Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-09-27


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 it had
taken Ladue nearly quarter of cen.
fury to build up was ruined in day.
Ladue was shy and reserved, his wife
semi-invalid and Paul a sensitive
plant. 1t was long before he seemed
to thaw 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
assorted pair joined forces, apparently,
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 of
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 $4,000
men to defend the capital, then for
100000 volunteers to prosecute the war;
For moment there came no answer
to Benton's tentative. Already he re-
pented him of his words, yet there was
something he longed to know. Fol-
| upwards of three years there had been
no secret between him and his chosen
| friend. Paul Ladue, who hitherto had
held no communication with his native
state, was writing letters thither and
feverishly, furtively, perhaps, await.
ing reply. What did it portend?
| On every hand men were quitting
| the desk, the plough or the tools of
| theiz trade, and hocking to the recruit
! icg offices. Benton's name had been
/ sent to the governor for a commission
in one of the new regiments. Mass
meetings were being held almost every
night, and energetic citizens were pass
ing subscription papers from desk to
desk that fund might be raised for the
| benefit of the families of the rapidly
| e1liSting husbands and fathers.
Ladue gave again and again and gave
! gladly. How could l do otherwise?"
said he. You and these kind people
,bade me welcome when life was at its
blacklist. | am southerner. l can
not fight against mine own people no
matter what they did to me. / cannot
support them, however, in their revolt
against the government which shields
and protects me. | will not refuse to
| contribute towards the support of the
wives and children of those who so
kindly welcomed my wife and children
| and mine are grateful"
But what is Paul going to do?" was
| the question that startled him, one
morning. HE would not enlist with
the boys here and he's writing letter
after letter to somebody there It
isn't possible he would fight for the
people who broke his fathers heart"
| 1t had never occurred to Ladue. It
was high time he interposed. Paul
was barely 20, and, therefore, still
subject to his fathers will. 1t was
SOFT warm evening at the verge of
June as the trio came silently back
from their up-river row. Fred propped
his SOULS against the tree box, and let
himself in at the gate for few minutes
OF earnest talk. 1t was indeed time
somebody in authority sought to dis
suade the young man if it should prove
that he was seeking service with the
Alabama troops.
Meantime the two young people had
gone on toward the Benton homestead.
Away down town there came the sound
of distant cheering, for another mass
meeting was being held in Market
Square and a gifted orator from Chica-
GO was being presented to the throng
| Up here near the bluffs overlooking
the great inland sea, all was still
Elinor Benton looked warily within
as they reached the gate in front of
the quaint colonial house that had been
her home since babyhood. Voices, in
low-toned chat, floated out to her from
the broad veranda, and with hardly
a shadow of hesitation the girl turned
and followed when her partner said,
Let us go back to the bluff a little
while When they reached the edge
of the bluff Ladue turned to her and
his voice trembled as he asked,
You heard Freds question:"
An almost inaudible Yes was the
sole response.
"What-do you think fought to
do?' he wistfully. slowly asked. For
moment she could not reply. When
! the words came-for she was only six
teen, and the position most trying-her
clear young voice had pathetic, trem-
| ulOuS undertone.
How can l Judge? Almost any one
would say your duty was here-yet-
| know-your hearts there" And
as she spoke the heart in her own pure
young bosom was throbbing hard. Fol
another little while there was. silence,
broken only by the sound of distant
cheering from the center of the town
by the rhythmical, soothing plash of
the wavelets on the pebbly beach be-
meath them. Then Elinor, uplifting
la<,- co.