Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-04-14
Sunny Bank Farm
FLOYD LIVINGSTON
FLOYD LIVINGSTON
sSOoOOocccS

to perform and the branches l was to
teach, added in a F. S.: Before making
any definite arrangements with Miss Lee,
Mrs. Lansing wishes to be informed if,
either by her friends or herself. she is
considered pretty. as person of decid
eddy ordinary looks will be preferred. |
answered her letter forthwith. assuring
her that neither my friends nor myself
had ever been guilty of calling me pretty
in short, | was decidedly homely, and
trusted that on that point at lest 1
should please her
l had nearly given up all hopes of ever
hearing from the lady again. when one
day | received letter containing a check
on Boston bank for money sufficient
to defray my expenses. There were also
a few hastily written lines, saying that
Mrs. Lansing considered our engage
ment as settled, but she should not ex-
pect me until the latter part of April,
az she could not Immediately get rid of
her present governess--a painted, insipid
creature from New York, and the yeriest
humbug in the world"
1t was a cold, dark, snowy morning IN
the latter part of April when started
on my journey. The surface of the
ground was frozen hard. the trees were
leafess and bare. II is not strange, then,
that l almost fancied myself in another
world when, after a prosperous sea voy-
age, 1 one morning went en- shore at
Charles ton. and first breathed the soft,
balmy air of the South Dense and green
was the foliage of the trees, while thou
sands Of roses and Towering shrubs filed
ha oit afx cfaly.a.,iry
to the senses. From Charleston to Au-
gusta was wearisome ride, for the cars
were crowded, and there was to me moth
ing remarkably pleasing in the long
stretches of cypress swamps and pine
barrens through which we passed.
1t was late in the evening when we
started for the town of Chester by stage.
1t was a most beautiful night and for
hours | watched the soft moonlight as it
glimmered among the trees which lined
either side Of the narrow road, and whose
branches often swept against the win
dows of our numbering vehicle. 1t was
long after sunrise when we arrived, but
so thickly wooded is the country around,
that | obtained not a single glimpse of
the town until | suddenly found myself
thar" as the driver said, dismounting
and opening the door of our prison house.
The hotel into which | was ushered
would perhaps compare favorably with
our country taverns at the North; but at
each step | took felt more and more
painful consciousness that home, my
home. was far away.
After shaking the dust from my trav-
cling dress, and shaking my thirst from
the big gourd shell which hung by the
side of n bucket of cool water which
stood on little stand in the parlor. l
inquired for some one who would take
to Mrs Lansing my card, and thus APP
prise her of my arrival. The landlord
Immediately summoned a bright, hand
some mulatto boy. who, after receiving
my orders, started off bareheaded for
Cedar Grove, which the landlord pointed
out to me in the distance, and which,
with its dense surroundings of trees, look
ed to me delightfully."- cool and pleasant.
After waiting rather impatiently for an
hour or more, a large, old-fashioned ear
riage, drawn by two rather poor looking
horses, stopped before the door. 1t be-
longed to Mrs. Lansing; and the foot
man, jumping down from the rack be-
hind, handed me q note, In which the
lady begged me to come dsrectly to her
house, saying she was herself indispos-
ed, or she would lave come down tc
meet me.
AT the extremity of Main street, we
turned in at a ponderous gate, and after
passing through two or three fields or
lawns, stopred at last in front of Cedar
Grove, which stood upon a slight emf
nence overlooking the town. In perfect
deligbe l gazed around me, for it seemed
the embodiment of my childish dreams.
and involuntarily | exclaimed, This IS
indeed the sunny, sunny South" 1t was
very beautiful, that spacious yard and
garden, with their winding walks, on
which no ray of sunlight fell, so secure
ly were they shaded by the cedar and the
fir. the catalpa, the magnolia aud the fig
tree, most of them seen now by me for
the first time in all their natural beauty,
reminded one so forcibly of Eden. The
house itself was large, square build
ing, surrounded on three sides by a piaz-
"a. The floors within were bare. but
scrupuIously clean; while the rooms lack
ed the costly furniture l had confidently
expected to see.
Scarcely was I seated in the parlor
when / heard a sweet, childish voice ex-
claim, "She's in thar-she is" while at
the same time n pair of soft blue eyes
looked through the crevice of the door.
and then were as quickly withdrawn.
their owner laughing aloud as if she had
accomplished some daring feat, and call
ing out. Il seen her. Hall did. And
she don't look cross neither. You dassn't
peek in thar, dast you?"
They were my future pupils, l was
| to
ward them, particularly her with the sill
very voice, and | was just thinking OF
going out to find them. when | heard
light footstep on the stairs, and the next
moment a tall. dark-eyed girl, apparent
ly fourteen or fifteen years of age, enter
ed the room, introducing herself as Miss
Lima Lansing. and welcoming me so cor
daily that felt myself at once at home
Mother" said she. rs indisposed,
and has sent me to receive you, and ask
what you would like"
had scarcely slept n moment the night
previous. so | replied that If conven-
lent would so Immediately TO my ROOM
Ringing the bell, she summoned to the
room a short, dumpy mulatto, whom she
called Cressy. and who, she said. was TO
be my attendant Following her up the
stairs. | was ushered into a large. airy
chamber, which, though not furnished
with elegance. still contained everything
for my comfort.
shall l wash mssus' feet first, or
comb her hair?" asked the negress, pour
ing a pitcher of water into q small bath
ing tub.
This was entirely new to me. wso had
ALWAYS baaa stseuSforned TO ,Sait anon
myself. so declined Lev offers Of as
sistanee telling her Il preferred being
alone. and could do everything for my
self which was necessary"
My toilet was nearly completed when
heard in the hall the patter Of childish
feet, while a round. bright eye was APP
piled 10 the keyhole. 1t was the same
which had looked at me in the parlor; and
anxious to see its owner. l stepped cut
Of the door just as a fairy creature with
Golden curls started to run away. | was