The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-04-01

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You hare another dHnt7'' he asserted.
rather uftli questioned.
The .overseer" class Of the south in
intebellum days constituted rs distinct
a grade as can be found in any country
where birth, not wealth, is the standard
Of respectability. From the higher class
their employers-they were removed
by ignorance and poverty: from the
lower-their charges-by race instinct.
There was no antagonism between the
inhabitants OF the large house where the
proprietor lived and the inhabitants Of
the small house in which dwelt his prime
minister. such as appears to exist be-
tween the rich and poor of other sections.
Nor was there any effort on the part Of
the upper class to keep the lower down
or to hinder members of it from acquir-
ing knowledge or property. On the con-
trary.. there existed between the two
great amity and friendliness, and in
some instances. where the tie was of
long standing between employer and
employed, a sort of feudal feeling which
led the one to yield protection and cor
dial liking. and the other.an admiring
respect and loyal, If lazy, service.
1t is no uncommon thing even yet in
the south to hear one man say Of an
other: I've knowed him all my life.
My father was his fathers oyerseer way
back In slavery times. They are right
down clever people, his folks are; we
allus liked 'em mighty well. The liking
was generally mutual; and that the
"overseer" class of the south remained
80 long, and remain still in great
measure. in lower position is due partly
to their own willingness, partly to the
habit of subordination.
Across the ravine from the Beverley
mansion. beyond a little stretch Of
woods. stood d settlement Of cabins
which had formerly been occupied BY
slaves belonging to the estate. Some Of
the houses had fallen into partial or to
tai ruin. but few were still inhabited
as was shown by the curling smoke as
cending from their chimneys. Above
them. nearer the crest of the hill, stood
the overseer's house--a neat building Of
newn logs with a rough porch in front
and still in u good state Of preservation
1t had been occupied by family Of
white tenants at the time when this por.
ton Of the Beverley plantation passed
into other hands: but the lawyer, in
obedience to instructions received from
the new proprietor, had moved them
out and had the house done up little,
Not that Ned Anthony cherished any
sentiment connected with the house in
which he had been born: on the con
trary. he considered it emphatically "a
,S,5 hole;' but he was practical fellow
and well used to roughing it, and
thought that the "old shanty" would dc
well enough to live in for a month or SC
while he should run up decent house
that is. if he should decide to make any
sojourn in Virginia.
Anthony stood in one of the rooms,
whistling softly and looking about him
one morning about week after the
night on which he had renewed his &C.
quaintance Gas he thought) with his old
playfellow through the parlor window.
The next day he had gone down to Rich
mond to order some things he needed for
his temporary establishment and to talk
to contractor about putting up a house
for him in case he should decide to stop
on the ranchr for year or 50. He was
not man that ever let the grass grow
under his feet.
Standing in the middle of the old
room, the past got hold Of him some
how and pushed its way through the
hard crust of the outer man to the sane
tuary which even the toughest of us
keep somewhere about our anatomy fol
the refuge of a few, tender associations
our youth, our homes and mothers. the
girl, perhaps. whose eyes gave us our frst
heartache.
way show figure. She was tall and
spare of limb. and slow of speech an6
gait: her eyes were sad. and her thin
sallow face had rather a mournful ex
preston. She wore rough clothes and
q kerchief folded cornerwise over hel
grizzled hair, and smoked corncob pipe
in the intervals of her labors; but She
was a good woman. faithful, dutiful
wife and a devoted and self sacrificing
mother, kind and gentle and patient
and indulgent to her offspring. as womer
OF her class usually are. Her son-hei
youngest born-had loved her, and i
was Of her alone he was thinking as b,
stood by the hearthstone and looked a
tne corner where her spinning whee
and her old split bottomed roclxinp chat
tro BE coxTISuEDl AM