The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1911-09-02
Playing
Hero
a Story 81 . virsiais Asass 1ssss
1ss. ssssss he Rsis
By WORTH WOODBURY.
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1S1l.
By WORTH WOODBURY.
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1S11.

d----..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.--o
There has never been and never win
be again any such life ~ existed ON
the southern plantation up to the ps.
riod when the system Of slavery ceas-
ed to exist. In many respects 1t was
an ideal life. Its pleasanter features
were more pronounced In Virginia than
in any other state. It having been
the first Of the colonies and planted
by the cavaliers Of England. Two
hundred years later their descendants
formed a unique people. The planta-
ton was patriarchal institution. The
planter stood In the place Of the pa
triarch. his children constituted the
next grade. the negro house servants
the next. and lastly came the Geld
hands.
The children Of the planter were ed
ucated In accordance with the some
what lofty ideas Of their English an
cestors who lost their cause at Naseby
some two centuries before. The young
men lived an out Of door life and
mostly in the saddle. The young wo-
mems duties consisted largely in visit
ing the negroes on the plantation and
ministering to their wants. There
was no actual work done except BY the
negroes. and they were not overwork-
ed. The plantation supported every
one on It and was administered usual
ly with justice to all.
30 t. ~
part Of II, but az participator in
the military struggle by which It fell.
The plantation on which the incidents
narrated in this story occurred il now
divided into thirty parts Even the
beautiful grounds in which the manor
house stood and still stands. slowly
rotting away. are covered with potato
vines, and the immense trees that
shaded the roof from the hot southern
sun have been cut down for hrewood.
One afternoon-it was in 1881 car
ried from battlefield to this manor
house brother oficer who had been
wounded. 1t was then as It always had
been, but was not to be In future.
Two soldiers carried the wounded man
on n stretcher through an avenue Of
trees to the front veranda and set
down the strefcher. while stalked IN
side. A quadroon house servant ~
ceived me. asked Tor the owner Of
the premises.
what II II, claricer'
The voice came from Z petsou On the
second story and seemed to ron nse3o-
diously down the great winding stair.
rcnse. When ] hrst heard the opening
strains Of annie Laurie" fell IN love
with the song. and when ! heard these
words. what Is 1t. Clarice?" I fell II
love with the unseen voice.
II have brought young omcer.
said. "from the fight going on over the
river. He is badly wounded. Can you
not find 1t In your heart to take him
In? He would die II left on the field"
As spoke girl Of twenty. perhapA
came down the staircase. Alas! she
was the last OF long line OF rehned
danes who had passed up and down
that same staircase, built In England
hundred and nifty years before. Her
complexion was that olive white mixed
with vermilion which was often to be
found among these highbOrn women
Of the south. She cast quick glance
at the limp form. the pale face lying
ON the stretcher. and her features were
TRANSPORTED to express profound pity.
This way" she said and. turning,
opened door that led to chamber
on the ground floor. We followed. l
ordered the men to set down the
stretcher, and one Of them assisted me
to lift the wounded man on to the bed
Then. telling the invalid that I would
be bnck as soon as possible. left him.
We were members of the same stan.
and went Mt once to our general and
reported what had done. He directed
me to md surgeon II possible and
take him with me to Kirkwood-my