The Yale expositor., 1895-06-14
CHAPTER III.-(ContinuedD


talks too much wild you mouf."
Aunt Winney gave up further ques-
ton with a chuclile, and said:
Honey, you is de chile o. you
nanny, shore"
All this time the old black woman
was ironing shirts and occasionally
hanging one on the dry-horse near the
open door; and when she hung up the
last one she was startled to find her
old master standing in the door behind
the shirts. If woman as black sshe
could turn pale, Aunt Winney would
have been white with fear.
win, your boy has more sense than
you have; he don't talk. It's all right,
Pomp; the paper don't amount to any
thing; but you needn't talk about it
either of you, do you hear?"
Both said eyes, sah," in tone which
meant obedience, and the old man went
out. lie knew the negro character
perfectly, and though he did not
know just how old WInney knew
about the paper, he was certain Pom
pey had not told, and that both with
n wholesome dread of the raw-hide
would now keep silent.
The next day old Tom made small
rude envelope of half sheet of paper,
inclosed the memorandum found in the
carriage, and privately handed it to
Myra with these words:
Let nobody know about this. Some
day it may be worthy something to
you; and don't open it till tell YOU"
This Mrs. Blake promised to do, plac-
ing the paper for the present in the
bosom of her dress for safe-keeping.
And for years that paper was not men
toned by the one or opened by the
other.
AS Gray Sulphur Springs and its in
habitants now drop out of sight for
several years, let us have good look
at Sam Blake before leaving him.
In his youth Samuel Blake had been
a lad of much promise. He was genial
and made friends wherever he went.
AS he reached manhood he developed
into what his friends called "a model
Kentuckian"-six feet high, we'll pro-
portioned with fine brown hair, gray
eyes, a ruddy complexion, and
altogether fine-loolSing man; and,
away from the idleness incident
to the system of African slavery, would
no doubt have made an industrious and
useful man. Even as it was, he ex-
hibited talent for business which
made him useful TO his father in man
aging the considerable business con-
nected with the Gray Sulphur hotel.
lie was accustomed to act as host to-
ward the visitors, for which Office old
Tom was hardly qualified. But under
the influences which surrounded him
he had in later years become gambler
and horse racer. This the old man
had borne until it threatened ruin to
his estate, when they quarreled and
the father cut him off from all inherit
ance. When his brother and nephew
disappeared, however, Sam Blake con-
ceived the scheme of marrying the
widow, reformed his ways, and was
now doing his best to accomplish that
object and to regain the good will of
his father How he prospered in the
III so ID diicduy hhONu' buI lIOlh sheeI
necessity the old man had permitted
him more and more to manage all but
the financial affairs of the Springs; and
at the time of his visit to Cincinnati,
Sam Blake was apparently master of
ceremonies at the Springs. And so he
continued throughout the next ten
years-still unsuccessful in his suit for
Myra's hand, and still hopefully max
ing love to his brothers widow.
For years the father was urged to
destroy the will, out without result.
The medal and chain was secured for
Little Joe" to hide in his shoe if at
tackled by robbers, and they left for
Ohio.