The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-18

1t inconsistent with his dignity TO mani
fest any sensitiveness at the name of
FurnivaI; and Miss White. ignoring Miss
Elvira's suggestion. proceeded:
81 amt minded to waste time multi
plyin' of words, colonel It's yo' son
Nick Thorne what come to talk about.
He's 70 own flesh an blood, an it's a
natchul question: What you goin' to do
to set him up
Miss White made a barely perceptible
| pause, but seeing the colonel so slow to
take advantage of it she promptly re-
sumed--
81 amt sayin' nothin' bout Dosia-
though I mought. It's all along of
Nicholas Thorne, I'm a-liftin' up of my
voice"
The colonel interrupted her: "Who
sent you on this errand?' heasked, coldly.
No one could have OWNED, from voice
or look or manner. the hope that strug-
| gled in the depth of his heart-the hope
/ that Nicholas, even through this uncouth
woman. this relative of the girl he had
married, might be making oVertures for
1zrdon and reconciliation; far, indeed,
was Roxanna White from sGspecting the
| true state of the case. She was offended
at the question.
"Who sent me?' she cried, shriIly.
"Why, the Lord Almighty, reckinl
Sent me to warn you beginst Judgment
day. Nick ThoTne want raised to git q
Twin often anythin' but land and mig
gers; an sence you've made him what
he is, all mankind an the Lord in heaven
| IL hold you bounden to SET him up
somehow"
This was too much for the co!onels
scant patience: if he relented towards
his son, it certainly would not be at the
dictaticn Of this virago. whom he strong
" suspected of being instigated to this
demand for property by Job Furnival
and his daughter.
"You transcend your province, ma
DAM he said, haughtiiy. Il have moth
ing to say to you regarding the misguided
young man who married your relative;
and bid you good evening.
The next thing Roxanna White knew
the colonel had driven away, and she
was left, defeated. And defeat was very
bitter G Roxanna White; it was an ex-
perienct she had nevc heretofore known5
her strength of purpose and her vehem-
ence of tongue had invariably served to
win her the victory Of every encounter,
and never had she felt herself so deserv-
ing of victory as in this instance. II had
been a grievance that Nicholas and Dosia
did not confide in her, but none the less
did she sympathize with them, and de-
sire, unselfshly, to serve them. This
woman, who had missed the great bless
ing of love in her own youth, had still a
soft spot in her heart for foolish young
lovers, when once their folly had become
an accepted fact. There was something
exalting in the sufficiency those two
young people found in each other, rem
dering them so gayly Indifferent to pow
erty and hardship, and there was some
thing appalling as we'll Roxanna, who
knew the storms and struggles of life,
trembled at the prospect before them.
She had followed them to Tampa, when
she heard of Job Furnivals accident, and
she had returned to Leon county of her
own accord, and without consulting any
one, for the express purpose Of softening
Colonel Thorne's heart. She had expect
ed 10 find this an undertaking demand
ing all her powers of persuasion, but she
had not counted upon failure, and she
sat down on the roadside and cried like
child, with rage against the colonel,
and with pity for Nicholas and DOsia.
Outlaw, nistis! Outlaw, mistisY' said
old Gilbert, with plaintive, impotent
sympathy.
"Lemme lonew cried Roxanna, vi
ciously.
"Ef you'll git back inter de yox cyart,
mistis, old Gilbert nevertheless ventured
to suggest, de beas amt dat ii led but
mought mex out ter drive We ez fur
"No you don't nuther!" Miss White de-
clared, bouncing up. Il kin walk, I'm
thankful. Do you '7osen I'm goin' to be
ridin' in Col Thorne's OK cart, driven by
his ole niger. which both on 'em is sleek
an fat, an his son. Dosia'5 husband. a
waitin' fur starvation, mebbe? I'm got
ter look after Nick Thorne an his wife,
an I'm goin' back to Tampa
And Miss White strobe away and was
lost in the shadow Of the woods.
Well, tubbe sho," old Gilbert sighed,
''Mawse Nick amt gwan lack help in
tirely, eff she gwan look after him. De
Lawd reward her"