Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-02-23
CHAPTER X.
Belle Plain.


Il reckon you'll notice :; some
changes" remarked Tom. ~,
He went from the room and. down
the hall a step or TWO in advance'!o f
her. On the wide porch Betty paused,
breathing deep. The house stood. on
an eminence; directly before it: az the
bottom Of the slight descent was"a
small bayou, beyond this the. tArsst
stretched away in one uHbroken mass
TO the Mississippi. F..
! What is 1t you want 10 see, any
how, Betty" Tom demanded. I" :
"Everything-the place, Topl--Belle
Plain! On, isn't it beautiful! Il had
no idea how lovely il was!'s' cried
Betty, as with her eyes still tixedEon
the distant panorama of wood and
water she went down the steps: him
at her heels-he bet she'd getAsicf OF
il all soon enough. that was one com:
fort! :. 49,.
"Why, Toni Why does the lawn
look like thls?" - 80! -
Like what?" inquired Tom: i.Tn$
Why, this-all weeds and. hbrieEs,
and the paths overgrown?" :: -
Mr.. Ware rubbed his chin rehecti4e'
ly with the back of his hand.
That sort OF thing looked all right
Bet" he said, 'but 1t kept five or six
Of the best hands out OF the fields
right at the busiest time. OF the year
''llapen't.'I slaves enough,' she
asked u: y :
The. dull color crept into Wares
cheeks, He, hated her for that. " l."
So she was going to come that on
him, was she?'.
Don't you want to see the crops,
Bet?"" :,
The girl shook her head and moved
swiftly down the path that led from
terrace 10 terrace 10 the margin OF
the bayou. At The first terrace she
paused. -
IT'S positively squalid!" cried Bet"
~, with :, little stamp oil her foot.
Ware glanced about with dull eyes.
. "Pn tell :ou, Betty, I'm busy this
morning; yon poke about and see
what you want done and we'll DE- -
he said. and made a aasty retraA' Z
bis Office. -, ~.
Betty returned to the porch a1t
seating herself on the tor step. Tl!f
her elbows on her knees and he CT
sunk in the palms Of her hands. g2%ec
about her miserably enough. Che -.
still there when half an honr l2.es
Charley Norton galloped up The .'7'Tf
from; the highroad. Catching n,sa' -
her on the porch. he sprang froH': SIG
saddle, and, throwing his rein: - =
black boy, buried to he-. sids -
inspecting your domain, R#' "
he asked, as he took his r'&@2 -.
her on the step.
Why didn't you tell me Gna; -
or at least prepare me for th'f - ;
asked, almost. tearfully. e..
How was ! to know SIT
haven't been here since 80 T:t#
away, dear-what was there tc ping
me? Old Tom would make 2. CO.
pasture out o. the Garden. or Eden:
wouldn't he-a beautiful, practical,
sordid soul he isl
Norton Epent the day a. Bella:"lain /;
and though he was there Or his good
behavior as the result Ct an agree
ineat they had reached on board The
Naiad. he proposed twice.
Tom was mistaken in his suppose
lion that Betty would soon tire OF
Belle Plain; She demanded men. and
leans, and began on the lawns This
interested and fascinated her She
was ont at sun.up 20 direct her labor,
crs. She had the advantage OF Charley
Norton's presence and advice for the
greater part OF each day in the week
and Sundays he came to look over
what had been accomplished, ,anG, as
Tom firmly. believed, to:put that little
fool I'D to fresh nonsense. He could
have booted him!
as the grounds took shape before
her delighted eyes Betty found leis
IRE 10 institute Thorough ;reforma
tion indoors. A lumber Of house serT
ants we're rescued from the quarters
and she began to instruct them in
| their new duties.
Betty's sphere OF influence extend
ed itself. She soon began to have
her doubts concerning the treatment
accorded the slaves, and was not long
In discovering that Hicks, the over
seer, ran things with A heavy hand
Matters reached a crisis one day
when, happening to ride through the
quarters, she found him disciplinine
a refractory black. She turned sici
a: the sight Here was a slave actual
| ~ being whipped by another slave
while Hicks stood looking on with his
hands in his pockets, and with
brutal, satisfied air.
step" commanded Betty, her eye:
rla5:ar She stroFe to keep her voice
STEADY. "9ou shall net -emeir a.
.s.,s r..L7 s---ther bnpZ
1855 Ss-==@1