"Well, I'm mighty glad to hear you say so!" he exclaimed. "I couldn't tell, to save my life, what put it into my mind. Why, I might 'a' know'd that Jack Walthall ain't that kind of a chap. Lord! I reckon I must be getting old and weak-minded. Don't cry no more, honey. Go right along and go to bed." "I couldn't tell, to save my life, what put it into my mind. Why, might have known that Jack Walthall ain't that kind of chap. Lord! I reckon I must be getting old and weak-minded. Don't cry no more, honey. Go right along and go to bed." As he turned to go out of the parlor, he was confronted by Jesse with the shotgun. "Oh, go put her up, Jess," he said apologetically; "go put her up, boy. I wanted to blaze away at a dog out there trying to scratch under the palings; but the dog's done gone. Go put her up, Jess."

har1887.2007.001.0094.jpg

When Jess carried the gun back, he remarked casually to his mistress:

"Miss Sa'h, you better keep yo' eye on Marse Maje. He talkin' mighty funny, en he "doin' mighty quare." "Miss Sarah, you better keep your eye on Master Maje. He talking mighty funny, and he doing mighty queer."

Thereafter, for many a long day, the genial major sat in his cool veranda, and thought of Jack Walthall and the boys in Virginia. Sometimes between dozes he would make his way to Perdue's Corner, and discuss the various campaigns. How many desperate campaigns were fought on that Corner I All the older citizens, who found it convenient or necessary to stay at home, had in them the instinct and emotions of great commanders. They knew how victory could be wrung from defeat, and how success could be made more overwhelming. At Perdue's Corner, Washington City was taken not less than a dozen times a week, and occasionally both N ew York and Boston were captured and sacked. Of all the generals who fought their battles at the Corner, Major Jimmy Bass was the most energetic, the most daring, and the most skilful. As a strategist he had no superior.
har1887.2007.001.0095.jpg He had a way of illustrating the feasibility of his plans by drawing them in the sand with his cane. Fat as he was, the major had a way of "surroundering" the enemy so that no avenue was left for his escape. At Perdue's Corner he captured Scott, and McClellan, and Joe Hooker, and John Pope, and held their entire forces as prisoners of war.

In spite of all this, however, the war went on. Sometimes word would come that one of the Hillsborough boys had been shot to death. Now and then one would come home with an arm or a leg missing; so that, before many months had passed, even the generals conducting their campaigns at Perdue's Corner managed to discover that war was a very serious business.

It happened that one day in July, Captain Jack Walthall and his men, together with quite an imposing array of comrades, were called upon to breast the sultry thunder of Gettysburg. Ifhey bore themselves like men; they went for:ward with a shout and a rush, facing the deadly slaughter of the guns; they ran up the hill and 'to the rock wall. With others, Captain Wal-
har1887.2007.001.0096.jpg thall leaped over the wall. They were met by a murderous fire that mowed down the men like grass. The line in the rear wavered fell back and went forward again. Captain Walthall heard his name called in his front and then ,some one cried, "Don't shoot!" and Little Compton, his face blackened with powder and his eyes glistening with excitement, rushed into Walthall's arms. The order not to shoot-if it was an order-came too late. There was another volley. As the Confederates rushed forward, the Federal line retreated a little way, and Walthall found himself surrounded by the small remnant of his men. The Confederates made one more effort to advance, but it was useless. The line was borne back, and finally retreated; but when it went down the slope, Walthall and Lieutenant Ransome had Little Compton between them. He was a prisoner. Just how it all happened, no one of, the three could describe, but Little Compton was carried into the Confederate lines. He was wounded in the shoulder and in the arm, and the ball that shattered his arm shattered Walthall's arm.

har1887.2007.001.0097.jpg

:They were carried to the field hospital, where i\V althall insisted that Little Compton's wounds should be looked after first. :The result was that ,Walthall lost his left arm and Compton his right; and then, when by some special interposition of Providence they escaped gangrene and other results of imperfect surgery and bad nursing, . they went to Richmond, where Walthall's money and influence secured them comfortable quarters. >

Hillsborough had heard of all this in a vague way-indeed, a rumor of it had been printed in the Rockville ~'Vade Mecum"-but the generals and commanders in consultation at Perdue's Corner were astonished one day when the stage-coach set down at the door of the tavern a tall, one-armed gentleman in gray, and a short, one-armed gentleman in blue.

"By the livin' Lord!" exclaimed Major Jimmy Bass, "if that ain't Jack Walthall! And you may put out my two eyes if that ain't Little Compton! Why, shucks,boys!" he exclaimed, as he waddled across the street, "I'd 'a' know'd you anywheres. I'm a little short-sighted, and
har1887.2007.001.0098.jpg I'm mighty nigh took off wi' the dropsy, but I'd 'a' know'd you anywheres." "I'd a known you anywhere. I'm a little short-sighted, and
har1887.2007.001.0098.jpg I'm mighty nigh took off with the dropsy, but I'd a known you anywhere."

There were handshakings and congratulations from every,body in the town. The clerks and the merchants deserted their stores to greet the newcomers, and there seemed to be a general jubilee. For weeks Captain Jack Walthall was compelled to tell his Gettysburg story over and over again, frequently to the same hearers; and, curiously enough, there was never a murmur of dissent when he told how Little Compton had insisted on wearing his Federal uniform.

"Great J iminy Craminy!" Major Jimmy Bass would exclaim; "don't we all know Little Compton like a book? And ain't he got a right to wear his own duds?"

Rockville, like every other railroad town in the South at that period, had become the site of a Confederate hospital; and sometimes the hangers-on and convalescents paid brief visits of inspection'to the neighboring villages. On one occasion a little squad of them made their appearance on the streets of Hillsborough, and made a good-natured attempt to fraternize with
har1887.2007.001.0099.jpg the honest citizens who gathered daily at Perdue's Corner. While they were thus engaged, Little Compton, arrayed in his blue uniform, passed down the street. The visitors made some inquiries, and Major Bass gave them a very sympathetic history of Little Compton. Evidently they failed to appreciate the situation; for one of them, a tall Mississippian, stretched himself and remarked to his companions:

"Boys, when we go, we'll just about lift that feller and take him along. He belongs in Andersonville, that's where he belongs." "Boys, when we go, we'll just about lift that fellow and take him along. He belongs in Andersonville, that's where he belongs."

Major Bass looked at the tall Mississippian and smiled.

"I reckon you must 'a'. been mighty sick over yander," "I reckon you must have been mighty sick over yonder," said the major, indicating Rockville.

"Well, yes," said the Mississippian; "I've had a pretty tough time."

"And you ain't strong yet," the major went on.

"Well, I'm able to get about right lively," said the other.

"Strong enough to go to war?"

"Oh,well, no-not just yet."

".Well, then," said the major in his bluntest
har1887.2007.001.0100.jpg tone, "you better be mighty keerful of yourself in this town. If you ain't strong enough to go to war, you better let Little Compton alone." "you better be mighty careful of yourself in this town. If you ain't strong enough to go to war, you better let Little Compton alone.

The tall Mississippian and his friends took . the hint, and Little Compton continued to wear his blue uniform unmolested. About this time Atlanta fell; and there were vague rumors in the air, chiefly among the negroes, that Sherman's army would march down and capture Hillsborough, which, by the assembly of. generals at Perdue's Corner, was regarded as a strategic point. These vague rumors proved to be correct; and by the time the first frosts fell, Perdue's Corner had reason to believe that General Sherman was marching down on !Hillsborough. Dire rumors of fire, rapine, and pillage preceded the approach of the Federal army, and it may well be supposed that these rumors spread consternation in the air. Major Bass professed to believe that General Sherman would be "surroundered" and captured before his troops reached Middle Georgia; but the three columns, miles apart, continued their march unopposed.

har1887.2007.001.0101.jpg

It was observed that during this period of doubt, anxiety, and terror, Little Compton was on the alert. He appeared to be nervous and restless. His conduct was so peculiar that some of the more suspicious citizens of the region predicted that he had been playing the part of a spy, and that he was merely waiting for the advent of Sherman's army in order to point out where his acquaintances· had concealed their treasures.

One fine morning a company of Federal troopers rode into Hillsborough. They were met by Little Compton, who had borrowed one of Jack Walthall's horses for just such an occasion. The cavalcade paused in the public square, and, after a somewhat prolonged consultation with Little Compton, rode on in the direction of Rockville. During the day small parties of foragers made their appearance. Little Compton had some trouble with these; but, by hurrying hither and thitlier, ne managed to prevent any depredations. He even succeeded in convincing the majority or them that they owed some sort of respect to! tnat small town.

har1887.2007.001.0102.jpg

There was one obstinate fellow, however, who seemed determined to prosecute his search for valuables. He was a German who evidently did not understand English.

In the confusion Little Compton lost sight of the German, though he had determined to keep an eye on him. It was not long before he heard of him again; for one of the Walthall negroes came running across the public square, showing by voice and gesture that he was very much alarmed.

"Marse Compton! Marse Compton!" "Master Compton! Master Compton!" he cried, "you better run up ter Marse Jack's, kaze one er dem mens is gwine in dar whar ole Miss is, en ef he do "dat he gwine ter git hurted I" "you better run up to Master Jack's, because one of them mens is going in there where old Miss is, and if he do that he going to get hurt.

Little Compton hurried to the Walthall place, and he was just in time to see Jack rushing the German down the wide flight of steps that led to the veranda. What might have happened, no one can say; what did happen may be briefly told. The German, his face inflamed with passion, had seized his gun, which had been left outside, and was aiming at Jack Walthall, who
har1887.2007.001.0103.jpg stood on the steps, cool and erect. An exclamation of mingled horror and indignation from Little Compton attracted the German's attention, and caused him to turn his head. This 'delay probably saved J ack Walthall's life; for the German, thinking that a comrade was coming to his aid, leveled his gun again and fired. But Little Compton had seized the weapon near the muzzle and wrested it around. The bullet, instead of reaching its target, tore its way througn Compton's empty sleeve. In another instant the German was covered by Compton's revolver. The hand that held it was steady, and the eyes that glanced along its shining barrel fairly blazed. The German dropped his gun. All trace of passion disappeared from his face; and presently seeing that the crisis had passed, so far as he was concerned, he wheeled in his tracks, gravely saluted Little Compton, and made off at a double-quick.

"You mustn't think hard of the boys, Jack, on account of that chap. They understand the whole business, and they are going to take care of this town."
har1887.2007.001.0104.jpg And they did. The army came marching along presently, and the stragglers found Hillsborough patrolled by a detachment of cavalry.

Walthall and Little Compton stood on tne wide steps, and reviewed this imposing array as it passed before them. The tall Confederate in his uniform of gray, rested his one hand affectionately on the shoulder of the stout little man in blue, and on the bosom of each was pinned an empty sleeve. Unconsciously, they made an impressive picture.

The Commander, grim, gray, and resolute, observed it with sparkling eyes. The spectacle was so unusual-so utterly opposed to the logic of events-that he stopped with his staff long enough to hear Little Compton tell his story. He was a grizzled, aggressive man, this Commander, but his face lighted up wonderfully at the recital.

"Well, you know this sort of thing doesn't end the war, boys," he said, as he shook hands with Walthall and Little Compton; "but I"shall sleep better to-night."

har1887.2007.001.0105.jpg

Perhaps lie elide Pernaps he areamed that what he nadseen ana lieara was propnetic of the oays to come, wHen peace ana fraternity snould seize upon the land,_ and bring unity, happiness, ana prosperity to tlie people.

AUNT FOUNTAIN'S PRISONER

IT is curious how the smallest incident the , most unimportant circumstance, will recall old friends and old associations. An old gentleman, who is noted far and near for his prodigious memory of dates9and events, once told me that his memory,.so astonishing to his friends and acquaintances,. consisted not so much in remembering names and dates and facts, as in associating each of tliese with some special group of facts and events; so that he always had at command a series of associations to which he . could refer instantly an'd confidently. This is an explanation of die system of employing facts, but not of the method by which they are accumulate'd and store'd away.

I was reminded of this some years ago by a paragraph in one of the county newspapers that ometimes come under my observation. It was 98
har1887.2007.001.0107.jpg a very commonplace paragraph; indeed, it was in the nature of an advertisement-an announce- . ment of the fact that orders for "gilt-edged' butter" from the Jersey farm on the .Tomlinson Place should be left at the drugstore in Rock .. ville, where the first that came would be the first served. iThis businesslike notice was signed by Ferris .Trunion. ['he name was not only peculiar, but new to me; but this was of no importance at all. lfhe fact that struck me was the bald and bold announcement that the Tomlinson Place was the site and. centre of trading and other commercial transactions in butter. I can only imagine what effect this announcement would have had on my grandmother, who died years ago, an"d on some other old people I used to know. Certainly they would have been hor'rified; and no wonder~ for when they were in their prime the iTomlinson Place was the seat of all that was high, and mighty, : and grand, in the social world in the neighborhood of Rockville. I remember that everybody stood in awe of the J"omlinsons. Just why this was so, I never could make out They were very rich;
har1887.2007.001.0108.jpg the Place embraced several thousand acre!; but if the impressions made on me when a child are worth anything, they were extremely simple in their ways. Though, no doubt, they could be formal and conventional enough when occasion required.

I have no distinct recollection of Judge Addison Tomlinson, except that he was a very tall old gentleman, much older than his wife, who went about the streets of Rockville carrying a tremendous gold-headed cane carved in a curious mariner. In those days r knew more of Mrs. Tomlinson than I did of the judge, mainly because I heard a great deal more about her. Some of the women called her Mrs. Judge Tomlinson; but my grandmother never called her anything else but Harriet Bledsoe, which was her maiden name. It was a name, too, that seemed to suit her, so that when you once heard her called Harriet Bledsoe, you never forgot it afterward. I do not know now, any more than I did when a child, why this particular name should fit her so exactly; but, as I have been told, a lack of knowledge does not alter facts.

har1887.2007.001.0109.jpg

I think my grand!TI0the:r used to go to church to see what kind of clothes Harriet Bledsoe wore; for I have often heard her say, after the sermon was over, that Harriet's bonnet, or Har-. riet's· dress, was perfectly charming. ' Certainly Mrs. ITomlinson was always dressed in the Iheight of fashion, though it was a very sim-pfe ':fashion when compared with the flounces and furbelows of her neighbors. I remember this distinctly, that she seemed to be perfectly cool the hottest. Sunday in summer, and comfortably warm the coldest Sunday in winter; and I am convinced that this impression, made on the. mind of a child, must bear'some defiQ.ite relation to Mrs. Tomlinson's good taste.

Certainly my grandmother was never tired of telling me that Harriet Bledsoe was blessed with exceptionally good taste and fine manners; and I remember that she told me often how 'she \Wished I was a girl, so that I might one day be , in a position to take advantage of the opportunities I had had of profiting by Harriet :Bledsoe's example. I think there was some sort of attachment between my' grandmother and Mrs.
har1887.2007.001.0110.jpg Tomlinson, formed when they. were at school together, though my grandmother was much the older of the two. But there was no intimacy. The gulf that money sometimes makes between those who have it and those who lack it lay; between them. Though I think my grandmother was more sensitive about crossing this gulf than Mrs. Tomlinson.

I was never in the Tomlinson house but once when a child. Whether it was because it was two or three miles away from Rockville, or whether it was because I stood in awe of my grandmother's Harriet Bledsoe, I do not know. But I have a very vivid recollection of the only time I went there as a boy. One of, my playmates, a rough-and-tumbl~ little fellow, was sent by his mother, a poor sick woman, to ask Mrs. Tomlinson for some preserves. I think this woman and her little boy were in some way; related to the Tomlinsons. The richest and most powerful people, I have heard it said, are not so rich and powerful but they are pestered by poor kin, and the Tomlinsons were no exception to the rule.

har1887.2007.001.0111.jpg

I went with this little boy I spoke of, and I was afraid afterward that I was in some way responsible for his boldness.· 'He walked right into the presence of Mrs. Tomlinson, and, without waiting to return the lady's salutation, he said in a loud voice:

"Aunt Harriet, ma says send her some of your nicest preserves."

"Aunt Harriet, indeed!" she exclaimed, and then she gave him a look that was cold enough to freeze him, and hard enough to send him through the floor.

I think she relented a little, for she went to one of the windows, bigger than any door you see nowadays, and looked out over the blooming orchard; and then after a while she came back to us, and was very gracious. She patted me on the head; and I must have shrunk from her touch, for she laughed and said she never bit nice little boys. Then she asked me my name; and when I told her, she said my grandmother was the dearest woman in the world. Moreover, she told my companion that it would spoil preserves to carry them about in a tin bucket; and
har1887.2007.001.0112.jpg then she fetche'd a big basket, and had it filled with preserves, and jelly, and cake. ifhere were some ginger-preserves among the rest, and I remember that I appreciated them very highly; the more so, since my companion had a theory of his own that ginger-preserves and fruit-cak ~ were not good for sick people.

I remember, too, that Mrs. Tomlinson had a little daughter about my own age. She had long yellow hair and very black eyes. She rode around in the Tomlinson carriage a great 'deal, and everybody said she was remarkably prettY, with a style and a spirit all her own. The negroes used to say that she was as affectionate as she was wilful, which was saying a good deal. It was characteristic of 'Harriet Bledsoe, my grandmother said, that her little girl should be named Lady.

