Putnam patriot., 1911-03-10
Playing
 Hero
"a Story of . Virginia Manor House Just Before Its Ruin
Bv WORTH WOODBURY
Copyright by American Press Asso-
 citation. l9ll

Hrhere has never been and never will sbe gain any such life as existed on { ake southern plantation up to the pc rtoi when the system of slavery ceas- ~A to exist In many respects 1t was o~ ideal life. It's pleasanter features were more pronounced in Virginia than ]. in any other state. it having been osne first of the colonies and planted k tbe cavaliers of England, I've hnndred years later their descendants formed a unique people. The planta- ffop was patriarchai institution. The 7 oanpter stood in the place of the pa sr1s rcb. his children constituted the aext grade. the negro house servants seke next. and lastly came the field hnnds.
 The children of the planter were ed nra ted in accordance with the some < >~bat lofty ideas of their English an reetors who lest their cause at Naseby >.os,,e two centuries before. The young non lived an out of door life and ,. s,osflv in The saddle. The young wo- uncp $ duties consisted largely in visit taa the negroes on the plantation and { III lisfpring to their wants. There vra s nc actual work done except by the ]. npsroes. and they were not overwork- ! ed The plantation supported every .>s,f on il and was administered usual iy with justice to all.
 F1 saw the end of this system not as 4a *part of it. but as a participator in sthe military struggle by which il fell. eThe plantation on which the incidents .narrated in this story occurred Is now $aivided into thirty parts. Even the .h4.a u;iful grounds in which the manor 4ho,lsq stood and stll stands. slowly ,r<ft ing away. are covered with potate vines. and the immense trees that .fha ded the roof from the hot southern m have been cut down for f1reweod
 qDne afternooh-it was in is62-1 car sried from a battlefield to this manor 9holse a brother officer who had been sWounded. It was then as II always had heep but was not to he in future INC soldiers carried the wounded man .oo a stretcher through an avenue of
 
 !. lown the stretcher. while stalked tn- 11te A euadroon house servant re .eejvqd me asked for the owner, of *the premises.
 A'what is it. Clariee?"
 The voice came from person on the .oecond story and seemed to roll melo- *Iicusly down the great winding stair I sbao r6 ha '.A4rains of "knnie Laurie feIi in love will the song. and when heard these Words. What Is it. Clariee?" I fell In t16re with the unseen voice.
 .'I have brought a young. officer I .oaid "from the fight going on over the vf3ser. He Is badly wounded. Can vou soot find 1t in your heart to take him M? He wouid die if left on the fled
 Is spoke girl of twenty. perhaps 3asne down rhe staircase Alas she Is the last ef long line, of refined <Naraes who had passed up and down 4hat same staircase. buift in England &undred and fifty years before. Her 1Ofn plexi0n was that olive white mixed ! SN1th svermilion which WAS often to he fSnnd among these highborn women
 III fhe south Sbe cast a quick glance m the limp form. the paie face lying on the stretcher. .,and her features were tNAnSfigured to express profound pity
 sN-rhis way" she said and. turning oDened a door that led to q chamber 0n the ground doer We followed ofdered the men ito set d@wn the etretcher. and one of them as~isted'me t0 lift the wounded. man on to the bed Then telling the invalid that would
 e back as soon as possible. I left him
 Xe were members of the same staff, Gnd went at once to our. general and 5oported what T had dose. He directed me to fnd d surgeon If possible and -Mke him with me to Kirk woOd-my Nonnded comrade-and remain with Inn until he was out of danger or &erd reminded the general that 1t would not do to ask a surgeon to go to >o1e from so many who saeeded him. snnd he said he 'woeld send me one as tnoon as he could be spared.
 nt was week before we could 4qfn any opinion -ats to khkwoods s rec0very During that time my gen Sec S headquarters were not far from the Rutledse manor house where Kirk Wpod lay. and was with the invalid gooo deal of the time. Ny presence 16ere was really unnecessary. for the women of the family-the men were &H in the Confederate armg could not H4se taken better care of a son or a brpther Lillian Rutledge. who hae m He'd me with her voice before l hao e<en seen her and afterward by her < zp&Sonnel. WIS uncouseiouSly leading
 to fraudmently let the general be
 ee that Kmkwood needed me. III l wished my friend might lie ere hanging between life and death ~ the war was over. but unforLn- nmely for me the surgeon at last said
 H couid be moved. and was obliged Wfnove with him.
 s Nhile he was there a medical diree- M looked at the house with view to kfng fl for a hoS1sital Miss Hut M4re showed him through the rooms. ANcomHanying them. One room Miss M1tledge at first declined to open and 0 being pressed to do so told the M&dieal officer that it could not be
 ed. It required a deal of prodding to
 uce her to tell why. The reason
 lily drawn from her was that the S pm was haunted and any sfck man # in it would be frightened to death
 The officer decided against using the
 nse for the purpose. and had
 nght the infection of curiosity. As