Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-07-11

sMr. Neff. the distracted state of the
country has more than any thing else de-
termined me to make this visit"
The old man sighed. pressed his hand upon
his forehead, and uttered half suppressed
groan, as if he dreaded what was coming.
Luke cast glance about them. Tney were
alone on the porch, as Lille had not re-
turned, and only the negro boy rolling
upon the lawn was in sight. Luke con-
tinued:
s'Mr. Neff, / owe my very existence at
this moment to you. You, have been in
formed, snatched me when an infant from
the destroying flood. You it was who gave
me place in the homo OF your brother,
where 1 lived until reached mans estate.
1t Is to you that owe my education and the
blessings which / enjoy; but, MI. Neff. there
is one thing you have kept from me-the
secret of my life. Only that was tho wait
of some great flood do l know OF myself.
You have promised to tell me all you know
of me, and we know not in these distracted
times what an hour may bring forth. Can't
you. won't you tell me all now!'
Lille had carried the visitor 5 hat in the
hall and hurried through to see that the col
ored cook was attending to her duties, that
a suitable dinner would be prepared for the
visitor. Mr.. Neff almost lost his breath, so
sudden was the question propounded. After
q moment, however, he said:
s.Wall, Luke, reckn Ill tell you now all
know about ye Tdhoped that the time d
come that could cleared up the mystery,
but can't. It's been twenty two Y airs ago
this spring since was with my brother on
the Missouri river, a few miles below Lex
ington. We had farms thar then am was
both younger than now. The river war
very high that spring, an lots O. the bottom
lands war overlooked. We knowcd many
people were drowned out, and had our
skiff tryin' to help 'em git their goods
saved, when one day we saw somethin'
floatin' down the river. 1t warnt uncom-
mon ter SEQ things tloatin' down the
river; but this war somethin' uncommon,
as we could see. Somehow It peared t.
me s orter go out N sec what it war, an
l tole my brother t. pull out to It We both
laid to our oars, N soon kim near 'nuf T.
sec what It war.
"'It's CRADLE said my brother, loolkin'
over his shoulder. We got nearer an suah
nuff 'twar a cradle am had bed in It, an
q baby war in tn cradle. That ar baby
war you, Luke
"Is that all you know of me!"
"Yas, that's about all"
Ibid you find nothing by which I might
have been able to trace my parentage?"
" Nuthin but a big, yaller handkerchief
SIGH as the niggers war. 1t had en-
broidered on one corner Luke Mason"
An expression of agony and disappoint-
ment swept over the young mans face, and
he heaved u sigh. That for which he had
hoped was disappointing at last, and the
mystery of his life was as far from beng
solved as ever. Could he, nameless
waif, an unknown child of the flood press
his claim for the hand of the fair girl
whose heart he had already won. The old
farmer, who had noted his disappointment,
in order to change the subject said:
Have yc gone into business yet!"
ayes, sir, opened an Office, but have
done very little, owing to the distracted
condition of the country" Lille Nef now
came from the house, her pretty cheeks
glowing with pleasure, and her eyes spark.
ling happiness. She seated herself upon a
rustic mat near her father and the visitor.
"O' c'osc ye can't do no business in
these times; decla' l never knowed the
like. Pears like every body's goin crazy"
"Where is Alberta" Luke asked.
event after tn mail; he'll be back
soon"
HE hasn't gone in the army yetl'
mo, but jest look fur hun t. do it.'
A question trembled on the lips of Luke
Mason. He wanted to ask in which army his
schoolmate would enlist, but for fear the
his friends he refrained. In the border
States men were liable to take either side,
and to change their views any day, for 1861
was the beginning of a transition period,
and men were as yet unsettled in their con-
victions. 1t was quite a relief to Luke
when Lille, with one of her most winSome
glances from the darkest of eyes, said:
Brother is Union.''
liam glad of that he answered. Though
the South may have some real, or imaginary,
grievances it does not justify any man in
taking up arms against his country"
''Oh, dear me! / dun mo-" groaned Mr..
Neff. "'Pears t. me like all the people S
gwine crazy. They err jest er tarin' the
country to pieces an its no tellin' when
they'll burn our house an hang u.s."
s'You have no cause to fear Union sol
diers, ! hope!''
''Dun mo-; n such times as these pears
like ye can't trust no m"
81 think that Price will soon be driven
from the State, and then you will be all left
at peace"
"Wall, hope so; but dun mo-" and the
sigh which followed this remark was indie
cislve. From Mr.. Neffs remarks one could
not have told how his sympathies were.
s'Heah come Massa Albert now" cried
Tom, raising his woolly head from the grass
VIII CHI grew under an apple tree in the yard,
where the African had been idly lolling
about.
A young horseman, mounted on a splen-
did steed, came galloping up the road from
around the orchard. He was fine, manly
looking fellow. with an open countenance
and commanding figure.
He dismounted at the gate and flung the
rein to Tom, who had come to take the
horse.
60 Somebody's come" grinned the negro,
but Albert stopped not to ask any questions,
for he had already recognized the friend of
his childhood sitting on the porch and hur-
ried forward to greet him.
AS Tom was leading the horse to the barn
he met a tall, sullen field hand, who, for
some reason, had been nick named Black
hawk. This sobriquet given him at some
time in the dim past, had usurped any other
legitimate name he might have had. Black
hawk, as sullen as his Indian name sake, was
a slave whom Mr.. Neff had purchased years
before. He was not liked by any of the
other field hands, and it was reported that
he had killed a former master, and was
known to be the hero of half a dozen runa-
ways.
g Who am dat at the house!" Blackhawk
asked.
Massa Luke Mason" Tom answered.
Blackhawk gave utterancc to a grunt and
went sullenly away to his quarters.
The greeting between Albert Neff and
Luke was very cordial
Whats tn news from town, Alberto
asked Mr.. Neff. I" Amy thing mo- about the
wah?"
1.-The country is in an uproar, and we are
goin' to be overwhelmed with trouble
Albert answered.
lam glad to know that you are for the