The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-04-12


and shaking it III front of the unlucky
peddler
Still the latter fingers moment too
long.
He amt gwine tub go, boys, till
we make him. called ont voice in
the group. 1t 3purs the others to action.
AT him. now, boys!' And they go
at him with will
Whack! sounds the club over his
shoulders. He winces with pain, but
holds on stoutly to his pack. The darkies.
incensed at his resistance. surround
MIN on all sides. They tear off his coat.
iney beat him with their fists over
mead and shoulders. the club owner
using his weapon freely They buffet
and kick and shout at him until the
poor fellow. outnumbered ten to one.
sinks to the ground, with blood stream
ing from an ugly cut on his forehead.
and his precious pack scattered about
him
Now. up with him, boys, an we'll
throw him Out'n de gate. Well show
tramps what come rOun' heah dat dey
better keep cl'ar dis heah plantation.
says the leader. Three or four of the
stoutest fellows raised the peddler and
were about to carry out their instruc
tlons when suddenly there comes mur-
mur from the rear of the group.
'Heah's do uissusi Heah Mis- Ham.
Ilton! Hole on, now, boysl'
They let fall their burden and parted
respectfully as handsome matron in
white muslin gown, her head held
proudly erect and her brilliant brown
eyes flashing with anger. steps into the
center Of the group.
"Who is this poor fellow? What
have you been doing to him, Sambo? 2"
che demands. "How dare you treat O
man like that on my plantation I'll
have you all horsewhipped!" Growing
more and more angry as the darkies
slink back without replying, she stoops
over tho peddler 10 see the extent of his
injuries.
''Answer me, Sambo," she reiter-
ates. "What has this man been doing
that you should 80 misuse him 2'
The burly Sambo covers before her
scornful. steady gaze.
He war a tramp, Mis- Hamilton, an
yuh alus tole us that no tramp war
lowed on dis heah plantation, so we
war jes' a-gettin him off'n de place,
an
''That will do" sternly interrupts
the mistress of Reserve. .'Brutes! You
would have killed him if you had had
time, presume. Lift him up, now,
you two men, Sa.nbo and Jonas, and
carry him carefully to the house. AS
for the rest of you" looking about the
group "I'll attend to you later" and.
picking up her gown. she leads the way
to the house.
The peddler is put to bed in small
room in the rear Of the mansion. Mrs.
Hamilton herself brings cold water and
soft linen and binds up the ugly cut
In his forehead, pretty little girl, with
brown eyes. clinging to her skirts. Lat
er he is given food, and that night
slept. for the first time in many weary
weeks. without the open sky above him
or haystack or disused old shed for
his bedchamber.
By the next day he is able to sit up
and show his wares to his preserver,
who buys literally Of his household
goods-linens, laces and a few gew-
gaws-and also distributes calicoes and
ginghams among the women. Then,
with generous sum in his pocket and
q new pair Of shoes on his feet, he bids
farewell to Reserve and again starts
forth on lis travels with light heart
II shall never forget you, madam,
and your great kindness to me, +" he says
in parting. ''It may be that the time
will come when I can serve you" And
the lady cf Reserve graciously bends
her head and wishes him q successful
journey.
Five years passed There were many
changes in Reserve Devastating war
had robbed the household of its stalwart
young master, Percy Hamilton, who, at
81, led his company to victory one sum-
mer day and fell before the Yankee
bullets. The darkies scattered at the
first sound of war, and. without serv-
ants, the plantation declined and fell.
So did all the other Hamilton fortunes,
and in 1865 Mrs. Hamilton, with lines
Of care in her face and gray hair about
her temples, found herself obliged to
dispose Of the land for mere song to a
shrewd speculator who scented profit
from the rich soil.
She took her daughter, now q maiden
budding into womanhood, and went to
live with some New Orleans friends, o
broken and sorrowful woman. Early in
the seventies party Of New Orleans
merchants took trip up the Mississip-
pi for combined purposes Of business
and pleasure. They had large plans for
improving the land and raising cotton.
incidentally. they had capital enough
to spare.
Zone of the richest and most produc-
tive plantations before the war was
along here somewhere below Natchez,"
said one merchant to another as they
stood on the vessels deck. looking off
into the country. my agent secured it
for me the other day. and 1 propose that
when we land you and I take a car
riage and drive out. 90 that can take
look at my newly acquired property"
Tho frieu1 n TOLL 1,locl, 1,o;ro1 oooJo