The Portland daily press., 1896-04-04

oVertureS to the Crosses. But IN some
way she had withstood it. Their house,
Cross Trees, stood some eight miles
from West Brook, the Morris home
stead. A fine big plantation this native
alien had bought Yearly it grew finer
and bigger Tony was coming now upon
his domain. For its last two miles the
mill road lay through it, Either hand
fields in full heart and tilth stretched 80
far the trees trimming them in wore a
veil of soft haze. Fences were trig and
tall, clean of brake or brier, with smart
painted gates leading from one field to
another. Everything indeed breathed
of prosperous thrift. Stirred as her
heart was, Tony cried aloud her delight
in the sight of it all. Here were grassy
stretches, with sleek young thorough
breds at Craze. A little way on mares,
with each foal at foot, stopped their
feeding to gaze refectively after the
passersby, then call apprehensively to
the young things frisking or racing one
with another over the thick green turf.
Farther yet yearling mules trooped
after the big bell mare or stuck heads
across fence to bray stentorously to
their fellows broken to harness and
stepping delicately as they ''sided"
young corn, now midleg high.
Wheat was forwarder still, we'll in
the boot, and of the richest golden green
that tie south wind ruf1ed in long sat-
my ripples Beside it loamy breadths
lay warm and brown, oheckered with
tiny hill, ready for tobacco setting
Mammy's eyes grew covetous, though
she tried to make them soornful.
''Behole de wicked stan's in great
power she said, ser GROWN an er
spreadin lex er green bay tree. But neb-
Der yo' min, honey-he git his come
uppanoe somehow-be cut down lek er
'cumbranoe er de groun an ha'ter go
whar de wu'im is metty libely an de
fire not squinched -
ooh, 7 hope notl" Tony said. 81
hate Mr.. Cross as much as ought, but
it is because he was wicked and cruel,
not because he has the things would
like to have and have not got. II we
had home like this, wouldn't we take
pride in it? Yet / have heard that the
only child the Crosses have is nearly al
ways away. y
''He amt stay yere much," Nanny
admitted. isis May johnson she say
Cunnel Cross low he want de boy ter go
ter dat soldier school-Wes' Pint dee
calls hit-case he wanter see i'm er
officer an er gentemun. took all tole
Sis May, I did. He may go dar tell
de COWS come home, hit not gwine ter
make him no quality-oase quality
ha ter be borned-dee not nebber made. %
Tony made no answer. Her eyes were
fast upon the black mule which in the
last few yards had begun to falter and
reel
"Get out, Nanny, quick" she said,
herself scrambling agilely over the wag-
on side. "Nanoe has given out Help
me get her in the shade there under
that big wild cherry. Then you must
wait here until can get something,
somewhere, to put in her place"
"Yo' can't do dat" Nanny said
dolefully. "Eberybody SO busy in de
crap now dee 'oon't hep yo' fer lub ner
money. Dat is, 'cep'in dis yere Harp
Cross l spec he mought, but sholy yo'
amt gwine dar ter ak 'im?"
"There is nothing else to be done, "
Tony said, lifting her head proudly.
Besides / rather think I shall like to
see the man. Of course need not let
him know who am
Don't you b'leeve de half er dat, -
Nanny returned promptly. ''Harp
Cross nebber wus no fool. He members
de Morris favor too we'll not ter know
hit fur as he kin see hit. But CIV 'an ef
you's gwine. De's rain, an plenty OBJ
hit, comm torrectly."
4 y
1t was sweltering hot, even upon the
lawn at Cross Trees. 1t was the velvet
lest turf, fleoked now with dancing
shadow. touched here or there with
fame of bedding plants just coming into
| flower. A wide house, low and gray,
sat upon the green. 1t had deep piazza
and Hospitality open doors Gay oush-
iony red armed chairs sat here and
there. A wickerwork table Uttered
with gay silks was pushed back against
the house wall. There was couch, too,
also wicker, heaped with down cush-
ions in fresh linen covers. Another ia
BILE stood at the head Of it and was piled
with the latest books and magazines.
| Where the tree shadows were thiokest a
gorgeous hammock swung. The ocou-
pant of it was tall, well made, lightly
bronzed and thoroughly at ease. One
arm lay higher than his head, the other
dropped over the hammock edge, hold
ing bit of scented green stuff betwixt
thumb and finger.
Two people upon the piazza ever and
anon turned fond eyes upon him. Colo
mel Harper Cross and his wife had not
yet got their fill of looking at their sol
dier son, now but two days home OF
! leave, and for the first time since he was