The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-04-01
CONTINUED from March 25.)

CONTINUED from March 25.)
During his stay at home from
school, Jake Baldwin often met Miss
Caroline at the spring, have Cage to
fill her pail, carr yit to the top Of the
hill, while the young lovers sat upon
the old wash bench and whispered
devotion into each others ears. Jake
knew he was 'persona non grata -
at the home of the Purdees, for in
those days, it was not considered pos
sible for wealthy young man to pay
attentions seriously to a, poor young
girl, more especially his overseer's
daughter, and the parents of such
young girls, guarded their honor and
good name with jealous care, While
Miss Caroline was passionately fond
Of Jake Baldwin, she was wise
enough in her day, to see that society
and environments, had placed impas-
sable barriers between them, unless
some unforeseen circumstances in
tervened. She feared the ridicule of
the neighbore and her companions,
feared they would think her vain and
silly, in believing she could catch
Jake Baldwin, lazy and worthless as
he was. .'-. .
She urged him to wait until the
family became more reeonciled to
their companionship, and then when
they were old enough, why-then
perhaps, she would consider serious
ly the proposition of marriage. Jake
had heard some threats and whisper
ings of being disinherited, should he
persist in the folly Of keeping COM
pany with that "little upstart Of a
Caroline Purdee'' with view Of ul-
innate marriage. But Jake's heart
beat in earnest for his boyhood love,
and declared, "vhat do I care for
all these negroes and land, if I can't
| get the girl l love- But that is an
other story. We will for the pres
ent follow the footsteps Of Jake and
Cage.
The time was approaching perilous-
ly near that which was set apart for
Wagner Mingo to take his young
master back to the Institute. Jake
brooded over the matter seriously,
while Cage still persisted in the de-
termination of running away when
ever Marse Jake left. Jake had to
think fast. The monning set for the
departure, Mingo had the old family
barouche hitehed up early and was
waiting the advent Of his young mas
ter. The sun rose in crimson splenr
dor above the Eastern horizon, and
the day seemed propitious for the
journey. But nowhere within the
radius of the horizon on all sides,
could be found trace Of Jake and
Cage. They had abseonded during
the night, to where, none. had the
least idea. They had disappeared as
completely as if the earth had swal-
lowed them up. 1t was a mystery
none could fathom. However, there
was not as much excitement as would
i,be supposed in the Baldwin home, as
they all attributed Jake's absence to
his reluctance to return to school
and all thought he would return at
might. What the old gentleman and
his wife and daughter thought Of this
conduct, we leave to the readers
imagination.
But Jake and Cage were easy. The
j lurid tales told by the latter Of his
exciting and novel life of runaway,
had so fired the mind Of his magma
tive young master, that he too longed
for like adventure. It had novelty
in it. Something out Of the ordinary.
It was "new evangel" Of fun and
adventure that Cage had preached,
and he determined to avail himself
of this opportunity, then return in
few days and go to the Institute.
Each was to provide himself with as
much eatables as he could lay hands
on, sufficient to last till they reached
Cages den on the river, then they
we're to trust to his experience and ae-
tivities as a night prowler for the
rest. At the river all was waiting,
hooks, baskets and old free Joe's
canoe. So long before the first ruddy
couriers Of the morning had cast