The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-11-06
abolitionists and success to the sons

to the Gasconsw cried every man, ris
ing to his feet and emptying his glass.
Dede brought forth the nine TASKS q!
hot rum and distributed them among
the company for suStenance on tbeil
ride in the chill night air, and, quietly
mounting horses and ponies, this re
markable gathering dissolved. The last
to leave were Quillebert and Pratjean
The latter said admiringly:
"You are q genius, Constant"
"No fool, at least, hope" laughed
the latter. disappearing into the dark
ness Of the swamp road.
There were but two sessions Of The
court each year for the trial Of suits OF
Z civil nature, ana these were arranged
to meet the agricultural convenience OF
the people, one in February in advance
Of planting, the other in September be-
| fore the commencement Of harvest
Hence the procrastination prescribed
by Quillebcrt was no very difficult feat
Dilatory pleas put in by Pratjean serv.
ed to toll the case over two terms
spanning q year. His professional en-.
gagement in the court Of another par.
lsh and the sudden sickness Of Portvie,
m important witness for Quillebert,
certified in writing by Dr.. De Roux,
suficed to carry it over the second year
without trial. Throughout this space
the interest and activity Of Quillebert's
,tc flo "a
theme. Of talk at every store, cabaret
and steamboat landing in the high
lands, at every Saturday night gumbo
ball and Sunday mass. At sessions of
the court and police jury the attending
crowds discussed it with ever increas.
ing heat and bitterness, the prosecu.
ton Of Quillebert and menace to Cau-
casian superiority constituting the be-
ginning, middle and end of each SYM
postum. Inevitably it took on some
what of q sectional character, the rich
planters Of the lowlands being the SYM
pathizers with Oakfell and the critics
Of Quillebert.
AS the administration Of President
Buchanan approached its close rumors
Of abolitlonist aggreSsivenesS grew in
frequency and proportion and so charg-
ed the public mind with combustible
ideas that the simple mention Of this
lawsuit caused a number of small e1-
plosions in the form Of fisticuffs within
the courthouse yard, even under the
drlppings from the caves of the tenn
ple." To the women and children @?
the uplands, many Of whom had never
seen him, the name Of Oakfell was as
execrable as Judas Iscariot's. So acute
had this unfriendly feeling grown that
some Of the conservative minded sug-
gested to Oakfell the policy Of with
drawing the suit. He firmly rejected
the advice.
Throughout this turbulence Of senti-
ment Erariste held calmly aloof. When
ever the subject was obtruded upon
him he dismissed it with the remark
that he was neither lawyer nor a pol
itician His brother regarded this in
difference as in harmony with his poet
ic temperament and was not displeas-
ed. Eyariste became more SecluSiye in
habit. He rode often and far into the
solitudes Of the swamps, where the
deep shade accorded with his somber
mood. Rivalry with Horace for the
hand Of Estelle he felt was hopeless
while his sole expectancy Of fortune
&c
visits to the Latiolais mansion were
made at intervals of increasing length,
degenerating into brief formalities, but
he bitterly cursed his dependence and
silently fed the fame Of passion within
his pent breast. Laure, brown and
vital, surprising him now and again in
his wanderings, lifted him from the
deeps momentarily, yet he struggled
to escape her and descend to his gloomy
yearnings. Still, upon the progress Of
the public agitation he kept q steady
and observant eye.
Estelle was dismayed at the conse-
quences Of her demand upon Oakfell,
which she was made to realize by the
dismal reports of her grandfather and
the malediction Of herself by the guile
bert faction. To her own impetuous-
ness and presumption she charged this
strife among neighbors and its unhap-
py possibilities. She wept and prayed
for guidance and finally, sending for
Oakfell, said to him:
"It was at my request, made upon
girlish impulse, that you entered into
this contest, which has aroused such
bitterness and so altered your position
in our parish. Then you had not an
enemy. Now I dare not think Of the
number vino wish you harm. did not
then foresee this dreadful result but
today I am quite woman and know
had no right to involve you so grievous-
ly for the qualification Of mere whim
Of mine. I entreat you to proceed no
further in the lawsuit. To press it
now would result only in your injury,
but in no ones good"
The girls speech was earnest and
her prayerful face so beautiful that
Oakfell gazed upon it in a wordless
rapture until his very silence suddenly
called him to reply:
"You say further prosecution Of the
suit could result in no ones good" he
said, smiling. What, then, becomes Of
Icons freedom, which is its sole OBJ
ject?"
"Oh, but Leon is gone. n. Qulllebert
will never see him again." She spoke
as one to whom had been unexpectedly
given the opportunity Of successfully
closing debate by a word.
".Ah, mademoiselle, do you not know
that under laws which now exist and
are enforced by the courts Of the Unit
ed States Quillebert can take Leon
wherever found, drag him back to this
place, hitch him to plow, whip him
before each meal and compel him to
sleep standing, and that mans last
state shall be worse than the frst?"
impossible! Impossible! This is
Christian land" shudderingly exclaim-