Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-11-29
CHAPTER V.
The Island Lady.

from the minds of men. His widow re-
mained on the island and governed the
people like a queen. The islanders be-
gan by distrusting and disliking her;
they ended by giving her unqualified
love and respect Did sorrow, sickness
or poverty enter their homes, the is
land lady, as she was called. was swift
to follow after, with heart full OF
sympathy and a hand freighted with
relief. She ruled them with kindness
and gentleness. Patiently, persistent
IT, she won her way into their conf
dence and esteem. Harris. the over
seer who had. at the time of Philip
Hawkstone's death, regarded the fair
Creole with open suspicion, soon be-
came her firm friend, her faithful, zeal
Gus adherent. She superintended all
the work done on the island; built
houses, introduced new inventions, and
cultivated the acquaintance of every
man, woman and child among her ten
ants. but she saw no strangers, re-
ceived no visitors, and rarely crossed
to the mainland A pale, impressive
lady. always gentle, but never joyous.
dressed invariably in black, and with
streaks of premature gray in her love-
" hair-a lady whose manner compell-
ed Difference and attention, and who
moved among her dependents with the
grace of born sovereign; yet all the
while Jetta Hawkstone carried in her
heart a silent sorrow like the fox
which gnawed the vitals Of the Spartan
lad in olden story.
she has made conquest of every
soul on the island" Harris was wont
to sigh; 'she is rich and powerful and
the most unhappy creature in the
world"
To that wild, strong -fsted gypsy,
Peg Patton, Philip Hawkstone's widow
was particularly kind. The girl lived
with a blind grandmother in tumble
down old house at the head of lone
some, wooded inlet. Immediately after
the tragedy Mrs. Hawkstone sent
workmen to repair the house, and it
soon became known that she had taken
the inmates under her own care, and
was supporting them in every comfort
The girl Peg came often to the hall,
and held long interviews with the is
land lady to which no third party was
ever admitted The islanders discov-
cred that Mrs. Hawkstone went some
times unattended to the lonely Inlet
house, and they saw that all animosity
was over betwixt Hawkstone's Tilted
sweetheart and the fair woman he had
married. Indeed, II there was one per-
son above an others who, from first
hating Jetta Hawkstone, had now
come to regard her with devoted af-
fection. that person was Peg Patton.
To little Basil. the heir of the island,
Jetta Hawkstone was mother, father
comrade, and teacher, all in one. Heart
and SOUL this woman, young and beau
tiful devoted herself to the boy, and
in return Basil adored his fair step
mother. dashing. brilliant fellow he
was. yellow haired and symmetrical
as a young Greek hot-hearted, high
tempered too, with mighty ideas of his
own Importance, and so naughty with
al that he was early called Prince Lu-
cifer" by his envious cousin Vincent,
who represented a younger branch Of
the family.
MY darling" said Jetta Hawkstone
to her son, you are the owner of this
island, you are rich, you bear an old
and honorable name, you hold great
possibilities for good or evil in your
hands; learn first to control yourself,
and then you can be trusted to rule
others. You were born a gentleman;
act like one everywhere, and under all
circumstances"
The best tutors that money could
procure came to the island to teach the
lad, for she would not be parted from
him. She became the guardian of his
education as well as Of his lOrdly little
person. The boy never spoke OF his
father. and seemed not to remember
him.
Time went on. The day of tutors
passed. Basil HawkstOne entered COL
lege. The young island sovereign went
out from his small domain to conquer
new worlds.
Trust me- mamma he said, Il will
remember that l am Hawkstone. l
will win all the honors l can. for your
sake"
And he kept his word. He was the
most brilliant scholar of his class, and
during his college course was the same
domineering. conquering Prince
Lucifer' that he had been on his lit
tie island. He graduated in blaze OF
glory, and a few weeks later sailed for
Europe to see the world and enjoy
life for season, after the fashion OF
his kind.
In the drawing-rOOm at Tempest
Hall mother and son parted. Jetta
Hawkstone had aged greatly of late.
Her abundant hair was now as white
as snow.
You will not remain long abroad,
Basil?" she said. wistfully, to the
splendid. stalwart fellow who was gaz-
ing at her so fondly from pair of
iron-gray eyes. set under level black
brows. He was all strength and grace
and beauty, far handsomer than Phil
in Hawkstone had ever been, and with
none of the melancholy Charles Stuart
look Of his father.
II shall be gone but year, man.
ma" he answered; twelve short
months"
Basil, have l been a good mother to
you?" she asked, with her hands on his
broad shoulders.
"The best in the world" he answer
ed.
My beautiful boy! some day you
will bring wife to Tempest Hall to
take my place. Basil, oh Basil!"-and
q convulsive shudder shook her from
head to foot-"God grant that the fam