The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-12-04
inquiry ii such violence OF feeling and

is Ellen Everestt. Before the war her
was the richest planter in the !
He put every dollar he could
into the cause, and finally !
was killed on the field over there fight
ing for it. They carried him to his
which stood on the hill above,
where his wife, who had remained
there despite everything that could be
deplored or commanded, received his |
body and tended it. While she was
doing so the house was fired by a
shell and burned to the ground. She
had her husbands body carried to the
quarters, and there that night her
baby was born and she died. Before
she died she gave the child to the old
house steward, having made him sol
emily swear never to desert it,"
ssDid he do so?"
'sNo; he stuck to it through every
thing, and when the other negroes lett
the plantation he and his oldmammy
staid and took care of it down in the
quarters"
t.Did none OF the relatives claim the
child9"
There was none who could. Unlike
most southerners, Everestt had no con-
nections, and his wife few. Those were
so impoverishedthat they weregladto
escape the burden of supporting it,"
'sHow did the negro do so?"
"Ohi by cultitvating as much of the
mostfertile land on theplaeeas heand
his nanny could manage. But here
comes the notwithstanding part OF the
story to you asa physician. Three
years ago the Oldham, who is over7O,
became so crippled with rheumatism
thath he couldnot work, and whatdoes
Nell Everestt do but turn to and work
the place herself"
"Do youmean with her own hands,"
eyes, by Jove; and handsome ones
they are, too, though they are hard
and brown as nuts"
'sWhy don't she teach"
"She has no education"
"Or sew"
"She might have done that, but she
is proud as Lucifer, and said that she
was willing to workfor herself and her
nanny and Uncle Jake whom she
aGores, but would not consent to bea
servant to any one"
This account of the girls history
affected Kortlandt powerfully. Heno
longer wondered at the intensity Of
| the hatred with which she regarded
| all those OF northern blood. How
could it be otherwise when every day
| of her life she had read afresh this
story in those hillside graves, those
implanted fields, and the charred
ruins among the ceder trees? The
anger which had moved him passed
away in wondering admiration when
he pictured to himself that strong,
beautiful young figure, which had con-
fronted him so detiantly, taking upon
itself and performing, in its pride of
independence, the labors of q field
hand on the land where herforefathers
had commanded in absolute suprem-
ecythe 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 r~ecuperate, entirely restored.
Yet he was in no haste to return to
the work he had been so 10th toleave.
Indeed the heat of the summe
was Upon him in it's utmost
intensity, and vet he could
not break the spell which held
him in the south. What was the
spell? Was it the occasional glimpses
he caught, as he rode by, OF a girls
figure at work in a strip Of cotton or
corn down in the rich bottom land!
Or the chances he had two or three
times received from a pair OF defiant
eyes under the brim OF a broad straw.
hat as he encountered their owner III
the road?
At any rate, he said to himself one
night as he entered his room: "Iou
are a fool; this has got to end; you
start north tomorrow"
He had passed the old Everestt
Notwithstanding from his evenin!
ride; the night was brilliantly moon
light; he had left his horse in the shad
ow of some trees and walked up tn,
long cedar shaded drive which former
ly led to the house. A shorter shaded
path led to the quarters and this III
had followed till he came to where III
could see the door OF one OF the cab
ms, and before it in the light OF Thu
moon a young girl seated at the fee
OF a white-haired old negro, agains
whose knee she leaned her head Will
they sang together-she in u fresh con
trulto, he in the %quivering tones O
age-an old plantation ditty simpl
and plaintive.
He had stolen away unnoticed, AM
/, had ridden slowly home, with a feel
ing in his heart that was somethin
like despair. 1t had elicitedhi suddel
exclamation and resolve.
1t was daybreak when a knock a
/ 49, =, -. 49,,
} prayer took him to the bedside OF on
OF theseryants ofthehouse. 1t was We
lowfever.
That settled the question Of his dc
parture for him. He remained wher
he was and in the terrible days whic
followed no help that hecould give wa
withheld. So faithful and %efficien
: was he that soon the yankee dot
f tor" was a name on the lips of ever
one, and never uttered without a wor
of communication and gratitude.
Alone-for the old physician VIII
+ had long held the practice OF the littl
! place in monopoly had early SUI
cumbed to the fever-he fought tt
terrible disease, battling with a cou,
: age which inspired Others and keI
e them from despair through all.
One rainy night after the epidem
e had passed its crisis, kortlandt, ate
i! returning from a visit at a distanc
t and dismounting from his wear
a horse at his door, found q woman
figure standing by his side, whic
S he knew ever in that dim light. III
voice which addressed him was s
stiled as to be almost inaudible. 80
\ / - 3 -. - n .-
did notknow; you are noble andgoo'
They have the fever-Incle Jake an
Nanny. Oh! for Gods sake, come
Kortlandt's heartthrobbed SO violen
t " that 1t was moment before !