The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-03-17

f,ar The fortunes OF hciif IL Cou4u nv u"
800 than the misery | have known but
ygould mako atonement for those who sinned
The urie.t said nothing. but no laid ms
ban5s for a moment on the bowed head ana
then ussca out through the httle gate
.
Many. many years before, when Adele WIS
vouu, and beautiful, with the weird beauty
If tbc ouadrcon. a soft and leoting lovcliness
like a dusky summer night, she had belonged
10 n rich sugar planter ia one OF the Creoie
porisbe, of Louisiana. She was ntensey
baoutifrl All tho scnsuous lovolness, ah
the wild. passionate grace Of her savage an
castrv ali the stately pride Of bearing Of her
white blood met in her and made her IKE '''
dethroncl princes Of some eastern iesehu.
Such women were only TOO naturany ,"'
nr,v Of their ovpers, or Of some neishboilnG
eraudec who was onthralled for q moment oy
their beauty. Adele's fate was the tate OF
her lind-with this difference a planter
feD wildly. madly, pass.onatoly in love VIII
bor-ond wanted - marry her. She was WILL
inc 70 sacrifice country, home, friends, every
,binr 10 his unreasonable passion for inc
beautiful slave. He offered her owner any
nr;ee but the naughty old Creole, who wouiH
have died 10 preserve the integrity OF nz
caste. Indignantly refused 10 listen 10 teiins.
Adde'S lover pleaded. stormed, threatene In
vain.
But Adelo's child i my son"
Monsieur le graudo shrugged bis shoulders
'M'sicur. that is a detail Of your lie VIII
which ] have nothing 10 do"
If miscegenation was ever brought Oh
Louisiana il would not he through hisiault.
Adele loved her child With al the passion
ate intensity Of hcr half savage nature, and
when the child's father begged her 10 give
him tho boy so be might have broader NE
in another country than ta could hope ioI il
bis own, she was like atigrcss lighting Tor heI
wbelpS She had known nothing but slavery
and She could not understand the degradation
il meant for the man. born of freedmen, who
saw the woman he loved and his child bear
inc the bonds Of slaves; but at last mother
love triumphed. and one dirk night She sto!e
tho child ont OF bed and tore his cllnglng
arms from about her neck, kissed for the lasl
time the deRv sweet mouth OF childhood, ana
laid him in his fathers arms. All that night
she lay upon the dank, wet grass, whining
in anguish that tore Aer very soul n twain
and when. in the early dusk. she saw the
black hull and tall masts Of the ocean steamer
as IL dropped down the river, she could bear
mo more. but drew her hands over her eyes 10
shut ont the sight, for she knew 1t bore her
child away from her.
The years went by slowly enough for The
moor mother. whose soul was absorbed in the
ihouoht of her petit Ledou," as she fondly
persisted in calling him, but for the Dof
growing up in "a great city, handsome, rlch.
fetcd. tho time passed all 100 swiftly. No
ono knew his history. lie was the son Of q
rich A~mcrican-that title 50 vague yet 50
satisfactory 10 Europeans. As for the rest
u could see for themselves
No one knew the boys history but the boy
himself. His father never once suffered nm
TO forget 1t, that his mother, so beautiful arc
so beloved, was a slave, who was doomed L
feel. perhaps, the slave drivers lash on bei
tender. quivcling flesh. From his earliest
consciousness it was impressed on Leon tina
no was to avenge the wrong inflicted on hi
father and mother.
Leon was beautiful; he had the best educa
ton the French capital could bestow and tba.
Undesirable cir Of the great world that set
the seal Of polish on a man. His father, looE
ing at him, felt all the revenge and hatred d
had uurscd 50 long crystalline in q plan o
action. lie would send Leon TO New Orlean
viii proper letters ard credentials; there d
should meet the daughterof the man who la
stood between him and Adele; he shoul
marry this Girl, aud there then he would b
reveprcd. when the daughter Of the Taught,
aristoclat knew she was married to tho sol
Of her own slavol
Leon had not lived under his fathers mo-
bid influence so long without becoming II
fectei by it. lie, too, felt tho degradation 9
his mother being held as a slave, anu Il
chafcl at the ilmpossibiity Of freeing mel
There were but a few generations ee1Wee
him and bis savage forefathers, and he lei.
brute indifference TO the pain no was to Il
fict. -,
The programme his father so careful
uanpei ont he fulfilled 10 the letter
mient all nave been rehearsed n ,housan
timcs-his appearance and success in Ne'
Orleans society, even his meeting with III
shy, sensitive girl who was no match for IN
brilliant Partisan. When society receive
80 news Of tho.9 c..s-5$ shrugged II
/ shoulders.
Bah it said, "a little chit Of a thing WI
) does nothing but make nouvenas! lie WI
r tho Of her IN a week"
The marriage followed close upon the al
nouncement OF the agreement. 1t was eel
5 brated in the gay old cathedral, and after
! few weeks Of pieasiring the young coup
@ left for the brides plantation homo.
1 To Adele the time that had elapsed sin'
! Der boys return TO America seemed Il
terminable. She knew that 10y some meal
4 he was married 70 her young mistress, o'
sho did not understand the plot that was
@ avenge her. At last, however, no was con
@ ing home, her little Leon, her heart, her sou
. She would SEQ him, hear him speak, be nes
= hin once more. lie might not speak 90 be
D she might not claim him before the worl
J. but that was nothing. Some night no won
slip down 70 the little cabin and call IA
mother" and she would bo repaid. She VI
c faint and giddy with Happiness. Sudden
, the door opened and Icons father stood
the threshold no had not crossed since Il
{ day he pleaded with the naughty plant
A., Tor her. The courteous old host advanced
q meet him.
Monsieur" he said. 1T IS many yea
{ since | have welcomed you within the
4 doors.n
. YES" responded the other, "but to-nig'
/. Ihear you welcome home your son and daus
ter, and | came 10 offer my Fluctuations"
Almost as be spoke the door opened al
p the bridal party entered Tho servants {,
r back and stood blocking door and window,
> douse mass OF faces. Only Adele stood apa
A in tho shadow OF a door trembling, fearin
.he knew not what. Suddenly there fell
1 deep. portcntous silence, like the breaks in
tempest. Before a word could be said Leon
father stepped forth and took his hand.
q MY son." he said. Ion a dark nigh
twenty-five years ago, | took you from yol
4 mothers arms. | promised her then 70 brsi
q YOU back. Tonight | redeem my promise
. As he spoke he laid Lcons hand in tue treI
2 bling hand Of Adele. Leon stoopeddown al
! brushed with his bearded lips bis mother
ashen cheek, and then no turned 10 bis pa
- and ~aiirighted wife.
aD.t.. - ...tt x.f,b .,n.tt.v tan1e~pa.