The Cape Girardeau Democrat., 1895-10-19


THANK de Lawd. marster," said
Hannah. Il sho' is glad ter see yer
back. Take dis cheer by de fire.
dustiug that article with her handker-
chief the while, though it was already
spotless-''Set dar en- warm yer po'
tired feet, en- lem me git yer sum sup
per"
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 clatter to
put off the evil moment when the i'll
| tidingS must be told.
Col. Henson made no reply, but
looked through the window at the va
cant spot where his home once stood,
and at the grave just beyond the box
borders of the garden. showing red
dish yellow in the last rays OF the set
ting sun.
His face, though sad, was not hope
| less, for despite the issues OF the war
and the desolation surrounding him, he
was expecting each moment to hear his
| daughters voice and to feel her arms
around his neck. lie had been alone
in his sorrow so long! Why did she not
| come? At last he turned to Hannah
and said: Where is Mary?"
''Oh, marster, who is to tell you bout
dat? l can't" and throwing her apron
over her head she rocked to and fro,
shaking with sobs.
Speak, woman" said the colonel,
sternly; lis 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 get yer out"
Married? And to whom?"
Ter 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 a
Yankee like pizen, love is stronger
dan hate. en- she loved him"
Col. Henson said nothing, but he
| looked like n man who had received
! his death blow.
Hannah llnelt at his feet, pouring
out from her heart protestations of
| loyalty and affection, and from 4
stocking she had taken from her pock-
ct two hundred dollars 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:
Use gwine ter stay wild yer, mars
ter; case dat's what promised ole miss
when she wus on her dyin' bed, wild
one han in my han en- de oder in Miss
| Marv'S. But she looked at me last, en-
she say in whisper: You'll stay wild
! dem. Hannah?' en- l answered: Fore
God, l will, while dere's bref in my
body en- l ain goin' back on promus
ter be daid, not if l know it,"
| As she rose to her feet Col. Henson
said: Keep the money for yourself,
Hannah" and with an imperious wave
of his hand: Never let me hear my
daughters name again"
And that was all he would say.
Hannah cooked for him, saw that he
slept comfortably, and tried in many
ways to arouse his old-time interest in
the farm. 1t was all in vain. A men,
| tai paralysis seemed to have settled
down upon him that nothing could
dispel.
"He jes' lax dade man walkin',"
| Hannah said to her husband. lies
| got a look on his face lax he wus see
in through eternity. He nebber say
nuthin', he go erlong cherry mawnin'
ter ole miss's grave, en- dar he sets
| He won read nur write, nur nuttin'."
ale gwine go crazy sum er desc
| davs." answered Jake, dolcfully.
He look so curious outen his eyes"
Hannah continued, Il gittin' 'fraid ter
let him set thar by hesclf all day. |
t'inll I'll make Sugy-IIoney stay dar
moseIy, so she kin tell me eff he try ter
| hurt heself."
Jake assented to this, and after am
pie explanat it was understood be-
tween the three that SuGy-Honey was
to be valet de chambre to Col. Henson.
She well remembered her young mis-
tress, whom she adored with an affec-
tion the mistress of to-day never
knows. The knowledge that Miss
| Mary would want her to stay with
''marster" touched a responsive chord
in her heart. She could not do too
| much. Each day thereafter found her
| in attendance. Sometimes, in an OBJ
! trusive corner, she rubbed the knives;
at other times she softly played check
| erS on an old shawl; but whatever her
apparent occupation, hands, feet and
eyes were always at his service. If he
happened to be thirsty, she brought
the colonel fresh water; if sleepy, she
beat up the pillow on his lounge, and
| famed him while he took a nap.
Sometimes she sat with stray news
paper in her hand pointing out the
letters and making them into words;
for her young mistress had taught her
a little, and told her to try and learn
more.
Col. Henson seemed scarcely con-
scious of her presence. He appeared
to be silently sinking into the grave,
for the mental and physical suffering
he had endured. His daughters mar
riage seemed to have been final blow
that almost dethroned his reason.
Just at this juncture Hannah re-
ceived letter from Mary, which she
brought to Sugy- to read. Mary