Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1894-11-08

per TO each other some tale nerhans
OF Ia: other scenes than these of DAVIS
when the peaceful valley was such
scene OF human strife that the birds
una oees, and even the sweet wild |
roses That thrived there in unmolested
possession, disappeared, to return In
after years and find a picture Of mite,
oesolation. 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-
gether, tghting, each fora 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
nhenandoah valley that came across
one OF those living relics. She was
only poor old negro woman, who had |
been slave, and who, even after a
quarter OF century of freedom, had
almost failed to realize that she was
Tree. There was nothing particular to
recommend her to ones notice or call |
attention to her forlorn situation. She
mad been left all alone in the world
in her own words: 1.-THE last of the
Vardens," and, judging from the grand
mir 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 u
grand old southern home before the
Wharf.-The home of the Vardens.
All that remained of the house, two
tumbling chimneys, was overgrown
by some kind of vine, which gave a
sort of picturesque beauty to the for
saken scene. A little to the left and
just in sight of where the house had
been was an Enclosure, in the ce1ter
of which stood a tall monument sur
rounded by smaller gravestones, 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 in her faith
full old heart.
IT 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 seat un-
der large tree, then seating herself
near by, after apologizing for sitting
In the presence of white lady, she
said: "rse powful glad to see white
folks cep'n de common trash wat Ibis
down in de valley. De fus families is
Ill dade cep'n de Campbellses. Dey
place is mex to we alls. Our family
war de hes in Furginia." AS she said
this she Strengthened herself as much
us age and rheumatism would permit.
But" she continued sadly, "dey's all
cone: all but me. ! Ibis down at de
ole quarters, do da ism much lef oney
one cabin. OATS mon big enutf TO me,
mos times; but wen l gifts de rallgy
in legs an hams, den de worl' ain big
enuff. But has to stay an look after
dc place. kasc Use de las one lef' OBJ
de family, an wen | meets ole Marse
Richard In de mex worl' he's boun' to
NIX me bote de ole place. Fus thing
he gwine say: 'Juliette, you allus
would be de las one, but reckon Yves
all together now, an we unite i'll pray
err les as he lister cherry evenlu'
Marse Richard war mitey good man.
Ole miss. she de boss. She lister say
nobody ebcr gwine conker her. an
shore huff, nobody nebber dla. one
done all de conkerin' 1t war all long
o',her dat my Miss Mary war forced TO
marry Marse Campbells son, an den
all de trubble come.
"My marster hab two sons Marse
Dick an Robert. Dey Jine de army
one mornin' an Miss Mary tease dc
life nearly outen me to go wld her
down de valley whar dc fightin war
rwine on. She say she Jls wanuel seo
Dor. las oh Dick and Bob All dc time
know she was dyin' to see Capn
Hunter, kase she dade in luo VIA nm
an me an Cap'n Hunters boy Long
lin, was cotin' too But we al
Viewed ole miss don sot her min on
Miss Mary marryin' Marse Will camp
hall He war orful rich, but ne war
,olv a. satan-an OATS fac MISS
Mary SO sweet lookin' dat al uo
Young men in Tub wild her an c. sno
s5ss,,, o,ra for none OBJ EN-, only zap
Muntsr and she say she gwlne marry
~, Hunter or nobody. Ole mss say
a. HUNTERS didn' b'long to de fus' IAN
lilies an eff Cap'n Hunter 'empt ,', p eha
,tention to airy chile 90 her 4 1as a
,nosed to interfere, So cose we uaS
po' - lnow at Cap'n Hunter were
sev 10 d.r in de cave under de nh WIZ
~ ~ lin waiten for me to 1o.cn pin
1 In,tsr from Miss Mary, Jes u ne
didn't know she gwine 70 ure' Cam
reck Almost to see nlsSe, mapT
If,,n ter war de grandes loohln Ia t";n,r
nun 'e 81 NV eyes on. He eyes AIRY
eoei .hen he saw us bofe comm an
uan sos wi, Miss Mary up in ne arms
he Jes tuh w. her and promise never
let her go no more :, or her face and
he saw Jim to take de hor fp. 60 o we TUX
nc. ne Soy ;ream and cool him on 50 WI ia
the SUI. SUI m in de woods back o. ue
oe nos ID tic him to tree wines NJ, ~.
cave ano w down on the grass blns ne
nv we heard big rump ,ia in de- valley
thunder and saw ae sinos ,.,rnip' todes
rs ssV wild Mis-+Iary ,OOE ano i, and suuseas
Cana G %S luater kiss aaF N'n ''S 'S1'