Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-08-10
ment In the rear were the negro

quarters and the barn.
Mark determined to ask for food and
shelter for the night here. Turning
into the gate. he followed straight
road leading for perhaps a hundred
yards to the house. A young girl robed
in white muslin dress of a very SIM
pie pattern, and pink sash. stood on
the veranda watching them as they
came on. When they reached the steps
leading up to where she stood, Mark
saw pair of black eyes looking at
him, which. conscious of the decep-
ton he was about to practice, seemed
to read him through and through. In
deed he was sufficiently confused to
take off his hat to the girl with all the
grace and manner of a polished gen
tleman.
''If you please. ma'am," he said. as
Stunning the dialect of a countryman,
'me N my leetle brothers goen ter
Chattenoogy. My brother, he's walked
a right smart show for sech younker.
Could y give US some supper and a
place ter sleep all ni%ht?'
You can come up here and sit down.
and III see"
What q musical voice." thought
Mark
The travellers went up onto the We
randa and sat on some wooden benches
ranged along the rail.
Have you come far?" asked the
girl who regarded them with evident
curiosity.
From our leetle farm on the Sc
quatchie."
Your brother does look tired Are
you hungry, little boy?>
sis it agitten dark?"
"Why, yes she said, surprised
''What has that to do with it,"
"Pm hungry jest as sartin.'' and
Jakey's little eyes glistened at the
thought of hot supper
The young lady laughed and went
into the house.
Mamma. there's young country
man and his little brother out ON the
gallery. They want some supper and
bed for the night"
An elderly lady, with two white puff
curls ON either side of her face, looked
up from book she was reading. Her
appearance was dignified and refined.
THE young man looks quite like a
gentleman if he is a cOuntryman,"
added the daughter.
1--WE must be very cautious, Laura;
you know how we are situated; your
father and brother away and no man
in the house, we can't let strangers
sleep here. But they may have some
thing to eat, and perhaps it might do
to let them sleep in the barn If they
look right"
"Where shall they have their sup
PERI"
"Have it put on the hall table down
stairs"
The daughter paused a moment and
thought.
''Do you know, mamma, I can't ex-
actly feel satisfied to put the elder
brother in place given up to the
servants"
"What nonsense, Laura! We are TAX
ing a great risk to let them into the
house at all. Heaven grant that the
horses are not all taken before morn
ing. The man may be in league with a
band of guerrillas, for all we know"
The daughter withdrew, for the mo-
ment quite impressed with her moth
er's prudence. AS she stepped out ON
the veranda Mark rose respectfully
and stood looking into her black eyes
with his blue ones. Her mothers eau
ton fled away before that honest coun-
tenance.
You can have some supper" she
said. If you care to eat it in the lower
hall. and you can sleep-you-you can
Sleep
Mark was bowling his thanks.
would you mind sleeping in"- She
paused again.
1.-THE barn? Certainly not"
"You know these are troublOus
times" she said alphabetically, land
we are alone. mean we haven't
many men in the house." she quickly
added. conscious Of having made
known the households weakness to
stranger.
Mark smiled. The young lady was
looking at him as he did so, and she
thought he had a very charming smile.
eve will sleep anywhere you choose
to put US. Leastaways we amt pur-
ticular."
The first sentence was spoken in his
natural way: the second in dialect.
Marks manner Of speaking to her was
singularly mixed.
81 suppose your men are fighting our
battles" he remarked to relieve an
awkward cause.
Papa is away"
"Have you no brothersT'
Eyes, one; he is fighting for the Con-
federacy."
"And your father-is he at the warp
mo; papa does not care much about
the war"