The Princeton union., 1900-03-29
THE LITTLE CAP WORN BY THE
BABY STAINED WITH BLOOD.

when he returned at dusk he brought
the intelligence that he could find no
body who would dare take a hand in
such an enterprise. She spent that
night in the farmhouse and the next
day she drove back absolutely alone in
search of her husband and child. Near
the spot where she had been separated
from them she found her husbands hat.
the little cap worn by the baby, stained
with blood, and a pool of blood by the
roadside. She spent all that day alone
On that road and returned at night to
the farmhouse. Here she stayed a
month making inquiries and searches
in all directions for more conclusive
proof of the death of her child and
husband. Finally the old farmer came
to her one day with the report that one
of the robbers had just died and that
he had made deathbed confession that
he had shot and killed Capt Lancaster.
The baby, he said, was not killed at the
time, as there was some reluctance
among the men as to who should do it.
They had gotten over this difficulty by
drawing straws and the man upon
whom the task had fallen had prom
ised that he would drown the child, that
its death might be an easy one This
was the only crumb of comfort the
poor lady got; think of that. gentle
men, she could only hope that her sons
Death had been quick and painless. The
dying man refused to tell who had un-
dertaken the crime The colonel
paused, stroking his gray Van Dyke
beard. rs it any wonder that her face
is sad and her hair white?'
1T is reported in Charleston that
she has had many advantageous Of
fers of MARRIAGE" put in Mr.. Hardy,
as he emptied his wine glass.
Hundreds of them," enthused the
colonel. why, Gen. Beauclare fol-
lowed her about like slave and SO did
Senator Waugh; I couldn't count the
men who were in love with her, but
she turned 'em all down.
The promenaders had quilted the
vcranda, and there was a light touch
on the piano in the drawing-room and
a swee: voice singing an old song
'That is her!' cried the colonel
whose enthusiasm was not often gov
erned by rules of grammar
This was the signal for leaving the
table, and the men went into the big,
ancient-loolling parlor where tie
lights burned low and the breeze from
the distant mountains famed the lace
curtains into the room. Evelyn sat in
a rocking-chair, her eyes on the sing
er's face. Caroline was noiselessly
placing d whist table and playing
cards near the center Of the room.
She, her father, Mr.. Hardy and Capt.
Wrinkle were the only ones who were
fond of the game.
But we shall interrupt the sing
ing" protested the colonel. when he
noticed the preparations
Il shall stop if you don't go on with
the game" declared the gentle old
lady, smile crossing her sweet, sad
face; "and furthermore, I shall not
sing unless you all talk over your
game"
TO this the jovial host agreed un-
der protest, and the whist-players took
their places. Evelyn sat at the end
OF the piano near enough to touch the
elbow of the singer. There was; in
finite pathos in Mrs. Lancaster's voice
as she sang: .,
"Dey amt no use fer to fret an pine,
Steady on de way, believers.
It's de same ole worl wen de sun don't
shine,
Steady on de way. believers"
The colonel was dealing the cards,
but he made q mistake in the count,
and with a low laugh he threw the
cards down. II must wait till that one
is over, anyway" he whispered. "That
blamed thing always gets the best OF
me-"
TITS de same OIL worp in de sun an de
rain -. ..t.- 3.
Same on de hilltop an same on de plain,
So keep up yo' shoutin' an keep on yor
prayin'-
Steady on de way, believers