Evening journal., 1900-03-13
COLONEL. JESSUP

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The sharp sound OF horses hoofs
ringing against the level. sun-baked
road rouse Mandy Jessup from
state of hopeful abstraction, and lean
ing from her low seat in the door she
shaded her eyes with her hands and
peered anxiously out up the winding
path
A young man on a stout "cane tac-
ky" Creole pony parted the bushes
and allghted without n word.
well, 'RiahT interrogated Mrs.
Jessup; then as he shook his head de-
jectedly. "sho'ly they amt goin'-"
"Tain't any use wastin' yo' breath
questionin' Man," Amariah interrupt
ed, sinking into the chair his mother
had just vacated. they air goin' clear
against u.s.
"Wellw calculated Mrs. Jessup with
Indignation. as she hung 'Riah's hat
on nail in the whitewashed wall
"Well. well! an you ar ole Zach Jes-
sup's own granchile by his second
wife-why ther amt no jestis in Mis-
sissippi. If the Flyers cant see with
one eye that it's all yOurnw
Il was kinder hopeful at fust but
soon ! saw ther wasn't any chance
for ihe' Judge Gary is all for Cunnel
Jessup's claim an I'm no wharf
Rial, f'you had a leetle change
ter slip inter the jury's hands you'd
git thar too" insinuated Mrs Jessup.
'Lawsy. how you skeered mew she
shrieked, as Amariahs cilnched fist
came down on the table with a
crash
Don't say any mo-! I've got no
money. an II / had 'twould never 20
/ dishonesty! This little shanty is mean
enough" looking sadly around at the
dirty walls and wretched furniture,
"but it's come by honestly"
you're right. 'Riah, an don fret
'hout Lissyl Theirs ez good fish in the
river ez ever was caught; If she's too
fine for yo' place why the's the Spin.
ner gals is handy an-well, / never
II he amt gone off In the heat o. the
dayv' as Amariah impatlently jerked
his gun from the rack, and pulling his
slOueh hat down over his eyes. hur
red away from his miserable home
which resembled chicken-coOp sci
up on pegs 70 avoid high water.
He pushed through the bending
canebrake, crackling the fallen stalk,
under his feet. roughly tearing aside
4 the poisonous red and yellow vine.
!, that clung to him. Needless Of tn,
gray moss that brushed his cheek az
he passed under the water-Oaks, ang
the wild ducks that, frightened by hi
footsteps, few up from the swami
d with hoarse cries.
The ripple and splash Of the rive
tapping against the bank. reused hin
2 from his abstraction as a bend in tn
? willows brought him close TO the gold
? en- Mississippi rushing down to it
: death IN the great seas.
= Across this arm OF the river lay tn
Jessup plantation stretching far on
2 into the water like the finger of
: great hand and half hid by the ram
growth of moss-covered trees he coul
2 catch a glimpse Of the once statel
Z home of the Jessups-now grim an
= deserted, with its acres of untillc
! land lying fallow the year round.
pausing a moment to look at T.
spot where his brightest dreams ha
been centered and where now lay ID
grass grave of his dead hopes. IN
young man turned resolutely awal
Following the narrow path on top {
7 the high levee for some distance. 4
then took a road 70 his right whic
wound its way through dense fOrel
and was soon lost in the gatherin
, gloom.
Colonel Jessup Of the hill Jessup
d so called because his neat white co
tage was built on a green mound. 50
] ON his gallery. from which fne vie
0 could be obtained Of the Jessup plal