I heard a great many of the facts I have stated from old Aunt Fountain, one of the Tomlinson negroes who for some reason or other, was per- mitted to sell ginger-cakes and persimmon-beer under the wide-spreading China trees in Rockville on public days and during court week.
har1887.2007.001.0113.jpg .There was a theory among certain envious people in Rockville-there are envious people everywhere-that the Tomlinsons, notwithstanding the extent of their landed estate and the number of their negroes, were sometimes short of ready cash; and it was hinted that they pocketed the proceeds of Aunt Fountain's persimmon~beer and ginger-cakes. Undoubtedly such stories as these were the outcome of pure envy. When my grandmother heard such gossip as this, she sighed, and said that people who would talk about Harriet Bledsoe in that way would talk about anybody under the sun. My own opinion is, that Aunt Fountain got the money and kept it; otherwise she would not have been so fond of her master and mistress, nor so proud of the family and its position. I spent many an hour near Aunt Fountain's cake and beer stand, for I liked to hear her talk. Besides, she had a very funny name, and I thought there was always a probability that she would explain how she got it. But she never did.

I had forgotten all about the Tomlinsons until the advertisement I have mentioned was
har1887.2007.001.0114.jpg accidentally brought to my notice, whereupon memory suddenly became wonderfully active. I am keenly alive to the happier results of the war, and I hope I appreciate at their full value the emancipation of' both whites and blacks from the deadly effects of negro slavery, and the wonderful development of our material resources that the war has ren'dered possible; but I must confess it was with a feeling of regret that I learned that the :Tomlinson Place had been turned into a dairy farm. Moreover, the name of. Ferris Trunion had a foreign and an unfamiliar sound. His bluntly worded advertisement appeared to come from the mind of a man who would not hesitate to sweep away both romance and tradition if they happened to stand in the way of a profitable bargain.

I was therefore much gratified, some time after. reading !Trunion's advertisement, to receive a note from a friend who deals in real estate, telling me that some land near the Tomlinson Place had been placed in his hands for . sale, and asking m.e to go to Rockville to see if the land and the situation were all they were de-
har1887.2007.001.0115.jpg scribed to be. I lost no time in undertaking this part of the .business, for I was anxious to see how the old place looked in the hands of strangers, and unsympathetic strangers at that.

I t is not far from Atlanta to Rockville-a day and a night-and the journey is not fatiguing; so that a· few hours after receiving my friend's request I was sitting in the veranda of the Rockville Hotel, observing, with some degree of won-'cler, the vast changes that had taken place-the most of them for the better. There were new Jaces and new ente~prises all arou~d me, and there was a bustle about the town that must have caused queer sensations in the minds of the few old citizens who still gathered at the post-office 'for the purpose of carrying on ancient political controversies with each other.

Among the. few familiar figures that attracted my attention was that of Aunt Fountain. The old China tree in the shade of which she used to sit had been blasted by lightning or fire; but she still had her stand there, and she was keeping the flies and dust away with the same old turkey-tail fan. I could see no change. If her
har1887.2007.001.0116.jpg hair was grayer, it was covered and concealed 'from view by the snow-white handkerchief tied arouna. her head. From my place I could hear 'her humming a tune-the tune I had heard her sing in precisely the same way years ago. I heard her scolding a little boy. The gesture, the voice, the words, were the same she had employed in trying to convince me that my room was much better than my co'mpany, especially in the neighborhood of her cake-stand. J'o see and hear her thus gave me a peculiar feeling of homesickness. I approached and saluted her. She bowed with old-fashioned politeness, but without looking up.

"De biggest uns, dee er ten cent," "The biggest ones, they are ten cent, she said, pointing to her cakes; "en de littlest, dee er fi' cent. I make urn all myse'f, suh. En de beer in dat iug -dat beer got body, suh." "and the littlest, they are five cent. I make them all myself, sir. And the beer in that jug- that beer got body, sir."

"I have eaten many a one of your cakes, Aunt Fountain," said I, "ana drank many a glass of your beer; but you have forgotten me. "

"My eye weak, suh, but dee ain' weak nuff ferdat." "My eye weak, sir, but they ain't weak enough for that. She shaded her eyes with her fan, and
har1887.2007.001.0117.jpg looked at me. lThen she rose briskly from her chair. "De Lord he'p my soul!" "The Lord help my soul! she exclaimed enthusiastically. "W'y, I know you w'en you little boy. W'at make I ain' know you w'en you big man? My eye weak, suh, but dee ain' weak nuff fer dat. Well, suh, you mus' eat some my ginger-cake. De Lord know you has make way wid um when you wuz little boy." "Why, I know you when you little boy. What make I ain't know you when you big man? My eye weak, sir, but they ain't weak enough for that. Well, sir, you must eat some my ginger-cake. The Lord know you has make way with them when you was little boy.

The invitation was accepted, but somehow the ginger-cakes had lost their old-time relish; in me the taste and spirit of youth were lacking.

We talked of old times and old friends, and I told Aunt Fountain that I had come to Rockville for the purpose of visiting hi the neighborhood of the Tomlinson Place.

"Den I gwine wid you, suh/" "Then I going with you, sir." she cried, shaking her head vigorously. "I gwine wid you." "I going with you." And go she did.

"I been layin' off ter go see my young mistiss dis long time," said Aunt Fountain, the next day, after we had started. "I glad I gwine deer in style. De niggers won' know me skacely, ridin' in de buggy dis away." "I glad I going there in style. The niggers won't know me scarcely riding in the buggy this away."

"Your young mistress?"I inquired.

har1887.2007.001.0118.jpg

"Yes, suh. You know Miss Lady w'en she little gal. She grown 'oman now." "Yes, sir. You know Miss Lady when she little gal. She grown woman now."

"Well, who is this Trunion I have heard of?" "He monst'ous nice w'ite man, suh. He married my young mistiss. He monst'ous nice w'ite man." "He monstrous nice white man, sir. He married my young mistress. He monstrous nice white man."

"But who is he? Where did he come from ?"

Aunt Fountain chuckled convulsively as I asked these questions.

"We-all des pick 'im up, suh. Yes, suh; we-all des pick 'im up. Ain' you year talk 'bout dat, suh? I dunner whar you bin at ef you ain' never is year talk 'bout dat. He de fus' w'ite man w'at I ever pick up, suh. Yes, suh; de ve'y fus' one." "We all just pick him up, sir. Yes, sir, we all just pick him up. Ain't you hear about that, sir? I don't know where you been at if you ain't never is hear about that. He the first white man what I ever pick, up, sir. Yes, sir; the very first one."

"I don't understand you," said I; "tell me about it."

At this Aunt Fountain laughed long and loudly. She evidently enjoyed my ignorance keenly.

De Lord know I oughtn' be laughin' like 'dis. I ain' laugh so hearty sence I wuz little gal mos', en dat wuz de time w'en Marse Rowan Tomlinson come 'long en ax me my name. I
har1887.2007.001.0119.jpg tell 'im, I did: 'I'm name Flew Ellen, suh.' 'Marse Rowan he 'deaf ez any dead hoss. He 'low: 'Hey?' I say: 'I'm name Flew Ellen, suh.'Marse Rowan say: ' Fountain I Huh I he quare name.' I holler en laugh, en w'en de folks ax me w'at I hollerin' 'bout, I tell urn dat Marse Rowan say I'm name Fountain. Well, suh, fum dat day down ter dis, stedder Flew Ellen, I'm bin name Fountain. I laugh hearty den en my name got change, en I feared ef I laugh now de hoss'll run away en turn de buggy upperside down right spang on top er me." "The Lord know I oughtn't be laughing like this. I ain't laugh so hearty since I was little gal almost, and that was the time when Master Rowan come along and ask me my name. I
har1887.2007.001.0119.jpg tell him, I did: 'I'm name Flew Ellen, sir.' Master Rowan he dear as any dead hourse. He allow: 'Hey? I say: 'I'm name Flew Ellen, sir.' Master Rowan say: 'Fountain.... I holler and laugh, and when the folks ask me what I hollering about, I tell them that Master Rowan say I'm name Fountain. Well, sir, from that day down to this, instead of Flew Ellen, I'm been name Fountain. I laugh hearty then and my name got change, and I feared if I laugh now the horse will run away and turn the buggy upside down right...on top of me."

"But about this Mr. Trunion?" said I.

"Name er de Lord I" "Name of the Lord!" exclaimed Aunt Fountain, ain' you never is bin year 'bout dat? You bin mighty fur ways, suh, kaze we all bin knowin' 'bout it fum de jump." "ain't you never is been hear about that? You been might far ways, sir, because we all been knowing about it from the jump."

"No doubt. Now tell me about it."

Aunt Fountain shook her head, and her face assumed a serious expression.

"I dunno 'bout dat, suh. I year tell dat niggers ain' got no business fer go talkin' 'bout fambly doin's. Yit dar wuz yo' gran-mammy. My mistiss sot lots by her, en you been bornded
har1887.2007.001.0120.jpg right yer 'long wid urn. I don't speck it'll be gwine so mighty fur out'n de fambly ef I tell you 'bout it." "I don't know about that, sir. I hear tell that niggers ain't got no business for go talking about family doings. Yet there was your grand-mammy. My mistress sat lots by her, and you been born
har1887.2007.001.0120.jpg right here along with them. I don't expect it'll be going so mighty far out of the family if I tell you about it."

I made no attempt to coax Aunt Fountain to tell me about Trunion, for I knew it would be difficult to bribe her not to talk about him. She waited a while, evidently to tease my curiosity; but as I betrayed none, and even made an effort to talk about something else, she began:

"Well, suh, you ax me 'bout Marse Fess Trunion. I know you bleeze ter like dat man. He ain' b'long ter we-all folks, no furder dan he my young mistiss ole man, but dee ain' no finer w'ite man dan him. No, suh; dee ain'. I tell you dat p'intedly. De niggers, dee say he mighty close en pinehin', but deze is 'mighty pinehin' times-you know 'dat yo'se'f, suh. Ef a man don' fa'rly, fling 'way he money, dem Tomlinson niggers, dee'll say he mighty pinehin'. I hatter be pinehin' myse'f, suh, kaze I know time I sell my ginger-cakes dat ef I don't grip onter de money, dee won' be none lef' fer buy flour en 'lasses fer make mo'. It de Lord's trufe, suh, kaze I 'done had trouble dat way
har1887.2007.001.0121.jpg many's de time. I say dis 'bout Marse Fess ifrunion, ef he ain' got de blood, he got de breedin'. Ef he ain' good ez de Tomlinsons, he lots better dan some folks w'at I know." "Well, sir, you ask me about Master Fress Trunion, I know you oblige to like that man. He ain't belong to we-all folks, no further than he my young mistress old man, but there ain't no finer white man than him. No, sir, there ain't. I tell you that pointedly. The niggers, they say he mighty close on pining, but these is mighty pining times-you know that yourself, sir. If a man don't fairly fling away the money, them Tomlinson niggers, they'll say he might pining. I had to be pining myself, sir, because I know time I sell my ginger-cakes that if I don't grip onto the money, there won't be none left for to buy flour and molasses for to make more. It the Lord's truth, sir, because I done had trouble that way
har1887.2007.001.0121.jpg many is the time. I say this about Master Fess Trunion, if he ain't got the blood, he got the breeding. If he ain't good as the Tomlinsons, he lots better than some folks what I know.”

I gathered from all this that Trunion was a foreigner of some kind, but I found out my mistake later.

"I pick dat man up myse'f, en I knows 'im 'most good ez ef he wuz one er we-all." "I pick that man up myself, and I knows him almost good as if he was one of we-all."

"What do you mean when you say you 'picked him up'?" I asked, unable to restrain my impatience.

"Well, suh, de fus' time I see Marse Fess Trunion wuz terreckedy atter de Sherman army come 'long. Dem wuz hot times, suh, col' ez de wedder wuz. Dee wuz in-about er million un urn look like ter me, en dee des ravage de face er de yeth. Dee tuck all de hosses, en all de cows, en all' de chickens. Yes, suh; dee cert'n'y did. Man come 'long, en 'low: 'Aunty, you free now,' en den he tuck all my ginger-cakes w'at t bin bakin' 'g'inst Chris'mus; en den I say: 'Ef I wuz free ez you is, suh, I'd fling you down en take dem ginger-cakes 'way fum you. ' Yes, suh.
har1887.2007.001.0122.jpg I tole 'im dat. It make me mad fer see 'de way dat man walk off wid my ginger-cakes .." "Well, sir, the first time I see Master Fess Trunion was directly after the Sherman army come along. Them was hot times, sir, cold as the weather was. They was in about of million of them look like to me, and they just ravage the face of the earth. They took all the horses, and all the cows, and all the chickens. Yes, sir, they certainly did. Man come along and allow, 'Aunty, you free now,' and then he took all my ginger-cakes what I been baking against Christmas, and then I say, 'If I was free as you is, sir, I’d fling you down and take them ginger-cakes away from you.' Yes, sir.
har1887.2007.001.0122.jpg I told him that. It make me mad for see the way that man walk off with my ginger-cakes."

"I got so mad, suh, dat I faller 'long atter him little ways; but dat ain' do no good, kaze he come ter whar dee wuz some yuther men, en dee 'vide up dem cakes till de wa'n't no cake lef'. Den I struck 'cross de plan'ation, en walked 'bout in de drizzlin' rain tell I cool off my madness, suh, kaze de flour dat went in dem cakes cas' me mas 'a hunderd dollars in good Confederick money. Yes, suh; it did dat. En I work for dat money mighty hard . "I got so mad, sir, that I follow along after him little ways, but that ain’t do no good, because he come to where they was some other men, and they divide up them cakes till they wasn’t no cake left. Then I struck across the plantation, and walked about in the drizzling rain until I cool off my madness, sir, because the flour that went in them cakes cost me almost a hundred dollars in good Confederate money. Yes, sir; it did that. And I work for that money might hard."

"Well, suh, I ain' walk fur 'fa' it seem like I year some un talkin'. I stop, I did, en lissen, en still I year urn. I ain' see nobody, suh, but still I year urn. I walk fus' dis away en den dat away, en den I walk 'roun' en 'roun', en den it pop in my min' 'bout de big gully. It ain' dar now, suh, but in dem days we call it de big gully, kaze it wuz wide en deep. Well, suh, 'fo' I git dar I see hoss-tracks, en dee led right up ter de brink. I look in, I did, en down dar dee wuz a man en a hoss. Yes, suh; dee wuz bofe down dare. De man wuz layin' out flat on he
har1887.2007.001.0123.jpg back, en (Ie hoss he wuz layin' sorter up en 'down 'de gully en right on t? P er one er de man legs, en eve'y time de hoss'd scrample en try fer git up de man 'ud talk at 'im. I know dat hoss mus' des nat'ally a groun' dat man legs in de yeth, suh. Yes,suh.' It make my flesh crawl w'en I look at urn. Yit de man ain' talk like he mad. No, suh, he ain'; en it make me feel like somebody done gone en hit me on de funnybone w'en I year 'im talkin' dat away. Eve'y time de hoss scuffle, de man he 'low: 'Hol' up, ole fel, you er mashin' all de shape out'n me.' Dat w'at he say, suh. En den he 'low: 'Ef you know how you hurtin', ole fel, I des know you'd be still. ' Yes, suh. Dem he ve'y words." "Well, sir, I ain’t walk for far it seem like I hear someone talking. I stop, I did, and listen, and still I hear them. I ain't see nobody, sir, but still I hear them. I walk first this away and then that away, and then I walk around and around, and then it pop in my mind about the big gully. It ain't there now, sir, but in them days we call it the big gully, because it was wide and deep. Well, sir, before I get there I see horse-tracks, and they led right up to the brink. I look in, I did, and down there they was a man and a horse. Yes, sir, they was both down there. The man was laying out flat on he
har1887.2007.001.0123.jpg back, and (the horse he was laying sort of up and down the gully and right on top of one of the man legs, and every time the horse scramble and try for get up the man would talk at him. I know that horse must just naturally a ground that man legs in the earth, sir. Yes, sir. It made my flesh crawl when I look at them. Yet the man aint talk like he mad. No, sir, he ain’t, and it make me feel like somebody done gone and hit me on the funny bone when I hear him talking that away. Every time the horse scuffle, the man he allow',Hold up, old fellow, you are mashing all the shape out of me.' Dat what he say, sir. And they he allow: 'If you know how you hurting, old fellow, I just know you'd be still.' Yes, sir. Them he very words."

"All dis time de rain wuz a-siftin' down. It fall mighty saft, but 'twuz monst'ous wet, suh. Bimeby I

[note] "I ax 'im, I say: 'Marster, is you hurted much?' Kaze time I look at 'im I-know he ain' de villyun w'at make off wid my ginger-cakes. Den he 'low: 'I speck I hurt purty bad, aunty,
har1887.2007.001.0124.jpg en 'de wuss un it is dat my hoss keep hurtin' me mo'.' . "I ask him, I say: 'Master, is you hurt much? Because time I look at him I know he ain’t the villain what make off with my ginger-cakes. Then he allow: 'I expect I hurt pretty bad, aunty, 'I speck I hurt purty bad, aunty, and the worst of it is that my horse keep hurting me more.'"

