The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-03-21

posed she might be, felt my earlier
courage fast deserving me. Nor was
/ furnished with even the slightest
excuse for pressing on; my orders did
not positively compel me to proceed,
and nothing appeared along the way
to lead me to suppose that harm OF
any kind threatened that peaceful val
Icy Everything meeting my eyes evil
dcnCod that here. ut least, WAS with
its attendant horrors had not come.
Totally without the beaten track OF
those great armies which had Gattled
so nerccly for the Shenandoah. Il had
been travCrsed only by few scouting
and toraging parties and so short had
been their stay that even the rail
fences remained undisturbed to guard
the fields, and nowhere did / note out.
ward signs OF devastation. 1t was Vir-
Einia rs | recalled 1t in those old days
Of peace and plenty. before civil strife
had sown the land with dead
What possible excuse. then. had
for going there? In my own heart /
selfish scarcely burst whisper II even
to myself yet | rode steadily on. i'm.
PEELED by my own weakness. or drawn
irresstibly by whichever the
real cause know mott would AT
least look upon those walls that had
once sheltered her. would learn II pos
siblc II she was yet there. Then
we'll IN the bondage OF my passion !
/ hoped for what might happen. as
every lover does.
/ 1t must have been two O'Clock; we
/ had baitod our horses, | remember, an
/ hour previous: and the Sergeant had
enjoyed his MONDAY siesta beneath
/ the shade OF a great bush bearing pur.
/ pie blossoms. The road We had been
! travelling since early morning wound
| I'm and out among great trees. and
. crossed and reCrosaed the little stream
/ called the Cowskin until | almost
thought We had lost our way. We met
with no one In all the long days rid.
ing, not even stray negro. and In.
decd it was some hours since we had
/ passed a house Of any kind. Leaving
/ the brook behind Us We toileG slowly
mp a long hill. and ut the top Burgay,
/ riding beside me- pointed to the west
/ ward
/ Cap" he said. thar is Their Minor
/ place"
The very sight Of il in the distance
was a thrill--a great white house
placed well back from the road and
almost hidden from sight by fine,
large trees an oldfashioned. big.
roomed house It looked to be, built
after the colonial type wide ycranda
upon three sides with futed columns
to support the oyerhauEnE roof.
"Iaint no signs cs fer cs kin see
of any trouble havin' Cured thar.
Jed said slowly, his shrcwd gray eyes
roaming over the peaceful scene
somebody ter hum tew, fer Their
chimley is a smokin"
OF course, now was there the only
sensible thing for mo to do would
have been to ride openly to the front
door, and thus learn all desired But
what man who loves. who Is continual
~ swaycd by hopes and fears by
strength and weakness, ever does the
sensible thing had certainly In.
tended doing so at the start, but now
my nerve failed me She WIS the
wife of another. could not confess
had yentured to come to her in love
nor could look into those clear hon
est, questioning eyes and lie.
Halt" orlered Sergeant"
Il am here Captain.
Take your men down into that mol
low yonder. and remain there until
return. Better post sentry on the
hill mere"
ut VIII be done, Captain"
Il shall not, probably. be absent
more than an hour so don't permit the
men n stray"
Dot is it, Captain. | viii b, mil
dem all over
| rode down alone into the thich
woods mt the foot Of the HILL and dis
} mounting. tied my horse to sapling
Then on foot | struck across the
fields, my intention being to come II
by the way of the negro quarters a
the rear. in hope Of meeting some one
from whom | migIt inquire relative
to the great house and its inmates.
It was slight upward trend o
land | had 10 traverse, and although
the house was most slightly objec
and stood upon the very summit of thu
elevation. yet so surrounded was |
with trees, both fruit and ornamental
was enabled to make but little OF III
situation until approached the out
buildings ! met with no one. no
| could | perceive any negroes abou
the slave quarters Yet the place di'
, not bear the appearance OF desertion
There we're horses In the stable, ca
; was curlcd up on one OF the cabil
, door steps. and smoke continued 4
! pour in dull yellow cloud from tn
a. kitchen chimney. Altogether Their
! was much In the situation TO puzzl
} ever, and no longer regretted that
+. had exercised some caution In my az
! preach.
( The orchard, with the remains OF