The Somerset reporter., 1908-10-08

Literary ITeSS.
@seN~N~N~@N~S~s%~s sNsNNe%N~s~e~~~@
MY country, right or wrong, but
still my country" murmured Eleanor
Wright with great satisfaction as she
gazed through the open window at the
apple trees laden with gorgeous bios
sons She loved the place and every
stick and stone on 1t. 1t was hers by
right of Inheritance, and she would
leave 1t for no man.
True, her old nurse. Roxanna, had
forsaken her to become the bride or
Abraham, the head gardener on the
adjoining estate, and it seemed as II
landmark had been torn up by the very
roots. One must learn to part with
landmarks, so Eleanor had promised
to go to Roxanna's wedding.
She jumped into the little runabout
which was waiting for her at the door
No groom attended her, for all the
darkies on the place bad been given
a holiday that they, too, might attend
the wedding. She drove down the IA
miliar lane to the cabin in the woods
where hundreds of darkieS had con
gregated Only one other white per
son was in sight, a tall, 1.-THE youth
astride a roam horse.
Most Of the colored men wore white
linen suits, Immediately clean, and
carried canes of crooked old birch and
hickory. The women were arrayed to
shame Solomon In all his glory. They
drew aside as the two white persons
came into their midst. Eleanor drove
up at the side of the house and de-
seconded with the aid of many black
hands. The tall youth stayed on his
horse and took up IA stand near the
front door. Arm in arm the bride and
groom came from the house, and under
the old apple tree at the side of the
cabin the most famous colored preach
er in the south made them man and
wife. Eleanor shook the groom by the
hand and told him to guard we'll his
precious helpmate. She kissed the
black face of Roxanna, who had been
her constant attendant since baby hood
Then, blinded by tears, she jumped
into her little runabout and started
for home
Cheers and halleluliahs rang upon
the air. Bright bandannaS were flung
high, and hickory sticks wavered in
circles. After twenty years of persist
ent courtship ROXanna and Abraham
were married! Eleanor turned to look
back at the happy throng. and her
horse SHE'D.
She was a good little horsewoman
and took firm grip on the reins. but
too late, The horse had the bit in his
teeth and was running at terrific speed.
The light wagon rocked from one side
Of the road to another Eleanor sway
ing with it. Down the road, past pink
orchards and green fields, swaying,
swaying-and then black nothing.
She opened her eyes to gaze into
those OF the youth who had attended
the wedding.
I'm Dick Ewing your next door
neighbor." be explained as he made
her Il bit more comfortable by prOpplng
her up. ~ braham Is our gardener. you
know" he continued and ! saw you
at tie wedding You seem to have for
gotten me. How's your head. eh?"
Eleanor had known Dick Ewing
when she was child. The last time
they had met he had called "tDmboT
at her as she climbed over the fence
which divided the ETing place from
the Wright plantation. Then he had
been sent to Germany at the behest OF
a wealthy uncle.
lie seemed to divine her thoughts
Il got back the other day-just In
time for the wedding" and he laughed
an infectious laugh. But this line of
conversation is not getting you home
| don't know just how to do it. | don't
suppose there's "a sober darby this side
of the Mason and Dixon line-all at