Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-06-13
The Governors Pardon
BY E. NJ. GILMER.

TWAS at the Southern Club, anG
IL was growing late. The crowd o.
habitues had long since scattered tt
their evenings diversion. Only in
the smoking room little group had
gathered. closer and closer about the
open fire, in q comradeship that
seemed to shut out the rest Of the
world.
There was Major Overington, with
his long legs stretched out on the
hearth, and young Darlington and
one or two others, while over against
the corner of the mantel sat the col
onel, with his leonine old head
thrown back against the tall, carved
back of his chair. The room was
blue and fragrant with tobacco
smoke. and it was that witching
hour when conventionality is thing
forgotten and men speak from their
souls with an abandon they vaguely
wonder at the next morning; but not
withstanding all this it had been a
rather silent group about the club
room fire, and after bit someone said
something about going home.
"Oh, don't!" said young Caring
ton, fiippantly, taking his eyes of
the colonel's face, where they had
rested for the last few minutes.
.Oh, don't! It's never late till
morning, and then it's early. Be-
sides. the colonel has something to
tell us. I"
The colonel stirred a little in his
chair as il he reused himself, and
then he turned to Major Overington.
Major" he said, 1--WE been home
down South.
II went back to the little town
near which I was raised, and ]
walked about feeling every change
in it. They'd got fine new govern
ment building for a postoffice and
/ went and stood on the steps, trying
to locate old landmarks, but it was
all cruelty new-people and places.
BY and by an old colored man. one
of the polite, old fashioned body
servants--you know, major-came
up with his hat in his hand and
said 'Mornin', marster. 'Howdy
uncle, / said, and he asked: Mars
ter, kin you tell me whar bouts l kin
find de old gin'ral?'
"'General who?' / inquired. ole
Gin'ral Deliv'ry, he answered. My
son sent me word he writ me letter,
an for me jess to come to de pos
Office an AK de ole gin'ral for hit
unraveled the mystery of the postal
system for him, and when he got his
letter and slowed it away in the lin
ing Of his hat, something in the eX-
preston or action struck me with q
sudden familiarity, and / said:
'' Uncle Ike, don't you remember
Dick Buckner?' He looked at me O
moment, and then he seized me in an
embrace that lifted me of the pave
ment. 'Marse Dick y he said. i clar'
TO- gracious / jess didn't known you
in yo' sto' cloes.'
Il took the old man back to the
hotel with me, and we spent the day
talking over old times, and-but l
beg your pardon" said the colonel,
breaking of abruptly, personal
"reminiscences are always bore"
I" Go on" said the major; when
people have reached our ages they
are entitled to their "reminiscences.
There was evidently story in the
colonePs mind that he needed little
urging to tell, but he gave a depre-
eating little wave Of his hand as he
continued:
Il was just remembering Uncle
Ike's story about his young master, "
he said. 1T was something so fine
and dramatic in it's way, we should
say it was touched up if we saw it in
print, but l knew all about it in its
beginnings.
You see, old Ike's young master
and were boys together, plantations
joined. and we were inseperable. We
went to school together, hunted and
fished together, were beaten for the
same juvenile offensos, and when the
war came along we fought it out side
by side. / don't think" said the
Colonel, slowly, 1.-The good God ever
made finer man than Billy Bayn-
ham--handsome, clever, brave, loyal,
he was one OF the men who capture
your fancy by their charms and hold
you by their real worth. There was
fire and vim and enthusiasm about
him that carried everything before
them. Gentle and affectienate as O
woman, too, but under all his airy
sweetness of manner and geniality
was an iron will and determina tion,
and once rouse his hatred, he was
implacable in his dislike.
lit goes without saying that such
afellow as he should have love az
fair, and should love with all the
passionate fervor OF his nature
What is it, Darlington, you beard
less young cynics quote from the
French? In love, one loves, the
other consents to be loved and Billy
loved. 1t began when they were
children, and think none OF US evel
thought OF anything but Billy ent
Diana Worthirgton marrying. Yor
see he was altogether unexceptiona
rs a match, independent OF his infat
uation for her, and. boy or man, HI
never had eyes for any one else. Sh,
was the one woman in the world To-
him, and she held his heart In tn,
palm Of her little hand.
None OF M thought the less o
her that she Was bit Of . coquett'
A~vp--f-