Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-01-28
CHAPTER 1.
DAMON AND PYTHIAs.

They were padding idly down the
stream-two young men and a girl
Stroke and bow were in heated discus
sion, and the dark brown eyes that
earlier in the afternoon seemed ever
seeking the of liquid blue before him,
were now turned, sometimes to port,
sometimes to starboard, sometimes
over the squared shoulders, flashing
on the man in front-a young athlete
with eyes as blue and hair and skin
well-nigh as fair as those of the girl
at the helm. He of the stroke SOULS,
On the contrary, was tawny, almost,
as a son of the tropics. His head
was crowned by dark brown curls,
tumbling about neck and temples. The
shape of his face had the delicate
beauty of a woman's. Among the four
score young fellows prominent in so
ciety Of the western metropolis, there
was not one to deny to Paul Ladue the
palm for physical. or at least facial.
charm Ever since his coming among
them four years before there was
hardly girl in all their circle in the
busting city that had not declared
him simply lovely"
What his face lacked was strength
and will A physiognomist would have
turned from it speedily to study the
strong, virile features, the square jaw,
the firm set lips of the stalwsrt fellow
ut his back. 1t required no unusual
power to tell that he and the silent
girl were brother and sister, and that
between them sat, despite the heat OF
argument, a beloved and cherished
friend.
You'll never do il, even IL you
muster in every man north Of the Ohio,
Fred" said he of the dark, flashing
eyes. ''Our people will fight to the
last man-and then the women and
children will take it up"
Fred Benton shook his head in dis
sent--a sad smile on his face For
a moment he ceased rowing and bent
earnestly forward:
You at least can have no sympathy
with the south, after the wrong done
your father, Paul, and I'm blessed IL
/ can understand your taking up the
cudgels for Alabama as you do"
The color deepened in Ladue's face.
Benton had scored a hit. The eyes
of the girl brimmed with tears. There
was something of reproach in the
glance she threw at her stalwart
brother. Well as the stors was known,
people rarely spoke of it to the Ladues.
Four years old though it was, it still
cut deep.
Some time in 81 the editor of lead
ing journal had received a letter COM
mending to him Francis Ladue, who
purposed settling in the city and going
into business there. Presently Ladue
came and with him his little family
q fragile, sad-faced wife, a slender,
tsg-eyed boy of 16, and two young
children Presently, too, marked copies
of southern papers were received, and
little by little their story was told to
an indignant and sympathetic COM
munity. Natives of the south and
residents for years of a beautiful old
southern metropolis, they had been
banished from the home of their love,
driven from state to state, forbidden
ever to return, and compelled finally
TO seek refuge among strangers in the
north, because Ladue, senior, owner
of the finest bookstore on the Gulf
coast, stood charged with having sold
to an old customer one copy of Uncle
Toms Cabin" The business 1t had
taken Ladue nearly quarter of a cen.
fury to build up was ruined in a day.
Ladue was shy and reserved, his wife
a semi-invalid and Paul a sensitive
plant 1t was long before he seemed
to thav out at all, but Fred Benton
a near neighbor when they passed into
the high school, was the youth he
finally tied to, and then this strangely
lxy
for good and all. Damon and Pythias
they called them; for, after the first
six months of shyness on Ladue's part
they became inseparable. High school
finished, Ladue was needed as assis'
tant in his fathers growing business
Benton had begun the study of law in
the Office of the famous old firm oil
which his father was the head. But
before either had cast his first vote
the long heralded conflict between the
north and south had burst upon the
startled land. Sumter had fallen. The
president had called, first for 75,00(
men to defend the capital, then fol
800 900 volunteers to prosecute the war
For a moment there came no answer
to Benton's tentative Already he re-
pented him of his words, yet there wa:
something he longed to know. Flo,
upwards of three years there had beer
no secret between him and his chosen
friend. Paul Ladue, who hitherto haC
held no communication with his native
state, was writing letters thither anC
feverishly, furtively, perhaps, await
ing reply. What did it portend?
On every hand men were quitting
the desk, the plough or the tools o
their trade, and fiocking to the recruit
ing Offices. Benton's name had beer
sent to the governor for a commission
in one of the new regiments. Mas
meetings were being held almost ever
night, and energetic citizens were pass
ing subscription papers from desk t
desk that fund might be raised for tn
benefit OF the families of the rapid
enlisting husbands and fathers.
Ladue gave again and again and CAV
gladly. How could / do otherwise?
said he You and these kind peopl