The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-08

the back door, with such momentum that
he landed in a sitting posture by one Of
the cellar windows '.Namo O Gawd
Davcr exclaimed his wife Mandy. rush
ing from the arch to tho window aforo-
said. rs you dono kilt yo'se'f7 NO"
speecfiess. I 'clar' fore Gawd Marse
forms wussn harrycane. 'Twix' him
an Miss Ellen. I done como up thoo
| much tribcrashun, an done wash my
robes in de blood O. de sheep. Nrarso
Torn boun' fer torment. sutny." 5
And. with this pleasing reflection, he
crept back in the hall. and solaced b 9.
self with a tremendous pull at the brandy
bottle.
The next morning. Buck Peyton, as In
duty bound, rode over to Panorama,
Torm's place. to formally ask his con-
sent Knowing forms temper. Buck did
not anticipate any pleasant reception:
but he was not the man to shirk any
duty. however unpleasant, and there was
very determined set to his shoulders as
be loped his big bay up to the outer gate.
To his surprise, Dave. who was stand
ing just inside the gate, did not offer to
open 1t for him.
Open tho gate. Dave" he said. IT want
to see Mr.. Dade. Is he at home?'
Don go in dar, Marse Buck, don. 90
In dar! Oars do devil to pay at Pan
nirammare to-day" answered Dave.
open tho gate, you black rascal" said
the young lawyer impatiently. do you
suppose am afraid of the devil?'
This was Dawes opportunity. Having
mixed six 5uleps for the perturbed Torn
that morning, and taken as many pulls
Of the straight article himself, he was in
a peculiarly religious frame OF mind.
Now tes' hear dat" he groaned- "Nlarse
| Buck, you ev'ry bit In grain ez bad ez
hnso 1yho t. 1i1,> ix,&r
de hams Nv dc .stroyer, Betn' a child O.
Gawd myself"
| open that gate" exclaimed Buck,
"And stop that rot you drunken-''
.Drunk'' snorted the negro, "Drunk!"
Fore Gawd ain seen a drap sence
"oh Jesus Marse Bucls!" he yelled.
| Here's note Miss Nell tole mo to
| give you.''
Buck read the not, sitting there on his
| horse, with the early June sunshine fall
ing on his manly form and handsome, tn
| telectual face. 1t gave a short account
| OF the manner in which Torn had re-
ceived the news OF their engagement,
and urged him not to come to Panorama
until things had quoted somewhat
| 1t concluded with an assurance Of low
| ing fidelity, and cheerful declaration
| that the writer had never failed to get
! her way with her guardian. in the end.
Buck smiled at this, remembering the
pretty, imperous ways OF his lady-love.
| Nothing Is ever secret long in a
neighborhood like Chotank, where every
neigh borhood like Chotank. where wxdd
body is everybody else's cousin. more or
less removed. aud. SO. as have said,
| Chotank was In a fever OF excitement.
Torn filled the house with the heav-
| lest drinkers. fastest riders and most
persistent poker-players Of his acquaint-
ance, and Ellen sulked and pouted.
Dave was mixing juleps, and. on the sly.
drinking them. until Mandy predicted
Mania potu," and threatened to have
him "ohurohed.''
Buck Peyton practiced his profession,
and lived as usual. cheered by occasion.
| al glimpses of his divinity, at Lambs
! Creek Church. where Torn. re-enforced
by his timid little wife, guarded her like
| a soldier on duty.
| It was battle of two strong wills at
Panorama in those days, and Ellen grew
| thin and pale. while forms waistcoat in
| creased in circumference, and his nose
| became like unto the rising sun. He and
| Dave waged wordy war from early morn
to dewy eve. and the latter, under the
| influence of his protracted rotations, be-
came pious to wierd and awful degree.
He had Just assured the scornful Mandy
1
bility, when Torn after an unusually
stormy scene with Ellen. was seized with
a dt, during which he died.
The doctor. being hastily summoned.
pronounced it apoplexy. and declared
that nothing else could have been ex-
pected from Torm's convivlal habits and
choleric temperament.
Torm's nanny came up from the far
quarters. bewailng the death OF her
i raw e1,a 70 CHI Soa Il
for burial, and bore him, with Dawes
help. down the long, narrow passage way
to what was known IS as the west
/ rooms" Panorama was a large, square.
/ brick house. fianked on either side by a
narrow brick passage. leading to a square
oftice-like. two story, structure. contain
Ing two upper and two lower rooms.
| These wings were known as the East
| and "West" rooms. In the further of
the '.West rooms" poor Torn was laid
In state. to await his burial. Fills sudden
death was q terrible shock to Ellen.
coming as it did, just after an angry al
tercatlon. but the girl, who was full OF
native nobility Of character. smothered
| her own grief, and sought to administer
| consolation to his Emphatic little wife.
/, But the little woman turned upon her
| like fury. and poured out torrent OF
hot reproaches upon her. accusing her OF
being his murderer.
Surprised and shocked at this exhibi-
ton Of spirit in ono whom she had long
| regarded as moro of lay figure than
anything else: and full of that vague and
reasonless remorse and self-reproach we
all feel more or less, when suddenly part
| ed by death from one whom wo love;
but with whom We have been angry.
Ellen wandered off to tho old nursery In
the upper part Of the West wing, and.
after hours OF fruitless grief and weep
ing. dropped into deep, drean1less sleep.
About this time, George Grimes Dick
Hunter, Bob Cleve. and two other young
mon, intimate friends of the departed
Torn, arrived for the purpose, as was
usual In those days. of Sitting up with
the body of the deceased,
! Dave, solemnly and dignifiedly drunk,
escorte dthen1 to the West rooms" and
palced chairs and lounges for them In the
room, next tho ono In which his late
master lay in state. After the usual look
at the deceased, these gentlemen took
| their seats In the adjoining room. and the
old darkey, having delivered a powerful
and impressive homily on the uncertan-
ty OF life. and the certainty of death
winding up with an assurance that