"Den nex' time de hoss move it errortate me so, suh, dat I holler at 'im lou'd ez I ken: 'Wo 'dar, you scan'lous villyunl Wol' Well, suh, I· speck dat hoss mus .a-bin use'n ter niggers, kaze time I holler at 'im 'he lay right still, suh. I slid down 'dat bank, en I kotch holter dat bridle -I don't look like I'm mighty strong, does I, suh?" "Then next time the horse move it irritate me so, sir, that I holler at him loud as I can: 'Whoa there, you scandalous villain, Whoa. Well, sir, I expect that horse must a-been use to niggers, because time I holler at him he lay right still, sir. I slid down that bank, and I catch hold of that bridle –I don’t look like I’m mighty strong, does I, sir? said Aunt Fountain, pausing suddenly in her narrative to ask the question.

"Well, no," said I, humoring her as much as possible. "You don't seem to be as strong as some people I've seen."

"Dat's it, suh!" "That's it, sir!" she exclaimed. "Dat w'at worry me. I slid down dat bank, en I kotch dat hoss by de bridle. De man say: 'Watch out dar, aunty! don't let he foot hit you. Dee one cripple too much now.' I ain' pay no 'tention, suh. I des grab de bridle, en I slew 'dat hoss head roun', en I fa'rly lif' 'im on he foots. Yes, suh, I des lif' 'im on he foots. Den I led 'im down de gully en turnt 'im a-loose, en you ain' never see no hoss supjued like dat hoss wuz, suh. Den I
har1887.2007.001.0125.jpg went back whar de man layin', en ax 'im ef he feel better, en he 'low dat he feel like he got a big load lif' offen he min', en den, mos' time he say dat, suh, he faint dead away. Yes, suh. He des faint dead away. I ain' never is see no man like dat, w'at kin be jokin' one minnit en den de nex' be dead, ez you may say. But dat's Marse Fess Trunion, suh. Dat's him up en down." "That what worry me. I slid down that bank, and I catch that horse by the bridle. The man say: ‘Watch out there, aunty! Don’t let he foot hit you. The one cripple too much now.’ I ain't pay no attention, sir. I just grab the bridle, and I slew that horse head around, and I fairly lift him on he foots. Yes, sir, I just lift him on he foots. The I led him down the gully and turned him a–loose, and you ain't never saw no horse subdued like that horse was, sir. Then I
har1887.2007.001.0125.jpg went back where the man laying, and ask him if he feel better, and he allow that he feel like he got a big load lift off of he mind, and then, most time he say that, sir, he faint dead away. Yes, sir. He just faint dead away. I ain’t never see no man like that, what can be joking one minute and then the next be dead, as you may say. But that’s Master Fess Trunion, sir. That’s him up and down."

"Well, suh, I stan' dar, I did, en I ain' know w'at in de name er de Lord I gwine do. I wuz 'des ez wringin' wet ez if I'd a-bin baptize in de water; en de man he wuz mo' wetter dan w'at I wuz, en goodness knows how long he bin layin' dar. I run back ter de big 'ouse, suh, mighty nigh a mile, en I done my level bes' fer fin' some er de niggers en git urn fer go wid me back dar en git de man. But I ain' fin' none un urn, suh. Dem w'at ain' gone wid de Sherman army, dee done hide out. Den I went in de big 'ouse, suh, en tell Mistiss 'bout de man down dar in de gully, en how he done hurted so bad he ain' kin walk. Den Mistiss-I speck you done fergit Mistiss, suh-Mistiss, she draw herse'f up en
har1887.2007.001.0126.jpg ax w'at business dat man er any yuther man got on her plan'ation. I say: 'Yassum, dat so; but he :done dar, en ef he stay dar he gwine die dar.' ,Yes, suh; 'dat w'at I say. I des put it at Mistiss right pine-blank .." "Well, sir, I stand there, I did, and I ain’t know what in the name of the Lord I going do. I was just as wringing we as if I'd a-bin baptize in the water; and the man he was more wetter than what I was, and goodness knows how long he been laying there. I ran back to the big house, sir, mighty nigh a mile, and I done my level best for find some of the niggers and get them for go with me back there and get the man. But I ain’t find none of them, sir. Them what ain’t gone with the Sherman army, they done hide out. Then I went in the big house, sir, and tell Mistress about the man down there in the gully, and how he done hurt so bad he ain’t can walk. Then Mistress, I expect you done forget Mistress, sir- Mistress, she draw herself up and
har1887.2007.001.0126.jpg ask what business that man or any other man got on her plantation. I say: 'Yes Ma'am, that so; but he down there, and if he stay there he going die there.' Yes, sir, that what I say. I just put it at Mistress right point-blank."

"Den my young mistiss-dat's Miss Lady, suh -she say dat dough she spize um all dez bad az she kin, dat man mus' be brung away from dar. Kaze, she say, she don't keer how yuther folks go on, de T omlinsons is bleeze to do like Christian people. Y es,suh; she say dem ve'y words. Den Mistiss, she 'low dat de man kin be brung up, en put in de corn-crib, but Miss Lady ,she say no, he mus' be brung en put right dar in de big 'ouse in one er de upsta'rs rooms, kaze maybe , some ,er dem State er Georgy boys nrought be hurted up dar in de Norf, en want some place fer stay at. Yes, suh; dat des de way she talk. Den Mistiss, she ain' say nothin', yit she hol' her head mighty high." "Then my young mistress-that’s Miss Lady, sir –she say that though she despise them all just bad as she can, that man must be brought away from there. Because, she say, she don’t care how other folks go on, the Tomilinsons is oblige to do like Christian people. Yes, sir; she say them very words. The Mistress, she allow that the man can be brought up, and put in the corn-crib, but Miss Lady, she say no, he must be brought and put right there in the big house in one of the upstairs rooms, because maybe some of them State of Georgia boys might be hurt up there in the North, and want some place for to stay at. Yes, sir; that just way she talk. Then Mistress, she ain't say nothing, yet she hold her head mighty high."

"Well, suh, I went back out in de yard, en den I went 'cross ter de nigger-quarter, en l ain' gone fur tell I year my ole man prayin' in dar, some'r's. l Know'im by he v'ice, suh, en he
har1887.2007.001.0127.jpg wuz prayin' des like it wuz camp-meetin' time. I hunt 'roun' fer 'im, suh, en bimeby I fin' 'im squattin' down behime de do'. I grab 'im, I did, en I shuck 'im, en I 'low: 'Git up fum yer, you nasty,stinkin' ole villyun, you!' Yes, suh; I wuz mad. I say: 'W'at you doin' squattin' down on de flo'? Git up fum dar en ~ome go 'long wid me I' I hatter laugh, suh, kaze w'en I shuck my ole man be de shoulder, en holler at 'im, he put up he two han', suh, en squall out: 'Oh, pray; marster! don't kill me dis time, en I ain' never gwine do it no mo'I" "Well, sir, I went back out in the yard, and then I went across to the nigger-quarter, and I ain't gone far till I hear my old man praying in there, somewhere. I know him by he voice, sir, and he
har1887.2007.001.0127.jpg was praying just like it was camp-meeting time. I hunt around for him, sir, and by and by I find him squatting down behind the door. I grab him, I did, and I shook him, and I allow: 'Get up from here, you nasty, stinking old villian, you!' Yes, sir; I was mad. I say: 'What you doing squatting down on the floor? Get up from there and come go along with me! I had to laugh, sir, because when I shook my old man by the shoulder, and holler at him, he put up he two hand, sir, and squall out: 'Oh, pray, master! don't kill me this time, and I ain't never going do it no more!"

"Atter he 'come pacify, suh, den I tell him 'bout de man down dar in de gully, en yit we ain' know w'at ter do. My ole man done hide out some er de mules en hosses down in de swamp, en he feard ter go atter um, suh, kaze he skeerd de Sherman army would come marchin' back en fine urn, en he 'low dat he mos' know 'dee er comin' back atter dat man down dar.· !Yes, suh; he de skeerdest nigger w'at I ever see, if I do say it myse'f. Yit, bimeby he put out atter one er de hosses, en he brung 'im back; en we hitch 'im up in de spring-waggin, en atter Aunt Fountain's Prisoner
har1887.2007.001.0128.jpg dat man we went. Yes, suh; we aid dat. En w'en we git dar, dat ar man wuz plum ravin' 'deestracted. He wuz laughin' en talkin' wid hese'f, en gwine on, tell it make yo' blood run co!' fer lissen at 'im. Yes, suh." "After he become pacify, sir, then I tell him about the man down there in the bully, and yet we ain’t know what to do. My old man done hide out some of the mules and horses down in the swamp, and he feared to go after them, sir, because he scared the Sherman army would come marching back and find them, and he allow that he most know they are coming back after that man down there! Yes, sir; he the scardest nigger what I ever see, if I do say it myself. Yet, by and by he put out after the horses, and he brought him back; and we hitch him up in the spring-wagon, and after
har1887.2007.001.0128.jpg that man we went. Yes, sir; we did that. And when we get there, that there man was plum raving distracted. He was laughing and talking with himself, and going on, till it make your blood run cold for listen at him. Yes, sir."

"Me en my ole man, we pick 'im up des like he wuz baby. I come mighty nigh droppin' 'im, suh, kaze one time, wiles we kyarn 'im up de bank, I year de bones in he leg rasp up 'g'inst one er n'er . Yes, suh. It make me blin' sick, suh. We kyard 'im home en put 'im upst'ars, en dar he stayed fer many's de long day." "Me and my old man, we pick him up just like he was baby. I come mighty near dropping him, sir, because one time, while we carrying him up the bank, I hear the bones in he leg rasp up against one another.Yes, sir. It make me blind sick, sir. We carried him home and put him upstairs, and there he stayed for many is the long day."

"Where was Judge Tomlinson?" I asked. At this Aunt Fountain grew more serious than ever -a seriousness that was expressed by an increased particularity and emphasis in both speech and manner.

"You axin' 'bout Marster? Well, suh, he wuz dar. He wuz cert'n'y dar wid Mistiss en Miss Lady suh but look like he ain' take no intruss in w'at gwine on. Some folks 'low, suh, 'dat he ain' right in he head, but dee ain' know 'im-dee ain't know 'im, suh, like we-all. En'durin' er de war, suh, he wuz strucken wid de
har1887.2007.001.0129.jpg polzy, en den w'en he git well, he ain' take no intruss in w'at gwine on. Dey'd be long days, sub, w'en he ain' take no notice er nobody ner, nuttin' but Miss Lady. He des had clem spells; en den, ag'in, he'd set out on de peazzer en sing. by hese'f, en it make me feel so lonesome dat II bleeze ter cry. Yes, suh; it's 'de Lord's trufe." "You asking about Master? Well, sir, he was there. He was certainly there with Mistress and Miss Lady sir but look like he ain’t take no interest in what going on. Some folks allow, sir, that he ain't right in the head, but they ain’t know him-they ain’t know him, sir, like we-all. And during of the war, sir he was stricken with the palsy, and then when he get well, ain't take no interest in what going on. Thered be long days, sir, when he ain’t take no notice of nobody never, nothing but Miss Lady. He just had them spells; and then, again, he’d set out on the piazza and sing by himself, and it make me feel so lonesome that I oblige to cry. Yes, sir; it’s the Lord’s truth."

"Well, suh, dat man w'at I fin' out dar in de gully wuz Marse Fess Trunion Yes, suh, de ve'y same man. Dee ain' no tellin' w'at dat po' creetur gone thoo wid. He had fever, he had pneumony, en he had dat broke leg. En all 'long wid dat dee want skacely no time w'en he want laughin' en jokin'. Our w'ite folks, dee des spized 'im kaze he bin wid Sherman army. Dee say he wuz Yankee; but I tell um, suh, dat ef Yankee look dat away dee wuz cert'n'y mighty like we-all. Mistiss, she ain' never go 'bout 'im wiles he sick; en Miss Lady, she keep mighty shy, en she tu'n up her nose eve'y time she year 'im laugh. Oh, yes, suh; dee cert'n'y spize de Yankees endurin' er dem times. Dee hated um rank, suh. I tell um, I say : 'You-all des wait. Dee ain' no nicer man 'dan w'at he is,
har1887.2007.001.0130.jpg en you-all des wait tell you know 'im.' Shoo! I des might ez well talk ter de win', suh-dee hate de Yankees dat rank. "Well, sir, that man what I find out there in the gully was Master Fess Trunion. Yes, sir, the very same man. They ain't no telling what that poor creature gone through with. He had fever, he had pneumonia, and he had that broke leg. And all along with the they want scarcely no time when he want laughing and joking. Our white folks, they just despised him because he been with Sherman army. They say he was Yankee; but I tell them, sir, that if Yankee look that away they was certainly might like we-all. Mistress, she ain't never go about him while he sick; and Miss Lday, she keep mighty shy, and she turn up her nose every time she hear him laugh. Oh, yes, sir; they certainly despise the Yankees enduring of them times. They hated them rank, sir. I tell them, I say: 'You-all just wait. They ain't no nicer man than what he is,
har1887.2007.001.0130.jpg and you all just wait till you know him.' Shoo! I just might as well talk to the wind, sir- they hate the Yankees that rank."

"By de time dat man git so he kin creep 'bout on crutches, he look mas' good ez he do now. He wuz dat full er life, suh, dat he

har1887.2007.001.0131.jpg

"By the time that man get so he can creep about on crutches, he look almost good as he do now. He was that full of life, sir, that he

bleeze

to go downstairs, and down he went. Well, sir, he was mighty lucky that day. Because if he'd a run up with Mistress and Miss Lady by herself, they'd of done something for to make him feel bad. They certainly would, sir. But they was walking around in the yard, and he come out on the piazza where Master was sunning heself and singing. I wouldn't believe it, sir, if I ain't see it with my two eyes; but Master got up out of he chair, and straighten heself, and shook hands with Master Fess, and look like he know all about it. They sat there, sir, and talk and laugh, and laugh and talk, till by and by I begun to get scared on the accounts of both of them. They talk about the war, and tey talk about the Yankees, and they talk politics right straight along just like Master done before he been stricken with the palsy. And he talk sense, sir. He certainly did. By and by Mistress and Miss Lady
har1887.2007.001.0131.jpg come back from they walk, and they look like they going drop when they see what going on. Them two men was so busy talking, sir, that they ain't see the women folks, and they just keep right on, with they arguing. Mistress and Miss Lady, they ain't know what to make of all this, and they stand there looking first at Master and then at one another. By and by they went up the steps and start to go by, but Master he rise up and stop them. Yes, sir. He rise right up and stop them, and right then and there, sir, he make them interduced to one another. He stand up, and he say:'Mr. Trunion, this my wife; Mr. Trunion, this my daughter.' "

"Well, suh, I wuz stannin' back in de big hall, en we'n I see Marster gwine on dat away my knees come mighty nigh fail in' me, suh. Dis de fus' time w'at he reckermember anybody name, an de fus' time he do like he useter, sence he bin sick wid de polzy. Mistiss en Miss Lady, dee come 'long in atter w'ile, en 'dee look like dee skeerd. Well, suh, I des far'ly preach at um. Yes, suh; I did dat. I say : 'You see dat ? You see how Marster doin'? Ef de han' er de Lord ain' in dat, den de han' ain' bin in nuttin' on de
har1887.2007.001.0132.jpg top side er dis yeth.' I say : 'You see how you bin cuttin' up 'roun' dat sick w'ite man wid yo' biggity capers, en yit de Lord retch down en make Marster soun' en well time de yuther w'ite man tetch 'im. Well, suh, 'dey wuz dat worked up dat dey sot down en cried. Yes, suh; dey did dat. Dey cried. En I ain' tellin' you no lie, suh, I stood dar en cried wid um. Let 'lone 'dat, I des far'ly boohooed. Yes, suh; dat's me. W'en I git ter cryin' sho' nuff, I

"Well, sir, I was standing back in the big hall, and when I see Master going on tha away my knees come might near failing me, sir. This the first time what he reckermember anybody name, and the first time he do like he use to, since he been sick with the palsy. Mistress and Miss Lady, they come along in after while, and they look like they scared. Well, sir, I just fairly preach at them. Yes, sir; I did that. I say: 'You see that? You see how Master doing? If the hand of the Lord ain't in that, then the hand ain't been in nothing on the
har1887.2007.001.0132.jpg top side of this earth.' I say: 'You see how you been cutting up around that sick white man with your biggity capers, and yet the the Lord reach down and make Master and and well time the other white man touch him. Well, sir that was that worked up that they sat down and cried. Yes, sir; they did that. They cried. And I ain't telling you no like, sir, I stood there and cried with them. Let alone that, I just fairly boohooed. Yes, sir; that's me. When I get to crying sure enough I

bleeze

to boohoo."

"Fum dat on, Marster do like hese'f, en talk like hese'f. It look like he bin sleep long time, suh, en de sleep done 'im good. All he sense come back; en you know, suh, de Tomlinsons, w'en dey at deese'f, got much sense ez dee want en some fer give way. Mistiss and Miss Lady, dee wuz mighty proud 'bout Marster, suh, but dee ain' fergit dat de yuther man wuz Yankee, en dee hol' deese'f monst'ous stiff. He notice dat hese'f, en he want ter go 'way, but Marster, he 'fuse ter lissen at 'im right pine-plank, suh. He say de dea'd Tomlinsons would in-about turn over in dee graves ef dee know he sont a cripple
har1887.2007.001.0133.jpg man 'way from he 'ouse. Den he want ter pay he board, but Marster ain' lissen ter dat, en needer is Mistiss; en dis mighty funny, too, kaze right dat minnit dee wa'n't a half er dollar er good money in de whole fambly, ceppin' some silver w'at I work fer, en w'at I hide in er chink er my chimbly. No, suh. Dee want er half er dollar in de whole fambly, suh. En yit dee won't take de greenbacks w'at dat man offer um." "From that on, Master do like heself, and talk like heself. It look like he been sleep long time, sir, and the sleep done him good. All he sense come back; and he know, sir, the Tomlinsons, when they at theirself, got much sense as they want and some for give way. Mistress and Miss Lady, they was might proud about Master, sir, but they ain't forget that the other man was Yankee, and they hold theyself monstrous stiff. He notice that heself, and he want to go away, but Master, he refuse to listen at him right point-blank, sir. He say the dead Tomlinsons would in-about turn over in they graves if they know he sent a cripple
har1887.2007.001.0133.jpg man away from he house. They he want to pay the board, but Master ain't listen to that, and neither is Mistress; and this might funny, too, because right that minute there wasn't a half of dollar of good money in the whole family, excepting some silver what I work for, and what I hide in of chink of my chimney. No, sir. There weren't of half of dollar in the whole family, sir. And yet they won't take the grrenbacks what that man offer them."

