The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-03-20

us masnlmy could manage. But mere
comes the most interesting part of the
story to you as physician. Three
years ago the old man, who is over TO-
became SO crippled by rheumatism that
he could not work, and what does Nell
Evrestt do but turn to and work the
place herself
''Do you mean with her own hands?'
! "1es, by Jove! and handsome ones
they are too, though they are hard and
| brown as nuts
why didn't she teach?'
''She has no education"
''Or sew?"
''She might have done that, but she
IS as proud as Lucifer, and said that
she was willing to work for herself and
her nanny and Uncle Jake, whom she
adores, but would not consent to be
servant to any one. -
| This account Of the girls history af-
fected Kortlandt powerfully. He no
longer wondered at the intensity of the
hatred with which she regarded all those
/ of northern blood. How could it be 9TH
erwise, when every day of her life she
had read afresh this story in those hill
/ side graves, those implanted fields, and
the charred ruins among the cedar
trees? The anger which had moved him
passed away in wondering admiration
when he pictured to himself that
strong, beautiful young figure, which
had confronted him so defiantly, taking
upon itself and performing, in its pride
of Independence, the labors of field
hand on the land where her forefathers
had commanded in absolute supremacy
the labor of hundreds.
The weeks passed by and Kortlandt
! found his health, which had been
somewhat impaired by his professional
| labors, and which he had come to the
south to recuperate, entirely restored.
Yet he was in no haste to return to the
! work which he had been so loath to
leave. Indeed, the heat of the summer
was upon him in its utmost intensity,
and vet he could not break the spell
which held him in the south. What
was this spell? Was it the occasional
glimpses he caught as he rode by of q
girls figure at work in strip of cot
ton or corn down in the rich bottom
land? Or the glances he had two or
three times received from pair of de-
iiant eyes under the brim of Il broad
straw hat as he encountered their own
er in the road?'
At any rate, he said to himself one
night as he entered the room: t'You
are fool; this has got to end; you start
north tomorrow.
He had passed the old Evrestt plan
tation returning from his evening ride;
the night was brilliantly moonlit; he
had left his horse in the shadow of some
nd hn do
shaded drive which formerly led to the
the quarters and this he had followed
till he came where he could see the
door of one of the cabins, ana before it
in the light of the moon a young girl
seated at the feet of q white-haired old
negro, against whose knee she leaned
her head while they sang together-she
in a fresh, sweet contralto, he in the
quavering tones of age-an old planta-
ton ditty, simple and plaintive.
He had stolen away unnoticed, and
had ridden slowly home, with a feeling
in his heart that was something like
despair. 1t was the consciousness of
this feeling which had elected his sud-
den exclamation and resolve.
1t was near daybreak when knock
| at his door aroused him, and a fright
ened prayer took him to the bedside of
one of the servants of the house. 1t
was yellow-fever.
That settled the question of his de-
parture for him. He remained where
he was, and in the terrible days which
| followed no help that he could give
was withheld. SO faithful and efficient
was he that soon the yankee Doc
tor's'' was name on the lips of every
one, and never uttered without word
| of commentator and gratitude.
Alone-for the old physician who
| had long held the practice OF the little
place in monopoly had early succumb-
ed to the feYer-he fought the terrible
disease, battling with courage which
inspired others and kept them from de-
spair through all.
One rainy night after the epidemic
had passed its crisis Kortlandt, return
ing from visit at distance, and dis
mounting from his weary horse at his
door, found a woman's figure standing
by his side, which he knew even in that
dim light. The voice which addressed
him was SO stifled as to be almost in
audible. .'Forgive me-" it said; Il
was insane-I did not know; you are
noble and good. They have the fever
Uncle Jake and Nanny OH! for
Gods sake, come" t'.-
Kor!landt's heart throbbed so vio-
lently >hat it was moment before he
dared to trust his voice to speak. Then
he said quietly, 81 will go at once
and, renlounting, he rode away with as
much speed as he could get from his
| iaded beast. ........ .......
But she was at the cabin almost as
soon as he, eagerly and efficiently help
ful despite the agony of sorrow and
helplessness which possessed her as
she saw how little science and love
could prevail against the relentless
death that was fighting for possession
of the poor, old black bodies she loved
so we'll. For it was in vain that he ex-
pended all his knowledge, and she all
her tender care; the second morning.
with last, faithful and loving look
from his dim eyes, and a last, gentle
murmur of 'sGood-by, little Missy; do n
YOU 90 to cry for me-" Uncle Jake had
fallen asleep, and few hours later old
NANNY. too had passed away.
That evening Ellen Evrestt stood be-
fore four graves, two of them freshly
made; for she had lain the bodies of the
old blacks here, '''beside her own par
ents," as she said. In the utter still
ness which fell with the setting of the
sun she could hear, far down the road,
the departing footsteps, and voices OF
the men who had borne her only
friends to their resting-place at heI
feet. She listened to them until they
had faded away, and then stood listen
ing still-for one more sound. No
they were gone, and she was alone,
alone, alone forever.
So she cried wildly as she threw her
self down among the graves, casting tc
the winds the self-control which had
never wavered until now. ......
But she was not alone, for hands
stronger than her own took them and
held them in close, steady grasp,
and, in a frightened glance, she saw
the strong sympathy in the manly face
which she had learned to trust and
turn to in the last two days. As nat
urally and thankfully as a'child she ac'
cepted it, and laying her face upon his
armt wept out the first bitterness CT hel
grief there. 1t was not long before
\ ! l.,,A kNn II 4 ~