The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-05

as il had been, and the candles in the sconces
served rather to disclose than to dissipase the
ehadows.
We were quiet there. Madame sinkngupon an
ottoman rolled up to the fire, the Colonel holding
a peacock feather fan between her face and the
Pickering logs. He glanced up at the picture
over his head and then at me:
''You doubtless will observe the resemblance
of my son Hubert to his mother--Hubert. the
younger of the boys He has the eyes, the ply
sque of his mother though scarcely her happy
cast of countenance."
"Fie, Colonel and Madame tapped the hand
that held the peacock feathers. "Mr Althrop
will consider me vain if l permit you to run
thus. ma foi!r
Her husband bowed:
'The Belle of Louisiana never was guilty of
so paltry quality as vanity
A warmer color than that contributed by the
drop of port she had taken in Madame's
cheek as, raising her still fine eyes to the picture
of her children. che rejoined:
Then / shall inform Mr.. Althrop that our
elder son has been considered his fathers coun
terpart 10 many brave particulars"
For an instant smile of rare sweetness ap-
peared on the Colonels face, when he suddenly
darted into the gloom, and threw back the lid
of the piano. Madame. with glance in his d.
thin melody was evoked from the
in the Silly Night" and soothed
the unaccountabls perturbation of her husband,
which both would hide from me. She played the
old air more than once; she played it over and
over again until she and the Colonel appeared
to have fallen into reverie; again and again the
tune of years ago whispered It's suggestions
through the long, dim room, until surely it was
not the freight only, nor the wind and the rain
in the night outside but shad0wy forms that
fitted the shining oak floor and crept close
to the musician and the tall, old man bending
over her.
Sad memory brings the light
OF other days around me-.
sang the piano, and whispered voices had never
heard before.
And then Earring at the door. Defiance stood
there with bedroom candles
The Colonel made an exclamation, but Madame
slipped away with lowered head and without
word.
When / was sitting in the chintz chair, think
ing over the day and its ending, behold Defiance
bearing to me steaming jorum and the ColonePs
best wishes for NY nights repose.
Sorry Miss Ant'nette played on de pianny,'
she broke out. as she turned down the covers of
the feather bed. Gus time foh years. Pears
somepin 'bleeged her ternicht. suah."
feared that she held me accountable for an
upon her dusky face. Gould mollify her? She
still had that bit of cloth around her finger.
Have you met with an accident, Defance2"
'No; laid my fun open when done cut down
de tree. Pore ole fool, OATS what is; alters git
tin dc misry some'rs"
"Cut down tho tree!' echoed.
Oats what says, sah." she replied, and in a
tone of voice that made me think her name was
no msnomer.
So Defiance was wOodman, well as major
domo, cook and scullion.
1t was NoaEs world in the morning: the river
like roads flowed no less than when the night
closed over them. l went down into the hall
where were the Colonel and Madame.
They looked older. quite wan in the morning
light though Madame was sweetly smiling and
trusting that had slept we'll and undistur bedlv.
and the rain is to be thanked for granting Us
your society for today" the Colonel added.
You don't know our roads, sir. Defiance, who
Is cur weather bureau, has concluded that Plu-
vius will suspend his operations close upon
noon; the soil in this country, while in rainy
weather scarcely manageable by man or beast,
dries rapidly, so that II your business be urgent
you may proceed on your way four of five hours
past meridian, and will have lost but day
unless you should be pleased to further our
qualification and remain with us another night.
And now to breakfast
Breakfast, barring the '39 Port, was identical
with last nights supper; chickens, wafdes, sweet
cakes and preserves.
With objectionable precision | made up my
mind that We were rejecting on the products of
the plantation as cultivated by Defiance.
And there were five plates laid!
The Colonel indicated the place beside HIM
"My son. Captain Hamilton Featherley, of the
army" and that next his wife, "My son. the
Rev. Hubert Fsatherley, chaplain in the army
as though he had made every thing plain to his
guest etiquette demanded. ALLOW me to
help you TO some of the fricassee."
While breakfast enchanted considerable at
tention, and Madame frothad her chocolate in
an eecshell jug, was wond sring if it were not
probable that Captain HAMILTON and the Rev.
Hubert had gone somewhere" the dav before
aud been detained by stress of weather2 But
their mother and father now entered upon an
elevatine conversation. taking literature and art
for their themes. and brought it to a brilliant
close as our napkins were discarded.
The Colonel turned TO me:
.We can offer few resources for distraction of
enuui.r he sad but if you should care to view
Paradise Hall shall be glad to be your cicerone,
as they say in Italy. In its day this was consid-
cred fine house; built in So President Wash
ington slept more than night here; Alexan-
der Hamilton made the Hall sort of refuge
now and then when he and Mr. Jefferson had
those differences Of opinion. and Mr.. Hamilton
was accused of desiring to establish an aristocra-
cy We named our oldest boy in honor of Mr.
Hamilton. My dear" to Madame, you will for
give my taking our guest 10 myself!'
pray do not mention it. if Mr. Althrop will
enjoy the sightseeing Gentlemen, all revor!' as
though we were entering upon q considerable
journey.
AS 1t proved: we passed through billiard an
mex, conservatory, ballroom, library chapel, all
bare of furniture, modecing away: up the
broad, mahogany -balustered stairs to gallery
where were row after row of closed doors
''The chambers are similar" the Colonel said.
"Only two of them are furnished"
He turned the knob of a dark polished door:
THE room of Captain Featherley."
There were trunks in the middle of tho floor:
boxes on the bed; dusty coat hang cling over the
mirror an old cheval gase; in a corner were
pair Of top boots, dressing-robe on nail above
Ehem: swords aud rifles were strung on hooks
around the walls. brace of pistols crossed be-
meath framed certificate which announced that
Alexander Hamilton Featherley was member
of the Ajax Dueline Club, each side of which
certificate were the wildly colored counter pre-
sentiments of danseuses in all the bravery of
stage-smiles and diaphanous toilets.
Boys will be boys said the Colonel back of
me- land Hamilton in his salad days came out
of-many a scrapo calculated TO burn pretty deep
~. But they only snged him, SIR they only
singed him. A man Of parts; made his Latin
verse at fifteen; the best rider in the county,
with prize stud; crack shot; betting book