The Cairo bulletin., 1907-11-20
A VIRGINIA ROMANCE.
By Louise Kiniball.


~, in your care. Do what you can
as lar MS education and training go.
for Brandon. like the Mansion House
has been neglected"
Lee was a practical New England
young man, and as he read the words
of his fathers cousin, now dead. he
frowned. "A Southern house fallen
TO pieces. and Southern boy lack
ing ambition" he summed up his un-
expected legacy. The Northern Lees
had lost track of their Virginia cou-
sins at the beginning of the Civil
War. and beyond knowing that the
Mansion House was near the beauti-
full James River. little beyond the
old Colonial landing place, Flower
dlea Hundred" John Lee was In
complete ignorance OF the family and
their home. He had never even
heard OF his cousin Brandon.
Being a busy man. John could
not. at the time Of his elder cousins
death take trip to Virginia. He
coutented himself with sending a let
ter 10 the young Brandon. urging the
youth 10 come North and prepare for
ooiiege. or IL you prefer business
career" he wrote, Il will use my
influence to get you started right"
He had been shocked and displeased
tit the almost illegible scrawl he had
received in return. The writer
hated the thought of leaving Man
siQn House for the North. II don't
rcckon | could get into Yale" the
letter said, and / surely am right
happy here. My income Is enough
for Aunt Eliza and me"--this seem
cd to be in answer to Johns prudent
question, and as for business why.
I'm arranging the rose garden now,
and cant leave anyhow"
lie doesn't seem to realize" thou
GIT John. that the Mansion House
Is mine now also the rose garden.
80 doubt he is tied to Aunt Elizas
apron strings.
Early in the spring an "Exploita-
zion Syndicate" opened correspon-
dence with Lee concerning the desir-
ability of selling the Mansion House
feg d hotel. and John determined to
50 20 Virginia to overlook the ground
fo9 himself.
III The contractors will give a
fair price for the old place. he
thought, 'I'll sell. 1t will give me
an eseuEe to set young Brandon at
work. for his responsibility to his
young cousin weighed on his con-
ssientions New England mind.
Cruising up the lovely river on the
lazy little steamer Powhatan Lee fell
unaer the spell Of the beautiful
land.
Tire spirit Of his adventurous an
cestoF possessed him, and he felt kin
ship with the soil which his people
had helped to win from the wilder
ness. He thought of his cousin Bran
don. u won't be hard on the lad,"
he thought to himself, he Is young,
and doubtless the traditions of the
land have strong mold upon him.
IT pleased him to leave his horse
with a groom at the ruined gates OF
the Mansion House, and approach
the building along the winding foe
path which led through the Gnkemnt
grounds TO The hoase. At the signs
of neglest on all sides the broken
down garden seats, the crumhllng
sam ner house. and weeds which
o1ergrew the path, John Lees anger
at his cousin rose.
.Ee's a lsy fellow" thought the
CT taetic New Englander. "Any
handy hoy could mend these things
with hammer and a few bo8rds,
/ viii not stand for such shiftlcss-
ness he sioppe1 short and drew
n long wondering breath Of delight
Re forgot the neglect and di'spiAa-
ton about him and stood transdyed
p the entrance to another world
it VAS the rose garden. Roses Of all |
coiors, red, white, pink and yellow |
and hung and bloomed and !
perfnme5 al the air - the red |
rceo j -ab. 81 aorlne 'ha rast frag- |
roul r70ers. vas the 3Ifesfs blossom |
Of i beautiful voting Girl, slcn.
ior and straight. looking WITH start I
ia4. nonaerful ewes Ut thc fatradar |
Bcfore John Ice could collect his |
scattered senses she came forward, |
dropping her roses as she came,
This is Cousin John" she said IN
,o;ce witch wa like nssic to the
man. "weleonle TO Mansion House
ecors,n. = John sfamrered. Nare you
a new cousin" VIII thoughts OF a
secret marriage of Brandon flashed |
his miad.
"Why no" laughed the girl I'm
iust tie same Brandon But son
iont look the least bit like the
hearflens aortherner who thinks Of
rotbing bat dollars You doat seem
Ike a Yankee she went on. slowly.
who wogld sell the Mansion House.
She psase1. siiereed by the look
which swept o~e- John Lees frce.
I see. be said slowly You are
Brandon Lee and YOU we're named
for vour mothers people as the son
thern enstom is. I thought Won we're
? boy" He wss still bswildered.
You wont take me away from
s..~o aud ees1 NO 20 r-o-E In 4Er |