The Portland daily press., 1895-11-13
SUGY.HONEY'S WORK.

There was no polnp Or ceremony at >the
christening Of SugyHoney; neither would
the most visionary astrologer nave Ell
dowed her with mission.
Her mother was the favorite maid of Il
pretty Georgia girl before the days of Sc
cession and had given to her baby tins
queer sounding name, because, Us she ex-
planned to her young mistress;
"Sugar is sweet, en- SO Is honey, en- dc
baby is sweeter dan elder, en- SO lie
named her fer bofe."
Mary Henson laughed at her servant 5
fancy, but she was an indulgent mistress
and made no real objection, SO that Han
nah's baby was herceforth known to Ha-
eel Dell farm as Sugy Honey.
To mistress and maid. as to mother and
child, the happy years went by without pre-
sage of the horrors of war in store for thet
summer land and that sunny hearted PEG
pie Yet when the first gun of Fort SUM
ter sent it's thunderous echoes round the
world, it found Mary's father already the
colonel of regiment on his way to join
his command, leaving his plantation to
the care Of his wife and daughter and a
few trusted servants. These kad proved
themselves faithful in days of peace and
prosperity They were now to be found
not less SO through years Of adversely and
peril Hannah with Jake, her husband,
and Sugy-Honey were the main house
servants 'A.l own i'll the world and all
1 love I leave III your hands, z" we've the
last words of Colonel Henson as he rode
away, and events proved that he knew in
whom he could trust.
The day came at last when the war,
with all its changes, was over, and Han
nah had heard that her master was coming
home.
Four years of civil strife had left their
impress on hillside and valley, as we'll in
the hearts of the people. The Henson man
sion, which had been built in colonial
times, of stone brought as ballast from the
mother country, was now heap of ruins,
and its ashes had been trampled by sway
ing lines of men grappled together in the
deadly struggle for victory. Another I'M
pressive symbol Of the family misfortunes
was newly made grave ip the little fam
lily burying ground where an inscription
OH slab of white pima told to those who
cared to read that the mother of the house
hold had closed her eyes to the sorrows of
time. Hannah was making ready for her
master little room in the corner of the
yard called an office, which, with her own
cabin, were the only buildings left stand
ing. While thus occupied she was expound-
ing her troubles to Sugy-Honey, who was
diligently scrubbing the floor.
''Dese here is quare times, Sugy- Honey,
tell you Everybody gon off de place but
you en- me, en- yer daddy, en- po' ole miss
daid wild heartbreak, case Miss Mary went
dot Vanlyao I'm v,a1-
I gwine ter tell marster when he cum?
jes lax ter know dat!'
Sugy-Honey did not essay to solve this
problem, but, giving her scrubbing brush
an extra dig, she said:
NANNY, does you reckin marster will
TAX on bout Miss Mary gittin married LAX
ole miss did?''
"Sho, chile ole miss didn't keer SO much
fer herself. She done give up ter take
whatebber de Lawd sem. Twas jes' case
she knowed how marster wus gwine rar
when he git home"
The clicking of the little gate broke in
on the conversation, and turning they saw
Colonel Henson standing at the door.
He had been handsome man, but hard
ship and suffering had left their mark
upon him, and he looked old and worn
''Thank de Iawd, marster,'' said Han,
nah. 81 sho is glad ter see you back Take
dis cheer by de fire. --dusting that article
with her handkerchief the while, though
it was already spotless. "Set dar en- warn
yer po', tired feet on lem me git yer sun
supper.
Hannah knew he had heard of his wife's
death and of the destruction of the house
but no one had told him of the detection
Of his daughter, and she was seeking With
hustle and chatter to put off the evil mo
ment when the ill tidings must be told.
Colonel Henson made no reply, bit
looked through the window at the vacant
spot where his home once stood, and at
the grave just beyond the box borders oi
the garden, showing a reddish yellow il
the last rays Of the setting sun.
His face, though sad, was not hopeless,
for, despite the issues Of the war and the
desolation surrounding him, he was ex-
pecting each moment to hear his daugh-
ter's voice and to feel her arms around his
neck. He had been alone in his sorrow SO
long! Why did she not come? At last he
turned to Hannah and said, "Where is
Mary?"
ooh, marster, who is ter tell you bout
dat? l can't And throwing her apron
over her head she rocked to and fro, shak
ing with sobs.
''Speak, woman" said the colonel stern
ly SIS she dead?'
Hannah uncovered her face and looked
at him. When he looked and talked like
that, she knew she must obey.
"She is married, en- when she heard you
wus in prison she en- her husband say dey
gwine git you out"
married? And to whom"
'fTer dat capting whar cum long here
wild Gineral Sherman. He took keer oh
her en- ole miss when de house wus burnt,
en- though she hated Yankee like pizen
love is stronger dan hate, en- she loved
him. -
Colonel Henson said nothing, but he
looked like man who had received his
deauhblow.
Hannah knelt at his feet, pouring out
from her heart protestations of loyalty and
affection and from stocking she had tax
en- from her pocket 5000 in gold She
begged him to take the money; she had
made it in various ways and saved it for
him. And then she added:
''I'ze gwino ter stay wild you, marster;
case OATS what l promised ole miss when
she wus on her dyin bed, wild one han in