"By dat time, suh, de war wuz done done, en dee wuz tough times. Dee cert'n'y wuz, suh. De railroads wuz all broke up, en eve'ything look like it gwine helter-skelter right straight ter de Ole Boy. Ded wa'n't no law, suh; en dey wa'n't no nuttin'; en ef it hadn't er bin fer me en my ole man, I speck de Tomlinsons; proud ez dee wuz, would er bin mightily pincht fer fin' bread en meat. But dee ain' never want fer it yit, suh, kaze w'en me en my ole man git whar we can't move no furder, Marse Fess Trunion, he tuck holt er de place en he fetcht it right side up terreckerly. He say ter me dat he gwine pay he board dat away, suh, but he ain' say it whar
har1887.2007.001.0134.jpg de Tomlinsons kin year 'im, kaze den dee'd a-bin a fuss, suh. But he kotch holt, en me, en him, en my ole man, we des he't eve'ything hot. Mo' speshually Marse Fess Trunion, suh. You ain' know 'im, suh, but dat ar w'ite man, he got mo' ways ter work, en mo' short cuts ter de ways, suh, dan any w'ite man w'at I ever see, en I done see lots un um. It got so, suh, dat me en my ole man ain' have ter draw no mo' rashuns fum de F'eedman Bureau; but dee wuz one spell, suh, w'en wuss rashuns dan dem wuz on de Tomlinson table. " "By that time, sir, the war was done, and they was tough times. They certainly was, sir. They railroads was all broke up, and everything look like it going helter-skelter right straight to the Old Boy. They wasn’t no law, sir; and they wasn’t no nothing; and if it hadn’t of been for me and my old man, I expect the Tomlinsons; proud as they was, would of been mightily pinced for find bread and meat. But they ain’t never want for it yet, sir, because when me and my old man git where we can’t more no further, Master Fess Trunion, he took hold of the place and he fetched it right side up directly. He say to me that he going pay board that away, sir, but he ain’t say where
har1887.2007.001.0134.jpg the Tomlinsons can hear him, because then they’d a-been a fuss, sir. But he catch hold, and me, and him, and my old man, we just heat everything hot. Mo especially Master Fess Trunion, sir. You ain’t know him, sir, butt that there white man, he got more ways to work, and more short cuts to the ways, sir, that any white man white I ever see, and I done see lots of them. It got so, sir that me and my ol man ain’t have to draw no more rations from the Freedman Bureau; but they was one spell, sir, when worse rations than them was on the Tomlinson table."

"Well, suh, dat w'ite man, he work en he scuffle; he hire niggers, and he turn um off; he plan, en he projick; en 'tain' so mighty long, suh, 'fo' he got eve'ything gwine straight. How he done it, I'll never tell you, suh; but do it he did. He put he own money in dar, suh, kaze dee wuz two times dat I knows un w'en he git money out'n de pos'-office, en I see 1m pay It out ter de niggers, suh. En all dat time he look like he de happies' w'ite man on top er de groun', suh. Yes, suh. En w'en he at de 'ouse Marster stuck tight by 'im, en ef he bin he own
har1887.2007.001.0135.jpg son he couldn't pay him mo' 'tention. Dee wuz times, suh, w'en it seem like ter me dat Marse Fess Trunion wuz a-cuttin' he eye at Miss Lady, en den I 'low ter myse'f: 'Shoo, man' you mighty nice en all dat, but you Yankee, en you nee'nter be a-drappin' yo' wing 'roun' Miss' Lady, kaze she too high-strung fer dat" " Well, sir, that white man, he work and he scuffle; he hire niggers and he turn them off; he plan, and he project; and it ain’t so might long sir, before he got everything going straight. How he done it, I’ll never t ell you, sir; but do it he did. He put he own money in there, sir, because they was two time that I knows of when he get money out of the post-office, and I see him pay it out to the niggers, sir. And all that time he look like he the happiest man on top of the ground, sir. Yes, sir. And when he at the house Master stuck tight by him, and if he been he own
har1887.2007.001.0135.jpg son he couldn’t pay him more attention. They was times, sir, when it seem like to me that Master Fess Trunion was a-cutting he eye at Miss Lady, and then I allow to myself; ‘Shoo, man, you might nice and all that, but you Yankee, and you needn't to be a-draping your wing around Miss Lady, because she too high-strung for that.

"It look like he see it de same way I do, suh, kaze atter he git eve'ything straight he say he gwine home. Marster look like he feel mighty bad, but Mistiss en Miss Lady, dee ain't say nuttin' 'tall. Den, atter w'ile, suh, Marse Fess Trunion fix up, en off he put. Yes, suh. He went off whar he come fum, en I 'speck he folks wuz mighty glad ter see 'im atter so long, kaze ef dee ever wuz a plum nice man it wuz dat man. He want no great big man, suh, en he ain' make much fuss, yit he lef' a mighty big hole at de Tomlinson Place, w'en he pulled out fum dar. Yes, suh; he did dat. It look like it lonesome all over de plan'ation. Marster, he 'gun ter git droopy, but eve'y time de dinner bell ring he go ter de foot er de sta'rs en call out: 'Come on. Trunion!' Yes, suh. He holler dat
har1887.2007.001.0136.jpg out eve'y day, en den, w'iles he be talkin', he'd stop en look roun' en say: 'Whar Trunion?' It ain' make no difference who he talkin' wid, suh, he'd des stop right still en ax: 'Whar' Trunion?' Den de niggers, dee got slack, en eve'ything gun ter go een'-ways. One day I run up on Miss Lady settin' down cryin', en I ax her w'at 'de name er goodness de matter, en she say nuff de matter. Den I say she better go ask her pappy whar Trunion, en den she git red in de face, en 'low I better go 'ten' ter my business; en den I tell her dat ef somebody ain' tell us whar Trunion is, en dat mighty quick, dee won't be no business on dat place fer 'ten' ter. Yes, suh. I tol' her dat right p'intedly, suh." "It look like he see it the same way I do, sir, because after he get everything straight he say he going home. Master look like he feel mighty bad, but Mistress and Miss Lady, they ain't say nothing at all. Then, after while, sir, Master Fess Trunion fix up, end off he put. Yes, sir. He went off where he come from, and I expect he folks was mighty glad to see him after so long, because if they ever was a plum nice man it was that man. He wasn’t no great big man, sir, and he ain’t make much fuss, yet he left a mighty big hole at the Tomlinson Place, when he pulled out from there. Yes, sir; he did that. It look like it lonesome all over the plantation. Master, he begun to get droopy, but every time the dinner bell ring he go to the foot of the stairs and call out: ‘Come on Trunion! Yes, sir. He holler that
har1887.2007.001.0136.jpg out every day, and then while he be talking, he'd stop and look round and say: 'Where Trunion?’ It ain't make no difference who he talking with, sir, he’d just stop right still and ask: 'Where Trunion?’ Then the niggers, they got slack, and everything begun to go een’-ways. One day I run up on Miss Lady setting down crying, and I ask her what the name of goodness the matter matter, and she say nothing the matter. Then I say she better go ask her pappy where Trunion, and then she get red in the face, and allow I better go attend to my business; and then I tell her that if somebody ain’t tell us where Trunion is, and that mighty quick, there won’t be no business on that place for attend to. Yes, sir, I told her that right pointedly, sir."

"Well, suh, one day Marse Fess Trunion come a-drivin' up in a shiny double buggy, en he look like he des step right out'n a ban'-box; en ef ever I wuz glad ter see anybody, I wuz glad ter see dat man. Marster wuz glad; en dis time, suh, Miss Lady wuz glad, en she show it right plain, but Mistiss she still sniff de a'r en hol' her head high. T'wa'n't long, suh, 'fo' we all knowd dat Marse Fess wuz gwine marry Miss'
har1887.2007.001.0137.jpg Lady. I ain' know how dee fix it, kaze Mistiss never is come right out en say she 'agreeable 'bout it, but Miss Lady wuz a Bledsoe too, en a Tomlinson ter boot, en I ain' never see nobody w'at hnpatient nuff fer ter stan' out 'g'inst dat gal. It ain' all happen, suh, quick ez I tell it, but it happen; en but fer dat, I dunno w'at in de name er goodness would er 'come er dis place." "Well, sir, one day Fess Trunion come a-driving up in a shiny double buggy, and he look like he just stop right out of a band-box; and if ever I was glad to see anybody, I was glad to see that man. Master was glad; and this time, sir, Miss Lady was glad, and she show it right along, but Mistress she still sniff the air and hold her head high. It wasn't long, sir, before we all knew that Master Fess was going marry Miss
har1887.2007.001.0137.jpg Lady. I ain't know how they fix it, because Mistress never is come right out and say she agreeable about it, but Miss Lady was a Bledsoe too, and a Tomlinson to boot, and I ain't never see nobody what inpatient enough for stand out against that girl. It ain't all happen, sir, quick as I tell it, but it happen; and but for that, I don't what in the name of goodness would of come of this place."

A few hours later, as I sat with Trunion on the veranda of his house, he verified Aunt Fountain's story, but not until after he was convinced that I was familiar with the history of the family. There was much in that history he could afford to be proud of, modern though he was. A man who believes in the results of blood in cattle is not likely to ignore the possibility of similar results in human beings; and I think he regarded the matter in some such practical light. He was a man, it seemed, who was disposed to look lightly on trouble, once it was over with; and I found he was not so much impressed with his struggle against the positive scorn and contempt of Mrs. Tomlinson-a struggle that was
har1887.2007.001.0138.jpg infinitely more important and protracted than Aunt Fountain had described it to be-as he was with his conflict with Bermuda grass. He told me laughingly of some of his troubles with his hot-headed neighbors in the early days after the war, but nothing of this sort seemed to be as important as his difficulties with Bermuda grass. Here the practical and progressive man showed himself; for I have a very vivid recollection of the desperate attempts of the farmers of that region to uproot and destroy this particular variety.

As for Trunion, he conquered it by cultivating it for the benefit of himself and his neighbors; and I suspect that this is the way he conquered his other opponents. It was a great victory over the grass, at any rate. I walked with him over the place, and the picture of it all is still framed in my mind-the wonderful hedges of Cherokee roses, and the fragrant and fertile stretches of green Bermuda through which beautiful fawncolored cattle were leisurely making their way. He had a theory that this was the only grass in the world fit for the dainty Jersey cow to eat.

har1887.2007.001.0139.jpg

There were comforts and conveniences on the Tomlinson Place not dreamed of in the old days, and I think there was substantial happiness there too. Trunion himself was a wholesome man, a man full of honest affection, hearty laughter, and hard work-a breezy, companionable, energetic man. There was something boyish, unaffected, and winsome in his manners; and I can easily understand why Judge Addison Tomlinson, in his old age,. insisted on astonishing his family and his guests by exclaiming:

"Where's Trunion?" Certainly he was a man to think about and inquire after.

I have rarely seen a lovelier woman than his wife, and I think her happiness helped to make her so. She had inherited a certain degree of cold stateliness from her ancestors; but her experience after the war, and Trunion's unaffected ways, had acted as powerful correctives, and there was nothing in the shape of indifference or haughtiness to mar her singular beauty.

As for Mrs. Tomlinson-the habit is still strong, in me to call her Harriet Bledsoe-I think that in her secret soul she had an In-
har1887.2007.001.0140.jpg eradicable contempt for Trunion's extraordinary business energy. I think his "push and vim", as the phrase goes, shocked her sense of propriety to a far greater extent than she would have been willing to admit. But she had little time to think of these matters; for she had taken possession of her grandson, Master Addison Tomlinson Trunion, and was absorbed in his wild and boisterous ways, as grandmothers will be. This boy, a brave and manly little fellow, had Trunion's temper, but he had inherited the Tomlinson air. It became him well, too, and I think Trunion was proud of it.

"I am glad," said I, in parting, "that I have seen Aunt Fountain's Prisoner."

"Ah!" said he, looking at his wife, who smiled and blushed, "that was during the war. Since then I have been a Prisoner of Peace."

I do not know what industrial theories Trunion has impressed on his neighborhood by this time; but he gave me a practical illustration of the fact that one may be a Yankee and a Southerner too, simply by being a large-hearted, whole-souled American.

TROUBLE ON LOST MOUNTAIN

THERE is no doubt that when Miss Babe Hightower stepped out on the porch, just after sunrise one fine morning in the spring of 1876, she had the opportunity of enjoying a scene as beautiful as any that nature offers to the human eye. She was poised, so to speak, on the shoulder of Lost Mountain, a spot made cheerful and hospitable by her father's industry, and by her own inspiring presence. The scene, indeed, was almost portentous in its beauty. Away above her the summit of the mountain was bathed in sunlight, while in the valley below the shadows of dawn were still hovering-a slow-moving sea of transparent gray, touched here and there ,with silvery reflections of light. Across the face of the mountain that lifted itself to the skies, a belated cloud trailed its wet skirts, revealing, as it fled westward, a panorama of exquisite love-
har1887.2007.001.0142.jpg liness. The fresh, tender foliage of the young pines, massed here and there against the mountain side, moved and swayed in the morning breeze until it seemed to be a part of the atmosphere, a pale-green mist that would presently mount into the upper air and melt away.· On a dead pine a quarter of a mile away, a turkeybuzzard sat- with wings outspread to catch the warmth of the sun; while far above him, poised in the illimitable blue, serene, almost motionless, as though swung in the centre of space, his mate overlooked the world. The wild honeysuckles clambered from bush to bush, and from tree to tree, mingling their faint, sweet perfume with the delicious odors that seemed to rise from the valley, and float down from the mountain to meet in a little whirlpool of fragrance in the porch where Miss Babe Hightower stood. The flowers and the trees could speak for themselves; the slightest breeze gave them motion: but the majesty of the mountain was voiceless; its beauty was forever motionless. Its silence seemed more suggestive than the lapse of time, more profound than a prophet's vision of eternity, more
har1887.2007.001.0143.jpg mysterious than any problem of the human mind.

It is fair to say, however, that Miss Babe Hightower did not survey the panorama that lay spread out below her, around her, and above her with any peculiar emotions. She was not without sentiment, for she was a young girl just budding into womanhood, but all the scenery that the mountain or the valley could show was as familiar to her as the fox-hounds that lay curled up in the fence-corners, or the fowls that crowed and clucked and cackled in the yard. She had discovered, indeed, that the individuality of the mountain was impressive, for she was always lonely and melancholy when away from it; but she viewed it, not as a picturesque affair to wonder at, but as a companion with whom she might hold communion. The mountain was something more than a mountain to her. Hundreds of times, when a little child, she had told it her small troubles, and it had seemed to her that the spirit of comfort dwelt somewhere near the precipitous summit. As she grew older the mountain played a less important part in her
har1887.2007.001.0144.jpg imagination, but she continued to regard it with a feeling of fellowship which she never troubled herself to explain or define.

Nevertheless, she did not step out on the porch to worship at the shrine of the mountain, or to enjoy the marvelous picture that nature presented to the eye. She went out in obedience to the shrilly uttered command of her mother:

"Run, Babe, run! That plegged old cat's a-tryin' to drink out'n the water-bucket. Fling a cheer at 'er! Sick the dogs on 'er." "Run, Babe, run! That plagued old cat’s a-trying to drink out of the water-bucket. Fling a chair at her! Sick the dogs on her!"

The cat, understanding the situation, promptly disappeared when it saw Babe, and the latter had nothing to do but make such demonstrations as are natural to youth, if not to beauty. She seized one of the many curious crystal formations which she had picked up on the mountain, and employed for various purposes of ornamentation, and sent it flying after the cat. She threw with great strength and accuracy, but the cat was gone. The crystal went zooning into the fence-corner where one of the hounds lay; and this sensitive creature, taking it for granted that he had been made the special object of
har1887.2007.001.0145.jpg attack, set up a series of loud yells by way of protest. This aroused the rest of the dogs, and in a moment that particular part of the mountain was in an uproar. Just at that instant a stalwart man came around the corner of the house. He was bareheaded, and wore neither coat nor vest. He was tall and well made, though rather too massive to be supple. His beard, which was full and flowing, was plentifully streaked with gray. iHis appearance would have been strikingly ferocious but for his eyes, which showed a nature at once simple and humorous-and certainly the strongly molded, square-set jaws, and the firm lips needed some such pleasant corrective.

