Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1879-10-16
A Southern Romance.
Whether True or False, sln In
icre<IiAs story

During the late war, about the
year 1868, a well-to~d do family, con-
sisting OF husband, wife and child,
a daughter about four years of age,
settled in Walker comfy, Ala.
They stated that on account Of the
operations of the two armies on the
North Carolina coast, where they
resided, they were forced to seek a
home elsewhere, and when they
started from their North Carolina
home Texas was their destination,
but upon reaching Walker county,
in that State, they found it to be
retired, peaccable and prosperous
community, and hence they con
cluded to settle down there In adj
dition to the family John h. Roy
nolds, wife and daughter, as already
stated-there were several slaves.
Among the latter was a handsome
quadroon young woman, who was
the maid OF all work for the family
She was kindly treated, however,
and most of her time was occnpied
in caring tor Mrs. Reynolds, who
was an invalid.
After the war closed DR.. Key
nolds concluded to remain in Walk
er county, as he had secured good
farm and was in fair circumstances
considering the losses entailed upon
Southern men. When Mr.. Key
nolds lived in North Carolina one
of his warmest and truest friends
was a ncighbor by the name of
Henry Horton, who was also a
farmer well-to-do, and possessing
traits which rerder neighbors much
attached. The great desire of
Reynolds was to induce his old
friend and neighbor to sell out his
possessions in North Carolina and
move to Walker county, to assume
the same relations he occupied il,
former days. Reynolds addressed
many warm, gushing letters to
Horton, describing the beauties,
the riches and the bright prospects
Of Walker county. There WAS a
farm near him that would euit
Horton exactly, and, if the latter
did not have enough money to
purchase it, Reynolds would assist
him. Finally Horton yielded TO
the opportunities of his old friend,
sold out his property i'll North
Carolina, and with his wife and son
removed TO Walker county, where
he purchased farm short dis
tance from where Reynolds resided.
Being thus settled down once more
us friends and neighbors, things
went smoothly and prosperity
smiled upon the two houses. Mark
Horton, the son, and Jessie Rey-
nolds, the daughter, went to school
together in the neighboring village,
and as the years rolled on they
grew up to manhood and woman
hood fondly attached to each other,
fact which gave the greatest salts
faction TO Reynolds. His wife had
died about the time the war closed,
and his daughter, being his only
child, retained all mis- affection, and
he lavished upon her every luxury
tha. heart could wish. The quad
room woman remained with the
ltamlly, while the other slaves scat
tered and found new homes whel,
the close of the war brought their
freedom, F." ! r.. .f
When the time came for Jessie
Reynolds to qnit the village school
and finish her education at college
her father sought an interview with
Mr.. Horton, and lost no time il
broaching the subject of the future
marriage of Mark Horton and hi'
daughter. He reminded the ole
man of the many years. friendship
that had existed between them, ano
how happy he would be to have
the son of dear friend and neigh
Dor wed his only. daughter, who
had now grown into bcautifu
young lady, the belle of the coun-
try for miles around, the envy o
all the other young ladies there
abouts, and the most popular CIR
to he found in the county. Mr.
|, Horton liked Jessie, aud so in
formed her father, But he. though
both her and his son too young jus
+ then to enter into matrinohy. II
desired his son to make mark il
: the world before marrying. 1t wa
finally agreed, however, that Jessi
: should 60 to college for a year, au
Mark should do the same. Upo
3 their return, should they desire t
marry, the parents would intcrpos
no objections. The young reopl
were sent to coliege-one in Ken
tncky and one in New jersey
When they returned from thei
l. collegiate studies, they became in
: fatuated with each other on sigh
Three months thereafter there ws
e a wedding at the Reynolds mansion