The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-10-09
BREEZE BELTON'S TRIAL.

"He isn't comlng," said Breeze Bel
ton. Glow provokmgl I've almost Il
mlnd-not quite, but amost-to lock
the house and go up the lake to where
Uncle Ben is building the new house.
How would he like it then, l WONDER"
Breeze Belton had been born and
brought up among these wild and Soli-
tary forests. Her mother had been u
beautiful Indian girl who had given
her heart to pioneer hunter, and who
had died when Breeze was only four
silent man, but he loved his young
not long survive her, and Breeze had
been brought up by her uncle, IL hardy,
brown skinned old bachelor. The
house OH the edge Of the forest was
only of logs, its rude floor clrpetless,
and the windows guarded by shutters
instead of glass, but the spirit of true
love had brOotied there, and Breeze
had never missed the tender care of her
dead parents. Uncle Ben was but II
rude nurse, but Uncle Ben loved the
child, and Breeze had grown up tall
and beautiful as lily, with dark melt
ing eyes, skin just touched with
creamy-brOwn, and movements us full
OF unconscious grace as those OF Il fawn.
She studied now and then the New
York fashion books which drifted across
the frontier, and tried, i'll her wild,
artistic manner, to initiate their grace
tul drapings and bold contrasts OF color
--she read OF far away worlds across
the mountains, and StrOVe TO imagine
what cities could he like-and then she
went out into the forests, to gather
masses OF purple wild grapes, to look
at Uncle Ben'S traps and bring home
wild ferns and finally come to the
conclusion that May onac Falls was the
incest place after all.
But love finds its way even into the
widest reCeS ;eS OF the forest deeps, and
one day Harry Blake, the young engi-
neer, came out to survey the route of a
new railroad through the lonely woods,
and Breeze discovered, all of a sudden,
that she had Il heart.
"Wal," remarked Uncle Ben, as he
put Il square of chewing tobacco into
his pocket, 81 don't doubt as this 'ere
railroad-lme between Mayonac and
Little Cascade will be fine thing for
the farmers, but it just spiles the ground
for huntin'. l hain't seen a deer, |
dunno when. And as for foxes and
other wild creatures, why, they're clean
gone"
"All these things must give way
before the march of civilization, Mr..
Belton,' said Harry Blake. "And no.
body knows the grand future that is in
store fer Mayomc Falls -
IL dunno onothin' about yourf futures"
snorted Uncle Ben. Its The present
IN most interested in.''
1.-The new railroad, however, went
bravely on. Gangs of workmen with
shrewd brown faces and red flannel
jackets arrived--huge masses of rock
were blasted away, and mountains of
rich brown soil rose up to level the
sWampy stretches and raise the deep
hollows of lonely glells TO the regula-
ton height Of "the line." Old hunt.
ers looked solemnly on. as if not quite
certain that all this was not the work
OF the Evil One-settiements sprung
up like Jonah's gourds along the route
OF the mprOvemento-and class of
people whom Mayonac had never before
known now began to swarm III all di-
rections. The one log tavern which
had been the resort of all the neighbor-
hood for miles around, where cheap
tobacco was sold, and the traditional
barrel Of Whiskey was prOpped OH two
logs behind the bar, found itself sup
plemented by innumerable "Restali-
rants" ''Retreats," "Old Houses at
HOme," and "Refreshment Gardens;'
and beautiful Breeze Bolton, who never
before had known what fear was learned
to dread the whoop of.drudken revelers,
and shut herself up in the old cabin
n hn yn,lyt I,x
And 80, when the trains began to
thunder back and forth twice day on
the New Road, Uncle Ben gave his
trousers hitch.
81 can't stand this" said he, "I've
been used to quiet life, and this sort
O thing don'U suit me at all. I've
built house Oh that there piece Of
land up the Lake--an' hope to good
ness it'll be one spell before Modern
improvements comes there"
But Breeze cannot come here with
you, Mr.. Belton," said Harry Blake,
with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.
"What's the reason she can't come
thar with me?" said the old hunter,
gruifly.
'Because l have a house down by
the station" said Harry. "And be.
cause she has promised to come with
me-"
Uncle Ben's lips twitched. "BreeZe, ,
said he, "is that 80? Why, 'tain't nc
longer ago than yesterday that you was
:. little g"l, playing with corncob doll
And now,-you'd leave your old uncle
would your"
Breeze flung both her arms around
his neck, with a sudden burst OF tears
and smiles.
ut isn't that 7 don't love you just
as well, Uncle Ben," said she. But
butt
81 understand" said the old man
smiling sadly. 'It's what come tt
your mother afore you, Breezel Wei
hits 'uman natur. And don't s'pos
I've any call to complain. Blake's