The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-01-22
THE M0CKING BIRD.


cloud had settled upon the fortunes Of tho
house Its fields were devastated by tho
raids " contendlng armies. Horses and
cattle no longer tcnanted the rooiny barns,
the former having been led AWAY for serv-
ice In the Confederate cavalry, while the
1ttcr had been appropriated for food hy
Yankee raiders. The silver plato and the
family jewels had been sent to Richmond
ns patriotic contributions to the depleted
treasury of tho Confodoracy. Many Of tho
slaves had gone To seek their fortunes In
the cooler climate Of the north, and the
few who now remained behind had learned
that they, too would haze to find homes
elsewhere, for with the death of tho young
master on the bloody field of Antietum the
male issue of the Sylvesters had become
extinct and the fortunes of the family had
been lost beyond repair. At first their
faith in their young mistress, Anne Syl-
vester, impellod them to doubt the rumor.
Anne, beautiful young woman of 22,
was the only surviving sister of the former
master. Her affection for the old place
and her servitors was dnmistakable, but it
soon became apparent to all that the I'M
happy girl was indeed face to face with
ruin and was powerless to obey the die
tates of her heart.
For almost year after the surrender
of Lee at Appomattox Anne Sylvester
tried to fight against fate Then, reluc-
family confessing her impotency, she relin-
quished the struggle and prepared to bid
! farewell to the scenes and friends of her
girlhood. A distant relation in Nashville
had offered her a home and in the spring
of 1866 she began to make preparations for
her departure
| On the evening of the day preceding her
leave taking of the old house Anne went
into the garden to sit for awhile among
the shrubs and flowers which had only
lately opened their perfumed petals to tie
warm spring air. She was accompanied
! by her cousin, Mary Edgerton, who was
interchangeable in her efforts TO alleviate the
sorrow of the unfortunate girl.
Upon arriving at "a rustic bench beside
the trunk of lofty oak they seated them
selves, and for several minutes both were
silent.
At length a half smnthered sob issued
from the breast of the unhappy Anne, ard
her cousin, rousing herself from reveyie
into which she, too, had fallen, placed I'll
arm around her and drew her closer.
"Come, dear be brave. Perhaps all
these things You love so fondly may one
day be yours again There must surely
come time when all these ravages of war
will be obliterated, when prosperity will
come back to the south once more. Per
haps'-
"I'm not thinking of that, dear" re
turned Anne sadly.
shadow crossed Mary's face for a mo.
ment Then she opened her lips to speak,
but her cousin interrupted her:
"Ah, things have changed so in the last
four years that sometimes feel that It
will do me good to go elsewhere for a lit
tie while. The old place is full of pleasant
memories, but sometimes get to thinking
out here, Mary
She hid her face in her hands, but in Il
few moments she raised it again.
"See, Mary, see!' she continued as she
pointed to neighboring magnolia. Do
you see that tree? Do you remember how,
on those warm spring nights, the hooking
bird used to sing among the blossoms, and
how often you and have sat out here and
listened to it's musici Year after year it
came while the magnolia was in bloom.
Then one year 1t left us suddenly and has
never visited us again. Do you know what
happened on the night heard it last9 No.
no. How can you know You were not
with me then, Mary"
"Come, darling, calm YOURSELF" re-
monstrated her cousin gently.
"Ill tell you, dear" continued Anne,
more quietly. st has been the only one
of all my secrets that l never told you of.
1t is just four years ago tonight since
sat here with Andrew Cotton, listening &c
the hooking bird, as you and l SO often
used to do, and never before had it's notes
seemed half so beautiful. Andrew and
had been talking of our future and of the
home that he was going to take me to.
''At last, while the hooking bird was
singing, while, with my head resting on
his shoulder, was looking over the moon
lit lawn and through the dark cluster Of
poplars-at the castles we had been build
ing in the air-he gently told me of his
purpose to enlist in the ranks of the mer
who had invaded our country and laid il
waste AS he spoke my heart rebellot
, against him and babe me cast him out.
rose and ordered him to leave me- HI
J protested, but 1 refused to listen to VIVA
J he had to say l told him he had beef
, false to me and traitor to the state tt
] which we both owed allegiance. Then
turned away and left him standing ther,
alone.
"The night after our quarrel l wen
into the garden, hoping in my heart tina
would find him there, but resolved tina
If he spoke to me would treat him as
had done the night before He did no
come again, and since he left have no
5 heard from him. But, Mary, do you know
that since the moment when / told hin
that all was at an end between us th'
sweet voice that used to come to us from
the magnolia tree has not been heard agaiI
by any one about the place? That is VIII!
this old garden has become distasteful Il
me, and l am not as sorry to leave it a
you fancied l might be.
"Do You love him still?" asked Mar.
softly as she took her cousins hand.
, "Yes," answered Anne as dark flusl
mantled her brow. "If, after what he tolt
me, he had altered his intention because o
his fear Of losing me, should have de
spised him. 1 hated the convictions h
professed, but l respected them becaus
, his conscience told him they were true. !
he had been false to his conscience, thel
he might have been false to me in late
! years.