, 1889-10-10

ana he Tor time aroused rom ms lun-
guor spoke coherenlly of the
weather, the rough road and of his
health, but gave no signs Of recoguitton
Mrs, Fletcher in his presence felt
thrill rs II something uncanny were
before her; this man whom she had
known from early childhood, whose
mothers plantation was near her own.
Here he appeared after lapse of few
months unchanged except for the salloW
skin and emacia,ion of lness, so far as
outward looks were concerned.
She remembered so well the day he
had gone forth to Join in the defense of
his state against the Northern, foe whose
invasion he resented and had LETT his
young bride at the altar and his Wild
owed, sorrOwiug mother, and no one
had received word to tell of him since
that day,
Mrs. Fletcher scarcely knew how to
address him, a question as to whence
he came could elicit no Information OF
the place of his sojourn during the past
months, and when she inquired If he
had any news from the scat of war he
looked up In surprise, saying;
''Tie seat of war, did you say mad
amer Certainly not. Did you think |
had bit just arrived from Europe2
When tile lady spoke Of the
progress OF the war, and said
that even she had not escaped its levy,
as her horses and mules had been taken
and her crops destroyed although she
had preserved u strict neutrality she had
been plundered by both sides, The gen.
tleman listened with interest and
aroused to say with flashing eyes: "Snch
things should never bo permitted"
Are there no men left to protect
ladics2"
Conversation with him proving unsat.
lsfactOry, Mrs. Fletcher withdrew. MIR.
Rals'tons eyes wandered to the
three old-fashioned painted por-
traits and several framed photo
graphs ornamcnted the white walls,
which stretched away to the ceiling, los
ing their angles in the dim shadowy dis
tance, but they were strange to him in
the faint lights afforded 10y moderately
sized windows, containing small panes OF
crooked, hlistered glass, partially shaded
by heavy green moreen curtains, hung
on slender brass rods, while soft lace
curtains hung within; the hardwood
floor was cool and fresh, having been
lately washed. Cane seat ed chairs stood
about the room, also cane scttees, but
the couch upon which he lay was COW
cred with cushions of green morcen,
matching the curtains, AS were also
several chairs.
Decay appeared the one conspicuous
condition tGn nl..o of ,re eyerythims hrapp upon on
gates st ''VVsS Without ''ot to the the nS" er%in.
bling brick pillars under the porch,
floors, aud the faded old-ft,shioned
morccn ota bygOne age.
After long thoughtful study OF the
room, us II seeking To recall some ideas
connected with the past, the head of the
young man sank upon the cushion and
he slept Mrs. Fletcher several times
approached the door and looked in upon
him she had questi tioncd Flam, and
only learned that he had found his mas
ter i'll at Brashear City in hospital
where were both Union and Confederate
soldiers sick and wounded. Mrs.
Fletcher interrupted F'am's story to
ask how he came to look for his master
there. 'Missee, Jest tell de truii, " said
flam, 'de I.awd send me dcrc to tend
on de doctor an dere find Marse Var
ney. Snah de Lawd send me-" he
added, shaking his gray head, 'or |
nebcr lin mm and he so sick Il Jest hear
some roses for de weddin', and den | see
hiscyes u shinin' and ies' mighty nigh
drop de bucket oh water | iotch for de
doctor, an den woman say, 'Poah fol
low, he talks about u weddin' an say he
cant git dar, an den doy talks about
ez how dey doan't know his name nor
whar he cum from. Den say 'Marse
doctor, ! beg pardon, sah, but dat ar my
young marse Mr.. Ralston,' an den de
name an say, 'llnrsc. Varney,
youn M9Fse VarnGy Ralston,' an she
say dat MIS- be so, for his nice leather
pocket book had silver letters on it dat
might mean Varney Ralston, an dc doc.
tor he say so too case why his shirts
had de same letters 30 did his handkcr-
chief, So | say: 'Marse doctor, my
ole misSus want me to take care of him,
ease yc SEQ, Missee Fletcher, shuah
she tell me so eff she been dar-an' he
say: We'll YOU can stay an do all you
can, an all this lady tells you to, but |
doubt cf yer mnrse he live. Den ole
Flam jes drap right down an cried for
shuah, did, an | knovcd old missce
an young MISE &ar prayin' fer him, an
jess say: Good Lawd, make him well
quick so ole Flam can fetch him home,
an den dun all de doctor an dc uuss
lady tolc me, an she was a mighty nice,
soit.spokcm lady, of she did cum from
de Mort, an she say: 1T doan make no
manner of differ ef he be- couicd'it hc
somebody son. an we mought do for him
all we can. Den she say she got u son
in dc Union ahmy en- he rnebbe sick or
wouudy or dpad.n Mrs. Fletcher lis
tcning eagerly to Flnm's story appeared
uncomfortable AT the mention of pris-
oner; she had a brother in the Contcdcr-
ate service who had been Tor
some time confined rs IA prisoner on
.lohnSton's island in Lake Ere. Letters
had reached her through friends telling
OF tho humane treatment received, de
scribing the excellent quality and suiii-
Cient quantity of food furnished by the
government of the United States, and
they presented to her mind sharp con.
trast with the treatment OF the Union
soldiers held as prisoners at Anderson
VILE, Ga, or near her home, AZ Tyler III
her own state, and although as u true
Southern woman she tried to find excuse
for starvation of prisoners on the ground
of lack of food throughout the South,
yet even this could not excuse the bar
| harUus treatment, which she aS well rs
others knew to he inflicted upon Union
men in the prison pens wherever located.
From Flam's story, told In his ram
bling manner, Mrs. Fletcher inferred
that Ralston had entered the service and
been made prisoner, and while i'll placed
in the hospital, from which, in some
unaccountable manner, Flam had man
aged his escape and had picked up a horse
and mulc-she would not call the act OF
taking them from the enemy stealing
and the negro had succeeded In bringing
! his unfortunate master thus fur on his
homeward route.
Tie young man ut length awoke and
partook heartily of the coffee made from
cowpeas, and ate bit Of bacon and an
egg, and corn pon.e with evident relish
He expressed his thanks in Il grace.
! fully worded sentence, praised tho
beauty of her location and the COO
shades of the magnoliasj spoke of tho
comfort to be found in those quiet
homes, yet made no allusion to his own
Between him and the past u veil was