Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-04-13

tuo houSos euu mr. Neu ana the new conner were seated, the farmer resumed: "Yes, Luke, it's been quite leetle spell since ye war here, and Pm glad ye thought enough O us to come. But it'd Q been safer,n Ohio: ye hain't got as much trouble thar ez we've got here"
 "No, sir, think not. Though they are raising armies all the time in Ohio, it's all for one side; while here you seem divided"
 ''Yes; didn't 'spect when ye left us last summer, boy, that you'd find us in sich a fix when ye came back. Oh, tell ye it's awful-we don't know one hour what'n happen next"
 The new conner bowed his head for a mo- ment and strange look of sadness swept over his face. At last after many efforts to clear his throat, he began:
 "Mr. Neff, the distracted stato 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 a glance about them. They were alone on the porch, as Lillie had not TO- turned, and only the negro boy rolling upon the lawn was in sight. Luke con- tinued:
 MT. Neh, owe my very existence at thls moment to you. You, I have been in- formed, snatched me when an infant from the destroying flood. You it was who gave me q place in the home of your brother, where 1 lived until I reached mans estate It IS to you that owe my education and the blessings which enjoy; but, MT. .Neff. there is ono thing you have kept from me-the secret of my life. Only that was the waif of some great flood do I 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?"
 Lillie had carried the visitors 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 tho visitor. MT. Neff almost lost his breath, so sudden was the question propounded. After Q moment, however, he said:
 "Wall, Luke, reckin T. Il tell you now all know about ye. I'd hoped that the tune d come that could a cleared up the mystery, but can't. It's been twenty-two y ars ago this spring since was with my brother on the Missouri river, Q few miles below Lex ington. We had farms thar then an' was both younger than now. The river war very high that spring, an lots O the bottom lands war overfowed We knowed many people were drowned out, and had our skif. tryin' to help lem git their goods saved, when ono day we saw somethin' II mon ter sec things tioatin' down the river; but this war somethin' uncommon, as we could see. Somehow 't peared t' me s l orter go out n sec what it war, an l tole my brother t pull out to t. We both laid to our oars, n soon kim near 'nufr t see what t war;
 "'It's cradle,' said my brother, lookin' over his shoulder We got nearer an suah huff 'twar cradle an had a bed in t, an baby war in tn cradle. That ar baby war you, Luke.''
 "Is that all you know of mel"
 "Yas, that's about all''
 "Did you find nothing by which might have been able to trace my parentagea"
 "Nuthin but big, yaller handkerchief sich as the niggers war. It had en- broidered on one corner Luke Mason"
 An expression of agony and disappoint- ment swept over the young mans face, and he heaved sigh. That for which he had hoped was disappointing at last, and tho mystery of his life was as far from being solved as ever. Could he, a nameless waif, an unknown child of the flood, press his claim for the hand of the fair girl farmer, who had noted his disappointment, in order to change the subject said:
 Have ye gone into business yeti"
 "Yes, sir, opened an office, but have done very little, owing to tho distracted condition of the country" Lillie Netf now came from the house, her pretty cheeks glowing with pleasure, and her eyes spark ling happiness. She seated herself upon Q rustic mat near her father and the visitor.
 "O' c'ose ye can't do no business in these times; decla' I never knowed the like. Pears like every body's goin' crazy"
 "Where is Alberto" Luke asked.
 hn,G hn ho Il, soon."
 "He hasn't gone in the army yet7'
 'No, but l jest look fur him 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 question might grate harshly on the ears of 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. It was quite a relief to Luke when Lillie, with one of her most winsomo 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! I dun 'no'," groaned Mir. Neff. "Pears t mo like all the peoples gwine crazy. They CT jest CT tarin' the country to pieces an its no tellin' when they'll burn our house an' hang us."
 "You have no cause to fear Union sol diers, hope"
 "Dun 'no'; n such times aY these pears like ye can't trust no 'n."
 ''I 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 inde- cislve. From MT. Neff's remarks one could not have told how hiSsympathies were.
 "Heah come Massa Albert now," cried Tom, raising his woolly head from the grass which 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 a 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.