The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-12-17
HOW A TRADITION
BECAME A CERTAINTY
BY DoNtLD cHAMBERLiN.
Copyright 1909. by American Press Asso
ciafion 4


When about 1880 In Virginia a little
girl baby came to Colonel and Mrs.
st. Leger the colonel, whose ancestors
had come to Virginia from Georgia, in
sisted on naming his daugL.yr after
the latter state. Little Georgia was
assigned nurse. n slave named Rose.
There are certain children who seem
to have been lransplanted from heav-
en-, and Georgia was one Of them.
From the time she could toddle she
was Gdored by her fathers slaves,
first Ut all by her nanny" She was
an only child and heir to one of the
finest estates in the Old Dominion.
When Georgia became of a marriage
able age she had many suitors, from
among whom she chose Edgar Bedell.
a young attorney. BedelPs ancestors
had lived In the north from the time
they had landed in America in 1890.
After being graduated at college he
had gone south to tutor the sons of
wealthy planter. meanwhile studying
law at the University Of Virginia.
Colonel st. Leger made it a condition
of his marriage with Georgia that he
should remain in the south.
In a year a child was born to them.
1t lived only two days. but the brief
stay Of the little stranger in its pas
sage from the known to the I'M
known made great change for the
young couple-that is. a great change
occurred at that time. for before the
mother appeared again to the world
the father had left Virginia for his
former home in the north. never to re-
saw Mrs. Bedell for many months aft
er her confinement. and when she re-
sumed her position as a we'll woman
she neither visited nor received any
except the slaves on the plantation.
Among these she went as before, but
with a blighted look on her face. No
cause was given for the change in her
or the departure and continued alb
sence of her husband. Whether her
father and mother were cognizant of it
no one knew. but it was evident that
the blight. whatever it was, had fallen
on them as well as on the young cou-
pie.
Ten years passed. and a new gen.
Grafton was growing up. Those hear
ing Of the Bedell case. as it was called.
naturally assumed that something to
the discredit Of one or the other had
occasioned the separation of the we'd
ded pair. But if such were the case
nothing that gave color to this sus-
picion ever leaked out. Besides, those
who had known Mrs. Bedell as Georgia
st. Leger would not admit that any
thing discreditable could ever be at
tributed to her, and, as for her hus-
band, planter returning from the
north reported him as prominent
and much esteemed member Of the
bar Of New York.
Bedell had spoken in the highest
terms of his wife. but did not even
refer to the cause that had separated
them. Mrs. Bedell never mentioned
her husband. but did not give out the
slightest hint that she had any cause
to be dissatisfied with him.
Colonel st. Leger died and was soon
followed by his wife. leaving Mrs.
Bedell a large estate. She left its
to an overseer who had
long enjoyed her fathers confidence.
This was noted by many who were
hungry for her secret. they having
been curious after her fathers death
to know il Bedell would not return
and manage the estate for her.
Mrs. Bedell died at the opening Of
the civil war. Her husband was pres
emit at her funeral. Many hoped that
he would at last drop some hint as to
the cause Of his having left his wife.
but he spoke never a word and as soon
as the burial had taken place left for
his home. He was followed the next
day by letter from an attorney stat |
ing that his wife had left him her en-
tire estate.
Bedell never took possession of the
till four or five years later, |
when 1t was nearly worthless. He be-
came prominent Federal officer In |
the civil war and on one occasion en- |
camped his troops on his own planta-
ton. When he did take his inner |
tance he cut it up into small homes |
for those former slaves who remained |
upon it, giving each negro a title to his |
Iand.> Bedell died ten years after the |
close of the war,
1t seemed that with the death Of the |
last person interested i'm the curious
affair the secret would be buried for
ever. The very reverse Of this &C.
cured. Martha, Mrs. Bedelrs IMAM
N.Y." knew all and had been enjoined |
81 her mistress to make it known
litter the death of all concerned should |
she live so long. Martha gave the ex-
,lanation Immediately after Bedell's
leath.
When the child Of Mr.. and Mrs. Be
Tell was born Rose was astonished to |
note certain marks upon 1t indicating |
hat there was a trace In 1t of negro |
blood. She had endeavored to conceal |
.hese marks from the mother, but fail |
ID. Mrs. Bedell discovered them, and |
'he effect upon her may be readily I'M
ierstood. The ancestry Of the child's |
father was above reproach, but far |
back in the st. Leger family was |
that was made a certainty In |
he birth of this little innocent. Be |
IaII bo1 boon xyilIino md onxiaus IN