The Coconino weekly sun., 1895-10-17
heir mark upon him, and he looked

uuSVuS that drticle Win ncr nanQkcr-
chief the while, though it was already
spotless-"Sct dar en- warm yer no
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. 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?"
| "Oh, marster, who is to tell you bout
dat? 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 ut 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 OBJ 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 a man who had received
his death blow.
Hannah knelt at his feet, pouring
out from her heart protestations OF
loyalty and affection, and from q
stocking she had taken from her posk.
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 ham in my han en- de oder in Mis-.
Mary'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- ain goin' back on a promu.
ter be daid, not il 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 hi
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. "He'.
: got look on his face lax he wus see
in through eternity He nebber say
, nuthin', he go erlong cherry mawnin
r ter ole MISS grave, en- dar he sets
He won read nur write, nur nuttin'.
: ale gwine go crazy sum er des,
days" answered Jake. dolefully.
Hannah continued, II gittin' 'fraid lei
) let him set thar by hesclf all day.
, t'ink I'll make Sugy-Honey stay dal
I mosely, so she kin tell me eff he try tel
hurt heself"
Jake assented to this, and after am
pie explanation it was understood be
tween the three that Sugy-Honey wal
; She we'll remembered her young mis-
tress, whom she adored with an affec
ton the mistress of to-day never
knows. The knowledge that Mis-.
Mary would want her to stay with
''marster" touched responsive chorG
in her heart. She could not do too
much Each day thereafter found hei
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 hel
apparent occupation, hands, feet ant
eyes were always at his service. If hi
happened to be thirsty, she brough
the colonel fresh water; if sleepy, she
beat up the pillow on his lounge. and
famed him while he took nap
Sometimes she sat with stray news
paper in her hand pointing out tn,
letters and making them into words;
for her young mistress had taught hei
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 sh,
brought to Sugy- Honey to read. Mar.
\ n u l. r.. L