San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-01-13
ing DacK to the dlnlng room servant OF
.Pocahontas' great-grandmother. The

ing DacK TO the 01n1nS room servant OF
: Pocahontas' great-grandmother. The
economy in nomenclature on q southern
plantation in the olden time was worthy
of Dandie Dinmont himself. The Saw
ney in question was grandson Of Aunt
Rachel and an utterly abominable little
darby, inky black, grotesque and spoiled
to degree. He was devoted to Poca-
hontas and much addicted to following
her about, wherever she would allow
him. At feeding time he always ap-
peared as duly as. the turkeys, for Poca-
hontas never forgot to put biscuit or
lump of sugar in her pocket for him.
with the largest black gobbler Sawney
was on terms of deadly enmity; for on
more than one occasion had his precious
biscuit been plucked from his unsus-
picious hand and borne away in triumph
by the willy bird. Half of feeding time
was usually consumed by Sawney in
throwing small stones at his enemy,
who, as he was never by any chance
smitten, would raise his head from time
to time and gobble his assailant to
scorn.
On this particular morning there had
been lull in the feud. Sawney had de-
voured his biscuit unmolested and had
offered no gratuitous insults to his foe..
Pocahontas having emptied her basket
was watching her flock with interest
and admiration, when Berkeley made
his appearance on the porch with let
ter in his hand. He seemedSin hurry
and called to his sister impatiently.
"Look here, Princess" he said, as she
Joined him, ''here's letter from Jim to
old Aunt Violet, his nanny He told
me he had promised the old woman to
write to her 1t came with my mail
this morning, and haven't time to go
over to Shirley and read it to her;
wish you would. She's too poorly to
come after it herself, so put on your
bonnet and step over there now, like a
good girl"
'Step over there, indeed!" laughed
Pocahontas, SLOW insinuatingly you
put it. Aunt Vi'let's cabin is way over
at Shirley; half mile beyond Jim
Byrd's line fence"
General Smiths line fence, you
mean. | wish you'd go, Princess.
There's money in the letter, and don't
want to send it by the negroes. Iprom-
ised Jim we'd look after the old woman
for them. The girls want her to come
to Richmond, but she won't consent to
quit the old place. She hasn't any chill
dren of her own, you know"
Pocahontas extended her hand for the
letter. ''She ought to go to Richmond
and live with Belle or Nina" she said,
slipping it into her pocket. "She'd die
of inconsistencies way out in California
with Susie. | wonder whether the new
people will let her stay at Shirley"
"Oh, yes. Jim made every arrange
ment when he found she wouldn't con-
sent to move. He had an understanding
with General Smith about the corner of
land her cabin stands ON; reserved it, or
leased it, or something. It's all right"
Always kind, always considerate,
thought the girl wistfully, even amid
the pain and hurry of departure-the
sundering of old ties-inding time to
care for the comfort of his old nurse.
Good, faithful Jim.
"Have the new people Gomez she call
ed after her brother, as he disappeared
within the house.
81 don't know. l rather think they
have" he answered. 81 noticed smoke
rising from the kitchen chimney this
morning Ask Aunt Rachel-the ne
groes are sure to know"
at tho Eifnhan 6nnr
to request the servants to inform her
mother that she had walked over to
Shirley to read a letter to old Aunt
Vi'let, and would be home in an hour or
so, Pocahontas set out ON her expedition,
never noticing that little Sawney, with
muttered "Me divine, too" was reso-
lutely following her. The way led along
a pleasant country road, as level as a
table, which ran, with scarcely bend
or turning, straight from the Masons'
back gate over to the ancient home of
the Byrd family at Shirley. Overhead
the interlacing branches of oak and mag
nolia trees made gorgeous canopy OF
glossy green and russell, and the sunshine
filtering through the leaves embroidered
the old road with an intricate pattern of
light and shadow. Now and then
holly tree or bush, bright with berries,
made lovely dash of color, and glowed
all over with suggestions of Christmas
and rejoicing.
Pocahontas sauntered slowly, enjoy
ing the beauty of the morning, and
thinking happy thoughts of the past, in
which were mingled memories OF the
three Byrd girls, who had been her play
mates, and of Jim. 1t was just beside
that holly that Nina Byrd, an enterpris-