Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-08-05
CHAPTER ".


thought. at first, to dismiss the
events of the two following chapters
with brief mention. as they do some
what depart from the course of the
narrative. But it has appeared better,
on second thoughts. to withhold Moth
iny Of the circumstances attending my
farewell 10 my northern home. And it
slust not be said that the character
OF Deacon HalleclI is presented here as
q type Ct the men of that section.
keenly do I remember the kindness,
the patience. the ncighborly good viii
aud good works of Che people in 4 COM
munity where poverty was the rule
and hard toll was the common lot.
Because the deacon happened TO be
connected in u curious way with the
final severance of my home ties and old
associations his picture is presented
here Just as he was. | suppose that
bis kind is not yet extinct This is au-
photography; It should be complete.
The bounty Of our generous southern
friend enabled me to have one precious
wear at the academy, some years later,
and gave my father the means to re-
plenish his poor stock and poorer farm
implements. But when he told Mr..
Bostoclx that bad luck had followed
him. he spoke in prophecy as well as
history. My poor father He deserved
a better fate. Misfortune followed mis-
fortune; they came
Not single spies,
But in battalions."
Each year the thin soil that overlaid
the rocks grew more grudging in its
Weld: a murrain carried off the cattle;
4
mother, and death mercifully released
her. This stroke fell in my eighteenth
yeer. For awhile my father bore up
under his accommodating load of misfor-
tune and sorrow; but when his creditor
commenced the foreclosure of the mort
gage, both hope and ambition left him.
He died the day after the place was
sold; and if ever a man persisted of a
broken heart, it was he.
Twice, at his suggestion, at long In
tervals, had written TO Mr.. Bostock
TO repeat our thanks for his gift and
so 70 remind him OF the poor New
Hampshire lad in whom he had prof
fered so warm an interest. Later de
velopments caused me to recall the
dates of this correspondence My firs'
letter was written upon my sixteenth
birthday anniversary, January I, 1858
in the due and rather slow course o.
the mails of that time an answer came
postmarlxed at the address ia Missis
sippi which Mr.. Bostock had left will
us was at that time completing ml
first quarter at the academy; was eagel
and jealous in my studies, and it mus
lie confessed that was rather taleI
abaciS to discover that my correspond
ent was very poor speller- But thu
matter of the epistle could not hav,
wished different. 1t was hearty, gen
erous, sympathetic He reiterated al
had heard from him as TO myself
five years before. and he babe me com
down TO him as soon as my parent
would consent. My second letter wa
written in 1857, upon the death of M
father, and advised my correspondent
that both of my parents were no more
To this no answer was ever returned
! thought strangely of his silence
1t troubled me much. although ] al
tributed il TO miscarriage of the mail:
After the lapse of a few weeks, the de
sire and intention to write again grey
strong. 1t SO happened that the diff
culties and annoyances of the situs
tion in which ! was placed after til
death of my father caused me to defe
Ehis design; so that, when started o
my southern journey in the summer c
ISsS, the letter was still unwritten-
Ny father died soon after becam
twenty years of age. For year afte
"a memorable yearl-I was domicile
IN the family of my guardian. Deaco
Halleck-