Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-01-25

- SeOSAs mlus, gins ana I'M
plemepts. had descended
to Horace Oakfell from his mother at
her death i'm 1897. She as sole heir Ind
Inherited from her father. Colonel Blk.
low. A thousand acres were under
fence and In culture OF sugar. cotton
and corn; the remainder was woodland.
yield OF two hogsheads OF sugar and
nve barrels OF molasses per acre by the
open Kettle process or reduction then In
vogue and 500 pounds OF lint cotton to
a like area attested the prodigious fer.
tility OF the fields.
Oakfelrs father endured widower.
hood a year and married FidpIe Gas.
pard, a Spanish looking girl of I6.
daughter OF Antoine Gaspard. who. II
was said, had escaped from Paris with
a price on his head after the fail of
Danton and who was remembered as
a man OF cruel aspect taciturn and
furtive, as one haunted by a terrible
fear or horrible memory He was
shiftless and poor. but his daughter
was humble. pious and beautiful. She
was mistress OF Il Esperance" six
years. ministering to her stepson as to
superior being. and on her deathbed
prayerfully besought bis interest and
protection for her own little boy.
Evariste. whom she left at the de
pendent age OF years Nine. Fidele
was universally loved and by none
with greater fervor than by Horace.
The fullness of his boyish affection be
transferred 10 the half brother. now
like himself motherless. and generous
~ assumed responsibility for his wei.
rare. The demise OF their father Ia
1854 gave to this assumption the char
acter and obligations OF actually.
Evariste was dark and beautiful as
his mother. His figure was slight aud
exquisite, with hands and feet small
and delicate, like a woman's. Neither
the squirrel nor the swallow surpnss.
ed him In agility and gracefulness, but
his manner was misunderstanding, Sc
cretive, and, avoiding playmates, he
was ever content to be alone. His
eyes were black, his lips thin and firm.
To these sons the father had left
nothing but debt owed in Kentucky
for blooded horses, which Horace
speedily discharged. Evariste was
portionless; his brother babe him con-
slider himself half owner of all the
estate and assured him that partition
should be made on his attaining ma
Jority, or as soon thereafter as he
might deem 1t desirable, and made an
stinted expenditure for his mainte-
nance and education. The elders fra
ternal love was sobered by paternal
sollcitude relieved OF all austerity. The
difference between the ages of the two
was five years, Evariste being 10 when
Horace was sent TO the legislature.
The home was now presided over by
the Widow Wyley, whose long expert
ence as the wife OF an overseer had
given her knowledge CT the negro
character which enabled her to rule
efficiently and kindly. Thrift and neat
ness came naturally from her Dutch
mother, as did also her passion for
cows and bees. Her face was big and
red, and so was her heart; her hair was
white and strong, and so was her ma
ture. Binker Wyley, her stalwart son,
was the abstemious, tireless oyerseer
who had announced on taking charge
that the lash was only for oxen, mules
and dogs and to whose shrewd, frugal
management was due the fact that the
prosperity of IL Esperance" was second
to that of no plantation in the parish OF
Avoyelles, with the possible. exception
OF Baldouino's, on Bayou des CLASSES.
The dwelling was a brick structure of
two stories. with broad, covered yeran-
das projecting from the second In front
and rear. On the ground floor, which
was tiled, were at one side OF a wide
hall dining room and housekeeper's
sanctum. at the other an office, library
and medicine store, in which were kept
considerable quantities OF indictments
OF approved use on large plantations.
The second story contained parlor and
sleeping apartments, high ceiIinged and
spacious, separated by a hall CORE
spending with the one below and reach
ed by exterior stairways piercing the
The furniture was heavy.
old and rich An acre set In pecan, wal
nut and fig trees and inclosed by a high
white fence made a shady lawn be-
tween the house and the public road
along the bank Of Bayou Claire. On
the left were the overseer's house and
plantation stores, hundred yards far
Their the negro quarters, barns, stables
and cattle sheds; on a bend of the ba-
you was the steam cotton gin and at
the rear Of the fields the brick sugar
mill, with long, low rooted purgery and
massive chimney for bagasse burning.
The warm day was closing. Oakfell
sat al tho vyeSfarn vOindoxu ~ tha oAao~
near a table on which lay written re-
ports which had been left with him by
the oEerseer. From a perusal OF them
he had turned to volume of English
poetry and read these lines.