Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-31

Colonel still in solitude in the old house that
like its owner, was much the worse for wear
| " had never recovered from the wreck OF war
Occupied at times by each of the armies alter
nately, its shrubberes, trees, grounds and gar,
dens had been varously damaged; its fences had
been pulled down, its original outbuildings rena
cred untenantable. A fre-not accounted for
had totally destroyed what could be consumed
of the still room wing Negroes, coming back
to live on the old plantation had long ago car.
ried away the bricks and foundation stones OF
what had been burned to construct chimneys for
their own cabins. The site had not been again
built upon, and the cellar was so filed with rub
bish as to be but shallow depression in the
ground. Only grass and weeds, and a sumac'
bush or two, and vine of wild grapes grow
ing from seed carried by some needless bird,
attempted to hide it. There was no one living
to'tell what its desoation concealed to the bow
ed, gray and sad old gentleman who had enter
ed upon the evening Of his life in the grip OF
distressing poverty.
The Colonels two bright spots were, first,
letters from his granddaughter Sylvia, whose
Aunt Sandys, now widow, had taken the child
to Europe to educate, and had remained abroad
till the present time; and, next, the visits of
a young Englshman of his own name, the in
mate of a neighbor's family, where he was
learning agriculture" with a view to settling in
Virginia
Jim Winwood did not claim relationship with
bhS SOlOHt nc 0du Deen so UuCu lTUHl uOuC,
and had knocked around the world so abundant
y, that the ties of blood and the traditions OF
race did not seem TO him of supreme Importance.
The Colonel-who sometimes said to him, Il
shouldn't be in the least surprised if we came
of the same stock, sir" ''If / had the pedi-
gree we lost in the court house fire. / dare
say | could trace you out, Mr.. Winwood" "--
was not, in these days, persistenty Jealous, even
about the Virginians Buddha, genealogy.
But Jim was strongly drawn to the gentle and
courteous old gentleman; he liked TO chat with
him, to hear about the war; to tell him in re-
turn his own adventures in distant countries
Much more to his taste was bare, hnfruined
Winwood than the spick-and-span, cheap new
dwelling the thrifty folk who had taken him
in to board while acquainting himself with the
soil and agricultural methods of this portion of
the State
It was another matter when the Colonels
lovely granddaughter came back from school i'll
France, and arrived with her Aunt Sandys to
make long visit.
Neither the tragedy that ushcred in Sylvia's
life, nor the death of her stricken mother, whom
she had never known, had left trace upon
the girls buoyancy of spirit Mollys smile was
forever upon her lips Molly's laugh rang out
in the dreary dwelling. And from Hugh Sandys
she had inherited the pluck and daring that
had brought the Black Captain to his death.
Jim, who had heard ghastly stories of this
family's war experiences, wondered at Sylvia's
brilliant gayety and vitality. She burst upon her
grandfather like vision of new life. She caress-
ed, humored, entertained him. mended his clothes
and filled his pipe; went to work with her rather
conventional aunt to tidy and freshen up the
house, and was all the time smitten to the heart
by the evidences of poverty she could not dis
sipate.
Mrs Lewis Sandys' small income was barely
enough to keep her charge and herself in de-
cent equipment Abroad, she had made it go
far What could she do in expensive America !?
One evenings talk suffced TO put Jim and
Sylvia upon terms of good-fellowship. At the
next meeting he was hopelessly in love. After
that, wild horses could not have kept him from
haunting Winwood. And the next step was
to beseech Sylvia to consider him cousin.
'I know nothing of Virginia cousinships," !"
said She shaking her head; "but you may come
with me, if you like, to pick some raspberries
for tea
Before they made exit from the raspberry
patch jim had advanced in his demands. Their
month of daily intercourse in this remote spot
had accomplished for Sylvia what it had done
for him. Secretly she thought him the hand
somest dearest simplest, most straightforward
man she had ever seen. But she was not pre-
pared to admit much to her newly declared
lover.
II like you" she said finally "but love is
not for me- Since I came here / life in a
new light / never before realized what a
blight is upon our race. We are bygones, under
the ban of Fate, My duty is to live here with
prandpapa, to make the most of his poor shat
tered life and when my own hour comes, to drop
off alone"
He had never seen her look or heard her speak
like this.
'IIet me share your services" he besought.
|I've been wild fellow, but have never ceas-
ed to be a gentleman. ! pledge you my honor
that / am fit to be your husband"
'I believe YOU" she flashed back at him.
''But shall never marry; or, let us say, shall
not marry until Winwoods Luck comes back
to Winwood Hall"
OF course jim knew the story of the Luck.
Everybody in Virginia had heard of it and had
passed the talk along.
Had there been peg to hang hope upon
he would have been happier.
Next day a young colored girl appeared in
the garden before them, asking if Sylvia would
please come TO see an ailing old woman, one of
| the batch who had strayed back to end their
DAYS where they were born. Sylvia complied
readily. Jim escortng her to the cabin door
set in burr bushes and jimson weeds. When she
emerged, he was shocked to see the change upon
| her young face
| "'I have been hearing what makes my heart
! ache" she said unconsciously stretching out
her child hands to be taken in his warm clasp
"Old Erinnys is dying. She a sister Of
! Judy who was with my mother in that awful
scene | never fully knew about till now"
Don't grieve yourself by dwelling upon it!'
he exclaimed with passionate tenderness. 81
wish the old crone had been in Ballyhack before
che sent for you