The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1894-11-16

N1S2SS Of the summer
gsVSE day, save tie
yhfN murmuring OF
- the pine trees
as they whis-
per TO each other some tale, perhaps,
OF IA other scenes than these. OF days
when the peaceful valley was such
a scene Of human strife that the birds
and bees, and even the sweet wild
roses that thrived there in unmolested
possession, disappeared, to return in
after years and find picture OF utter
desolation. To be sure, the soil had
been enriched by the blue blood Of the
south, commingled with that OF the
brave boys in blue, as they fell to-
gcther, fighting, each for cause which
each thought right; but the record of
the brave deeds of those who persisted
then lives in history.
1t was while sojourning for short
time in the mountains overlooking the
Shenandoah valley that came across
one of those living relics. She WINS
only poor old negro woman. who had
been slave, and who, even after a.
quarter of a century Of freedom. had
almost failed to realize that she was
free. There was nothing particular to
recommend her to ones notice or call
attention to her forlorn situation. She
had been left all alone in the world
in her own words: 1.-THE last OF the
vardens," and, judging from the grand
air with which she announced the fact.
would have scorned the idea that she
needed sympathy or pity, as she stood
amid the ruins OF what had been q
grand old southern home before the
war-the home of the Vardens.
All that remained of the house. two
tumbiing. chimueys, was oyergrownl
by some kind of vine, which gave d
sort Of picturesque beauty tothe for.
saken Scene. A little to the left and
just in sight of where the house had
been was an Enclosure, in the celter
OF which stood tall monument SUR
rounded by smaller grsvestones, mark
ing the last resting place of the Var
dens, who seemed to have turned their
back upon their earthly possessions
and laid their joys all away beneath
the shadow OF the great monument,
leaving but one poor, crooked. feeble.
remnant of their departed greatness
to occupy the rest of the estate and
keep their memory green insher faith
full old heart
1t was warm day in June that
stood within the gates of Rocky Mead,
as the place was called, and listened
to part of the family history OF its
former owner from the lips OF old
Juliette, who invited me to d seat nm
der large tree, then seating herself
near by, after apologizing for sitting
in the presence of a white lady. she
said: tI'se powful glad TO see white
On de cep'n de Camps Uses. ley
place h mex to we liis. Our family
war de bes' in Furginin. As she said
this she Strengthened herself Us much
as age and rheumatism would permit.
But" she continued, sadly, "dey,salli
gone; all but me. Ibis down ut de
ole quarters, do da ism much lef, oney
one cabin, dat's mon big cnutf 70 me,
mos times; but wen gifts de ra1igy
il legs an hans, den de worl' ain, big
enuff. But has to stay an look after
de place, kase Use de las one lef' oh
de family, an wen meets ole Marsel
Richard in de mex worl he's boun' TO
az me bote de ole place. Fus thing,
he gwine say: 'Juliette, you alius
would be dc las one, but reckon ives
all together now, an we unite in pray
err jes as he ulster cherry eyenin.s
Marse Richard war a mitey good man.
Ole miss, she dc boss. She lister saw
nobody cher swine conker her; an
shore nuff, nobody ncbber did. She
done oil dc conkerin'. 1t war all long
o her dat my Miss Mary war forced to
marry Marse Campbell's son, an den
all de trubble come.
"My murster hab two sons. Marse
Dick an Robert. Dey iine de army
one mornin' an Miss Mary tease de
life nearly outen me 10 go wild her
down de valley whar de tightin' war
gwine ON. She say she lis wanter see.
der las oh Dick and Bob All de time
! know she was dyin' to see Cap'n
Hunter, Ease she dade in Tub wild him;
an me an Cap'n hunters boy, Long
Jim, was cotiu' too. But we ali
knowed ole miss don sot her min, ON
Miss Mary marryin' Marse Will Camp
bell. lie war orful rich, but he war
ugly as Satan-an dat's a fac. Miss
Mary. so sweet lookin' dat all de
young men in Tub wild her an, she
didn' care for none OBJ EN-, only Cap,n
Hunter. and she say she gwine marry
Jack Hunter or nobody. Ole miss say
de Hunters didn' b'long to de fust fam.
blies an eff cap'n Hunter tempted nav
,tcntion to airy chile oh her'n she
posed to interfere. So cose we dasin,
let her know at Cap'n Hunter were
down dar in de cave under de hill wild
Long Jim waiten for me to fotch him
a letter from Miss Mary, ies' II he
didn't know she gwine to break her
neck almost to see hissef Cam
Hunter war de Grandes' lookin' man i
eber sot my eyes on. He ewes fairly
dance when he saw us bofe comm, m,
he jes TUX Miss Mary up in he arms
and hole on to her and promise never
let her so no more.
But she blush all ober her face and
he say Jim 10 take de horse down "a