The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-12-07

play via, IN Wncu i run OH VIII nini iutoA
de woods he he'll on ter dat Handkerchief.
didn't know what to do wild do baby. Ifus'
thought I'd kill it, but it looked up at me so
pretty wild its sweet little eyes dat l couldn't.
/ wandered about wild it for weeks, an
STAYED wild it long time in dis ole cabin.
l stole grub for it an myself, too, den !
black its face an go to Quaker, an tole
HIM was a runaway niger an wild my
baby, an he TUX me by night, hidin' ebery
day till we got inter Missouri, an den h
foun' one day dat de black come off d.
baby's face, an dat it war white. He wal
goin' to tell on me, but run away frum HIM
wild de chile, an trabel up de Missouri river
long way. Itried to throw the baby in de
water ter drown, but cherry time l try it de
little baby look in my face an smile, an
can't.
"One day went to a house way up de
river to steal sumfin to eat for me an dc
chile Ebcry body war in de field, an in de
place war an ole big wooden cradle. Istole
it and corl1ed it up tight as boat, an tyin'
de yaller handkerchief bout de baby's head
put it asleep in de cradle and pushed it out
in dc river"
Luke here was about to interrupt the
narrator, but Mr.. Neff said:
mo, don't do It now. Let IN go on"
The negro resumed:
Il was cotched by some nigger-stealcrs,
taken to st. Louis, sold at auction, den my
new massa TUX me to Lexington, Mo-, AM sold
me to Mr.. Neff, who keep me till de war.
! heard him say dat he find de baby he tell
de young massa So an when Massa Morgan
come up in Missouri TO- vars ergo to lib, I
spect dey'd know me, but 'um don't, but Dick
Sneed did, an he nebb r see me till de war
commence. Den say 1 kill him, and on de las
day Oh de Shiloh battle shoot 'um wild my
own hand. Heah am de yaller handkerchief.
tuck it from de bureau de night de rebs
come to hang Massa Luke" and he held up
the handkerchief, on the border Of which
were the words embroidered in black:
"LUKE MASON"
"What! MY God can this"
"Hole on, boy, hole on, this mans weak.
I'll tell him, you can't" said Mr.. Neff, dis
playing an energy Luke had never thought
he possessed.
| To the failing man he hurriedly explained
that he had found the cradle floating, and
! that the child was alive, and that his brother
I had reared him. Colonel Luke Mason was
! that child. The Confederate Colonel was
failing very rapidly, and while Mr.. Neff had
broken the news to him quickly, he had
! done 80 in way not to excite him. The
dying father reached out his hand and
clasped that Of his new-found son.
"My boy" he whispered, ave found you
at last" Then he called to his daughter,
who started as il from astupor: Come here,
Elsie, my child" Placing Luke's hand in
hers he said: "Here is your brother"
Brother and sister silently folded their
arms about each other. What was it that
held all silent and spell bound under that
wonderful revelationl That Luke was the
lost son of Colonel Morgan none could
doubt, yet not a word was spoken, no shout
| of JOY We're the witnesses stunned with
the announcement, or was it the presence OF
deathl
Lille came to them, and Luke, placing
one arm about her, turned to Elsie and said
''Can you love her as sisterl"
ayes, yes" she sobbed
Colonel Morgan, without uttering another
word. turned his face toward the dark, dis
colored WALL and peace came to his troubled
soul. Soquiet was he, SO silently did the
change come, that the prayerful watchers
knew it not until all was over.
1t was Luke's regimental chaplain who
performed the burial service, and he and
his sister, whom he had only so recently
known. stood by the grave and watered il
with their tears.
Luke determined at once to drop the
name of Mason and take his proper name
Morgan. But this he found almost impos
sible while in the army, as all his papers
were made out in the name of Mason. 1t was
afterwards ascertained that Luke Mason
the original owner of the yellow handker.
chief, was mulatto, who was house serv
ant of Mr.. Morgan, and his handkerchief
had by some means got into the possession
of the nurse, possibly presented to her by
the original Luke himself, who was quite q
1irt in his way.
Colonel Mason got G leave of absence for
few days, and went with his sister, Lille
Mr.. NeH and Albert, who had been paroled,
across the river into Kentucky, whore they
would be safe. He persuaded Lille to be
come his wife and they were quietly mar.
ried at little country church in Kentucky
His sister kissed him on parting and tolt
him to care for their brother Jasper if hi
should find him. He promised to do so, gave
her to Albert and told him to care for bott
if he should never return
Luke reached his regiment just in time t.
join General Halleck in the Corinth cam
paign. His regiment had meanwhile beer
fully recruited and assigned to the brigad,
of General Macarthur.
Old Arkansaw Tom was constantly will
his beloved Colonel. He seemed to hav,
lost much If his iovlal spirit since his three
companions had left him. 1t was during
one Of the terrible assaults on Corinth tina
the brave old veteran fell dead at Luke,
feet. The Colonel stopped to raise the
fallen man, when he tell wounded and wa.
carried to the rear, so that he never looked
on the wrinkled face of his brave old frien(
again.
Tho Coloners little wife came to nurs,
him back to health, and he was able to joir
his regiment just after the taking of Vicks
burg. He found his brother, Major Jaspcj
Morgan, in the hosptaldying from wound
HIS wife and sister were telegraphcd for
but came too late.
It was in the charge at Kenesaw Mount
aims that Blackhawb, who had insisted o,
being Lukc's body-servant fell pierced b,
a bullet in the bowels. The Colonel spran.
to the ground and raised the head of tn,
dying negro, and asked what he could do t,
relieve or help him.
"Nuthin', massa. Am de fight ovcrr
"For the present it is"
~ IS done fur, any way; We can't help me
massa. Would We help me, who tried Il
drown ye when babym
ayes, Blackhawk, have forgiven yo
that"
: But massa, We dun know ALL"
"What else is there to l1nowl'