Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-04-02
COLONEL PASSENGER.

the OIOW OF u nIlls u uuAuCGN 5etE0S up
from the old stage road between I
Augusta and Atlanta. A high worm
fence bordered the road. and an inner
fence of vine wreathed white pickets
enclosed the house. Between the two
fences fourished grove of magnit-
icent oaks, and within the picket en-
closure We're crowded flowers and fruit
trees in tropic profusion. Rose bushes
clambered among the branches ofpeach
and apple trees, aud the veranda lat
tice and pillars. up to the second story
windows were wreathed in trailing
robes Of green vines and odorous
blooms.
4 wide hallway divided the house.
and broad, windswept verandas with
quantity carved ratings ran entirely
around the building. Following the
delicious aromatic shade during the
summer Colonel Bassinger. with
newspaper and a fan in his luxurious
rolling chair, daily circumnavigated the
house. pausing at established stations
alons the route to read. doze, enter
tain visitors,
To 60 with the union. meant to give
up all this with the vast social and
political power and prestige it insured;
to go with the secession element would
result Colonel Bassinger wisely fore
saw in longer drawn but final ruini
while to take any part whatever in
the unpleasant agitation, meant the
interruption OF that ample and becOm-
ing leisure so dear to the life OF the
old-time country gentleman Of wealth
and luxurious tastes. Besides the
colonel despite his military title, was
man OF peace by nature. and neces-
sarily 50 by circumstances
Many years ago at a ball he had ex-
changed a few hot words with another
chivalric young gentleman concern
ing the position of their respective
names upon a young lady's dancing
card The young lady being fully az
hot-bIooded as either OF her admirers,
had promptly and sensibly erased both
their names for the evening and left
them to settle the matter to suit them
selves. At sunrise the following
morning they had met in grove and
under the sun-tinted. dew-dripping
leaves OF an oak tree had settled the
affair after the fashion OF Southern
gentlemen. The colonel's leg was
shattered at the first fire, but his
enemy was unhurt It was therefore
known that the colonel had been
in the wrong.
The young lady. however, with true
womanIy pcrversity had taken the
Colonies part declaring that he haG
been right all the time, and visited
him often during his enforced retire
ment from public life. She reproachet
herself bitterly as being the cause o
the ColoneIs misfortune and since h'
had suffered all this for her sake, she
felt that she could do no less thar
share his life and immense fortune
which she would have gladly don
anyway-as a naturally agreeable ant
desired atonement
So they were married.
The Colonel brought her to hi
fathers ancient mansion and settled
down to life Of ease and prosperity
Childrca clustered rapidly about hi
luxurious rolling chair and wealt
came to him. Then his wife died anC
after her his loved sons and daughter:
youngest was left--now a lovely youn
lady OF eighteen years. Martha Wash
ington Bassinger was the JOY Of he
fathers life. and was beloved by a.
whose eyes ever rested upon her sweet
gentle face from the lowIiest farr
hand grubbing in the murky swamp
OF the Little Gomez. up to the loFdl
young plantation princes and cotto
kings from the Blue Ridge to the Sc
islands.
Midway. perhaps, between the soci;
extremes. but first in the girls hear
stood Tom Harkness--the colonel
private secretary really occr
pied the position OF secretary OF sta
in the administration of the gre;
farm.
Tom was a distant kinsman Of IL
colone's.
Colonel Bassinger loved his countr
his whole country. He had rec
much during his daily circuits arour
the house. and had studied the subje
deeply in all its bearings His ma
ner Of life had made him wise, dee
thinker He loved his country muc
DNb III lONGAA l4Alllo6AA uAOIGs III a. llltL
ner, Tom stood in his eyes as repr
sentative of the union-possessil
many Objectionable elements but Il
best obtainable Of his kind.
Since | can't extract the Yank
in him 1 must put up with IT, y he re
soaed, and it's just so with the cou
try We must put up with the va
kee element for the preservation
our own peace.
1t was this agreeable and prospe
Gus state OF affairs that the war-ta
was disturbing. First. his own int
ests were threatened. Then his daug
ter! If Martha Washington we
only well married! That was {
only discordant note in the old col
nel's kindly thoughts for Tom Har
ness. He feared an attachment !
tyveeu his moor kinsman and his daup