The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-02-10

l
g. riding horse of my very own ha
been one of my loveliest air castles
built ages ago, and here l am really OF
one of the prettiest nass ever backed BY
happy girl and escorted by the hand
soonest and best papa in the world
The colonel smiled at her gratefully
If she would only stay bright and happy
as she was at this moment and stop tor
turing him and herself with unanswer
able questions it would take very littl,
to reconcile him to her invasion of biz
bachelor freedom.
He turned sideways in his saddle tc
scrutinize the animal under her critic.
ally.
II think we've got hold of a pretty
satisfactory bit of horseflesh. You don t
sit her at all as if you were new to the
saddle"
| Jessioa laughed gayly.
"Oh, I'm not Mrs. Shorter used to
send me to mill on her old flea bitten
mare twice week, but now, father,
my education must be carried on upon
new lines"
She lifted her, arm and waved her
pretty riding whip mprehensively over
the landscape.
How opulent these fields of cotton
look after Mrs. Shorter's rocky patches
Of buckwheat! I love to watch those
nimble fingered blacks pick it out of
the rich brown bolls, and I do love their
strange, weird songs, but, do you know,
| father, their dialect is as q foreign Ian
guage to me? am sure shall find it
harder to master than German was"
"Oh, nop'
"Yes''-and a note of sadness crept
into her voice-''to all intents and pur-
poses am stranger in strange land"
"Oh, we'll, but, you know, that won't
last. You will soon get used to us and
our ways"
II hope SO. I am sure that good old
Susette, who comes every night to see
If my little maid has served me proper
ly, thinks I am poor apology for a
fine lady because I will not let her
either comb my hair or battle my feet.
She jabbered at me for full ten minutes
this morning, and all could make out
was, Missy never treated the ole wom-
an So Who was missy, father?"
"They used to GILL my sister, your
Aunt Ellen, missy. Susette is good
old soul. You had better let her do for
you. She is very Efficient
"Shade of Mrs. Shorter, imagine my
being laved and groomed by obsequious
slave hands. Is my Aunt Ellen dead,
too, father?'
The colonel ignored her question en-
tirely: "Slave hands, yes, but the best,
most loyal and gentlest of hands. Su-
settle was maid to my sister, and they
loved and trusted each other to the end.
Doubtless, but the better, gentler
and more loyal they the more monstrous
the crime of their bondage"
The colonel frowned.
"Oh, I say, my dear girl, you will
find plenty Of windmills to fight if you
are hankering after the role of Don
Quixote in petticoats. But you and I
cannot afford to quarrel along abolition
lines
1--WE cannot afford to quarrel along
any line. Certainly not with such
wealth Of beauty and fragrance to alb
sorb us"
They had left the fields of whitening
cotton and turned their horses heads
toward a strip Of woodland that sep
arated the corn lands from them. Myr-
lad mocking birds were singing blithe-
ly in the tall trees over their heads. The
subtle fragrance Of the sweet gum float
ed on the air. Blue and white morning
glories still held their pearly chalices
wide open for bee and butterfly to dip {
into. The horses, with unshod feet,
made noiseless progress past the high
rail fence where the goldenrod grew
in tall clumps. 1t was very still sun
lit world, which Jessica and her father
seemed to have all to themselves. She l.
began to realize the possibility of
great longing for tho stir and civiliza- L
ton of Boston in the near future. The G
intense stiffness oppressed her.
Without other warning than the low ?
surly growl of an unseen dog they found Z
themselves within few rods of small Il
hut located on the edge of the woods. 0
The tiny building was painted red, and D
its moss grown roof was entirely cano- q
pied by the branches of gigantic black a
walnut tree. A wreath of blue smoke II
curled skyward from rude chimney of O
laths and mortar b.
Jessica's eyes frightened at sight of al
"Oh, how picturesque! must bring &c
ny portfolio and pencils along next nj
lime. I could make lovely little &c
ketch out Of that hut and its superb old
rec. Who lives there?" "
THAT is the home of old Savanna the SC
wise woman Of the plantation; 'voodoo OF
queen, the darkies call her. l doubt if yt
'ou would enjoy her society much. She co
s poor demented creature. There she TO
s now" TO
Coming toward them through the tall M
Mustard and rank okra growth which tn
lied her small garden spot Jessica saw SCI
gaunt figure Of commanding proper ma
IONS She walked very erectly, seeming sh
} carry her long blackthorn stick more tul
weapon than staff. She was al
ressed in the gay blue and white plaid ms
hich Jessica had come to look on as
le clan tartan. A bandanna kerchief of ire
still more brilliant plaid was twisted hel
bout her head in intricate and artistic pl'
lids to form turban Of pyramidal tul
lape. Under this lofty headdress, in cal
zoe the color and consistency Of new pig
ather, there burned two fierce black
'es Of exceeding brightness.
Her pendulous yellow lips moved rap. VIII
ly as she hobbled toward her front the
ito upon feet which did not sustain her anc
her attitude Of erect defiance. Mani '
silly she was bent on reaching the ell the
ince TO her premises before invasion one
rs possible. The colonel and Jessica cote
ew rein when they came abreast Of
l.
Flung about her neck was q garland y
vivid scarlet peppers, which she had lum
en- stringing. She made great show alip
absorption in this task as she walked. the
well, old girl, how wags the world outs
til yOu?p 81