The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-09-17
war wiped cut third of the town before

war wiped out a third of the town before
war was hardly more than holiday.
For few days after learning of this
disaster the Percys talked of leaving
the valley for some point farther south,
but just as they had made up their
minds to 90 Mrs. Percy fell seriously
ill, and that occurrence checkmated all
plans for leaving Rest Haven.
The servants who had fled from the
house at Winchester did not return,
but with hundreds of other colored peo-
pie made their way to Harper's Ferry
and thence to Washington. Uncle Ben
was the only one left, and but for the
presence of Mrs. Baxter the ladies
would have been in sore straits. The
slaves, male and female, were escaping
from the villages and plantations in
droves, and the two or three women
whom Uncle Ben induced to enter into
service at the Haven disappeared with
the first dark night.
While Marian Percy felt distrust of
Mrs. Baxter, the woman was so re-
spectful in demeanor and rendered her.
self in all ways so useful that the feel
ing rather diminished than increased.
Uncle Ben, on the contrary, grew to
hate her worse and worse as time passed
on. He could not conceal his dislike
of her, though he restrained his tongue
from denunciation. He realized that
under the circumstances it was not only
policy but duty to do SO. One day he
found opportunity to say to Marian:
Miss Sunshine, doyo' member what
dun told yo' befo' we left Winchester
bout dat Missus Baxter?'
Yes" she replied, "but think you
were mistaken. She Is little queer
about some things, but on the whole
very good woman. don't know how
We could have got along without her.
"Mebbe was mistooken, "said Uncle
Ben as he thoughtfully scratched his
head, but dar's heap O. things can't
jest make out. Who yo' reckon dun bin
writin letters to her?'
Her husband probably"
Den why don t dem letters cum wild
yo' mail when 1 dun bring it up? I'ze
seen strange man ridin by on mewl
who brought letters to her three or TO
times. I'ze seen her writin letters two
or three times, but she nebber did send
'em to town by me. What all dat mean,
Miss Sunshine?'
''Oh, it's just her queer way, Uncle
Ben, and there is nothing to worry
about. replied Marian, though his
statements filled her with surprise.
"Quare ways, eh? Waal, I'ze gwine
to keep boat my eyes open all de time.
Sunthin gwine to cum from all dis.
Miss Sunshine. Sunthin bound to come.
White folks doan' act dat way onless dey
means mischief. I hain't gwine to say
muffin to nobody, but I'ze gwine to be
prepar'd fur trouble!'
When Mrs. Percy fell ill, Ben sue
ceeded in securing for awhile the serv-
ices of an old colored woman who SEEM
ingly had no longing for liberty, and
such assistance as the neighbors could
extend was freely given. The doctor
who had been called lived seven miles
away, and the old man had frequently
to ride back and forth over highway
on which very few farmers had located.
On one of these excursions, and when
within a mile of home on his return trip,
he caught sight of man and woman as
they moved out of the road and disap-
peared in a thicket He was close
enough to be satisfied that the woman
was Mrs. Baxter, and that the man was
a Confederate officer, and their anxiety
to avoid him aroused all his suspicious.
He intended to communicate with Miss
Marian at once, but circumstances pre-
vented, and next day the household was
surprised by call from Captain Wyle
and his cavalry company. He stated
that he was on detached duty in that
neighborhood.
While the captain had been given to
understand that his suit was hopeless,
and while Marian fully realized that
he had done and was still doing all in
his power to degrade and disgrace the
man she had accepted, she nevertheless
felt that it was policy to receive him
courteously and shun anything that
might lead to arousing new feeling of
enmity against Kenton. On his part
the captain was careful to say nothing
that might wound or offend, and his
hours visit was therefore very agree
able one. He extended his sy1hpathies,
offered to do anything in his power to
relieve their anxleties and rode away
with a smile of satisfaction on his face.
He argued that Marian was wavering
in her faith in Kenton, and that time
and circumstance would bring about
the change he desired.
Mans most frequent boast is that he
can read and understand woman, and
yet it is in that he is oftenest deceived.
Few women can read and understand
themselves.
During the captains visit Marian
had been forced to notice the demeanor
Cf Mrs. Baxter. She seemed transformed
into new smiling, laughing
and appearing to be full OF joy over
When the visitor had de-
parted, she was fuIsome in his praise,
and for the first time since coming to
the Percys' she betrayed her real state
of feeling. She was an ally of the cap
tain's. Why? After puzzling for a
time Marian asked:
CTo be Continued.)
A Substitute for Amputatfon.