The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-02-15
CHAPTER TX.

A food of mellow October sunshine,
pouring into every corner of thepremises,
brought out in strong relief certain
acute signs that the masters eye and
directing voice were badly missed on
the old Bascom place.
There were yawning gaps in the
trim white picket fence, which divided
the yard from the cotton fields. A ma
rauding sow, the mother of numerous
progeny, made port Of entry of them
to pre.empt the bonny clabber set out
for the poultry. A mare, with newly
foaled colt struggling after her on IN
certain legs, browsed unrebuked among
the evergreens that had once been the
boast of the place. A few dispirited
gamecocks and yellow legged pullets
but poorly sustained the traditions Of
the once famous Bascom poultry yard.
A pair Of irrepressible calves showed
pernioious industry in the matter of
barking the colonel's pet apricot trees.
The gate leading into the orchard and
rose garden sagged on broken hinges
without exciting any particular atten-
ton.
When the entire universe seemed sag-
ging on broken hinges, what did one or
two more matter?
A brilliant display Of autumn's work
as a colorist glorified every ditch side
and fence corner of the plantation. Fes-
toons Of blue and white morning glories
,clung in tangled masses about the un-
gathered corn. Intrusive clumps of su-
mac Haunted their crimson plumes above
the creeping pumpkin vines. The whit
ening fields Of cotton swung fleecy BAN
nerets in ever increasing quantities from
neglected bolls. There was no one to
urge expedition in the gathering Of the
plenteous harvest.
Oscar, sitting in gloomy abstraction
in his cabin door, shook his head mourn
fully. Now that the colonels dinners,
and even the colonel himself, seemed
things Of past never to be revived, his
own life was all out Of joint.
"There's head needed-needed bad.
Things is goin from bad to worse and
nobody to stop EN-. The chile can't
help us-that's one thing sure"
The spirit of discomfort was spread.
ing rapidly over the place. Mutterings
were heard under the lowly roof of
every cabin. Children in all that made
for self reliance, the colonel's people
missed his firm but kindly discipline,
were bewildered by the loosening Of the
bonds that had held them all their lives.
As Oscar said, things were going
from bad to worse. They had never had
to give thought to the things of to-
morrow. What they were to eat and
wherewithal they were to be clothed
had been the exclusive concern Of the |
master. But the time was coming when
some one wiser than themselves must
tell them where to look for raiment.
A deputation waited on tho "little
mistiss."
Jessica, forewarned of their coming,
received them, standing Oh tho steps of |
the back gallery with the afternoon !
weaving a halo about her
beautiful head. The delegation had Sc
lected the ruling elder of the church in |
the quarters to set their case before her.
lie approached with his tattered felt
cap in Lis hand, his gray hairs barred to
The wind. In compact mass, closed
behind him, we're grouped the men of
The placO--huge, stalwart creatures,
orawny Of muscle, docile of soul.
cts just this away, missy. When
Mars9 Merry went away from we all,
40 left his place and his folks in mighty
lice fix. Us'ns cribs was full nv corn,
hat sto'room had plenty nv meat in 1t,
md there wem plenty"uv cloth to Ecen 4
ha sewers buoy. And, furtlt rncra h., |
ct a manager ca Tho place III y II. IA 7
lad fulies. Co.,. 'mn ..;ti iiHt ~ :