The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-12-07
CHAPTER v.

Pauline Cameron was standing on the lawn
at Holly Hill, gazing out across the frozen
James, the wind swept fields and forests, and
further away at the mist crowned peaks OF
the Blue Ridge, looking hard and cold be-
meath the heavy December sky that promised
to fulfil the predictions of the red birds chlrp-
ing and fitting in the old lockwood hedge
[Note.-It is said that the appearance of the
redbird in winter always indicates the early
falling of snow]. 1t is the day before Christ
mas, Just four years since the opening OF my
story, and Pauine's quarrel with John Ter
rell. Only four years, yet she thought that If
the time were measured by her sorrow and
suffering lifetime would have interviewed.
She had not seen Terrell for over three
years, during which time he had been travell-
ing in Europe, Egypt, Palestine and India,
endeavoring to let strange scenes and adven-
lures drive away his bitter memories of the
past But his efforts were vain, for through
all his wanderings on foreign shores the ghost
of the dead past was ever with him. Whether
roaming amid Europe's splendid palaces, or
gazing on the mighty evidences of Egypt's fal-
len greatness, or studying and verifying sacred
history among the mountains of Palestine, or
dipping into the fascinating tenets of Budha
and Brahm at the feet of Indian sages, the
memory of one sweet face thousands of miles
away in the Virginia mountains ever haunted
his waking thoughts and made bright and
glorious his dreams. Tired of the endless
struggle with memory, and longing for familiar
scenes and faces, he at last turned his face
| homeward.
Pauline has just heard of his arrival at
| Rverview on the preceding day, and the news
has aroused all the old love, and longing, and
regret with which she has so long battled and
tried to conceal
"Miss Poline, Doc Terri done got back
dey say"
The speaker who thus suddenly broke in
on Pauline's meditations was old Uncle Eli,
the coachman and general factotum, who had
belonged to the Camerons in slavery days and
had spent all his years of freedom with them,
though Judge Cameron had often threatened
to get rid of him, declaring that he was not
"worth his SALT" But these threats never
occasioned any uneasiness to Uncle Eli, as
he had been often heard to remark that ''de
Jedge CANT get erlong widout me, an
doan' spec l cud hardly mex hit widout de
Jedge."
"Yes, Uncle Eli, he has gotten back,
hear said Pauline in reply to the old negro's
remark.
'Mss Polline, TIE got sumysin' ter tell
yer eff yer'll promus dat yer woan' git mad at
de ole darby, an dat yer woan' nebber say
nuthin' tub nobuddy bout HIT" said Uncle
Eli, coming closer, and speaking in wise
undertone.
81 will promises" said Pauline, shut be
quick. Uncle Eli; it's cold" She thought
that the old darby had gotten into some
scrape, and wished to make her his contessor.
sis yer sho' yer woan't git made' said
Uncle Eli obviously.
'Yes, am sure" said Pauline.
swell, / war at prar-meetin las night an
war tawkin to Lindy, who Ibis at Miz Ter
r'ls, an | axt her how come de Doctor tub
come home so suddint-like widout nebber
gibin' nobuddy no word bout hit, an she
! low dat she war in de rum not long after he