Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-22

servant ana at lIlc Saiiic IAiiiO
him his travelling bag. Take care of
these. Bill" said he.
Bill. for that was indeed his name,
placed the bag and umbrella upon the
gallery floor. and. with the air or owning
the place himself invited the visitor to
enter
"rhe cunners not to home. suh,' said
Bill. But you better come in and sed
down. I'll go call the folks.
Never mind" said the visitor. II
reckon IN lust walk around a little out
side hear Col. Blount is Off on a bear
hunt
"Yassah." said Bill. An when he goes
he mostly gets bah. I'm right spondent
dis time. though. deed Is, sun.
Whats the matter?
why. you see. sub" replied Bill. lean
ing comfortably back against gallery
post. IT'S dis-away- I'm just gwine
out to fix up Old Hec's foot. He's ouah
bestest bah dog. but he got SO blame
higgoty. las time he was out. stuck his
foot right intOe ba'hs mouth. Now
Hec's lef' home. an me lef home to ten
to Hec How kin Cunnel BIount git any
bah widout me an Hec along? Use right
'spondent dat's whut l is.
We'll now. that's too bad, said the
stranger. with a smile.
TOO bad? l reckon it sho' is Fer,
if Cunnel Bount don't get no bah-look
out den. l kin tell you
Gets his dander up, eh?"
"Dandah-dandah! You know him:
TIL amt no better boss, but eff he goes
out huntin' b ah and don't get no bah
why. den dey amt no reason gwine do
fob him.
come home. he'll come up along dat lane,
him an the dogs. an dem no count mig
gers he done took long with him: an
when he gifts UP to whah de lane crosses
de railroad track. eff he come ridin' long
easy like. now an den tOotin' his hawn
10 sort o let us know he's a-comin-ef
he do dat-a-way. OATS all right-dat's
all right Here the garrulous old serv-
ant shook his head. But eff he don't
That's bad if he doesn't eh?"
"Yessah. Eff he dom come a-blowin'
an eff he do come a-singin' den look out.
l allus did notice dat eff Cunnel Blount
gins to sing 'ligious hymns. somethin' S
hain't right easy ter git long wifi when
he's a-singin'. But If you'll 'scuse me.
sun. / got ter take care o Hec. Jest
make yourself to home. suh-anyways
you like
The visitor contented himself with wan
dering about the yard, until at length he
seated himself on the board pile beneath
the evergreen trees, and so sank into an
idle reverie his chin in his hand and his
eyes staring out across the wide field. He
sat thus for some time, and the sun was
beginning to encroach upon his refuge,
when suddenly he was aroused by the
faint and far-off sound of a hunting horn.
That the listener distinguished 1t at such
a distance might have argued that he
himself had known hound and saddle in
his day; yet he readily caught the note OF
the short hunting horn universally used
by the southern hunters, and recognized
III tln hunt Inc nok
AS it came near, all the dogs in the ken
mel yards heard it and ragged to escape
from their confinement. Old Bill came
hObbling around the corner. Steps We're
heard on the gallery. The visitors face
showed slight uneasiness he caught
a glance of a certain spot now suddenly
made alive by the fiutter Of a soft gown
and the fash of a bunch of scarlet rib
bons. Thither he gazed as directly as he
might under these circumstances. but the
girl was gone before he had opportunity
even to rise and remove his hat.
That's her. That's Miss Lady," said
Bill to his new friend, in a low voice
"Han'some gal in the hull Delta
They'll all be right glad ter see the Gun
mel back. He's got bah shore, fer he's
comm a-blowin.''
Bits joy was not long lived. for even
as the little cavalcade came in view, a
tall figure on a chestnut hunting horse,
riding well in advance, certain colored
stragglers coming behind, and the party
colored pack trOtting or lmping along on
all sides, the music of the summOning
horn suddenly ceased. Looking neither
to the right nor to the left, the leader
of the hunt rode up the lane. sitting
loose and careless in the saddle. his right
hand steadying short rifle across the
saddle front. He rode thus until pres
entity those at the Big House heard,
softly rising on the morning air, the
chant of an old church hymn: ION
Jordans strand I'll take my stand
An-n-n-
"Oh, Lawd." exclaimed Bill. Oats
his very Mustest chune!" saying which
he lodged around the corner of the
house
Turning in from the lane at the yard
gate, Col Calvin Blount and his retinue
rode close up to the side door of the
plantation house; but even here the mas
ter vouchsafed no salutation to those
who awaited his coming He was a tall
man, oad-shouldered. lean and muscu-
lar; yet so far from being thin and dark,
he was spare rather from physical exer-
else than through gaunt habit OF body;
his complexion was ruddy and sun-color-
ed, and the long mustache hanging across
his jaws showed a deep mahogany-red.
Western ranchman one might have call
ed him. rather than southern planter
Scotch-Irish, generations back, perhaps,
yet southern always, and by birthright
American, he might have been war-lOrd
of another land and day. No feudal
baron ever dismounted with more assur-
edness at his own hall, to toss careless
rein to a retainer. He stood now, tall
and straight, trifie rough-looking in his
careless planters dress. but every inch
the master A slight frown puckered up
his forehead, giving to his face an added
hint Of sternnesS.
Col. Blount busted himself with direc
lions as to the horses and dogs. The
latter came struggling along in groups
or pairs or singly, some of them hobbling
on three legs, many showing bitter
wounds. The chase Of the great bear had
proved stern pastime for them. or half
q hundred hounds which had started. not
two-thirds were back again. and many of
these would be unfit for days for the re-
sumption of their savage trade. None the
less, as the master sounded again, loud
and clear, the call for the assembly, all
the dogs about the place. young and old,
in with heads uplifted. each pealing out
spoke to dozens of them, calling each by
it's proper pame.
In the confusion of the disarmament of
the hunt the master of the Big House
had as yet hardly had time to look about
him. but now as the conclave scattered,
he found himself alone, and turning dis
covered the occupant Of the board pile
who arose and advanced, offering his
hand.
'"This is Col Blount. 1 presume said
he.
Eyes, sir, that's my name. I beg your
pardon I'm sure, but 1 didn't know you
were there Come right on into the house
and sit down, sir. Now, your name