"Great Jerusalem, Babe !" cried this mild-eyed giant. "What could 'a' possessed you to be a-chunkin' ole Blue that away? Ag'in

"Why, Pap! " exclaimed Babe, as soon as she could control her laughter, "that rock didn't
har1887.2007.001.0146.jpg tetch ole Blue. He's sech a make-believe, I'm a great mind to hit him a clip jest to show you how he can go on." "that rock didn't touch old Blue. He's such a make-believe, I'm a great mind to hit him a clip just to show you how he can go on."

"Now, don't do that, honey," said her father. "Ef you want to chunk anybody, chunk me. I kin holler lots purtier'n ole Blue. An' ef you don't want to chunk me, chunk your mammy fer ole acquaintance' sake. She's big an' fat. " "If you want to chunk anybody, chunk me. I can holler lots prettier than old Blue. And if you don't want to chunk me, chunk your mammy for old acquaintance' sake. She's big and fat."

"Oh, Lordy!" exclaimed Mrs. Hightower from the inside of the house. "Don't set her atter me, Abe-don't, fer mercy's sake. Get her in the notion, an' she'll be a-yerkin' me aroun' thereckly like I wuz a rag-baby. I'm a-gittin' too ole fer ter be romped aroun' by a great big double-j'inted gal like Babe. Projick wi' 'er yourself, but make 'er let me alone." "Don't set her after me, Abe-don't, for mercy's sake. Get her in the notion, and she'll be a-jerking me around directly like I was a rag-baby. I'm a-getting too old for to be romped around by a great big double-jointed gal like Babe. Project with her yourself, but make her let me alone."

Abe turned and went around the house again, leaving his daughter standing on the porch, her cheeks glowing, and her black eyes sparkling with laughter. Babe loitered on the porch a moment, loking into the valley. The gray mists had lifted themselves into the upper air, and the atmosphere was so clear that the road leading to
har1887.2007.001.0147.jpg the mountain could be followed by the eye, save where it ran under the masses of foliage; and it seemed to be a most devious and versatile road, turning back on itself at one moment only to plunge boldly forward the next. Nor was it lacking in color. On the levels it was of dazzling whiteness, shining like a pool of water; but at points where it made a visible descent it was alternately red and gray. Something or other on this variegated road attracted Miss Babe's attention, for she shaded her eyes with her hand, and leaned forward. Presently she cried out:

"Pap!-oh, pap! there's a man a-ridin' up Peevy's Ridge." "Pap!-oh, pap! there's a man a-riding up Peevy's Ridge."

This information was repeated by Babe's mother; and in a few moments the porch, which was none too commodious, though it was very substantial, was occupied by the entire Hightower family, which included Grandsir Hightower, a white-haired old man, whose serenity seemed to be borrowed from another world. Mrs. Hightower herself was a stout, motherlylooking woman,- whose whole appearance beto-
har1887.2007.001.0148.jpg kened contentment, if not happiness. Abe shaded his eyes with his broad hand, and looked toward Peevy's Ridge.

"I reckon maybe it's Tuck Peevy hisse'f," "I reckon maybe it's Tuck Peevy hisself," ,Mrs. Hightower remarked.

That's who I 'lowed hit wiz," That's who I allowed it was." said Grandsir Hightower, in the tone of one who had previously made up his mind.

"Well, I reckon I ought to know Tuck Peevy," exclaimed Babe.

"That's so," said Grandsir Hightower. "Babe oughter know Tuck. She oughter know him certain an' shore; bekaze he's bin a-floppin' in an' out er this house ever' Sunday fer mighty nigh two year'. Some sez he likes Babe, an' some sez he likes Susan's fried chicken. Now,in my day and time-" "Babe ought to know Tuck. She ought to know him certain and sure; because he's been a-flopping in and out of this house every Sundy for might nigh two year'. Some says he likes Babe, and some says he likes Susan's fried chicken. Now in my day and time-"

"He's in the

"He's a mighty early bird," said Abe, "less'n he's a-headin' fer the furder side. Maybe he's a revenue man," "unless he's a-heading for the further side. Maybe he's a revenue man," he continued. "They say they're
har1887.2007.001.0149.jpg a-gwine to heat the hills mighty hot from this on." "They say they're
har1887.2007.001.0149.jpg a going to heat the hills mighty hot from this on."

"You hain't got nothing gwine on down on the branch,is you, Abe?" "You ain't got nothing going on down on the branch, is you, Abe?" inquired Grandsir 'Hightower, with pardonable solicitude.

"Well," said Abe evasively, "I hain't kindled no fires yit, but you better b'lieve I'm a-gwine to keep my beer from spilin'. The way I do my countin', one tub of beer is natchally wuth two revenue chaps." "I ain't kindled no fires yet, but you better believe I'm a-going to keep my beer from spilling. The way I do my counting, one but of beer is naturally worth two revenue chaps."

By this time the horseman who had attracted Babe's attention came into view again. Abe studied him a moment, and remarked:

"That hoss steps right along, an' the chap a-straddle of him is got on store-clo'es. Fetch me my rifle, Babe. I'll meet that feller halfway an' make some inquirements about his famerly,an' maybe I'll fetch a squir'l back." "That horse steps right along, and the chap a-straddle of him is got on store-clothes. Fetch me my rifle, Babe. I'll meet that fellow halfway and make some inquiries about his family, and maybe I'll fetch a squirrel back.

With this Abe called to his dogs, and started off.

"Better keep your eye open, Pap," cried Sis.

"Maybe it's the sheriff."

Abe paused a moment, and then pretended to' be hunting a stone with which to demolish his
har1887.2007.001.0150.jpg daughter, whereupon Babe ran laughing into the house. The allusion to the sheriff was a stock joke in the Hightower household, though none of them made such free use of it as Babe who was something more than a privileged character, so far as her father was concerned. On one occasion shortly after the war, Abe had gone to the little county town on business, and had been vexed into laying rough hands on one of the prominent citizens who was a trifle under the influence of liquor. A warrant was issued, and Dave McLendon, the sheriff of the county, a stumpy little man, whose boldness and prudence made him the terror of criminals, was sent to serve it. Abe, who was on the lookout for some'such visitation, saw him coming, and. prepared himself. He stood in the doorway, with his rifle flung carelessly across his left arm.

"Hold on thar, Dave!" "Hold on there, Dave!" he cried, as the latter came up. The sheriff, knowing his man, halted.

"I hate to fling away my manners, Dave," he went on, "but folks is gittin' to be mighty funny these days. A man's obleeged to s'arch his best frien's 'fore he kin find out the'r which aways.
har1887.2007.001.0151.jpg Dave, what sort of a dockyment is you got ag'in' me?" "but folks is getting to be might funny these days. A man's obliged to search his best friends before he can find out their which ways.
har1887.2007.001.0151.jpg Dave, what sort of a document is you got against me?"

"I got a warrant, Abe," said the sheriff, pleasantly.

"Well, Dave, hit won't fetch me," "Well, Dave, it won't fetch me, said Abe. "

"Oh, yes!" said the sheriff. "Yes, it will, Abe. I bin a-usin' these kind er warrants a mighty long time, an' they fetches a feller every whack." "Yes, it will, Abe. I been a-using these kind of warrants a mighty long time, and they fetches a fellow every whack."

"Now, I'll tell you what, Dave,"said Abe, patting his rifle, "I got a dockyment here that'll fetch you a blame sight quicker'n your dockyment'll fetch me; an' I tell you right now, plain an' flat, I' hain't a-gwine to be drug aroun' an' slapped in jail." "I got a document here that’ll fetch you a blame sight quicker than your document will fetch me; and I tell you right now, plain and flat, I ain’t a-going to be drug around and slapped in jail."

The sheriff leaned carelessly against the rail, fence in the attitude of a man who is willing to argue an interesting question. "

"Well, I tell you how I feel about it, Abe," said the sheriff, speaking very slowly. "You kin shoot me, but you can't shoot the law. Bang away at me, an' thar's another warrant atter you. This yer one what I'm already got don't amount to shucks, so you better fling on your coat, saddle
har1887.2007.001.0152.jpg your horse, an' go right along wi' me thes es neighborly ez you please." "You can shoot me, but you can’t shoot the law. Bang away at me, and there’s another warrant after you. This here one what I’m already got don’t amount to shucks, so you better fling on your coat, saddle
har1887.2007.001.0152.jpg your horse, and go right along with me just as neighborly as you please." "Dave,"said Abe, "if you come in at that gate you er a goner." "if you come in at that gate you are a goner."

"Well, Abe," the sheriff replied, "I 'lowed you'd kick; I know what human natur' on these hills is, an' so I thes axed some er the boys to come along. They er right down thar in the holler. They ain't got no mo' idea what I come Jer'n the man in the moon; yit they'd make a mighty peart posse. Tooby shore, a great big man like you ain't afeard fer ter face a little bit er law." "I allowed you'd kick; I know what human nature on these hills is, and so I just asked some of the boys to come along. They are right down there in the hollow. They ain’t got no more idea what I come for than the man in the moon; yet they’d make a mighty pert posse. To be sure, a great big man like you ain't afraid for to face a little bit of law."

Abe Hightower hesitated a moment, and then went into the house. In a few minutes he issued forth and went out to the gate where the sheriff was. The faces of the two men were a study. Neither betrayed any emotion nor alluded to the warrant. The sheriff asked after the "crap"; and Abe told him it was "middlin' peart," and asked him to go into the house and make himself at home until the horse could be saddled. After a while the two rode, away. Once during the ride Abe said:

har1887.2007.001.0153.jpg

"I'm mighty glad it wa'n't that feller what run ag'in' you last fall, Dave." "I'm mighty glad it wasn't that fellow what run against you last fall, Dave."

"Why?" asked the sheriff.

"Bekaze I'd 'a' plugged him, certain an' shore," "Because I'd have plugged him, certain and sure," said Abe.

"Well," said the sheriff, laughing, ''I wuz a-wishin' mighty hard thes about that time that the t'other feller had got 'lected." ''I was a-wishing might hard just about that time that the other fellow had got elected."

The warrant amounted to nothing, and Abe was soon at home with his family; but it suited his high-spirited daughter to twit him occasionally because of his tame surrender to the sheriff, "and it suited Dave to treat the matter good-humoredly.

Abe Hightower took his way down the mountain; and about two miles from his house, as the road ran, he met the stranger who had attracted Babe's attention. He was a handsome young fellow, and he was riding a handsome horse --a gray, that was evidently used to sleeping in a stable where there was plenty of feed in the trough.

The rider also had a well-fed appearance. He sat his horse somewhat jauntily, and
har1887.2007.001.0154.jpg there was a jocund expression in his features very pleasing to behold. He drew rein as he saw Abe, and gave a military salute in a careless, offhand way that was in strict keeping with his appearance.

"Good morning, sir," he said.

"Howdy?" said Abe.

"Fine day this."

"Well, what little I've saw of it is purty tollerbul. " "Well, what little I’ve saw of it is pretty tolerable."

The young fellow laughed, and his laughter was worth hearing. It had the ring of youth in it.

"Do you chance to know a Mr. Hightower?" he asked, throwing a leg over the pommel of the saddle.

"Do he live anywheres aroun' in these parts?" "Do he live anywhere around in these parts?" Abe inquired.

"So I'm told."

"Well the reason last," said Abe, leaning his rifle against a tree, " " is bekaze they mought be more'n one Hightower runnin' loose." "is because they might be more than one Hightower running loose."

"You don't know him then?"

"I know one on 'em. Any business wi' him ?" "I know one of them. Any business with him?"

har1887.2007.001.0155.jpg

"Well, yes--a little. I was told he lived on this road. How far is his house?"

"Well, I'll tell you"-Abe took off his hat and scratched his head- "some folks mought take a notion hit wuz a long ways off, an' then, ag'in, yuther folks mought take a notion that hit wuz lots nigher. Hit's accordin' to the way you look at it." "some folks might take a notion it was a long was off, and then, again, other folks might take a notion that it was lots nearer. It's according to the way you look at it.

"Is Mr. Hightower at home?" inquired the stranger, regarding Abe with some curiosity.

"Well," said Abe cautiously, "I don't reckon he's right slam bang at home, but I lay he ain't fur off." "I don't reckon he's right slam bang at home, but I lay he ain't far off."

"If you happen to see him, pray tell him there's a gentleman at his house who would like very much to see him."

"Well, I tell you what, mister," said Abe, speaking very slowly. "You're a mighty nice young feller--anybody kin shet the'r eyes and see that--but folks 'roun' here is mighty kuse; they is that away. Ef I was you, I'd thes turn right 'roun' in my tracks 'n' let that ar Mister Hightower alone. I wouldn't pester wi' 'im. He hain't no fitten company fer you" "You’re a mighty nice young fellow – anybody can shut their eyes and see that – but folks around here is mighty course; they is that away. If I was you, I'd just turn right around in my tracks and let that there Mister Hightower alone. I wouldn’t pester with him. He ain’t no fitting company for you.

har1887.2007.001.0156.jpg

"Oh, but I must see him," said the stranger. "I have business with him. Why, they told me down in the valley that Hightower, in many respects, is the best man in the county."

Abe smiled for the first time. It was the ghost of a smile.

"Shoo!" he exclaimed. "They don't know him down thar nigh as good as he's know'd up here. An' that hain't all. Thish yer Mister Hightower you er talkin' about is got a mighty bad case of measles at his house. You'd be ableedze to ketch 'em ef you went thar." "They don't know him down there nigh as good as he's known up here. And that ain't all. This here Mister Hightower you are talking about is got a mighty bad case of measles at his house. You'd be a obliged to catch them if you went there."

"I've had the measles," said the stranger.

"But these here measles," persisted Abe, half shutting his eyes and gazing at the young man steadily, "kin be cotched twicet. Thayer wuss 'n the smallpox-lots wuss." "can be caught twice. They're worse than the smallpox - lots worse."

"My dear sir, what do you mean?" the young man inquired, observing the significant emphasis of the mountaineer's language.

"Hit's thes like I tell you," "It's just like I tell you," said Abe. "Looks like folks has mighty bad luck when they go

har1887.2007.001.0157.jpg

"Looks like folks has mighty bad luck when they go

a-rippiting

hither and yan on the mountain. It ain't been such a monstrous long time since one
har1887.2007.001.0157.jpg of them revenue fellows come a-parading up this here same road, a-making inquirements for Hightower. He catch the measules; bless you, he took and catch them by the time he got in hailing distance of Hightower's, and he had to be toted down. I disremember his name, but he was a mighty nice-lookin'g young fellow, pert and supple, and just about your size and weight."

"It was no doubt a great pity about the revenue chap," said the young man sarcastically.

"Lor', yes!" "Lord, yes!" exclaimed Abe seriously; "lots er nice folks must 'a' cried about that man!" "lots of nice folks must have cried about that man!"

"Well," said the other, smiling, "I must see Hightower. I guess he's a nicer man than his neighbors think he is."

"Shoo!" said Abe, "he hain't a bit nicer'n what I am, an' I lay he hain't no purtier. What mought be your name, mister?" "he ain't a bit nicer than what I am, and I lay he ain't no prettier. What might be your name, mister?"

"My name is Chichester, and I'm buying land for some Boston people. I want to buy some land right on this mountain if I can get it cheap enough."

"Jesso," "Just so," said Abe, "but wharbouts in thar do Hightower come in?" "but whereabout in there do Hightower come in?"

har1887.2007.001.0158.jpg

"Oh, he knows all about the mountain and I want to ask his advice and get his opinions," said Chichester.

Something about Mr. Chichester seemed to attract Abe Hightower. Perhaps it was the young fellow's fresh, handsome appearance; perhaps it was his free-and-easy attitude, suggestive of the commercial tourist, that met the approbation of the mountaineer. At any rate, Abe smiled upon the young man in a fatherly way and said: "Twixt you an' me an' yon pine, you hain't got no furder to go fer to strike up wi' Hightower. I'm the man you er atter." "Betwixt you and me and yonder pine, you ain't got no further to go for to strike up with Hightower. I'm the man you are after."

Chichester regarded him with some degree of amazement.

"My dear sir," he exclaimed, "why should you desire to play the sphinx?"

"Spinks?" said Abe, with something like a grimace; "the Spinks famerly lived furder up the mounting, but they er done bin weeded out by the revenue men too long ago to talk about. The ole man's in jail in Atlanty er some'rs else, the boys is done run'd off, an' the gal's a trollop. No Spinks in mine, cap', ef you please!" "the Spinks family lived further up the mountain, but they are done been weeded out by the revenue men too long ago to talk about. The old man’s in jail in Atlanta or somewhere else, the boys is done ran off, and the gal’s a trollop. No spinks in mine, cap’, if you please!"

har1887.2007.001.0159.jpg

Chichester laughed at the other's earnestness. He mistook it for drollery.

"I let you know, cap'," Abe went on, "you can't be boss er your own doin's an' give ever' passin' man your name." "you can't be boss of your own doings and give every passing man your name."

"Well, I'm very glad to meet you," said Chichester heartily; "I'll have a good deal of business in this neighborhood first and last, and I'm told there isn't anything worth knowing about the mountain that you don't know."

"That kind er talk," " That kind of talk," Abe replied, "kin be run in the groun', yit I hain't a-denyin' but what I've got a kind er speakin' acquaintance wi' the neighborhood whar I'm a-livin' at. Ef you er huntin' my house, thes drive right on. I'll be thar ag'in you git thar." can be run in the ground, yet I ain't a denying but what I’ve got a kind of speaking acquaintance with the neighborhood where I’m a-living at. If you are hunting my house, just drive right on. I'll be there again you get there."

