Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-12-14
CHAPTER VII
A MYSTERIOUS TEUD.

The manner and language OF Mr.
Dorion did but increase my anxiety :,
hear all that he could tell about my
strange benefactor 10 overcome hi'
reluctance, gave him the story Of my
life as IL has been set forth In the pre-
vious chapters, dwelling much upon
the deep impression that Mr.. Bostock'f
liberality and his interest In me had
produced, how for years / had cher.
ished the hope Of joining him here,
the difficulties had overcome 20 do so,
and my present deep disappointment
My account evidently touched the
listener.
~ see must tell you what know.
You have plain right 10 be told. The
whole story has grown into the most
disagreeable recollection Of my life,
and with any ordinary inquirer |
should ignore the whole business And
ifyou will hear it, you must be warned,
at the start, that II will furnish what
i should think will be good reasons
why you should now abandon your
search for Pierce Bostocls. Shall go
on?"
by all means"
will put the narrative In his own
language, as nearly as possible.
My acquaintance with Bostock be-
gan about the year 1871, when he
came up here from Louisiana TO look
for cotton plantation that would
suit him. The account that lac gave of
himself was, have no doubt, strictly
true. lie had been raising sugar al.
most all his life In La Fourcho district
OF Louisiana, and hc desired change.
He proposed 10 keep his great planta.
ton there under the charge Of
competent overseer, and TO live here.
lie must be immensely wealthy; for
seeing and liking this plantation he
paid cash for IL. II you'll look over IL
with me In the morning, you can
easily make up your mind that it re-
quircd n fortune TO do that.
lie removed here that September,
bringing some of his house servants
lie had two childrcn-an infant In it's
nurses arms, little Coralie, of whom
You will presently hear more; and n
son, Conrad, then fifteen years old.
lie never said much about his wife.
In fact, he never named her of his own
accord; to those who thought they
had the right to ask questions, he In.
variably replied that she was Partisan
born, and could not live away from
Paris, even with her husband and
children. All understood from this
that II was case where husband and
wife had agreed TO disagree"
never could see that any one Of the
numerous slave women that were
about this house In those days occu.
pied the position Of housclSccpcr There
were two or three OF them who were
quite capable of IL; but BostoclI was
accustomed TO get along in an easy IN
dulgent way, without anyone to look
sharply after the household affairs.
So there was waste, extravaganza and
confusion, as there always will be
where there Is an indulgent master,
and no white woman TO hold the rein
over lot Of idle, shiftless dnrltics.
The boy Conrad had better dispose
OF Mt once. II has been many years
since saw him. | certainly never
want TO see him again. lie was n
wild, undutiful fellow, and in CON
tinual difficulty with his father.
When he was twenty he disappeared.
i presume that Mr.. Bostocls knew
where he went; but he never mem
toned him and nobody cared TO know.
II there could be such u thing us II
born gambler, should say that Conrad