The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-04-22
(Continued.)


You will Ue right over the billiard
room.'' he said. opening door which
led into a beautifully lighted room on
the east side. standing in the center of
which was d large. canopied bed. IF
you care for billiards." he continued.
II will wager that Ellen can give you
ten points and beat you out. And now.
sir. we have dinner at o'clock. for
Bud likes to have his dinner when be
comes from the field instead Of in the
middle of the day. as he says he feels
more like q gentleman. Ondi then.
sir. I hope you rest WE'LL
! had not asked the question before.
but now summoned the courage to
say:
Colonel. there is one little thing
should like to have settled. Business
Is business. you know" l said, laugh
ing. for did not like the look of dig
nity be suddenly assumed at the men,
don of business. "In justice to both
of us l ought to ask you how much
will be my board by the week.
Had General Oglethorpe himself arts
en- TO confront the colonel l do not
think he could have shown more sur
prise than he did at my simple Ques-
ton. He drew, himself up with a dig
nifty which was truly commanding.
ana. spea king in suppressed voice, he
asked me:
When have the Turpins adopted the
custom of taking money from their
guests, beg you to tell me. sir? If
you were not a kinsman of my dear
friends. the Palmers. would at once
show you the door,"
L stood covered with confusion. 81
humbly beg your pardon II have Of
tended you. colonel and am greatly
mortified to have so deeply wounded
you. but until this moment thought
you had been kind enough Co receive
me as a boarder. l felt grateful enough
for that. and you should not put me
under obligations which / can never re-
pay and which / have no right to ac-
cept. But you yourself are somewhat
TO blame" / added quickly. for saw
tnne he was sti1l desr!y offended. 'SYou
toll me that / might get board in one
or the farmhouscs and Immediately
offered me the hospitality, of your
roof"
THE Turpins are not farmers, sir;
they are planters, and IL we have to
cook our own meals we serve them
with no less degree of hospitality than
when a Niger stood at each door at
the beck and caii OF everybody in the
room" rr nj,
Colonel Turpin. 1 hope you will for
give me my stupid blunder-o or else let
me leave your house at once.T
His face relented into a smile, and,
extending his hand. he grasped mine.
AS you say. lad. I am not blnmeless
IN The matter. But we are getting q
little sensitive. down here. And now
forget all about it. and. what is more,
don't ever mention it to Ellen or to
Bud for they would think their old
father had been lacking in dignity, else
a mistake of this kind were inpos-
sible.''
When he left me / fell prey to re-
grets over my stupid blunder and. what
seemed worse. my apparent deception
concerning the relationship with the
Kentucky Palmers. As long as
thought was going to go TO an inn of
some kind or to pay my board l had
not thought it worth while to explain
the mistake into which the colonel had
fallen. i felt it to be too late now to
confess that in all likelihood there was
no kinship at all or. If any, so remote
as to form no ties Of blood and Ger.
Gafnly not to earn for me any consider
alton on that score. Feeling like
culprit. Threw myself on the bed, de
terInined to leave the Pines at the first
moment could do so without offend
ing my kind old host
When the pickaninny. Sam. knocked
at my door to tell me that dinner was
served he found me prepared to do
Justice to anything in the way of food
which might he placed before me. i
had been. travelling all day. to all in
tents and purposes without anything
TO eat While anxious to satisfy my
hum. vt = IVES with some feeling
81 embarrassment that L started down
stairs to meet the colonel. He met me
at the foot of the steps and. motion
ing me to follow him. led me to
room in one of the side wings. There
saw two silver goblets. frosted on
the outside, with their rims complete
ly hidden by long and graceful punches
Of mint. Without sitting down he
handed me one and took the other
himself.
-'Of late years. Mr.. Palmer he said.
I'VE have abandoned the time honored
custom of drinking mint juleps before