Chichester found a very cordial welcome awaiting him when he arrived at Hightower's house. Even the dogs were friendly, and the big cat came out from its hiding-place to rub against his legs as he sat on the little porch.

"By the time you rest your face an' han's," "By the time you rest your face and hands," said Abe, "I reckon breakfast'll be ready."

Chichester, who was anxious to give no
har1887.2007.001.0160.jpg trouble, explained that he had had a cup of coffee at Peevy's before starting up the mountain. 'He said, moreover, that the mountain was so bracing that he felt as if he could fast a week and still fatten.

"hit's mighty little we er got to offer, an' that little's mighty' common, but, sech as 'tis, you er more'n welcome. Hit's diffunt wi' me when the mornin' air blows at 'me. Hit makes me wanter nibble at somepin'. I dunner whar you come from, an' I ain't makin' no inquirements, but down in these parts you can't spat a man harder betwixt the eyes than to set back an' not break bread wi' 'im." "it's mighty little we of got to offer, and that little's mighty common, but such as 'tis you are more than welcome. It's different with me when the morning air blows at me. It makes me want to nibble at something. I don't know where you come from, and I ain't making no inquirements, but down in these parts you can't spat a man harder betwixt the eyes han to set back and not break bread with him.

Mr. Chichester had been warned not to wound the hospitality of the simple people among whom he was going, and he was quick to perceive that his refusal to "break bread" with the Hightowers would be taken too seriously. Whereupon, he made a most substantial apology-an apology that took the shape of a ravenous appetite, and did more than justice to Mrs. Hightower's fried chicken, crisp biscuits, and genuine coffee. Mr. Chichester also made
har1887.2007.001.0161.jpg himself, as agreeable as he knew how, and he was so pleased with the impression he made that he, on his side, admitted to himself that the Hightowers were charmingly quaint, especially the shy girl of whom he caught a brief glimpse now and then as she handed her mother fresh supplies of chicken and biscuits.

There was nothing mysterious connected with the visit of Mr. Chichester to Lost Mountain. He was the agent of a company of Boston capitalists who were anxious to invest money in Georgia marble quarries, and Chichester was on Lost ~ountain for the purpose of discovering the marble beds that had been said by some to exist there. He had the versatility of a modern young man, being something of a civil engineer and something of a geologist; in fine, he was one of the many "general utility," men that improved methods enable the high schools and colleges to turn out. He was in the habit of making himself agreeable wherever he went, but behind his levity and general good-humor there was a good deal of seriousness and firmness of purpose.

har1887.2007.001.0162.jpg

He talked with great freedom to the Hightowers, giving a sort of commercial coloring, so to speak, to the plans of his company with respect to land investments on Lost Mountain' but he said nothing about his quest for marble.

"The Lord send they won't be atter fetchin' the railroad kyars among us," "The Lord send they won't be after fetching the railroad cars among us," said Grandsir Hightower fervently.

"Well, sir," said Chichester, "there isn't much danger."

"Now, I dunno 'bout that," "Now, I don't know about that," said the old man querulously, "I dunno 'hout that. They're gittin' so these days they'll whirl in an' do e'enamost anything what you don't want 'em to do. I kin stan' out thar in the hoss-Iot any cle'r day an' see the smoke er their ingines, an' sometimes hit looks like I kin hear 'em snort an' cough. They er plenty nigh enough. The Lord send they won't fetch 'em no nigher. Fum Giner'l Jackson's time plump tell now, they ere bin a-fetchin' destruction to the country. You'll see it. I mayn't see it myself, but you'll see it. Fust hit was Giner'l Jackson an' the bank, an' now hit's the railroad kyars. You'll see it!" "I don't know about that. They're getting so these days they'll whirl in and do evenamost anything what you don't want them to do. I can stad out there in the horse-lot any clear day and see the smoke of their engines, and sometimes it looks like I can hearm them snort and cough. They are plenty nigh enough. The Lord send they won't fetch them no nigher. From General Jackson's time plump tell now, they are been a-fetching destruction to the country. You'll see it. I mayn't see it myself, but you'll see it. First it was General Jackson and the bank, and now its the railroad cars. You'll see it!"

har1887.2007.001.0163.jpg

"And yet," said Chichester, turning toward the old man, as Hope might beam benignantly on the Past, "everybody and everything seems to be getting along very well. I think the only thing necessary now is to invent something or other to keep the cinders out of a man's eyes when he rides on the railroads."

"Don't let 'em fool you," "Don't let them fool you," said the old man earnestly. "Ever'thing's in a tangle, an' ther hain't no Whig party for to on tangle it. Giner'l Jackson an' the cussid bank is what done it." "Everything's in a tangle, and there ain't no Whig party for to on tangle it. General Jackson and the cursed bank is what done it."

Just then Miss Babe came out on the little porch, and seated herself on the bench that ran across one end. "Cap'," said Abe, with some show of embarrassment, as if not knowing how to get through a necessary ceremony, "this is my gal, Babe. She's the oldest and the youngest. I'm name' Abe an' she's name' Babe, sort er rimin' like." "this is my gal, Babe. She's the oldest and the youngest. I'm named Abe and she's named Babe, sort of rhyming like."

The unaffected shyness of the young girl was pleasant to behold, and if it did not heighten her beauty, it certainly did not detract from it. It was a shyness in which there was not an awkward element, for Babe had the grace of youth
har1887.2007.001.0164.jpg and beauty, and conscious independence animated all her movements.

" 'Ceppin' me an' the ole 'oman" "Excepting me and the old woman, said Abe "Babe is the best-Iookin' one er the famerly." "Babe is the best-looking one of the family."

The girl reddened a little, and laughed lightly with the air of one who is accustomed to give and take jokes, but said nothing.

"I heard of Miss Babe last night," said Chichester, "and I've got a message for her."

"Wait !" exclaimed Abe triumphantly; "I'll bet a hoss I kin call the name 'thout movin' out'n my cheer. Hold on!" "I'll bet a horse I can call the name without moving out of my chair. Hold on!" he continued. "I'll bet another hoss I kin relate the message word for word." "I'll bet another horse I can relate the message word for word."

Babe blushed violently, but laughed goodhumoredly. Chichester adjusted himself at once to this unexpected informality, and allowed himself to become involved in it.

"Come, now!" he cried, "I'll take the bet."

"I declare!" said Mrs. Hightower, laughing, "you all oughtn' to pester Babe that away."

"Wait!" said Abe. "The name er the man what sont the word is Tuck Peevy, an' when he know'd you was a-comin' here, he sort er sidled up an' ast you for to please be so good as to
har1887.2007.001.0165.jpg tell Miss Babe he'd drap in nex' Sunday, an' see what her mammy is a-gwine ter have for dinner." "The name of the man what sent the word is Tuck Peevy, and when he knowed you was a-coming here, he sort of sidled up and asked you for to please be so good as to tell Miss Babe he'd drop in next Sunday, and see what her mammy is a-going to have for dinner."

"Well, I have won the bet," said Chichester. "Mr. Peevy simply asked me to tell Miss Babe that there would be a singing at Philadelphia camp-ground Sunday. I hardly know what to do with two horses."

"Maybe you'll feel better," said Abe, "when somebody tells you that my hoss is a mule. Well, well, well!" "whend somebody tells you that my horse is a mule. Well, well, well!" he went on. "Tuck didn't say he was comin', but I be boun' he comes, an' more'n that, I be boun' a whole passel er gals an' boys'll foller Babe home." "Tuck didn't say he was coming, but I be bound he comes, and more than that, I be bound a whole passel of gals and boys follw Babe home."

"In giner'lly," "In generally," said Grandsir Hightower, "I hate for to make remarks 'bout folks when they hain't settin' whar they kin hear me, but that ar Tuck Peevy is got a mighty bad eye. I hearn'im a-quollin' wi' one er them Simmons boys las' Sunday gone wuz a week, an' I tell you he's got the Ole Boy in 'im. An' his appetite's wuss'n his eye." "I hate for to make remarks about folks when they ain't seeting where they can hear me, but that there Tuck Peevy is got a mighty bad eye. I heard him a-quarreling with one of them Simmons boys last Sunday gone was a week, and I tell you he's got the Old Boy in him. And his appetite's was in his eye."

"Well," said Mrs. Hightower, "nobody 'roun' here don't begrudge him his vittles, I reckon." "nobody around here don't begrudge him his vittles, I reckon."

"Oh, by no means-by no manner er means," "Oh, by no means - by no manner of means,"
har1887.2007.001.0166.jpg said the old man, suddenly remembering the presence of Chichester. "Yit they oughter be reason in all things; that's what I say—reason in all things, espeshually when hit comes to gormandizin'." "Yet they ought to be reason in all things; that's what I say—reason in all things, especially when it comes to gormandizing."

The evident seriousness of the old man was very comical. He seemed to be possessed by the unreasonable economy that not infrequently seizes on old age.

"They hain't no begrudgin' 'roun' here," "They ain't no begrudging around here," he went on. "Lord! ef I'd 'a' bin a-begrudgin' I'd 'a' thes natchally bin e't up wi' begrudges. What wer' the word the poor creetur sent to Babe?"" "Lord! if I'd have been a-begrudging I'd have just naturally been eat up with begrudges. What were the word the poor creature sent to Babe?"

Chichester repeated the brief and apparently uninteresting message, and Grandsir Hightower groaned dismally.

"I dunner what sot him so ag'in' Tuck Peevy," "I don't know what sat him so against Tuck Peevy," said Abe, laughing. "Tuck's e'en about the peartest chap in the settlement, an' a mighty handy man, put him whar you will." "Tuck's even about the pertest chap in the settlemetn, and a mighty handy man, put him where you will."

"Why, Aberham!" exclaimed the old man, "you go on like a man what's done gone an' took leave of his sev'm senses. You dunner what sot me ag'in' the poor creetur? Why,
har1887.2007.001.0167.jpg time an' time ag'in I've tol' you it's his ongodly hankerin' atter the flesh-pots. The Bible's ag'in' it, an' I'm ag'in' it. Wharbouts is it put down that a man is ever foun' grace in the cubberd?" "you go on like a man what's done gone and took leave of his seven senses. You don't know what set me against the poor creature? Why,
har1887.2007.001.0167.jpg time and time again I've told you it's his ungodly hankering after the flesh-pots. The Bible's against it, and I'm against it. Whereabouts is it put down that a man is ever found grace in the cupboard?"

"Well, I lay a man that works is boun' ter eat," "Well, I lay a man that works is bound to eat," said Abe.

"Oh, I hain't no 'count— I can't work," "Oh, I ain't no account—I can't work," said the old man, his wrath, which had been wrought to a high pitch, suddenly taking the shape of plaintive humility. "Yit 'tain't for long. I'll soon be out'n the way, Aberham." "Yet it ain't for long. I'll soon be out of the way, Aberham."

"Shoo!" said Abe, placing his hand affectionately on the old man's shoulder. "You er mighty nigh as spry as a kitten. Babe, honey, fill your grandsir's pipe. He's a-missin' his mornin' smoke." "You are mighty nigh as spry as a kitten. Babe, honey, fill your grandsir's pipe. He's a-missing his morning smoke."

Soothed by his pipe, the old man seemed to forget the existence of Tuck Peevy, and his name came up for discussion no more.

But Chichester, being a man of quick perceptions, gathered from the animosity of the old man, and the rather uneasy attitude of Miss Babe, that the discussion of Peevy's appetite had its origin in the lover-like attentions which
har1887.2007.001.0168.jpg he had been paying to the girl. Certainly Peevy was excusable, and if his attentions had been favorably received, he was to be congratulated, Chichester thought; for in all that region it would have been difficult to find a lovelier specimen of budding womanhood than the young girl who had striven so unsuccessfully to hide her embarrassment as her grandfather proceeded, with the merciless recklessness of age, to criticize Peevy's strength and weakness as a trencherman.

As Chichester had occasion to discover afterward, Peevy had his peculiarities; but he did not seem to be greatly different from other young men to be found in that region. One of his peculiarities was that he never argued about anything. He had opinions on a great many subjects, but his reasons for holding his opinions he kept to himself. The arguments of those who held contrary views he would listen to with great patience, even with interest; but his only reply would be a slow, irritating smile and a shake of the head. Peevy was homely, but there was nothing repulsive about his home-
har1887.2007.001.0169.jpg liness. He was tall and somewhat angular; he was sallow; he had high cheek-bones, and small eyes that seemed to be as alert and as watchful as those of a ferret; and he was slow and deliberate in all his movements, taking time to digest and consider his thoughts before replying to the simplest question, and even then his reply was apt to be evasive. But he was good-humored and obliging, and, consequently, was well thought of by his neighbors and acquaintances .

There was one subject in regard to which he made no concealment, and that was his admiration for Miss Babe Hightower. So far as Peevy was concerned, she was the one woman in the world. His love for her was a passion at once patient, hopeful, and innocent. He displayed his devotion less in words than in his attitude; and so successful had he been that it was generally understood that by camp-meeting time Miss Babe Hightower would be Mrs. Tuck Peevy. That is to say, it was understood by all except Grandsir Hightower, who was apt to chuckle sarcastically when the subject was broached.

"They hain't

har1887.2007.001.0170.jpg

Certainly no one would have supposed that Tuck Peevy ever had a sentimental emotion or a romantic notion, but Grandsir Hightower did him great injustice. Behind his careless serenity he was exceedingly sensitive. It is true he was a man difficult to arouse; but he was what his friends called "a mighty tetchy man" on some subjects, and one of these subjects was Babe. Another was the revenue men. It was generally supposed by Peevy's acquaintances on Lost Mountain that he had a moonshine apparatus over on Sweetwater; but this supposition was the result, doubtless, of his well-known prejudice against the deputies sent out to enforce the revenue laws.

It had been the intention of Chichester to remain only a few days in that neighborhood; but the Hightowers were so hospitably inclined, and the outcroppings of minerals so interesting, that his stay was somewhat prolonged. Natu-
har1887.2007.001.0171.jpg rally, he saw a good deal of Peevy, who knew all about the mountain, and who was frequently able to go with him on his little excursions when Abe Hightower was otherwise engaged, Naturally enough, too, Chichester saw a great deal of Babe. He was interested in her because she was young and beautiful, and because of her quaint individuality. She was not only unconventional, but charmingly so. Her crudeness and her ignorance seemed to be merely phases of originality.

Chichester's interest in Babe was that of a studiously courteous and deferent observer, but it was jealously noted and resented by Tuck Peevy. The result of this was not at first apparent. For a time Peevy kept his jealous suggestions to himself, but he found it impossible to conceal their effect. Gradually, he held himself aloof, and finally made it a point to avoid Chichester altogether. For a time Babe made the most of her lover's jealousy. After the manner of her sex, she was secretly delighted to discover that he was furious at the thought that she might inadvertently have cast a little bit of a smile at Mr. Chichester; and on several occasions she
har1887.2007.001.0172.jpg heartily enjoyed Peevy's angry suspicions. But after a while she grew tired of such inconsistent and foolish manifestations. They made her unhappy, and she was too vigorous and too practical to submit to unhappiness with that degree of humility which her more cultivated sisters sometimes exhibit. One Sunday afternoon, knowing Chichester to be away, Tuck Peevy sauntered carelessly into Hightower's yard, and seated himself on the steps of the little porch. It was his first visit for several days, and Babe received him with an air of subdued coolness and indifference that did credit to her sex.

"Wharbouts is your fine gent this mornin'?" "Whereabouts is your fine gent this morning?" inquired Peevy, after a while.

"Wharbouts is who?" "Whereabouts is who?"

"Your fine gent wi' the sto'-clo'es on." "Your fine gent wi' the store-clothes on."

"I reckon you mean Cap'n Chichester, don't you?" "I reckon you mena Captain Chichester, don't you?" inquired Babe innocently.

"Oh, yes!" exclaimed Peevy; "he's the chap I'm a-making my inquirements atter." "he's the chap I'm a-making my inquirements after."

"He's over on Sweetwater, I reckon. Leastways thar's whar he started to go." "He's over on Sweetwater, I reckon. Leastways there's where he started to go."

"On Sweetwater. Oh, yes!"· Peevy paused
har1887.2007.001.0173.jpg and ran his long slim fingers through his thin straight hair. "I'm mighty much afeard," "I'm mighty much afraid," he went on after a pause, "that that fine gent o' yourn is a-gwine ter turn out for to be a snake. That's what I'm afeard un." "that that fine gent o' yourn is a-going to turn out for to be a snake. That's what I'm afraid of.

"Well," said Babe, with irritating coolness, "he don't do any of his sneakin' aroun' here. Ef he sneaks, he goes some'ers else to sneak. He don't hang aroun' an' watch his chance to drap in an' pay his calls. I reckon he'd walk right in at the gate thar ef he know'd the Gov'ner er the State wuz a-settin' here. I'm mighty glad I hain't saw none er his sneakin'." "he don't do any of his sneaking around here. If he sneaks, he goes somewheres else to sneak. He don't hang around and watch his chance to drop in and pay his calls. I reckon he'd walk right in at the gate there if he know'd the Governor of the State was a-setting here. I'm mighty glad I ain't saw none of his sneaking."

Peevy writhed under this comment on his own actions, but said nothing in reply.

"You don't come to see folks like you useter," "You don't come to see folks like you use to, said Babe, softening a little. "I reckon you er mighty busy down thar wi' your craps." "I reckon you are mighty busy down there with your crops.

