The advocate., 1895-09-18
piled eagerly. "It may be one story will
illuminate the other. +"
CHAPTER XII.

the prime cause of this feud. But she
had nothing whatever to do with it,
though I believe she declined the honor
of becoming your grandmother, Major
OVerton said, sinking wearily back In
his chair. After q minute he went on:
81 was born in Carolina; was q stout
lad Of when we came over the noun
tains, 80 l remember very well how
Jincey, my mothers maid, moaned and
wept on the way, and how the other ne
groes laughed and said tauntingly that
she was crying for her sweetheart, who
had been left behind, though my father
tried hard to bring him. Bob's master
was willing to part with him, but Bob
himself, it seems, had another string to
his bow. At any rate, he declined to
leave Carolina for a new, unknown
country, and six months later some one
wrote my mother that he had married
the yellow maid Of his young masters
wife. Jincey was just 18 then, a slim,
supple, stealthy thing, quick as q fash
in all her movements. When my mother
told her the news that Bob was married,
she got ashy and staggered against the
wall, but said no word. The next Satur-
day night she was married to old Isaac
Bell, the most famous conjurer in the
country, hideous, toothless old fellow,
who looked all Of 80. My mother tried
in vain to change her purpose. Jincey
swore that she loved him; had no use for
young niggers. So she had her way, and
old Ike became a nightly visitor, his
masters plantation lying broadside to
ours. Soon Jincey became SO slow and
careless about her duties that my mother
said to her, If you cannot do better, I
must put you to spinning. OATS whut
1 want, she said sullenly, and from that
day forward she spent her time in her
cabin. She was aswift worker when she
chose Often her task was done by noon.
Afterward she roamed woods and fields,
staying away sometimes till after mid
night The other negroes stood in NOR
tai terror of her; said she was worse
conjurer than her old husband, who, odd
ly enough; seemed years younger after
the marriage
mo doubt you think / am wander
ing, garrulous. Wait till / am through,
then judge if it be so. Though my par
ents always treated Jincey with the ut
most kindness, I am sure she hated
them, with the wild, unreasoning hate
of passionate ignorance If, she reason
ed, they had not brought her away from
the old home, Bob would be her hus-
band instead of that hated yellow girls,
though no doubt, had she married him,
she would have been glad after little
to cast him aside. 1t was the thwarting
of her passion that gave it force and
constancy. God forgive me if l wrong
her, but believe my mother died at her
hand Of some subtle, sudden poison; my
young brothers and sisters as we'll I am
sure, too, that her hand took away our
deeds, of course by connivance Of those
outside, who made away with the rec
Ords.
$50 l have believed for years. Latter
ly / have found clew, faint, but tangi-
BILE enough to give hope of development
You see, 1 speak frankly toyou, my en-
emy, for 1 payU you the compliment of
feeling that it is safe to do so"
Surely said Allen. ELSE why
should I be here? 1t must be as you say.
Is this woman still living?"
Major Overton nodded. The other
Eent on.
Yesterday the humor seized me to go
through my grandfather's secretary. Did
Tou know him. sir? He must have been
lear your age"