The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-05-29

under the dasheS of Sllnburn. was OF
a fine creamy palior. Lips intensely
scarlet. curving to 4 true Cupid $ DOW
accented the pallOr. as did her dark
appealing eyes. and her crown OF hatr
like black fioSs-silk. Her race. the
nomad poor white. is a sort OF hui
man century plant. Once perhaps III
each hundred years m~NsteriOuSlN IT
flowers into absolutely perfect beau
tN.
She stood slightly swaying, and
drumming an old Spanish guitar MAJ
billiard looked her over with & heart
full of murderous compassion. The
appeal of her beauty fully excused
his son. and took away n lingering
trace Of hardness toward him. vet in
eNcuSing. made him al the more
determined on rescue. In all his life
before be had never Wilfully hurt a
woman. Now hat needs must hurt
one. he meant to do his best to salve
the wound.
"Swan-you love my SOM" he ask
ed. looking her full in the eye.
II reckon So" Swan said, fumb-
ling with the ribbon at her throat.
THAT is why you don't want him
to be poor the major asked. Swan
fti(l(ttt. StlI)ct. tllcll SdIo
'IIe-Morris-ai nt fifteen fer that.
He amt no mo- fitten'n a racers fifteen
to be a mule. faint nice. bein' pO'. l
know all about that"
NO! it is not nice-yOu don't want
to be poor all your life?!" the major
interrupted. Swan ~shuddered Il lit
tie. and swallowed hard. Suddenly
she flung up her head. her whole face
subtly hardened.
NO! | dOn't wanter be 20 always"
she said; "Ner | don't mean ter be
neither. IF | can't have Morris aud
the money
"Noull take the II Mai Hill
hiard supplemented as she ohoked and
grew silent; That is very wise. am
glad indeed. to find YOU SO sensible
II amt sensible am drove ter
DEATH Swan cried. hiding her face
III her hands. For a mtnute gustv
sobs shook her whole frame. All 1t
nee she dashed the tears from her
eyes. dropped her hands. aud ask.,.
watching Maj billiard narrowly as
she spoke: Did Norris SaEd YOU
Er did YOU come on - own ac-
a%counto!'
THAT has nothing to do with the
case" Mai billiard 81 diplomatic
cally.'
See here. want fggcrs. Scnti-
mcnt's good. but gimme dollars an
cents Old Nat grOwled from the
door: "Dollars an cents in er lump
er big lump at that; he went on.
You may como yer soft saVdcr over
that thar fool gal, but YOU don't come
it over me"
J.1 - -
though old Nat had o spoken. Il
will settle $4,000 on YOU. if YOU leave
the state, and never come back to it,
he said: land give your father half
as much tOnlOrrOw-upon the same
condition.
THAT amt much fer er high toned
gentleman-when Jest er plain likely
nigger's wuth fifteen hundred." old
Nat began. Swan stopped him with a
violent cuff, and rushed away in a
passion of tears.
The house at Wake Forest stood
quite three miles from the Tennessee
river. Yet the plantation ran down to
the stream. and Mai. billiard had his
own landing. In the third wear of the
civil war, a village of white tents
about it stretched far back from the
Waterside. There was another small
er village of them up around the house
fences were all swept away.
Horses fully %accOutred stood champ
ing and dancing all about the lawns.
Men clattered up and down the broad
Feranda steps, some with swords
clanking after them, more in undress
uniforms. and a very few in the garb
of civilians.
Not one of the original Inhabitants
remained. Major Hilliard and Nor
RS were both in the Confederate ar
my. Their hundreds of slaves had
t"en sent further South as soon as
the 1all OF Fort Henry gave the whole