The Newtown bee., 1907-05-31

1exible- iointed Cunl was being able to 'trum the banjo while going through | nis him ble convelutions His link-like fingers would pick swiftly at the away he would fly, not requiring much space, but swayin9, spinning, twisting, | twirlinR and leaping until all would l come to an end with swift tapping of heels and toes not unlike the click ings of the clug.
 Cun'l Wessle was swidow.man," his wife, R Sybelle, having departed tnis life when Julius Alexander Wessle, the only child born to the couple, was some five years of age. Whether loyalty to the memory of the showy Rosybelle or other consider matter of doubt among the dusky demoiselles of his acquaintance, but truth was, not even the pretty yellow girl who had been his frivolous young wife ever occupied the place in the CunI's fond heart that Julius held in- violate against all others from the first year of his life.
 He was remarkably handsome child, sprightly in movement, quick to learn, and gifted with one of the most loving and winsome of dispositions Early in life Julius learned to ,'clap de casto- nets and rock de heel" But these were not his favorite diversions The child slyly learned to read, and as he became older grew susceptible to cer tain strong, frrepresSible aspirations domftable determination he % had bought his freedom at the age of 20.
 Never lived a prouder father than the Cun1. His title,-the highest that plantation minds could muster-was bestowed by his admiring brethren be- cause of his skill Tn certain athletic sports in which he distinguished him. self as born leader.
 On gaining his freedom, Julius went SNorf," and with accustomed industry honorable position in public office. But he never forgot or neglected his father. Regularly every season he made his appearance at the old quarters" for brief visit with his respected sire.
 At such times and for little while thereafter it seemed as it the CunI could scarcely contain himself, his up lifted attitude eliciting another ob- servation from the outspoken Sambo Link, "It do pear 'sif that thar Cunl | would 'xplode hisself vii sat'sfideness | eb'ry time JuluS comes home; it Sut- l tinly dO!''
 Meanwhile the Piper's reel was exc | cuted at sundry merry-makings, add l ing extra zeSt to each holiday frolic or jollification. In fact, 1.-the hands, de- clared that year after year new steps were added, were more glibly taken, and that the older he grew, the more
 'ssoopie" became the Cun'l wiry frame.
 So celebrated did the dance become,
 that no holiday or jubilee night was complete either on bis own or neigh
 boring plantations unless the reel had l added it's intense attraction
 l Then came the melancholy disturb l ance that rocked the country from end to end. And on one of his visits
 home Julius told his father he was go.
 ing to do a mans part toward bring ing matters to desired issue.
 Fl hasn't word to say, Julus, ,
 answered the stricken parent, mot g
 word fo' to say; wOt eber you feels is
 right, is right, an God-a-mighty ge
 vii you, son Julus!''
 But after. the young mans depart
 ure the anxious father dropped visibly
 dropped into so forlorn and pathetic {
 state that his companions rallied hin
 on not looking at affairs as he should
 and as Julius would wish him to
 That had something of the desired
 effect.
 Distractions reigned, and songs, jig
 and merry-making were si1enced a
 the quarters. So hopeful and full O
 interest, however, were the letters re ceived from Julius that all hand
 would gather to hear the breezy
 gan to feel comforted.
 Comforted; until one day there cam
 news that Sambo Link said with mys tic rolling of the eyes, and in voic
 lugubrious and sepulchral, s'struck d
 ear lax. de deepes' crack ob doom. r ended, one more martyr offered up a s the sacred altar Of duty.
 . If anything could have con R soled his poor father it woul have been the mention that wa
 made of 'shis noble son. in m enc oY1or hot nl,4I l,i~ 3 nothing could really console him now 0 It was an added grief that the boy g body could not be brought home fo i burial. But sagacious uncles an : mammys at the old plantation shoo s their woody heads and in melodiou 2 dat de pore Cun'l shouldn't hab d g mis'ry of seein' his Julus put inter
 de cole, cole groun'."
 } Ten years passed away. Matter l had so far settled themselves in tn ! county that interrupted industrie had been largely resumed, and at tn g old plantation as we'll as on neighbOT t ing ones many of the old familia g hands still rendered good and faithfu
 service. The naturally gay land jovia , to many merry-making and rollick ing good time. Feet swift to shu fiji t to music of fiddle and banjo were live g ly as ever, and summer and winte songs ana JlRS were keenly enjoyed
 Men, women and children, true to tn , instincts of their race, never happie F than when gyrating in unlearned. ye t measured, filings.
 All save one-Cunl Joe Wessie, stil tall, stalwart, and of stately build ) joined actively in no festivities; ha, apparently forgotten the piper's reel 55 years of age, and his wool eoln, , white with rapidity causing th,
 astute SambO Link to venture tht , prophecy. "A yeah or two noah an
 Cunl Joe's har will be white as de cot , ton boll.''
 His settled air of melancholy. SO fa from detracting from Joe's forme]
 popularity and attractiveness, vested
 nm With an atmosphere of added
 glamor and veneration. SideIons
 glances from dusky demoiselles O
 middle age were quite as freely be
 slowed upon him as of yore, but be
 slowed in vain.
 For some years after his bitter be reavement U oe steadfastly refused t, attend frolic or dance. But now for year or two he had from very loneli
 ness ceased to absent himself iron such scenes. And time and again
 and still time and again, had he beer importuned, cOaxed and urged to tr, the Piper's reel. But no amount o1 persuasion availed.
 "Some udder man dance it." h. would say.
 "But, Cun'l JOe," was the invari