The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-08-31
CHERRYCOTE.

man said, d.scontentcdly surveying the
conveyance provided for him by an oblig-
ing countryman residing near the station
of the Virginia railway where a way-train
had recently deposited the stranger.
"Well, tain as ef thar was much to
choose from, mister" was the answer.
eff you've a mind to wait till ~cvenin',
the stage mout happen along. But, bless
yore soul, sab. ole Buck III carry you thar
eff you only give him time enough. AM
l reckon the buggy won't break down
cross-roads. Thar's string an rope an a
lot O nails under the butf,er-robe, an
little Poss here'll manage to mend the
damage eff so it be that thar's a rock to
pick up long the roadside"
May / drive, boss2 was the hesitat-
ing payer of little Poss (short for pos
sum), us the dilapidated vehicle, drawn
by a spawned ~plow-hoyse, got finally
under way. Looking down with amuse-
ment at his excited petitioner, Barksdale
saw a droll little negro, costumed in meal
bags, hat ess, and with plated twigs of
wool, who, when the rope reins were re-
Enqulshcd into his hands, assumed the
post of charioteer with dignity ineffable.
Barksdale forget Foss and everything
besides, MS the overmastering power of
early association took possession of him.
Ten years before, he had left the neigh
borhood through which they were now
lassing, at the outset of the war between
the States, and during all that time the
history of its places and its people had
been almost a sealed book to the wan
derer IN many lands. He had fancied
himself weaned from his sentimental love
for old Virginia; but here he was c~raning
his neck to look at the ancient land
marks, recalling rides ending at this
point and picnics Mt another. his cheek
flushing, and a lump coming into his
throat, like the veriest school-bov home
for the holidays. The country was beau
tifully gree1, and rs old Buck plodded
along there was nothing to do but resign
himself to memory and anticipation,
while the spring wind, laden with fra
GRANGE from the bIossoming woods. blew
over him refrcshingly.
at last Chcrrycote Farm was reached,
but before they could enter it, little Poss
jumped down to have a struggle with an
old red gate of such persistent inhospi-
tality that Barksdale himself could only
force it open by half lifting the gate post
from the crumbling soil.
"Barren acres" he said, with . sigh,
glancing over what were once prosper
Gus fields of grain. Grass grew on the
roadway, and Il multitude Of little blue
star flowers were crushed beneath their
wheels. Emerging from q bit of pine
woods, he caught sight o. the gables of
the old house. They at least were un~
changed, half yelled from sight by Vir-
glnia crecper and wisteria, Jasmine and
roses. His old room was that one with
the window over which grew the branch
of a mulbcrry-trce, its foliage so thick
thof rnSf11. lJsoJ ~
CURED. AS Barksdale gazed he saw, com
ing from the %shrubbery around a turn in
the road, a cavalier b%estriGing a mule.
This was a man seemingly between thirty
and forty years old, his once c~lear-cut fea-
lures overgrown with flesh, and wearinpa
long brown beard Of liberal proportions.
his frame, a tritle unwieldy, was muscu-
lar, his eyes were of an honest blue; his
Feat IN the saddle, even though the steed
was OF the present unenv:abie class, aad-
mirable. His clothing consisted of a
pair of corduroy breeches tucked into
spurrtd cavalry boots. and a n~ondescript
shooting jacket faded by sun and rain,
with a broad brimmed hat Of straw
showing marks of home manufacture. At
the first sight of Barksdale his brows
knit inGuiringly; i'll a moment he
charged down upon the antique buggy
with military dash.
Glance. old fellow" he cried. 1T
isn't possible"
"Hal:" exclaimed the other, stimuli
taneously, in q tone that meant much.
Immediately two hands met in fervent
friendship. Since these hands had
grasped each other last a river of blood
had flowed between them. Bitter words
had been spoken, hot discussions had
ragged, party strife had swelled r~escntfal
hearts; but now, when the half brothers
met again, neither thought of anything
but the early ties of blood and affection
ate companionship. Barksdale, thin,
active, and embalmed with an atmos-
phere of foreign travel, his clothes scru-
pulously well cut, his speech refined to
nicely, appeared at least five years
younger than the bluff. sunburnt Vir-
ginia squire, who was, in reality, con-
siderably his junior. They were the sons
OF a Virginia gentleman, who, left a
wldower with one small boy when he
was hardly out of college. had consigned
the little Lancelot to the care of his
mothers relatives in the North. Marry
ing q second time in Virginia, Mr.. Barks-
dale had settled down to apeaceful agri-
cultural existence on the estate belong
ing to his bride, zone of the Carriers Of
Cherrycote Farm" as that lady was
styled.
Hither Lancelor had come to spend
many happy hours of irresponsible holt
day in the free and easy life of old-time
Virginia. Here he had learned to feel
. sincere affection for his kind step
mother and her boy Hal. But at the
outset of the war his Northern training
and sympathics in political faith set q
terrible stumbling-block in the path of
family '.~pleasantness." Unwilling to