Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-10-14


riage portion"
as she then about to be married 90
ooh, no, she has not even a sweet
heart"
Squire, have asked your daughter
for her hand
"Well, don't ask me, shall never per-
suade her to unite her fate to that cf
mortal man from this time forth.
Twice did SO; both times she yielded
to my persuasion, and she has escaped
a terrible fate. For that, thank God.
You have my consent, more I cannot
say; if there be urging or persuading to
be done, you must plead your own case"
81 have made my plea" said Angus.
"And, father, dear, there need be no
urging your daughter to give her hand
to Sir Angus, when long months ago
she gave her heart to Angus, the cap<
tain of the Clara Belle"
"Sir Angus"
Eyes, squire, I have inherited the
title and estates of my grandfather,
with an income of 6 10000 year,
"Well, well! Allow me to congratu-
late you. Bless you! Bless you both!
Ahem! I must go and find Tom, the
young rascal. It's high time that Jen-
ME Bruce had sweetheart. Clarence
and Fannie now have Kendall and
Loyd's fortune; you intend to run
away to Scotland with my daughter.
Now, if I could just get Tom and Jen-
ME married and settled down here at
Orion. my troubles would be ended"
and the squire thumped his cane on
the parlor floor, and walked from the
loom.
Can you take me to the grave of
Aunt Mag, Clara?' asked Angus
Eyes, dear; she lies buried at Ken
dali"
AS the sun was sinking in the west,
they stood by a little mound in the lowly
cemetery of the slave, at Kendall.
Faithful SOUL" said Clara; "but for
her I should have been the bride of
Lathrop. Could you have seen her as
she stood in the chapel at Orion. when
after her denunciation of Lathrop she
saw that her words were considered
without foundation and as coming from
a disordered brain, when the clergy
man remarked: eve will proceed with
the ceremony" Her shawl fell from
her shoulders, her long, black hair, half
TO her feet, her form erect, and as the
words fell from her lips: "Ole marster,
Mag won't fall" she stepped forward.
her right arm extended on high, and
clasped in her hand Che handle of a
dirk. An instant more, and the blade
would have fallen, when-'Hold!'
''That one word held it poised in the
air, and then Mag stood as a statue,
while Hugh Gordon, my brother Tom
and the officers marched down the aisle
Vnr Inn he hui Z
beheld that scene you never would for
get Aunt Mag"
Forget? No, dear; over her grave
I will have a column raised that shall
tell what I would have done had she
not been slain. owe her much. TWAS
Mag that reused me to a sense of my
danger that terrible night. There I
stood, the bloody knife in my hand,
paralyZed.
ely! Fly!' she cried. "A nigger's
oath can't save you. I'll promise to
stick to Herbert Lathrop through thick
and thin, and your name shall be
cleared.'"
''Well did she perform her promise
She was worthy of a better fate.''
Tears were standing in the eyes of
each, as they turned from the grave
and directed their horses heads to-
wards the residence of Clarence and
Fannie.
y negro took their horses as they
dismounted at the house.
The front door was open as they
mounted the steps to the piazza, and
Fannie and Clarence met them.
Fannie, DEAR" said Clara, "Sir Angus
Bruce"
Fannie burst into a flood of tears at
recollections of the past, while Clar-
ence, extending his hand, excIaimed:
Welcome home, and welcome to Ken
dali, Sir Angus
They entered the house. The door
closed, and there we will leave them.
Here, too, we will leave Kendall and
Orion, yet known in the Cape Fear,
section and Wilmington, where the his
toric residence so long ago occupied
by Lord CORVALLIS yet stands: and
Smithville, the home of Bruce, where
the hardy and adventurous pilots daily
place their lives in peril; and, lastly,
Smiths island, which still occupies IT'S
old position.
A government lighthouse was estab-
'lished at this point many years since.
and its refulgent light streaming forth
from way up a1oft nightly warns mar
liners that they are nearing the inlet;
though it is doubtful if either the rays
of Smiths island light. those of the
sun-yes, or the orbs of any of the
hundreds of Eeen-eyed seekers for
Black Boards hidden treasure have
penetrated the surface of the island to
depth sufficient to arouse from their
slumbers the silent sentinels who there
lie guarding it.
Certain it is, that for the last half
century ths Atlantic coast, from
Maryland to Florida, has been explored
by white and black alike for the treas.
ure that there lies buried.