The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-04-01

feel that l must nave his blessing on our
lives. Give me time. l nope 70 WI
him"
And you will never let anolhef week
pass without writing to me-
Never. Send my letters to Bob. tie
loves YOU better than he ever thought
he loved me. He will give them to me
on Sundays at church and when he calls
For. two hours the kindly mantle OF
the elm's boughs sheltered them While
they told the old sweet story over and
over again. And somehow that night it
seemed to them sweeter each time it
was told.
When CASTOR reached EIambright the
following day, and whispered to his
mother the good news, he FASTENED to
tell his friend Tom Camp. The young
mans heart warned toward the white
haired old soldier in this hour of his
victory. With sparkling eyes, he told
Tom of his stormy scene with the Cen
eral. of its curious ending. and the hours
he spent in heaven beneath the limbs Of
an Old elm.
I'm in for a tussle with him, Tom"
he said in conclusion.
''Shucks, man, you can beat him with
one hand tied behind you if you've got
his gals heart. She's got his fire, and
a gal as purity as she is can just about
do what she pleases in this world"
81 hope she can bring him around. I
like the General. I'd much rather not
fight him"
where's Flora?'' cried Tom, looking
around in alarm.
Il saw her going toward the spring in
the edge of the woods there a minute
ago" replied CASTOR.
Tom sprang up and began to hop and
jump down the path toward the spring
with Incredible rapidity.
Flora was playing in the branch below
the spring and Tom say the form Of a
negro man passing over the opposite hill
going along the spring path that led in
that direction.
Wa you talkin' with that niger,
Flora?' asked Tom, holding his hand on
his side and trying to recover his breath.
Yes, I said howdy, when he stopped to
get a drink of water, and he give me a
WHISTLE she replied with a pout of her
pretty lips and a frown.
Tom seized her by the arm and shook
her. Didn't I tell you to run every
time you seed a niger unless was with
you"
Yes, but he wasn't hurting me and
you are!' she cried bursting into tears.
I've a notion to whip you good for
this!' Tom stormed.
Don't Tom; she won't do it any more.
will you, Flora?' pleaded CASTOR. taking
her in his arms and starting to the
house with her.
There Tom smoothed her curls and
kissed her at last. and she slipped her
arm around his neck and squeezed it
tight.
"Ain't she purity and sweet MOVE" he
exclaimed.
Tom, you'll spoil her yet warned
Castor as he smiled and took his leave.
throwing a kiss to Flora as he passed
through the little yard gate.
Two days later about five o'clock in
the afternoon as CASTOR sat in his office
writing a letter to his sweetheart. his
face agloW with love and the certainty
that she was his, as he read and re-
read her last glowing letter he was
startled by the sudden clang of the court
house bell. At first he did not move.
only looking up from his paper. Some
times mischievous boys rang the bell and
ran down the steps before any one could
catch them. But the bell continued its
swift stroke seeming to grow louder
and wilder every moment. He saw a
IuaI rush across the square, and then
the bell of the Methodist, and then OF
the Baptist churches joined their clamor
to the alarm.
He snapped the lid of his desk. snatch
ed his hat and ran down the steps.
AS he reached the street, he heard the
long, piercing cry of a woman's voice,
high. strenuous, quivering!
"A lost child! A lost. child!'
What a cry! He was never so thrilled
and awed by a human voice! In it was
packed all the anguish of every mothers
broken heart transmitted through the
centuries from mother to daughter.
At the court house door an excited
group of men women and children had
gathered. A man was standing on the
steps gesticulating wildly and tellins
the crowd all he knew about it. Over
Camps Floral"
He breathed hard, bit his lips, and
prayed instinctively:
Lord, lave mercy on the poor ole
man. 1t will kill him!'
Within half an hour a thousand white
people We're in the crowd. CASTOR stood
among them, cool and masterful. organ
Using them in searching parties. and Civ
ing to each group the signals to be used,
1t was a thrilling study in the laws OF
human society to watch that crowd. In
a moment the white race had fused into
a homogeneous mass of love, sympathy
hate, and revenge. The sorrow of that