New Ulm review., 1903-07-29
CHAPTER I.
ARRIVALS.

i carrying with it a threat Of falling
weather, came in through the wide
easements, now putting out the dimity
curtains in white clouds, and again
drawing them against the tiny panes
of the long French windows, which
had been set ajar that Miss Ellery
might enjoy the balmy air and also.
superintend work in the flower
garden upon which they opened.
/ One need not wish to look upon a
prettier picture than this young
mistress made as she stood that
morning by little deal table in the
great Ellery dining room, washing
| with her own hands the breakfast
china and at the same time issuing
orders to the negro slaves. S|
| A huge, bibbed homespun apron
| protected her figured cotton morning
dress, a white kerchief was demurely
crossed beneath her chin, and
snowy cap sat coquettishly upon her
brown head, in which gold and red
fought hard for supremacy. Her
! sleeves were rolled above the elbow,
| displaying handsome arm, while a
small, slippered foot now and then
tapped imperiously upon the polished
| floor as she gave some command.
| The room itself was receiving it's
morning cleaning. The drugget had
| been taken up from the polished
floor and was having a good beating
| out on the lawn at sufficient distance
to keep the dust from flying into the
| house; Aunt Rachel was rubbing
| down the great mahogany dining
| table and the smaller breakfast
| table; Gabriel was polishing the
silver; Judith was looking over the
! table linen that had been used for
breakfast and the last nights supper
| be removed or worn places darned
| before it was consigned to the
| laundry; Enos was at work upon the
silver and glass candlesticks, while
in the garden outside Uncle Peter was
busy among the flowers, singing the
| while at the top of his cracked old
voice.
| In the detached kitchen, some 20
feet from the house, Aunt Esther
and Aunt Deborah were sending up
quavering contraltos in rivalry of
Uncle Peters bass, accompanying
| themselves with the rattle of pots
and pans, and interrupting now and
then to shout command or threat
! at their crew of picaninny assist
| ants. .*.- =, ~ -:
The watchful eyes of the mistress
| f~, 1o 4 ioh
| held the domestic reins during her
stepmother's absence was not lax,
and it took no little vigilance to
keep that army of lazy, grown-up
black children to their tasks.
"Uncle Peter" she called, in her
mellow southern voice, 'methinks
you have been resting full ten min
utes upon that rake. Is the sun
then so hot that you cannot work?'' !
'Hist, Missy" whispered the old
darky, sticking his white cotton head
in through the window, 'thah's a
band of Britishahs ridin' up de
| av'new. Ole Petah hab bin watchin'
der red coats tro' de trees"
"And if so" said the mistress calm
", as she placed her china upon a
silver tray and herself carried it to
| the china-closet, a stoop-shouldered
| affair with glass-kno doors be-
low and an overhanging shelf above
on which were arranged such pieces
as were kept out for display and
could not find room on the tall, col
umned sideboard laden with silver
candlesticl1s and glass decanters,
gold-chased tankards, and fat
goblets, ''and if so,'' she re-
peated, what of it? Are we
such poor royalists that we need
fear his majesty's soldiers? Tut,
tut, pick up your cloth, Aunt Rachel,
and go on with your cleaning. Think
you the British will know that you
remember Mr.. Washington in your
| prayers, and in your heart espouse
the cause of your old master. my
Uncle Elijah?''
For lately James father had
bought from his brother a number of
blacks whom that patriots circu1n-
| stances, reduced by the war and his
espousal of the American cause,
would not permit him longer to sup
port. Aunt Rachel and Gabriel were
among these, and they had brought
the principles they had borrowed
from their old master into their new
home.
| just then Sampson appeared at the
door leading from the dining room
into the hall and announced in his
most expressionless tones, while he
held himself like very stiff paste
board figure
Maj. Broadus to see Miss Ellery.''
Jane knew that he had been too
I well trained by her stepmother to
I voluntarily bring stranger into her
presence with so little warning, and
81 she surmised the British officer had
persisted in following at his heels.
It was somewhat haughtily, there
fore, that she drew down the sleeves
of her gown and turned to meet the