Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-08-09
CHAPTER x.

Barge slave owner and a prominent man
in the State. The war had more nearly
ruined him than it had many Of his neigh
bors, for he refused to accept and make
the best of altered conditions. Instead
he isolated himself on his estate and nurs-
ed his grievances. The great house SLOW
ly went to pieces; window panes were
broken out; doors parted from their
hinges; the porch floor rotted away; and
the roof leaked yearly in more places.
His horses died and were not replaced;
the large acreage Of lawn was moved
only by the irregular tongues of a few
COWS; the smoke house fell in, and the
quarters became one by one uninhabita-
bic. 1t was a sad sight, the ruin of this
once famous place; but the old man
watched the steady decay with a fierce
satisfaction. Death ended a lonely, bit
ter old age, and his widow faced the
world with an empty meal barrel and
without a cent of money.
Fairfax had passed her girlhood in this
gloomy atmosphere. Though too young
TO understand her fathers bitterness, she
was the only member of the household to
Bympathize with his grim determination
20 accept no help nor to adjust his views
to changed circumstances. She inherited
from him the proud neck that would not
bend. Other prominent planters admit
ted that the cause was lost, and began
again. Father and daughter We're close
companions during these years, and her
hand was in his as he faced death with
the same grim determination to show no
suffering.
At his funeral, her beauty and stately,
girlish manner had attracted an aunt,
who took her away to Washington, where
she grew to WOmanhood in the cOsmopoli-
tan society Of the capital. Here she
met General Tazewell. He spoke to her
feeIingly of her father His voice shook
with emotion when he referred to the
past His own life, he assured her, was
to be spent in the service of his State.
He was in Washington to save his peo-
pie, to resist Federal encroachment. 1t
was a harder task than his wartime
service; but the call had come to him,
and with heavens help he should not
fail. He became a hero in the girls
eyes. His accent reminded her Of her
father. He was already a great man;
no wonder it was not hard for this clever
politician to win young girl, ready to
worship any apostle of the Old South
even though her life had been more com
monty full of the love-making of men
But General TazeWeIl, after marriage,
had descended soon from the pedestal
upon which his wife, with his help, had
placed him.
The general was not now connected
with the administration directly, but in
some way revenues accrued to him, and
the machine of which he was a large cog
wheel still ran actively. His stay at
home could not be for long; but Caring
ton feared that he would manage to pre-
vent the continuance of the intimacy be-
tween Fairfax and himself. She had left
it all in his hands. Hugh felt sure that
his decision in the matter would be ac-
guiesced in, whatever it might be. But
what did he wish? With her, her spell
was irresistible; entire; all else flew to
the winds. But away from her, the
spell dissolved his cautions nature reas-
serted itself. After all, running away
with the wife of such a well-known man
as General Tazewell was not a thing to
be done without mature consideration.
He knew that had she proposed it as he
sat by her on the wharf four days before,
it would certainly have happened; but in
broad daylight, looking over the fields of
his own plaptation, it was quite different.
w as lie ISduS " give up HIS NE VI lLSC-
dom from responsibilities? Would not
grim care perch with him upon his horse,
and anxiety and dread of the morrow
keep his eyes from closing? Practical
difficulties doomed up before him. Where
should they go? Items of food, shelter,
and dress spread themselves out as up
on a ledger, and at the bottom, in his
minds eye, the totals added up large.
Tho 10
could wait.
As Hugh was thus Illuminating on the
broad porch of his house, Maude came
up the steps, whistling, a string of dogs
at his heels. tired, dusty and hungry
Had a glorious burst" he said THAT
boy MIN was on the bay four-year-oId
but the gray mare, with my eleven stone
two up, beat him by a head to the last
fence. I'll have to build a tight board
fence around the field Buckingham is
too good for Warrenton, or anything in
Virginia"
speaking of Buckingham, yonder
comes Henry, who raised him. Are you
going TO let him into the secret when it
comes to the betting?'
"Gentlemen.' was Henry's salutation.
as he came up, after having thrown his
bridle-rein over the rack.
Maude went in to change his clothes,
and Henry took his chair Il suppose
sou procede the sheriff again on this
visit Darlington said, at a venture.
We'll. l didn't gallop my horse, or try
cross-counrry ridin' but l see I'm here
ahead of him. I've some news for you.
General Iazeweu has been at my Office.
He says he'll pay your creditors.'
''What for?'
He is willing to buy their claims. and
they are more than willing, yes, anxious.
to sell"
Hugh contemplated the toe of his boot
steadily. Henry" he said, finally. lean
anybody make anything out of me. if /
don't choose to pay?"
1T would be a lot of trouble. You
have no visible personal property, except
few mules and farm tools, and the
place it mortgaged"
''Wel lot tha penaraI nv 7 L..