Peevy smiled until he showed his yellow teeth. It was not intended to be a pleasant smile.

"I reckon I come lots more'n I'm wanted," he replied. "I hain't got much sense," he went on, "but I got a leetle bit, an' I know when my room's wuth more'n my comp'ny." "but I got a little big, and I know when my rooms worth more than my company."

har1887.2007.001.0174.jpg

"Your hints has got more wings'n stings," said Babe. "But ef I had in my min' what you er got in yourn—" "But if I had in my mind what of got in yourn— "

"Don't say the word, Babe!" exclaimed Peevy, for the first time fixing his restless eyes on her face. "Don't!"

"Yes, I'll say it," said Babe solemnly. "I oughter 'a' said it a long time ago when you wuz a-cuttin' up your capers bekaze Phli Varnadoe wuz a-comin' here to see Pap. I oughter 'a' said it then, but I'll say it now, right pine-blank. Ef I had in my min' what you er got in yourn, I wouldn't never darken this door no more." "I ought to have said it a long time ago when you was a-cutting up your capers because Phli Varnade was a-coming here to see Pap. I ought to have said it then, but I'll say it now, right point-blank. If I had in my mind what you of got in yourn, I wouldn't never darken this door no more."

Peevy rose, and walked up and down the porch. He was deeply moved, but his face showed his emotion only by a slight increase of sallowness. Finally he paused, looking at Babe.

"I lay you'd be mighty glad ef I didn't come no more," he said, with a half smile. "I reckon it kinder rankles you for to see old Tuck Peevy a-hangin' roun' when the t'other feller's in sight." "I reckon it kind of rankles you for to see old Tuck Peevy a-hanging around when the other feller's in sight." Babe's only reply was a scornful toss of the head.

"Oh, yes!" Peevy went on, "hit rankles you
har1887.2007.001.0175.jpg might'ly; yit I lay it won't rankle you so much atter your daddy is took an' jerked off to Atlanty. I tell you, Babe, that ar man is one er the revenues—they hain't no two ways about that." "it rankles you
har1887.2007.001.0175.jpg mightily; yet I lay it won't rankle you so much after your daddy is took and jerked off to Atlanty. I tell you, Babe, that there man is one of the revenues—they ain't no two ways about that."

Babe regarded her angry lover seriously .

"Hit ain't no wonder you make up your min' ag'in' him when you er done made it up ag'in' me. I know in reason they must be somep'n 'nother wrong when a great big grown man kin work hisself up to holdin' spite. Goodness knows, I wish you wuz like you useter be when I fust know'd you." "It ain't no wonder you make up your mind against him when you of done made it up against me. I know in reason they must be something another wrong when a great big grown man can work hisself up to holdin' spite. Goodness knows, I wish you was like you use to be when I first knowed you."

Peevy's sallow face flushed a little at the remembrance of those pleasant, peaceful days; but, somehow, the memory of them had the effect of intensifying his jealous mood.

"Tain't me that's changed aroun'," "It ain't me that's changed around," he exclaimed passionately, "an' 'tain't the days nuther. Hit's you—you! An' that fine gent that's a hanging roun' here is the 'casion of it. Ever'whar I go, hit's the talk. Babe, you know you er lovin' that man!" "and it ain't the days neither. It's you - you! And that fine gent that's a hanging around here is the occasion of it. Everywhere I go, it's the talk. Babe, you know you are loving that man!"

Peevy was wide of the mark, but the accusation, was so suddenly and so bluntly made that
har1887.2007.001.0176.jpg it brought the blood to Babe's face—a tremulous flush that made her fairly radiant for a moment. Undoubtedly Mr. Chichester had played a very pleasing part in her youthful imagination, but never for an instant had he superseded the homely figure of Tuck Peevy. The knowledge that she was blushing gave Babe an excuse for indignation that women are quick to take advantage of. She was so angry, indeed, that she made another mistake.

"Why, Tuck Peevy!" she cried, "you shorely must be crazy. He wouldn't wipe his feet on sech as me!" "you surely must be crazy. He wouldn't wipe his feet on such as me!"

"No," " said Peevy " I 'lowed he wouldn't an' I 'lowed as how you wouldn't wipe your feet on me." "I allowed he wouldn't and I allowed as how you wouldn't wipe your feet on me." He paused a moment, still smiling his peculiar smile. "Hit's a long ways down to Peevy, ain't it?" "It's a long ways down to Peevy, ain't it?"

"You er doin' all the belittlin'," "You are doing all the belittling," said Babe.

"Oh, no, Babe! Ever'thing's changed. Why, even them dogs barks atter me. Ever'thing's turned wrong-sud-outerds. An' you er changed wuss'n all." "Oh, no, Babe! Everything's changed. Why, even them dogs barks after me. Everything's turned wrong-side-outwards. And you of changed worse than all."

"Well, you don't reckon I'm a-gwine ter run
har1887.2007.001.0177.jpg out'n the gate thar an' fling myself at you, do you?" "Well, you don't reckon I'm a-going to run
har1887.2007.001.0177.jpg out of the gate there and fling myself at you, do you?" exclaimed Babe.

"No, I don't. I've thes come to-day for to git a cle'r understan'in'." "No, I don't. I've just come today for to get a clear understanding. He hesitated a moment and then went on: "Babe, will you marry me to-morrow?" He asked the question with more eagerness than he had yet displayed.

"No, I won't I" exclaimed Babe "ner the nex' day nuther. The man I marry'll have a lots better opinion of me than what you er got." "nor the next day neither. The man I marry'll have a lots better opinion of me than what you've got."

Babe was very indignant, but she paused to see what effect her words would have. Peevy rubbed his hands nervously together, but he made no response. His serenity was more puzzling than that of the mountain. He still smiled vaguely, but it was not a pleasing smile. He looked hard at Babe for a moment, and then down at his clumsy feet. His agitation was manifest, but it did not take the shape of words. In the trees overhead two jays were quarreling with a catbird, and in the upper air a beemartin was fiercely pursuing a sparrow-hawk.

"Well," he said, after a while, "I reckon I better be gwine." "I reckon I better be going.

har1887.2007.001.0178.jpg

"Wait till your hurry's over," said Babe, in a gentler tone.

Peevy made no reply, but passed out into the road and disappeared down the mountain. Babe followed him to the gate, and stood looking after him; but he turned his head neither to the right nor to the left, and in a little while she went into the house with her head bent upon her bosom. She was weeping. Grandsir Hightower, who had shuffled. out on the porch to sun himself, stared at the girl with amazement.

"Why, honey!" he exclaimed, "what upon the top side er the yeth ails you?" "what upon the top side of the earth ails you?"

"Tuck has gone home mad, an' he won't never come back no more," she cried.

"What's the matter wi' 'im? "What's the matter with him?"

"Oh, he's thes mad along er me." "Oh, he's just mad along of me."

"Well, well, well!" exclaimed the old man, fumbling feebly in his pockets for his red bandanna handkerchief "what kind of a come-off is this? Did you ast him to stay to dinner, honey?" "what kind of a come-off is this? Did you ask him to stay to dinner, honey?"

"No—no; he didn't gimme a chance." "No-no; he didn't give me a chance."

"I 'lowed you didn't," "I allowed you didn't," exclaimed Grandsir Hightower triumphantly. "I thes natchally
har1887.2007.001.0179.jpg 'lowed you didn't. That's what riled 'im. An' now he'll go off an' vilify you. Well, well, well! he's missed his dinner! The fust time in many's the long day. Watch 'im, Babe! Watch 'im, honey! The Ole Boy's in 'im. I know 'im; I've kep' my two eyes on 'im. For a mess er turnip-greens an' dumperlin's that man 'u'd do murder." "I just naturally
har1887.2007.001.0179.jpg allowed you didn't. That's what riled him. And now he'll go off and vilify you. Well, well, well! he's missed his dinner! The first time in many's the long day. Watch him, Babe! Watch him, honey! Th Old Boy's in him. I know him; I've kept my two eyes on him. For a mess of turnip-greens and dumplings that man would do murder." The old man paused and looked all around, as if by that means to dissipate a suspicion that he was dreaming. "An' so Tuck missed his dinner! Tooby shore—tooby shore!" "And so Tuck missed his dinner! To be sure—to be sure!

" "Oh, hit ain't that," "Oh, it ain't that," cried Babe; "he's jealous of Cap'n Chichester." "he's jealous of Captain Chichester."

"Why, the good Lord, honey! what makes you run on that way?"

"He tol' me so," "He told me so," said Babe.

"Jealous!" exclaimed Grandsir Hightower, "jealous er that young feller! Merciful powers, honey! he's a-begrudgin' 'im the vittles what he eats. I know'd it the minnit I seed 'im come a-sa'nterin' in the yard. Lord, Lord! I wish in my soul the poor creetur could git a chance at one er them ar big Whig barbecues what they useter have." "jealous of that young fellow! Merciful powers, honey! He’s a-begrudging him the vittles what he eats. I knowed it the minute I seed him come a-sauntering in the yard. Lord, Lord! I wish in my soul the poor creature could get a chance at one of them there big Whig barbecues what they use to have."

har1887.2007.001.0180.jpg

But there was small consolation in all this for Babe; and she went into the house where her forlorn appearance attracted the attention of her mother. "Why, Babe! what in the worl'!" "Why, Babe! what in the world!" exclaimed this practical woman, dropping her work in amazement. "What in the name er sense ails you?" "What in the name of sense ails you?" Babe had no hesitation in telling her mother the facts.

"Well, my goodness!" was Mrs. Hightower's comment, "I wouldn't go aroun' whinin' about it, ef I wuz you—that I wouldn't. Nobody never ketched me whinin' 'roun' atter your pappy 'fore we wuz married, an' he wuz lots purtier than what Tuck Peevy is. When your pappy got tetchy, I thes says to myself, s'1: 'Ef I'm wuth havin', I'm wuth scramblin' atter;' an' ef your pappy hadn't 'a' scrambled an' scuffled 'roun' he wouldn't 'a' got me nuther, ef I do up an' say it myself. I'd a heap druther see you fillin' them slays an' a-fixin' up for to weave your pappy-some shirts, than to see you a-whin- in' 'roun' atter any chap on the top side er the yeth, let 'lone Tuck Peevy."

There was little consolation even in this. but
har1887.2007.001.0181.jpg Babe went about her simple duties with some show of spirit; and when her father and Chichester returned from their trip on Sweetwater, it would have required a sharp eye to discover that Babe regarded herself as "wearing the green willow." For a few days she avoided Chichester, as if to prove her loyalty to Peevy; but as Peevy was not present to approve her conduct or to take advantage of it, she soon grew tired of playing an unnecessary part. Peevy persisted in staying away; and the result was that Babe's anger—a healthy quality in a young girl—got the better of her grief. Then wonder took the place of anger; but behind it all was the hope that before many days Peevy would saunter into the house, armed with his inscrutable smile, and inquire, as he had done a hundred times before, how long before dinner would be ready. This theory was held by Grandsir Hightower, but, as it was a very plausible one, Babe adopted it as her own.

Meanwhile, it is not to be supposed that two lovers, one sulking and the other sighing, had any influence on the season. The spring had
har1887.2007.001.0182.jpg made some delay in the valley before taking complete possession of the mountain, but this delay was not significant. Even on the mountain, the days began to suggest the ardor of summer. The air was alternately warm and hazy, and crisp and clear. One day Kenesaw would cast aside its atmospheric trappings, and appear to lie within speaking distance of Hightower's door; the next, it would withdraw behind its blue veil, and seem far enough away to belong to another world. On Hightower's farm the corn was high enough to whet its green sabres against the wind. One evening Chichester, Hightower, and Babe sat on the little porch with their faces turned toward Kenesaw. They had been watching a line of blue smoke on the mountain in the distance; and, as the twilight deepened into dusk, they saw that the summit of Kenesaw was crowned by a thin fringe of fire. As the darkness gathered, the bright belt of flame projected against the vast expanse of night seemed to belong to the vision of St. John.

"It looks like a picture out of the Bible," suggested Chichester somewhat, vaguely.

har1887.2007.001.0183.jpg

"It's wuss'n that, I reckon," "It worse than that, I reckon," said Abe. "Some un's a-losin' a mighty sight of fencin'; an' timber's timber these days, lemme tell you." "Someone's a-losing a mighty sight of fencing; and timber's timber these days, let me tell you."

"Maybe someun's a-burnin' bresh," "Maybe someone's a-burning brush," said Babe. "Bless you! they don't pile bresh in a streak a mile long," "Bless you! they don't pile brush in a streak a mile long," said Abe.

The thin line of fire crept along slowly, and the people on the little porch sat and watched it. Occasionally it would crawl to the top of a dead pine, and leave a fiery signal flaming in the air.

"What's the matter with Peevy?" asked Chichester. "I met him on the mountain the other day, and he seemed not to know me."

"He don't know anybody aroun' here," said Bab with a sigh.

"Hit's thes some er his an' Babe's capers," it's just some of his and Babe's capers," Hightower remarked with a laugh. "They er bin' a-cuttin' up this away now gwine on two year'. I reckon ag' in' camp-meetin' time Tuck'll drap in an' make hisself know'd. Gals and boys is mighty funny wi' the'r gwines-on.." They've been a-cutting up this away now going on two year'. I reckon against camp- meeting time Tuck'll drop in and make hisself knowed. Gals and boys is mighty funny with their goings-on."

After a little, Abe went into the house, and left the young people to watch the fiery procession on Kenesaw.

har1887.2007.001.0184.jpg

"The next time I see Peevy," said Chichester gallantly, "I'll take him by the sleeve, and show him the road to Beauty's bower."

"Well, you nee'nter pester wi' 'im on account of me," "Well, you needn't to pester with him on account of me," said Babe. Chichester laughed. The fact that so handsome a girl as Babe should deliberately fall in love with so lank and ungainly a person as Tuck Peevy seemed to him to be one of the problems that philosophers ought to concern themselves with; but, from his point of view, the fact that Babe had not gradually faded away, according to the approved rules of romance, was entirely creditable to human nature on the mountain. A candle, burning in the room that Chichester occupied, shone through the window faintly, and fell on Babe, while Chichester sat in the shadow. As they were talking, a mocking-bird in the apple trees awoke, and poured into the ear of night a flood of delicious melody. Hearing this, Babe seized Chichester's hat, and placed it on her head.

"There must be some omen in that," said Chichester.

"They say," said Babe, laughing merrily,
har1887.2007.001.0185.jpg "that ef a gal puts on a man's hat when she hears a mocker sing at night, she'll get married that year an' do well."

"Well, I'm sorry I haven't got a bonnet to put on," exclaimed Chichester.

"Oh, it don't work that away!" cried Babe.

The mocking-bird continued to sing, and finally brought its concert to a close by giving a most marvelous imitation of the liquid, silvery chimes of the wood-thrush.

There was a silence for one brief moment. Then there was a red flash under the apple trees followed by the sharp crack of a rifle. There was another brief moment of silence, and then the young girl sighed softly, leaned forward, and fell from her chair.

"What's this?" cried Abe, coming to the door.

"The Lord only knows!" exclaimed Chichester. "Look at your daughter!"

Abe stepped forward, and touched the girl on the shoulder. Then he shook her gently, as he had a thousand times when rousing her from sleep.

"Babe! git up! Git up, honey, an' go in the
har1887.2007.001.0186.jpg house. You 'ought to 'a' been abed long ago. Git up honey." "Babe! get up! Get up, honey, and go in the
har1887.2007.001.0186.jpg house. You ought to have been abed long ago. Get up honey." Chichester stood like one paralyzed. For the moment he was incapable of either speech or action.

"I know what she atter," "I know what she after," said Abe tenderly. "You wouldn't believe it skacely, but this yer great big chunk of a gal wants her ole pappy to pick her up an' tote her thes like he useter when she was er little bit of a scrap." "You wouldn't believe it scarcely, but this here great big chunck of a gal wants her old pappy to pick her up and tote her just like he use to when she was a little bit of a scrap."

"I think she has been shot," said Chichester. To his own ears his voice seemed to be the voice of some other man~

"Shot!" exclaimed Abe. "Why, who's a-gwine to shoot Babe? Lord, Cap'n! you dunner nothin' 'tall 'bout Babe ef you talk that away. Come on, honey." "Why, who's a-going to shoot Babe? Lord, Captain! you don't know nothing at all about Babe if you talk that away. Come on, honey." With that Abe lifted his child in his arms, and carried her into the house. Chichester followed. All his faculties were benumbed, and he seemed to be walking in a dream. It seemed that no such horrible confusion as that by which he was surrounded could have the remotest relation to reality.

Nevertheless, it did not add to his surprise and consternation to find, when Abe had placed
har1887.2007.001.0187.jpg the girl on her bed, that she was dead. A little red spot on her forehead, half-hidden by the glossy curling hair, showed that whoever held the rifle aimed it well.

"Why, honey," said Abe, wiping away the slight blood-stain that showed itself, "you struck your head a'in' a nail. Git up! you oughtn't to be a-gwine on this away before comp'ny." "you struck your head against a nail. Get up! you oughtn't to be a-going on this away before company."

"I tell you she is dead!" cried Chichester.

"She has been murdered !"The girl's mother had already realized this fact, and her tearless grief was something pitiful to behold. The gray-haired grandfather had also realized it.

"I'd druther see her a-Iyin' thar dead," "I'd rathe see her a-lying there dead," he exclaimed, raising his weak and trembling hands heavenward, than to see her Tuck Peevy's wife."

