Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-27

the railway and the din OF traffic, yet with
neighboring plantations that provided
wealth OF sociabiity, and adjacent forests
and streams that tempted the fox hunter aud
sportsman, there reigned throughout a sense
OF peacefulness and content that well com
ported with the brave and gentle character
Of the men and women who, generation after
generation, had gone forth from the old
family To grace with their influence the out
side world
just before the war. the members of the
household consisted OF Col cambridge, his
son VIII, cadet in the naval academy at
Annapolis, and three daughters, Dorothy, the
elder, upDn whom by reason Of the death Of
bet mother devolyed the care of the family,
Margcry and Clara-all Of them bellies OF the
neighborhood Like most Virginia homes,
this did not escape the Affections Of the time.
Death laid upon it n heavy hand. Col Balm
bridge was killed in the valley while leading
one of the regiments Of Stonewall Jackson.
Margery was left widow at twenty-five,
but had never laid aside her mourning, and
always spoke of her husband a. if he had
died within the past year, her only consola-
ton being that, instead of dying of his wounds
amid the a-onics Of battle field. he had been
taken prisoner and tenderly cared for by
some Federal officer. she knew not whom.
Dorothy likewise was not without her grief
Before the breaking out OF hOstilites, she Ind
found among the officers stationed at Fort
ress Monroe one who had promised 70 brighten
her life, and to him had plighted her heart
and hand At tine call Of his state he went to
the front, and a monument, around which
Dorothy in her grave way every Sunday
Strews flowers, tells the story Of his gallant
death at Manassas. Clara, the youngest sis
ter, after the close Of the war, while visiting
friends in the north was wooed and won by
Col. Hartley, formerly Of the Federal army,
and at the time at which this story opens
was living in New York among the surround
ings Of wealth, daughter, Kate, being the
only fruit of the union. VIII was still fol-
lowing the SEA and was the captain Of
steamship on the Pacific.
To her auuts Kate was IA comparative
stranger, for they had not seen her since early
childhood, and of her father they knew less
The wounds OF the strife had no; yet healed
Yet Dorothy had written time and again for
her handsome northern niece to come down
and spend n winter on the plantation only 10
be met with an excuse, for a visit to Old Roam
oke and the two ancient relatives was sug-
gestive of anything but pleasure to young
city girl who counted the figures on her dial
plate chiefly rs they scored the change from
one scene Of gayety to another. So, in her
own words, 1.-THE evil day was put off as far
a. possible
Finally, however Miss Dorothy made such
q point of it-kate being, after her mother,
next Of kn'-that further resistance be-
came AN offense, and the journey was made
At the out~-t IL seemed like retirement into
rural seclusiou. We shall see
On arriv ing at the station OF the dilapidat
ed little town that marked the end OF her
travel by rail, Kate found awaiting her
Daddy Hercules, with tue old fashioned Gin
narnon colored coach, swinging high up on
its springs, the family coat Of arms emblaz-
onel on both door panels-an ancestral ark
that had been a figure head in Roanoke for
nigh on TO Il century-and it was with no
little amusement that she assembled the flight
OF steps let down with an air OF immense i'm
portancs by Tony the footman, while Her
cules informed her that de basket on de
front seat wur filled wild good tings by Miss
Doroty 10 keep young missis comply while
he fotches her home.n Then the old coach
man went back TO hts perch on 1.-THE dickey
seat, Tony mounted the trunk rest behind,
seized the straps whereby he preserved per-
pendicular, and they started for Beverly
Farms
And right royal company did Kate find in
that basket Of fried chicken, hard boiled eggs,
was rayenously hungry and the bouncing Of
the coach had speeded her appetite 1t was
a ride novel TO the young city girl In other
respects. The scenery was such AZ she had
never looked upon or dreamed Of The road
ran over lovely landscape, smooth undula.
lions, among wind mills, corn and grass, beau
tiful fields and wild flowers, where the birds
poured out their songs and the shadows Of
the branches interlaced and made trembling
carpet on the road, while the overhanging
trees formed aisles and arches dmmed with
the softened light that crept through the
leaves
And the old mansion, as the big white gates
swung open at the entrance Of the broad, oak
lined avenue at the end of which it stood,
how inviting it looked Dorothy and Marge-
ry were waiting on the porch, and such
warm Virginia welcome as they gave to their
handsome niecei
IL did not take Kate long TO find herself
the queen and fairy OF that household, with
subjects, both white and black, for whom
she had nothing but love. True, her
kingdom at first looked prim, but in a lit
tie while every object had in her eyes &c
quired golden tint The dear old aunts in
their RULED caps, immaculate aprons and
crossed neckerchiefs, seemed like ancient bits
OF history that had stepped out from their
ancestral portrait gallery TO make themselves
agreeable. Perfect harmony reigned be
tween the place and its occupants. Every
thing seemed to belong TO the same age, and
that past age. Not an object had the vul-
garity OF newness about it. Stiff. high
backed rockers confronted one another from
each side Of the old fashioned broad Chin
ney, on the hearth of which stood the heavy
brass andirons polished to mirror like bright
ness, that Ind kept watch and ward for gen
erations, and 1t seemed q sacrilege to disturb
their position. Bolt upright against the wall,
with its full moon face and perpetual COO
COO, was the grandfather's clock, and among
the traditions was one that the coo-coo never
had failed to announce the time, save once
the day when Col cambridge was killed in
the valley.
The household preserved much Of its ante
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