Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-06
A DESPERATE FOE. 1850
ATALE OF THE TENNESSEE BLUE GRASS.

lingering over the lovely earth, like
lover loath to part from his hearts idol,
giving a golden tinge to fields of tasseling
corn and great stretches IF stubble land,
where browsed herds of Jersey cattle
and southern sheep. The soft balrny air
was full of the fragrance of new mown
hay. flushed was the hum of the busy
bee All insect life seemed to have fall
en- into a drowsy sleep. No sound mar
red the stiffness, save the clanking of
trace chains in the distance to the slow
measured step of the mule, as the plow-
man wendell his way homeward through
the evenings falling dew, which glisten-
ed on the dying leaves of the flowers his
pillow had slain during the day.
On this delicious solitude the sound of
horses hoofs broke with the harsh clang
the clatter of the outer world Arthur
Hereford was returning home on this
August evening after an absence of four
years in Europe. The carriage in which
he sat, drawn by the two high stepping
bays with coats soft and sleek, turned
off from the turnpike through the iron
gates that swung from massive stone
pillars. on to the gravelled carriage way
that leads up to the hall, one of the
oldest and prettiest places in Middle
Tennessee. Time destroys something's
but beauties others, and the hall with
the flight of years had fallen into a sort
of picturesque neglect which gave ii an
undesirable air of mystery and romance.
This was heightened by the thick tim
bers that surrounded it; for it was beau
tifully situated on a knoll in the midst
of hundred and fifty acre lawn of elm
oak, ash. maple and poplar trees. The
front yard sloped southwark and was
thlckly set in blue grass, shaded by mag
nolia, spruces and heml9cks, transplant
ed there from their native heath. The
gardens lay on the north side Of the
house and had a look of riotous luxuri-
ance with their beds of lilies poppies
peonies and verbenas vieing with each
other in hue and growth. Breaking
through their borders Of mignonette and
violet, they leave but a faint trace of the
master-hand that trained them with so
much artistic care-a care seen in the
clustering mass of ivy, Grape myrtle,
mimsa, roses and honeysuckles that
grew dank and close in the neglected
shrubbery like the old trellis work of a
mothers love in the background of a
life that has run to weeds. The glass in
the hothouse was broken, and the suns
mer house was almost hidden from view
by the rankness Of Wisteria and elem
ats vines, which had been allowed to
run al will fitting place for the trag-
edy soon to be enacted there.
1t was up to these grounds that Arthur
was being driven. The green velvety
grass of the lawn-wth now and then
patches of pennyroyal and thistles.
whose down floated and quivered on the
low south wind, that parted the network
OF the leaves, letting the last rays of
the sun simmer through-fOrmed a car
pet odorous and spicy. The day was
fast passing away. The mellow amber
light was growing deeper and clearer.
The bees that had hummed themselves
to sleep lay slLmbering in the heart of
opening roses. The butterflies had folded
their beautiful, gauzy wings and lay at
rest beneath the glossy leaves of the
nlacs. The outskirts of the lawn where
the daylight fingered seemed, with the
grass, thistle and pennyroyal underfoot
and the great trees rising on every side,
like the entrance to some mysterious
fairy palace, where mortal should pene-
trate with bated breath.
As the carriage rolled slowly along his
dark eyes looked lovingly out over this
enchanted favored spot where he first
saw the light of day. At the stile some
Jersey cows were standing, quietly chew
ing their cud. while milk dripped from
their over-full udders. out from their
meek eyes they seemed to give him an
old-time welcome He had written to
Col. Ludlow, his kinsman and lessee Of
the hail. during his absence abroad that
he would sail from Southampton the last
of July, and on arriving in New York
would leave Immediately for his old
Florence, were very much provoked at
his coming to visit them just at the time
Leonie Carroll Col Ludlows ward, was
with them. My dear. If l were you, |
would impress it upon Leones mind
that [ had claim on him." said Mrs.
Ludlow to Florence one evening when
they were alone together in the library
discussing Arthurs coming. Men who
are worn, weary, tired of the follies of
fashionable life are easily attracted by
young, innocent and pretty face
Rest assured, mother DEAR that 1 will
play my cards we'll" she replied, while
cruel smile played around her coral
lips.
She was a proud. dark-eyed woman of
stately build with blue-black silken hair
and had that patrician cast of features,
the inheritance of a long line of ances-
tors Of wealth. refinement and culture.
She knew she was awarded handsome
even by her enemies, and she intended
to show off her beauty to the best adj
vantage during Arthurs visit. With
this end in view she had ordered sew
eral new frocks, running her father
deeper in debt, for her allowance was
not sufficient to supply half her wants.
IL was beginning to be whispered around
and there were many who lent a will
ing ear to the rumor for Florence was
not loved by her associates, although
she dictated to them who should and
cratic circle in which she moved-that
Col Ludlow was on the eve of breaking
and that the evil hour was being put
off by using his wards money.
leonie, who was an orphan, was an
heiress. Her father and mother died
of the yellow fever in Memphis in
1878. Col. Richard Ludlow. friend and
cassmate of her father at the UNIVERSE
~ of Virginia, had been appointed her
guardian. Col. Ludlow had become very
much attached to his ward, who had
just turned her 18th year and was spend
ing the summer with her guardians
family prepare tory to leaving for New
York to finish her study of music. There
We're net many handsomer girls. Tall,
slight, with long, dark lashes that
shaded violet blue eyes, her features
were eXquisitely transparent. a little
triste, sometimes naughty and intellectu-
al, she was girl that possessed a great
deal of firmness of character. There
was nothing sordid or selfish in her ma
ture, which spols some peoples lives
and makes those around them unhappy.
1t was this girl with her beauty, youth
and innocence-whose sole companions
Were her books and music, of which she
was passionately fond. and her dreams:
for where is the girl who does not
fhrallpb roca-anlnred SppctaoIaS enc