Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-11-21
CHAPTER w.

Ben had spent a month Of vain ef-
fort to secure his fathers release. he
had succeeded In obtaining for him a
removal to more comfortable quarters,
books to read, and the privilege OF q
daily walk under guard and parole.
The doctors genial temper the wide
range OF his knowledge, the charm OF
his personality, and his heroism In SUI
fering had captivated the surgeons VINO
attended him and made friends OF
every jailer and guard.
Elsie was now using all her woman's
wit to secure q copy Of the charges
against him as formulated by the judge
Advocate general, who, In defiance OF
civil law, still claimed control OF these
cases.
To the boys sanguine temperament
the whole proceeding had been huge
farce from the beginning, and at the
last interview with his father he had
literally laughed him into good hu-
NOR.
lieve you're trying to slip on and leave
us In this mess. It's not fair. It's
easy to die"
WHO said was going to die?"
II heard you were trying to crawl
out that way"
well It's a mistake. I'm going to
live Just for the fun of disappointing
my enemies and to keep you compa-
ny. But you'd better get hold of copy
OF these charges against me-if you
don't want me 10 escape"
IT'S a funny world If man can be
condemned to death without any IN
formation on the subject"
MY son, we are now In the hands
Of the revolutionists, army suffers, con-
tractors, and adventurers. The Nation
Will touch the lowest tide-mud Of Its
degradation within the next few years
No man can predict the end"
"Oh, go 'long!" said Ben. you've
got jail cobwebs in your eyes"
I'm depending on you"
"Tn pull you through If you don't
lie down on me and die to get out OF
trouble. You know you can die II you
try hard enough"
II promise you. my boy" he said
with laugh.
"Then ri let you read this letter
from home" Ben said, suddenly thrust
ing II before him.
The doctors hand trembled little
as he put on his glasses and read:
NV Dear Boy: / cannot tell you how
much good your bright letters have
done US. It's like opening the window
and letting in the sunlight while fresh
breezes blow through ones soul.
Margaret and l have had stirring
times. l send you inclosed an order
for the last dollar of money we have
left You must hoard it, Make it last
until your father Is safe at home.
dare not leave II here. Nothing is safe
Every piece of silver and everything
that could be carried has been stoler
since we returned.
Uncle Aleck betrayed the place Jake
had hidden our twenty precious Dales
of cotton. The war Is long since over
but the Treasury Agent" declared
them confiscated. and then offered tC
relieve US of his order If we gave him
five bales, each worth three hundred
dollars in gold. l agreed, and wlthlr
week another thief came and declar-
ed the other fifteen bales confiscated
They steal it, and the government new
er gets a cent. We dared not try tC
sell in open market, as every bale eX-
posed is "confiscated" at once.
No crop was planted this summer
The negroes are all drawing rationS
at the Freedman's Bureau.
We have turned our house into
hotel. and our table has become IA
nous. Margaret Is a treasure. Sht
has learned to do everything. We triec
10 raise a crop on the farm when We
came home. but the negroes stopped
work. The Agent of the Bureau came
to us and said he could send them bach
for a fee of $50. We paid 1t. and the!
worked a week We found 1t easier tC
run a hotel We hope to start th'
farm next year.
Our new minister at the Presbyte
rian Church is young. handsome al
e!oouent-Rev. Hugh McAlpin.
Mr.. Lenoir died last week-but MI
end was so beautiful. our tears were
half ioy. He talked incessantly o
your father and how the country miss