"Why, gentermen!" "Why, gentlemen! exclaimed Abe, "how kin she be dead? I oughter know my own gal, I reckon. Many's an' many's the time she's worried me, a-playin' 'possum, an' many's an' many's the time has I sot by her waitin' tell she let on to wake up. Don't you all pester wi' her. She'll wake up therreckly." "how can she be dead? I ought to know my own gal, I reckon. Many's and many's the time she's worried me, a-playing 'possum, and many's and many's the time I has sat by her waiting 'till she let on to wake up. Don't you all pester with her. She'll wake up directly.

At this juncture Tuck Peevy walked into the
har1887.2007.001.0188.jpg room. There was a strange glitter in his eyes, a new energy in his movements. Chichester sprang at him, seized him by the throat, and dragged him to the bedside.

"You cowardly, skulking murderer!" he exclaimed, "see what you have done!"

Peevy's sallow face grew ashen. He seemed to shrink and collapse under Chichester's hand. His breath came thick and short. His long, bony fingers clutched nervously at his clothes.

"I aimed at the hat!" he exclaimed huskily.

He would have leaned over the girl, but Chichester flung him away from the bedside, and he sank down in a corner, moaning and shaking. Abe took no notice of Peevy's entrance, and paid no attention to the crouching figure mumbling in the corner, except, perhaps, so far as he seemed to recognize in Chichester's attack on Peevy a somewhat vigorous protest against his own theory; for, when there was comparative' quiet in the room, Hightower raised himself, and exclaimed, in a tone that showed both impatience and excitement:

"Why, great God A'mighty, gentermen, don't
har1887.2007.001.0189.jpg go on that way! They hain't no harm done. Thes let us alone. Me an' Babe's all right. She's bin a-playin' this away ev'ry sence she wuz a little bit of a gal. Don't less make her mad, gentermen, bekaze ef we do she'll take plum tell day atter tomorrer for to come 'roun' right." "Why, great God Almighty, gentlement,don't pb corresp="har1887.2007.001.0189.jpg"/> go on that way! They ain't no harm done. Just let us alone. Me and Babe's all right. She's been a-playing this away every since she was a little bit of a gal. Don't let's make her mad, gentlement, because if we do she'll take plum till day after tomorrow for to come around right.

Looking closely at Hightower, Chichester could see that his face was colorless. His eyes were sunken, but shone with a peculiar brilliancy, and great beads of perspiration' stood on his forehead. His whole appearance was that of a man distraught. Here was another tragedy

Seeking a momentary escape from the confusion and perplexity into which he had been plunged by the horrible events of the night, Chichester passed out into the yard, and stood bareheaded in the cool wind that was faintly stirring among the trees. The stars shone remote and tranquil, and the serenity of the mountain, the awful silence that seemed to be, not the absence of sound, but the presence of some spiritual entity, gave assurance of peace. Out there, in the cold air, or in the wide skies, or in the vast gulf of night, there was nothing to suggest either
har1887.2007.001.0190.jpg pity or compassion - only the mysterious tranquillity of nature.

This was the end, so far as Chichester knew. He never entered the Hightower house again. Something prompted him to saddle his horse and ride down the mountain. The tragedy and its attendant troubles were never reported in the newspapers. The peace of the mountain remained undisturbed, its silence unbroken.

But should Chichester, who at last accounts was surveying a line of railway in Mexico, ever return to Lost Mountain, he would find Tuck Peevy a gaunt and shrunken creature, working on the Hightower farm, and managing such of its small affairs as call for management. Sometimes, when the day's work is over, and Peevy sits at the fireside saying nothing, Abe Hightower will raise a paralytic hand, and cry out as loud as he can that it's almost time for Babe to quit playing 'possum. At such times we may be sure that, so far as Peevy is concerned, there is still trouble on Lost Mountain.

AZALIA

I

MISS H ELEN OSBORNE EUSTtS of Boston was very much astonished one day in the early fall of 1873 to receive a professional visit from Dr. Ephraim Buxton, who for many years had been her father's family physician. The astonishment was mutual; for Dr. Buxton had expected to find Miss Eustis in bed, or at least in the attitude of a patient, whereas she was seated in an easy chair, before a glowing grate - which the peculiarities of the Boston climate sometimes render necessary, even in the early fall-and appeared to be about as comfortable as a human being could well be. Perhaps the appearance of comfort was heightened by the general air of subdued luxury that pervaded the apartment into which Dr. Buxton had been ushered. The draperies, the arrangement of the little affairs
har1887.2007.001.0192.jpg that answer to the name of bric-a-brac, thf adjustment of the furniture -everything conveyed the impression of peace and repose; and the chief element of this perfect liarmony was Miss Eustis herself, who rose to greet the doctor as he entered. She regarded the physician with eyes that somehow seemed to be wise and kind, and with a smile that was at once sincere and humorous.

"Why, how is this, Helen?" Dr. Buxton exclaimed, taking off his spectacles, and staring at the young lady. "I fully expected to find you in bed. I hope you are not imprudent."

"Why should I be ill, Dr. Buxton? You know what Mr. Tom Appleton says: 'In Boston, those who are sick do injustice to the air they breathe and to their cooks.' I think that is a patriotic sentiment, and I try to live up to it. My health is no worse than usual, and usually it is very good," said Miss Eustis.

"You certainly seem to be well,'.' said Dr.

Buxton, regarding the young lady with a professional frown; "but appearances are sometimes deceitful. I met Harriet yesterday"

har1887.2007.001.0193.jpg

"Ah, my aunt!" exclaimed Helen, in a tone calculated to imply. that this explained everything.

"I met Harriet yesterday, and she insisted on my coming to see you at once, certainly not later than to-day."

Miss Eustis shrugged her shoulders, and laughed, but her face showed that she appreciated this manifestation of solicitude.

"Let me see," she said reflectively; "what was my complaint yesterday? We must do justice to Aunt Harriet's discrimination. She would never forgive you if you went away without leaving a prescription. My health is so good that I think you may leave me a mild one."

Unconsciously the young lady made a charming pi:ture as she sat with her head drooping a little to one side in a half-serious, half-smiling effort to recall to mind some of the symptoms that had excited her aunt's alarm. Dr. Buxton, prescription book in hand, gazed at her quizzically over his old-fashioned spectacles; seeing ,which, Helen laughed heartily. At that moment her aunt entered the room-a pleasant-faced but rather prim old lady, of whom it had
har1887.2007.001.0194.jpg been said by some one competent to judge, that her inquisitiveness was so overwhelming and so important that it took the shape of pity in one direction, patriotism in another, and benevolence in another, giving to her life not the semblance but the very essence or usefulness and activity.

"Do you hear that, Dr. Buxton?" cried the pleasant-faced old lady somewhat sharply. "Do you hear her wheeze when she laughs? Do you remember that she was threatened with pneumonia last winter? and now she is wheezing before the winter begins I"

"This is the trouble I was trying to think of," exclaimed Helen, sinking back in her chair with a gesture of mock despair.

"Don't make yourself ridiculous, dear," said the aunt, giving the little clusters of gray curls that hung about her ears an emphatic shake. "Serious matters should be ta en senous y. Whereat Helen pressed her cheek gently against the thin white hand that had been laid caressingly on her shoulder.

"Aunt Harriet has probably heard me say that there is still some hope for the country, even
har1887.2007.001.0195.jpg though it is governed entirely by men," said Helen, with an air of apology. ' "The men can not deprive us of the winter climate of Boston, and I enjoy that above all things."

Aunt Harriet smiled reproachfully at her niece, and pulled her ear gently.

"But indeed, Dr. Buxton," Helen went on more seriously, "the winter climate of Boston, fine as it is, is beginning to pinch us harder than it used to do. The air is thinner, and the cold is keener. , When I was younger-very much youngerthan I am now, I remember that I used to run in and out, and fall and roll in the snow with perfect impunity. But now I try to profit by Aunt Harriet's example. When- I go out, I go bundled up to the point of suffocation; and if the wind is from the east, as it usually is, I wear wraps and shawls indoors."

Helen smiled brightly at her aunt and at Dr. Buxton ; but her aunt seemed to be distressed, and the physician shook his head dubiously.

"You will have to take great care of yourself," said Dr. Buxton. "You must be prudent.
har1887.2007.001.0196.jpg The slightest change in the temperature may send you to bed for the rest of the winter."

"Dr. Buxton is complimenting you, Aunt Harriet," said Helen. "You should drop him a courtesy."

Whereu pon the amiable physician, seeing that there was no remedy for the humorous view which Miss Eustis took of her condition, went further, and informed her that there was every reason why she should be serious. He told her, with some degree of bluntness, that her symptoms, while not alarming, were not at all reassuring.

"It is always the way, Dr. Buxton," said Helen, smiling tenderly at her aunt; "I believe you would confess to serious symptoms yourself if Aunt Harriet insisted on it. What an extraordinary politician she would make! My sympathy with the woman-suffrage movement is in the nature of an investment. When we women succeed to the control of affairs, I count on achieving distinction as Aunt Harriet's niece."

Laughing, she seized her aunt's hand. Dr. Buxton, watching her, laughed too, and then proceeded to write out a prescription. He
har1887.2007.001.0197.jpg seemed to hesitate a little over this; seemg which, Helen remonstrated:

"Pray, Dr. Buxton, don't humor Aunt Harriet too much in this. Save your physic for those who are strong in body and mind. A dozen of your pellets ought to be a year's supply." The physician wrote out his prescription, and took his leave, laughing heartily at the amiable confusion in which Helen's drollery had left her aunt.

Her father was no less a person than Charles Osborne Eustis, the noted philanthropist and abolitionist, whose death in 1867 was the occasion of quite a controversy in New England-a controversy based on the fact that he had opposed some of the most virulent schemes of his coworkers at a time when abolitionism had not yet gathered its full strength. Mr. Eustis, in his day, was in the habit of boasting that his daughter had a great deal of genuine American spirit
har1887.2007.001.0199.jpg -the spirit that one set of circumstances drives to provinciality, another to patriotism, and another to originality.

Helen had spent two long winters in Europe without parting with the fine flavor of her originality. She was exceedingly modest in her designs too for she went neither as a missionary nor as repentant. She found no foreign social shrines that she thought worthy of worshiping at. She admired what was genuine, and tolerated such shams as obtruded themselves on her attention. Her father's connections had enabled her to see something of the real home-life of England; and she was delighted, but not greatly surprised, to find that at its best it was not greatly different from the home life to which she had been accustomed.

The discovery delighted her because it confirmed her own broad views; but she no more thought it necessary to set about aping the social peculiarities to be found in London drawing-rooms than she thought of denying her name or her nativity. She made many interesting studies and comparisons, but she was not disposed to be
har1887.2007.001.0200.jpg critical. She admired many things in Europe which she would not have considered admirable in America, and whatever she found displeasing she tolerated as the natural outcome of social or climatic conditions. Certainly the idea never occurred to her that her own country was a barren waste because time had not set the seal of antiquity on its institutions. On the other hand, this admirable young woman was quick to perceive that much information as well as satisfaction was to be obtained by regarding various European peculiarities from a strictly European point of view.

But Miss Eustis's reminiscences of the Old WorId were sad as well as pleasant. Her journey thither had been undertaken in the hope of restoring her father's failing health, and her stay there had been prolonged for the same purpose. For a time he grew stronger and better, but the improvement was only temporary. He came home to die and to Helen this result seemed to be the end of all things. She had devoted herself to looking after his comfort with a zeal and an intelligence that left nothing undone. This
har1887.2007.001.0201.jpg had been her mission in life. Her mother had died when Helen was a little child, leaving herself and her brother, who was some years older, to the care of the father. Helen remembered her mother only as a pale, beautiful lady in a trailing robe, who fell asleep one day, and was mysteriously carried away-the lady of a dream.

The boy-the brother-rode forth to the war in 1862, and never rode back any more. To the father and sister waiting at home, it seemed as if he had been seized and swept from the earth on the bosom of the storm that broke over the country in that period of dire confusion. Even Rumor, with her thousand tongues, had little to say of the fate of this poor youth. It was known that he led a squad of troopers detailed for special service, and that his command, with small knowledge of the country, fell into an ambush from which not more than two or three extricated themselves. Beyond this all was mystery, for those who survived that desperate skirmish could say nothing of the fate of their companions. The loss of his son gave Mr. Eustis additional interest in his daughter, if that were pos-
har1887.2007.001.0202.jpg sible; and the common sorrow of the two so strengthened and sweetened their lives that their affection for each other was in the nature of a perpetual memorial of the pale lady who had passed away, and of the boy who had perished in Virginia.

When Helen's father died, in 1867, her mother's sister, Miss Harriet Tewksbury, a spinster of fifty or thereabouts, who, for the lack of something substantial to interest her, had been halting between woman's rights and Spiritualism, suddenly discovered that Helen's cause was the real woman's cause; whereupon she went to the lonely and grief-stricken girl, and with that fine efficiency which the New England woman acquires from the air, and inherits from history, proceeded to minister to her comfort. Miss Tewksbury was not at all vexed to find her niece capable of taking care of herself. She did not allow that fact to prevent her from assuming a motherly control that was most gracious in its manifestations, and peculiarly gratifying to Helen, who found great consolation in the all but masculine energy of her aunt.

har1887.2007.001.0203.jpg

A day or two after Dr. Buxton's visit, the result of which has already been chronicled, Miss Tewksbury's keen eye detected an increase of the symptoms that had given her anxiety, and their development was of such a character that Helen made no objection when her aunt proposed. to call in the physician again. Dr. Buxton came, and agreed with Miss Tewksbury as to the gravity of the symptoms; but his prescription was oral.

"You must keep Helen indoors until she is a little stronger," he said to Miss Tewksbury; "and then take her to a milder climate."

"Oh, not to Florida!" exclaimed Helen promptly.

It is not to be supposed, however, that Miss Eustis was simply droll. She was unconventional at all times, and sometimes wilfulinheriting that native strength of mind and mother wit which are generally admitted to be a part of the equipment of the typical American woman. If she was not the ideal young woman, at least she· possessed some of the attractive qualities that one tries-sometimes unsuccessfullyto discover in one's dearest friends. From her infancy, until near the close of the war, she had had the advantage of her father's companionship, so that her ideas were womanly rather than merely feminine. She had never been per-
har1887.2007.001.0198.jpg mitted to regard the world from the dormerwindows of a young ladies' seminary, in consequence of which her views of life in general, and of mankind in particular, were orderly and rational. Such indulgence as her father had given her had served to strengthen her individuality rather than to confirm her temper; and, - though she had a strong and stubborn will of her own, her tact was such that her wilfulness appeared to be the most natural as well as the most charming thing in the worid. Moreover, she possessed in a remarkable degree that buoyancy of mind that is more engaging than mere geniality.

"Not necessarily," said the doctor.

"Please don't twist your language, Dr. Buxton. You should say necessarily not."

"And why not to Florida, young lady?" the doctor inquired.

"Ah, I have seen people that came from there," said 'Helen: "they were too tired to talk much about the country, but something in their attitude and appearance seemed to suggest that
har1887.2007.001.0204.jpg they had seen the sea-serpent. Dear doctor, I have no desire to see the sea-serpent."

"Well, then, my dear child," said Dr. Buxton soothingly, "not to Florida, but to nature's own sanitarium, the pine woods of Georgia. Yes," the doctor went on, smiling as he rubbed the glasses of his spectacles with his silk handkerchief, "nature's own sanitarium. I tested the piny woods of Georgia thoroughly years ago. I drifted there in my young days. I lived there, and taught school there. I grew strong there, and I have always wanted to go back there."

"And now," said Helen, with a charmingly demure glance at the enthusiastic physician, "you want to send Aunt Harriet and poor Me forward as a skirmish-line. There is no antidote in your books for the Ku-Klux."

"You will see new scenes and new people," said Dr. Buxton, laughing. "You will get new ideas; above all, you will breathe the fresh air of heaven spiced with the odor of pines. It will be the making of you, my dear child."

Helen made various protests, some of them serious and some droll, but the matter was prac-
har1887.2007.001.0205.jpg tically settled when it became evident that Dr. Buxton was not only earnestly but enthusiastically in favor of the journey; and Helen's aunt at once began to make preparations. To some of their friends it seemed a serious undertaking indeed. The newspapers of that day were full of accounts of Ku-Klux outrages, and of equally terrible reports of the social disorganization of the South. It seemed at that time as though the politicians and the editors, both great and small, and of every shade of belief, had determined to fight the war over again - instituting a conflict which, though bloodless enough so far as the disputants were concerned, was not without its unhappy results.

Moreover, Helen's father had been noted among those who had early engaged in the crusade against slavery; and it was freely predicted by her friends that the lawlessness which was supposed to exist in every part of the collapsed Confederacy would be prompt to select the representatives of Charles Osborne Eustis as its victims.

Miss Tewksbury affected to smile at the apprehensions of her friends, but her preparations
har1887.2007.001.0206.jpg were not undertaken without a secret dread of the responsibilities she was assuming. Helen, however, was disposed to treat the matter humorously. "Dr. Buxton is a lifelong Democrat," she said; "consequently he must know all about it. Father used to tell him he liked his medicine better than his politics, bitter as some of it was; but in a case of this kind, Dr. Buxton's politics have a distinct value. He will give us the grips, the signs, and the pass-words, dear aunt, and I da·re say we shall get along comfortably."