The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1895-10-16

~ 4 IRWIN CTOlOScT nave Gil
49, 1M" bowed her with
mission.
Her mother was the favorite maid of
pretty Georgia girl before the days
of secession, and had given her baby
this queer-sounding name because, as
she explained to her young mistress:
Sugar is sweet, en- so is honey, en-
de badly is sweeter dan elder, en- so Use
named her fer bofe."
Mary Henson laughed at her serv-
ants fancy, but she was an indulgent
mistress and made no real objection,
SO that Hannah's baby was henceforth
known to Hazel Dell farm as ''Sugy-
Honey"
To mistress and maid, as to mother
and child, the happy years went by
with presage of the honors of war in
store for that summer land and that
sunny-hearted people. Yet when the
first gun of Fort Sumpter sent its thun-
derous echoes round the world, it
found Mary's father already the colonel
of regiment on its way to join his
command, leaving his plantation to
the care of his wife and daughter and
a few trusted servants. These had
proved themselves faithful in the days
of peace and prosperity. They were
now to be found not less SO through
years of adversely and peril. Hannah,
with Jack, her husband, and Sugy-
Honey were the main house servants.
"All own in the world and all I love
leave in your hands, were the last
words of Col. 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
Hannah had heard that her master was
coming home.
Four years of civil strife had left
their impress on the hillside and val
ley, as well as in the hearts of the peo-
pie. The Henson mansion, 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. An
other impressive symbol of the family
misfortunes was a newly-made grave
where an inscription on slab of
white pine 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 standing. While
thus occupied she was expounding her
troubles to Sugy-Honey, who was dill
gently scrubbing the floor.
''Dese here is quare times, Sugy-
Honey, tell yer. Eberbody gon off
de place but you en- me, en- yer daddy;
en- po' ole miss dade wild heartbreak,
case Miss Mary went en- marry dat
Yankee capting. En- what is 1 gwine
ter tell marster when he cum? I jess
lax to know dat!"
Sugy-Honey did not essay to solve
this problem, but giving her scrubbing
brush an extra dig, she said:
NANNY, does yer reckon marster
will TEX on bout Miss Mary gittin'
married lax ole Miss did?"
''Shol chile, ole Miss didn't keer SO
uuCu 1CT hoTSCI1, BIC OOuc give up UeT
take whatebber de Lawd sem; twas
jess 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 Col. Henson standing at the
door.
He had once been a handsome man,
but hardship and suffering had left
their mark upon him, and he4ooked
old and worn.
THANK de Lawd. marster," said
Hannah. 81 sho' is glad ter see yer
back. Take dis cheer by de fire.
busting 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-"