The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-06-02


whom they called mistress. None of
the inmates of the farm had been
known 10 leave the place for years,
except the nnan-servant who made
a trip to ST. Louis and returned the
same day, generally about once in
three months:
One midsummer afternoon, about
seven years after Governor Murriatte's
family had deserted Beaumont, a
lady dressed in the deepest mourning
was standing at the gate of this MAN
sion, looking with eager eyes along
the dusty road leading to the city.
1t was Mrs. Newell Murriatte, but
so changed III appearance was she,
that any one of her old friends who
b id known her Intimately when she
was the happy wife of Governor
Murriatte, might have passed her a
dozen times a day and never have
recognized her. Her face, though
not of a sickly pallor, was thin and
delicate, and her abundant hair, part
ly concealed by widows cap, was
perfectly white. By and by she was
joined by large mulatto woman who
said as she reached the lady's side:
''Doan yo' see dem comm yet,
Mis- Alva?''
The lady glanced at her watch and
answered:
mo, Diana, they cannot reach
here before six O'Clock even if they
drove directly here from the depot as
soon as the cars arrived, and it is now
only 5:35 O'Clock"
Hit do seem lax a dream, Mis-
Alva, dat my pore lam comm home
at las; she dun been gone so long, an
we been so lonesome an hungry to
see de sweet chile once NOAH"
Diana said as she seated herself on
the green grass growing beside the
gate against which Mrs. Murriatte
was YEARLY leaning. as she continued
to search the road with eager eyes.
Eyes, Diana, five years is a long
time for us to be separated from our
loved one, but thank God, our wait |
ing is almost over and we will soon
have our child with US, and / pray
that she may never leave us again.
the lady said with a deep sigh.
But Mis- Alya, what we gwine to
do when Mis- Imogen gifts married?''
Diana asked with puzzled express
sion on her kindly face.
She will never get married, Diana.
She will live with US till we die and |
are laid to rest i'll the little cemetery |
over there in the green woods back /
of the apple orchard. Then she will |
end her days here as lonely as we |
have been since she left us. and will |
be laid in her grave beside us by the |
hands of strangers, who will wonder |
what the secret sorrow of her life |
and mine had been," the lady said,
more to herself than to her listener. |
Diana wiped the tears which were {
falling from her eyes away with her |
snowy white apron and said:
'Maby yo' is right, Mis- Alva, but |
hit don't look natural ter me dat a
bootiful young lady an one smart as |
Mis- Imogene is, will go through dis |
bail er tears widout mate. Hit |
don't honey, sho as yo' lib, I clare |
TO- goodness hit DON'T
4 cloud of white dust had appeared |
down the road while Diana was /
speaking, and Mrs. Murriatte, who !
had been watching it saw now the !
outlines of a carriage and cried out |
joyfuliy:
''They are coming, Diana. Miss /
Imogen is coming, and our weary
waiting is almost overu'
''Bress de good Lordi" exclaimed |
Diana piously, as she sprang to her /
feet and surveyed the fast approach
ing carriage.
Mis- Alva," she said, with elasped |
hands, wonder if de saints in glory /