The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-07-15
THE FIELD OF HONOR.

underdOne buckwheat cake, lived about five
miles from the branch, and was the cause of
an undue secretion of bile in both Mas and
gu"
The branch itself is not Of sufficient i'm
portance to be indicated in red colOrs on any
map of these blessed United States. and yet
Its local coloring is entertaining enough to
warrant its being taken from the somewhat
mOldy cupboard of obScurity and placed on
the inviting center table of the present day.
The dark and bloody ground OF Kentucky,
with its expiations on the field of honor,
Blennerhassett's Island with its tragic tale of
love and dishonor, have both been embalmed
in song and story, why not Postum branch
with its lliad OF woman caprice, mans de-
vOtion, and the fearless heroism of fascinated
hearts? The branch itself is a dull, sluggish
stream about ten or twelve feet wide, run
ming through the southern portion of Peon
County. In the East it might be called a
creek. In the West it might be sgnifed by
the name of river. In Florida it is simply a
t'branch." A branch of what am not at
this moment prepared to state.
1t is lined with live oak, water oak,
cypress, persimmon, and some few other
varieties of trees. The country road goes
over it dry-shod, on a rustic bridge, shaky
and decrepit, the nucleus of any amount of
possible and probable accidents The water
Is about ten feet deep and very dark. No one
but Coroner could possibly find any en-
Joyment looking at it.
Tie bridge also serves as a short cut for
predatory foxes seeking through highways
and byways for the succulent chicken, the
philOsOphic turkey, and the disciple of q
oar+aiY, soboo1 Of p,aIioiua- tho IucL
At times the trees that line this bank take
on vivid beauty. The bamboo climbs to
the tops Of the tallest ones and filings a
graceful crown over their swaying beauty
Scarlet cOronals of unknown flowers empha-
size the fragrant green, through which tiny
birds peep and watch with wide-eyed won
der the creaking vehicle and strange figures
that pass slowly by. Outbursts of rarest
song can be heard there through the soft,
languOrOus days and swift-darting fins like
GRANT rays OF light, ripple the wat-:rs below.
On the east side are half dozen or OF
rough log cabins keeping guard over a few
acres OF broken soil; cotton and pOtatOe
patches, the garden of long collards and tur-
nipS, the parterre of sunfiOwers and oleand-
ers. Each demeSne has its dilapidated chick
en- house its rheumatic shed for the reflective
mule, add its bOudoir for playful swine. The
owners and inhabitants of these freehOlds are
happy and careless negroes, raising enough
to eat and little TO sell, basking in the sun
injunction to take no heed to the morrow.
In little log house standing on the very
banks of the branch, in a crOuching attitude
as if just about to leap into the waters for a
bath, both cleansing and sanitary, lived at
the time of which write, Ananias, one of
my heroes.
On the west side of the branch the scene
was almost literally repeated, with the ex-
ceptiOn that one OF the houses was of frame,
with two rooms and lean-to, and had forty
acres of land attached TO it. There lived with
his parents, Jerusalem, my other hero, until
the fend OF jealousy entered his otherwise
placid bosom, and left wreck and ruin there.
Five miles off was another little settlement
of the same genus, and here Miss Sophy, my
heroine, helped bake the hoe cake in the an
cestral mansion, and by washing for the
neighboring planters families earned the
shekels that went To purchase articles so dear
to the average heart.
Ananias was tall and thin, deliberately 80
as to legs and the suns of twenty-five years
had enhanced the dingy yellow of his COM
plexion His eyes were of the vintage
known as ''pOp" and the premature removal
of three front teeth had given him wierdly
pOetical appearance.
Among the intensely black surroundings,
the fairness OF the skin was a drawback.
more especially as his parents by some
strange oversight, are both ofthe same OrthO-
dOx color. In temperament he was some
what naughty and passionate and by his de-
meanOr seemed TO be continually protesting
against his environments
Although entirely ignorant of beles-let-
tiers. or in fact, of any letters, he was shrewd
and fOrehanded, and was in fair way TO be-
come something of a capitalist, when the I'M
lucky collapse OF the Freedmans Bank
swept away the bulk of his garnered boards.
This made him moody and irritable at times,
but did not impair his ability as a cotton
picker, which was something wonderful To-
behold.
Jerusalem. or "Ju," was short and fat
and. like my old friend. Hamlet. somewhat
scant OF breath. His skin was so black that
SCOT would have made a white mark upon
it. His eyes were small and twinkling, in
dices of the good humor that animated his
being. His lips were large and luscious, like
slices of a ripe mango, and No. II shoe
gave him dignity otherwise impossible 10
obtain.
His speech was slow and delibera c. indicl
alive of a mind much given Ia inward
thought and his ears were large and way
ward restless with every motion that fitted
across his expansive face As an only son
and presumptive heir To much land and
some stock, his presence was always desra-
BILE one at the little social gatherings that EN-
livened either side of the branch. The
woman in the case, Miss Sophy Giggles, was
a winsOme creature Of some nineteen years,
yOluptuOus as TO outline, and tasty rs TO
dress Her complexion was a clear, healthy
brown. and dazzling white teeth lent SPLEEN
dOr 10 her frequent smiling. The way she
frightened up her hair during the work, and
let it out on Sundays, convinced all of her
inherent genius, and her singing is said to
have made many hooking bird pull out its
tail feathers in sheer envy.
She had worked two seasons in Tallahas-
see, also. as TO her other charms were added
the vague but delicious refinements of city
life. No wonder the little boy Cupid used
her a bow from which to launch his
dainty arrows Given the place and mater
ial, he could not have displayed much great
er wisdom.
Both men were in love with her; that was
plainly to be seen. Both settlements knew,
snickered at or gossiped over il and specula-
ted as to on whom the choice would fall.
SOphy, like most of her sex, was born
coquette, and gave no sign Of favOritism. II
she went to a ball with 'Ju'' one night she
went to festival with Ananias the next
and accepted the six sticks of sugar cane
with the same sweet smile and honeyed
thanks from one, she did the quart % pea