The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-06-12
An Old Acauaintallce.

When cid Colonel Morton saw his wife
and daughter leave With a party of friends
for tour among the northern summer
resorts he had his misgiyings, but he
kept them to himself.
II am seventy. FIVE years old, said the
colonel to his wife, "snd my travelling
DAYS arc over. You will have 70 take
care of Julia. In these times man
cont leave Mississippi plantation to
run itself. My place is here where | can
watch the niggers."
The colonel, despite his white hair and
mustache, was as keen eyed, erect and
soldierly as when he rode with Forests
fierce troopers in the scorcl!ng sixties.
But the veteran felt that he was need
cd at home, and Mrs. Morton and the fair
Julia. bright and winsorae maiden OF
nineteen, had to take their pleasure trip
without him.
1t was not many weeks before his wifc's
letters gave Colonel Morton something
to think over very seriously.
A Captain Howard had met Miss Julia
at one of the watering places, and had
| Joined the party.
Mrs. Morton wrote freely to her hus.
band about the captain. She said very
plainly that she did not like him, and
that she feared Julia liked him only too
we'll She described Howard as strik-
ingly handsome and fascinating man OF
fifLy-a speculator of great alleged
wealth, and yet With nothing substantial
in the shape of property, character, or
antecedents.
The Mississippian read bis wife's letters
closely from week to week, and was not
long in making up his mind. he came
10 the conclusion that his daughters
northern lover belonged to class of ad.
venturous business men very common in
such financial centers as Wall street
men of fortune to-day and paupers 10.
morrow-respectable when successful, ,
and thoroughly disreputable in the event
of failure.
"I'd rather havo Julia marry one of
our river gamblers" said the old man
bitterly, "some of them are men of honor
in their way, but this speculating money
shark-the Lord knows What he is, or
how be will turn out p
He wrote some earnest, fatherly letters
to Julia, but the tone of the young lady's
answers showed that she had a head OF
her own and was not to be controlled.
In the meantime Mrs. Morton's letters
grew nervous, and finally despairing.
! At last she wrote that Julia had engaged
herselfto Howard, and would listen to
no advice on The subject. The good
woman held nothing back from her hus-
band. She told him that her intuitions
led her to dislike and suspect the gilt
tering speculator, but she was compelled
to admit that he stood well in society,
and she had heard nothing against
him.
"The old lady is right" said the col.
onel when he read the letter, Intuition
is great thing. have felt for weeks
that the devil was to pay in this affair.
and am going up there to see about il"
The colonel rode over the plantation,
gave his overseer some particular in.
otructions, drew regretfully on his bank
account, and in less than week surpris.
ed his family by making his appearance
at Orchard Beach.
No man could be greater faVorite in
society anywhere than this old confeder-
ate colonel when he made himself pleas.
ant, and on this visit ne was at his best.
"I am in the enemy's country" he said
to his wife, "and I must have all my
weapons ready"
So the white haired soldier with his
steel blue eyes speedily loomed up az an
attractive figure on the promenade and in
the ball room, and younger men envled
him his courtly grace aud magnetic
ways.
DWELL talk about it after awhile" WAS
all that he could be induced to say about
his daughters engagement, aud with this
answer Julia and Captain Howard had to
be satisfied for the time.
Just what was wrong the Mississippian
could not tell, when he talked with
Howard, and looked him in the face, but
he was ready to swear that all was not
right. He did not object to the lover
because he had worn the blue, and he
could find nothing black in his record.
"And yet" said Morton to his wife,
"that man is rascal. I see it in his
face, and have the vaguest sort of sus.
picion that have met him before under
unpleasant circumstances. Just wait
few days, and something may turn up"
1t was uusatisfactory-this waiting for
an uncertainty, but Julia's father never
relaxed his vigilance.
One evening be WAS out walking with
Howard, and in the course of their stroll
he told him ludicrous anecdote.
The effect was remarkable. Generally
Howard merely smiled in bored way at
Joke, but on this occasion he was In
high spirits and he laughed until the
woods rang, ending his outburst of mirth
with peculiar sound suggestive of chok-
ing or sufTocation.
When the other heard this hoarse
croak his eyes blazed, and be lowered to
his full height.
"NowI know you," he said looking
straight into the others face, I'VE met
many years ago."
"I don't think | ever saw you before
you came to the beach," answered How
ard.
"Listen p' shouted the colonel.
"There was young officer with Sher-
man on his raid through Mississippi who
plundered certain plantation near Mer.
idian. He robbed the house and burned
it, turning the family out of doors. The
owner of the plantation was a confeder'
ate colonel at home on q sick furlough.
| He was weak and helpless, but this young
officer had him strung up to tree to
force him to tell where the money was
buried. The victim was cut down more
dead than alive, but he heard the brutal
laugh of his prosecutor as he rode oil
! with his men, and he has never forgotten
it. was that sick confederate, and
you, Captain Howard, ars the robber
raider who put the rope around my
neck p :.
"My. God" exclaimed the captain
"It was war, you know"
"It was murder and robbery, you id
scoundrel !" roared Morton. "Now, you
hound, here is one chance for you-will
you leave tonight without seeing my
daughter, and never again hold any com
munication with her ?"
HT o,;I1 oo1ona1 ond T rnprat-