The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1910-01-20
HOW A TRADITION
BECAME A CERTAINTY
By DONALD CHAMBERLAIN.

BY DONALD CHAMBERLAIN.
fcopyright. 1903. by American Press Assoc
ciation.l
When about 1880 In Virginia 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 daughter after
the latter state. Little Georgia was
assigned nurse. slave named Rose
There are certain children who seem
to have been transplanted from heav-
en-, and Georgia was one Of them.
From the time she could toddle she
was adored by her fathers slaves,
first of all by her .mammy." She was
an only child and heir to one Of the
finest estates in the Old Dominion.
When Georgia became Of marriage
able age she had many suitors. from
among whom she chose Edgar Bedell.
young attorney. Bedell's ancestors
had lived In the north from the time
they had landed In America In 1880.
After being graduated at college he
had gone south TO tutor the sons Of a
wealthy planter. meanwhile studying
law at the University Of Virginia.
Colonel st. Leger made II condition
Of his marriage with Georgia that be
should remain in the south
In q year child was born to them.
II lived only two days. but the brief
stay Of the little stranger In its pas
sage from the known to the un-
known made a great change for the
young couple-that Is. great change
occurred al that time. for before the
mother appeared again to the world
the father bad left Virginia for his
former home In the north. never to re-
turn. No one outside the manor house
saw Mrs. Bedell for many months aft.
er her confinement. aud when she re-
sumed her position as well woman
she neither visited nor received any
except the slaves on the plantation.
Among these she went ms before. but
with q blighted look on her face. No
cause was given for the change In her
or the departure and continued abb
sence Of her husband. Whether her
father and mother were cognixant OF II
no one knew. bur II was evident that
the blight. whatever II was. had fallen
on them as well as on the young cou'
pie.
Ten years passed. aud a new gen.
GRAFTON was growing up. Those hear
ing OF the Bedell case. rs II was called.
! naturally ASSUMED that something 10
the discredit of one or the other had
occasioned the separation Of the we'd
ded pair. But II such were the case
nothing that gave color to this sus-
picion ever leaked out Besides. fhoss
who bad known Mrs. Bedeil as Georgia
. st. Leger would not admit that any.
thing discreditable could ever be AZ.
tributed 10 her. and. as for her hus
band. a. planter returning from tbs
. north reported him as a 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. AIRS. RedeIl never mentioned
her husband. but did not give out the
J slightest hint that she had any cause
to be dissatisfied with him.
. Colonel 81. LegPr died and was soou
followed by bis wife. leaving Mrs
: BedeII a large estate. She left III
; management TO an oversrer who had
, long enjoyed her fathers confidence
! This was nofed By many who were
] hungry for her secret. they having
been curious after her fathers deatl
10 know II BedeII would not return
: and manage the estate for her.
; Mrs Bedell died at the opening Of
the civil war. Her husband was pres
ent ut her funeral. Many hoped tina
be would 81 last drop some hint as Il
: the cause Of bis having left bis wife
i but be spoke never word and as SOU
a as the burial bad taken place left fol
]. bis home. He was followed the nex
!. day By q letter from an attorney stat
D ing that bis wife had left him her en-
!. tire estate.
e BedelI never took possession Of th
a property till four or Eve years later
e when Il was nearly worthless. lie be
y came q prominent Federal officer 4
8 the civil war and on one occasion ca
camped his troops on his own plants
e ton. When he did take his inner
|. ifance be cut II up into small home
for those former slaves who remains
upon II. giving each negro a title 20 hl
e land Bedell died ten years after IN
b close Of the war.
!. II seemed that with the death OF th
last person interested In the curIou
q affair the secret would be buried FOL
o ever The very reverse of this o.
q CURED. Martha. Airs. BedelI's man
: my" knew III and had been enjoine
By her mistress 10 make II know
after the death u all concerned shoul
she lire 80 long. Martha gave the 2,
q PLANTATION Immediately after Bedell'
4 death.
When the child Of Mr.. and Mrs ~
dell was born Rose was astoniSbed !
!. note certain marks upon II IDdicatin
q that there was a trace 10 II " negr
blood. She bad endeavored 70 concei
these marks from The mother. but faI
, ed. Mrs. fscdeIl discovered them. nm
the effect upon her may be readily VI
a Fs4.z 49,.