Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-05-12

| mo, ana / cannot Impress tnHL Iucl
upon you too strongly. sir. They be-
lieve and are to be kept In the belief
that II Colonel Moreau accepts our in
vitation. which no doubt he will do
we are all merely making pleasure
jaunt to the Randall plantation. We
treat the whole affair In that light. sir
"a visit in honor Of Colonel Moreau.
so that the family may make his &C.
quaintance at last and show some
measure Of their gratitude to him for
shooting down the despoller Of their
father"
The entrance Of Nine. Davezac pro
hibited further discussion of the sub
ject-
| "Ah," she exclaimed suspiciously.
1.-The gentlemen talk secrets already.
NJ. Aaron" she added graciously, you
and l have not met for many years."
"A great loss to me-" he CALAMITY
replied. kissing her proffered hand.
"a happy meeting. madame. The
Judge and L." he continued unblush-
ingly. 'were discussing plans for the
probable entertainment Of Colonel Mo
reau."
Then you must not talk of gloomy
subjects, as ! saw you were doing"
she replied. mo denials, please, for
1t is always when see two heads to-
gether in this house 1t must be that
they talk Of their hatred for that poor
Eugene Kirby"
Poor. madame" echoed Aaron.
turning In amazement to Judge Pley-
dell.
II should have warned you. sir"
explained the latter, that my dear old
friend has retained her sentimentality
with her youth" Considering that
Nine. Davezac was past fifty-dve. this
was indeed a doubly remarkable per
Torrance.
ibid you know this Kirby. ma
dame?" gravely inquired Aaron.
mo. monsieur. never; but l knew
his father, and cannot make myself
to feel about the son as do all these
others. know his reputation. NJ.
Aaron. But just think-a boy who
had no one to watch him. no one to
care! He drifts with bad companions;
he must live somehow. Oh. l could
believe be became gambler. but thar
one with such blood In him could do
what you all believe he has done-it
is impossible"
But. madame" protested Aaron.
"this gentleman. this stranger. Colonel
Moreau"-
"Ah." she quickly interrupted. II
think Colonel Moreau acted from the
highest motive. None of this family
has greater wish to make his ac-
guaintance and thank him than have
l. But ! am still sure there was some
thing be did not see. something he
did not understand. something which
would take the stain from the action
of that poor young man. Yes: you
think me fool. you laugh at me-" she
added as both gentlemen smiled iron
ically. but 1t Is what ! think. and 1t
Is good to see some one laugh IN this
house even II it Is at my expense"
AS she turned to leave an old negro
entered and announced that the
"French niggehs" would serve coffee
In fifteen minutes.
wait. Group" commanded Nine.
Davezac. Then. addressing the two
gentlemen. she added: Listen. This
negro belonged one time to the father
Of Eugene Kirby. Group. tell the gen
tlemen what you have told me- once
Of that time your young NJ. Kirby has
fall from the oak tree"
"Well. sub. 1t were like dis heah."
began the old negro. turning to Judge
Pleydell. ""Twcre long time ago. TO
Marse Randall done buy me to keep
me from bein' sold at auction. Den !
blong to ole Marse Kirby. what's been
long dead aud gone. Dat li'r Marse
Gene Kirby 10 dem days round de
place oil de niggehs done know him by
de name Of LIT Marse Come Cheer
Up. kase dat what de lrr boy allus say
To- greetin'. But de way what de nick
name got fixed on him is dis: He SIGH
n tendah hahted lad seem Iahk he jest
KANT stan TO- to have nobody In trou
BILE nohah. An one day liz yaller.
no count. ornery brown pickaninny
done elm up IN de high branches Of a
tree TO to rob dc aigs outen mockin'
builds nes. LIT Marse Gene Kirby
he ketch sight Of him up dere. an he
boiler TO- him to come down. He say:
What yo' dom up dere. pickaninny?
Dom yo' know dat ole motheh mockin'
o. IL
she das goin' to break huh heaht
! -mou'nin'? Come down from dere.'
but de pickaninny mighty sassy an
spends. 4 amt meanin' to come down
from heah-gwine to git de aigs.'
"Den Marse Gene say: NO. yo' isn't
goin' to fotch yo' down frum dab an
an yo' hide An TO- anybody could
stop him he's halfway up de tree afteh
lat pickaninny. Pickaninny crope out
IN mighty slender branch. but lr'
narse right along afteh him and graf
lin under the aims Den blimblan
vent de branch and down dey come,
'offem togedder. My land. ! thought
em plum killed. but as dey fall Marse
iene he manage to swing his body
nderneaf de pickaninny-what's even
Ittler dan Marse Gene an only a wuff-
ess slave anyhow-so dat when dey
1T de ground dat pickaninny land on