Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-10-10

for IL house. He had no intention of
numbering me or being Il party indi-
making a survey of the surrounding
country l was twisting my handker-
chief above the wound
Can you get to that plantation:, he
asked.
looked up and saw a large manor
house about half mile distant, with
its fianking rows of negro huts.
81 can try it,"
We mounted and rode ON and in a
few minutes passed into the gateway
between imposing stone posts, proceed
ing by winding way to the house. l
was glad to dismount and get inside
the spacious hall out of the sun. There
cloth mahogany sofa.
A number of white and negro chill
dren, who were playing together as
contentedly as If the pickaninnies were
not the property of their fair skinned
playmates, stood gaping at me. A slim
man with determined mouth. at the
corners of which were marks of to-
bacco juice-he turned out to be an
overseer-an equally thin elderly wo-
man, whom | had heard addressed as
Miss Pinkley, and a quadroon girl
made up the group. was sitting with
my head resting against the sofa back,
weak and respondent. Suddenly down
fha orr win foi
young girl with shapely petite figure
pretty oval face and an olive COM
pleXion, from which two almond shap-
ed eyes flashed at me and the group
about me with the quintessence of as
constituent. Running her words to-
gether in way peculiar to herself, she
asked:
whats the matter?"
''The gentleman's bleeding from a
wound in the arm, Miss Jack" said the
quadroon girl.
"Who is he? What is he? Is he 60
ing to dieY" She fred the words as if
| they We're bullets.
"Jaqueline," put in the elderly lady
called Miss Pinkley, don't ask so many
questions at once" Then she went up
stairs, remarklng that she would bring
her smelling salts.
II don't think I'm going to die just
yet" said. smiling encouragingly at
the young girl whose interest had ex-
cited. II received wound few days
ago and have had very bad luck with
1t. Anything that hits me never fails
to strike the tender spot"
"Why don't you lie down? Cynthia,
60 get pillows"
Cynthia, the quadroon girl, was en-
gagged at that moment trying to drive
away the children and did not at once
obey.
Cynthia, go get pillows? repeated
| Miss Jaqueline, stamping her foot
1t occurred to me that this young
girl possessed an unbridled disposition.
Cynthia, who was doubtless used to
her mistress way of speaking. went
for the pillows, and when they arrived
Miss Jack made me lie down, whether
| would or not, and covered me with a
shawl, sprinkling me all the while with
such warm shower of devotion that,
despite her irate order to her maid, she
quite won my heart
Looking out through the hall door, I
saw fat man bestride a lean horse.
with saddlehags, wiping the perspira-
tion from his face and riding up to the
gallery. He dismounted and entered,
pulling for breath, and proved to be %
country doctor. Putting on a grave
face. be examined my wound critically
and made great ado at dressing and
bandagipg it, then delivered the usual
admonition. He departed. leaving me
lying on the sofa. Miss Jack beside me,
ministerine wants that were not
wanted. dc ny schemes to meet re-
Quiremcnts that were not required.
Suddenly the two guards attracted her
attention. They had been in the hall
ever since my arrival. but had not I'M
til this moment excited her antago-
nism.
What are you doing here?" Though
her words were spoken sharply, her
voice was soft and musical.
ION guard" replied one of the men.
"This isn't your house. Go away
from here"
"Hain't got no orders"
II give you orders" Fire was be-
ginning to dart from her eyes.
I interfered. 'rhey are only doing
their duty"
"They have no right in this house,
"But If you drive them out they will
take me with them
will they?" Her manner changed.
"Never mind" she said to the guard.
please don't leave us. wouldn't have
you go for the world. You're quite
Ia M Z-1aa IT I [ll