Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1889-09-04


country has more than any thing else de
termined me to make this visit"
Tho old man sighed pressed his hand upor
his forehead, and uttered a half suppressed
groan, rs IL he dreaded what was coming
Luke cast n glance about them. They were
alone ON the porch, as Lille had not re
turned, and only tho negro boy rolling
upon the lawn wa, in sight. Luke con
| tinued:
"Mr. Neff, / owe my very existence nj
this moment to you. You, l have been I'm.
| formed, snatchcd me when an infant from
the destroying flood. You IL was who gave
me place in the homo of your brother
whore lived until reached mans estate
IL is TO you that owe my education and the
blessings which l enjoy; but, Mr. Neff. there
Is one thing YOU have kept from mc-tho
secret of my life. Only that was tho wall
OF some great flood do 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 nowl'
Lille had carried the visitors hat in tho
hall and hurried through to see that the col
orcd cook was attending TO her duties, that
suitable dinner would be prepared for the
visitor. Mr.. Ncff almost lost his breath, SO
sudden was tho question propoundcd. After
moment, however. he said:
wall, Luke, rccIin I'll tell you now all
know about ye. I'd hoped that the time d
como that 1 could cleared up tho mystery.
but can't. It's been twenty two V airs ago
this spring since was with my brother on
the Missouri river, n 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 ovcrllowed. We lnowcd many
people were drowned out, and had our
skif tryin' 70 help 'cm git their goods
saved, when ono day we saw somethin'
fioatin' down the river. IL warnt uncom-
mon ter SEQ things tioatin' down tho
river; but this war somcthin' uncommon,
as we could see. Somehow . pcarcd 4
me S orter go out IN see what it war, am
tolo my brother & pull cut TO II We both
laid to our oars, IN soon kim near 'nufr q
sec what Z war
"'Its CRADLE, said my brother, loolxin'
over his shoulder. We got nearer an suah
nun 'twar cradle an had bed in Z, an
baby war in tn cradle. That ar baby
war you, Luke"
"ls that all you know of met"
"Yas, that's about all"
IBID you find nothing by which might
have been able to trace my parontagel"
Nuthin but n big, yaller handkerchief
SIGH as tho niggcrs war. Ii had en-
broidered on one corner Luke Mason"
An expression OF agony and disappoint-
mcnt swept over the young mans face, and
he hcavcd sigh. That for which he had
hoped was disappointing Mt last, and the
mystery OF his life was as far from being
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. Tho old
farmer, who had noted his disappointment
In order TO change the subject said:
= Have ye gone into business yetl'
Yes, sir, l opened an office, but have
done very little, owing to tho distracted
condition OF the country" Lille Neff now
came from tho house, her pretty checks
glowing with pleasure, and her eyes spark
ling happiness. She seated herself upon n
rustic mat near her father and the visitor
"O' c'osc We can't do no business in
these timcs; decla' l never knowed the
like. Pears like every body's goin crazy
" where Is Albertp' Luke asked.
Went after tn mail; he'll be back
soon"
"Hc hasn't gone in the army YETI"
"No, but jest look fur HIM T. do itn
Aquestion trembled on the lips OF Luke
Mason. He wanted 10 ask in which army his
schoolmatc would enlist, but for fear the
question might CRATE harshly on the ears OF
his friends he refrained In the border
ana to change their views any day, for 1861
was the beginning OF IL transition period,
and men were as yet unsettled in their con-
Victions. IL was quite n relief to Luke
when Lille, with one of her most winsomc
glanccs from the darkest of eyes, sad:
brother is Union"
lam glad OF that" lac answered. "Thouch
the South may have some real, or imaginary,
grievances IT does not justify any man in
taking up arms against his country"
ooh, dear met | dan mo-" groancd Mr.
Nct. Pears Z mo like all the peoples
gwino crazy. They err Jest or tarin' the
country 10 pieces; an its no tellin when
they IL burn our house an hang US"
you havo no cause to fear Union sol
dicrs, hopor
Dun mo-; n such times rs these pears
like yc can't trust no m"
~ 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-" aud the
sigh which followed this remark was indie
cisivo. From Mr.. Ncn's remarks one could
not have told how his sympathics were
Heah come Massa Albert now" cried
Tom, raising his woolly head from the grass
WI Oh grew under an apple tree in the yard
wherc the African had been idly louing
about.
young horscman, mounted on splon-
did stecd, came gallopng up the road from
around tho orchard He was "A fine, manly
looking fellow. with an open countenancc
aud commanding figure.
He dismountcd az the gate and flung the
rein % Tom, who had come TO take the
horse
" Somebody's comc,n grinned tho negro
but Albert stopped not TO askany questions,
for nc had already recognized the friend OF
his childhood sitting on the porch and hur-
ried forward 10 greet him.
As Tom was leading the horse 20 the barn
he mot tall, sullen fold hand who. for
some reason bad been nick named Black
hawk. This sobriquct, given him at some
time ia thc dim past, had usurped any other
legitimate name he might n We had Black
hawk, as sullcn as bis Indian namcsalsc. yvas
q slave whom Mr. NcfT had purchased years
before. He was not liked by any Of 'he
other ilc'd hands, and 10 was reported tu .
DE bad killed a former master. and was
known 90 bc the hero OF half dozen runa.
ways
Who ann DAT ct the houscI Blackhawk
asked
Massa Luke Muson, Tom answered
biacfnawk gavo uttcranco 81 % grunt and
went su.icnly away Go his quarters.
Tho greeting between Albert NeH and
Luke was very cordial
WHAT'S IN ucws from town. Alhertff