The Detroit times., 1913-09-18

soon to be lost--this saga OF regret
being sung by the colonel at the din
, ner table. Francois had offered TO
teach mademoiselle his mother
tongue. And the colonel had accept
ed the offer.
IF you are not too busy, (hevalier,
And ] suppose your-ah-accent--is
entirely good? One can not be too
careful. you know. At least we shall
not quarrel about the terms. for what.
ever money you think right to ask |
shall be ready to pay" and the colonel
felt himself q man Of the world and
| extremely generous.
Father" Lucy cried quickly.
Francois eyes were on his plate but
they swept up with their wide brown
gaze full on the colOneis face. Il
am not too busy, Monsieur the Colo
mel. As for my accent am peas
ant, as Monsieur knows. but yet
am instructed. | was for years At
Saint-Cyr. the great military schoo!
OF France. believe my accent IL
right. As for money! quick mo.
ton. all French, spoke whole SEN
tence. If Monsieur insists ON that
that must finish 1t. To me II would
be impossible to take money for the
pleasure Of teaching mademoiselle. T"
He flashed at Lucy q smile all gen.
tleness. and Lucy's ey,,, waiting for
that smile. met his shyly.
The colonel clustered a bit. but the
wished, and twice q week throughout
the winter he rode over from Csrnl.
fax to give them. And little by little
n IN kn IA
OF the manor as few had known her
People thought Lucy Hampton too
serious and staid for young girl;
no one realized that, her mother be-
ing dead and her father such as he
was. the clear-headed little person
had begun at ten or twelve years old
to know that she must make her own
decisions, and many OF her fathers
also: AT fourteen she had taken the
Keys and the responsibility of the
mouse, and now, at sixteen, she was
in reality the head OF the whole great
plantation. The colonel, who would
have been most indignant to be told
so. leaned on her In every detail, and
1t was she who planned and decided
and often executed the government
OF the little kingdom.
Those who think of southern ladies
OF the old regime as idle do not under.
stand what their life was. The posi-.
lion or mayor OF a city would ap.
proach idleness as nearly II was for
the woman at the head OF such q place
10 guide the household work of a
great number OF servants; to train
new servants as they were added tu
the corps: to manage the commits
sariat for all this army; to see that
the fruits OF one season were cooked
and made into the sweets and pickle
and drinks OF another, to look after
the clothing OF hundreds of negroes
on the plantation, cutting and ar.
ranging with her own hands. be.
yond this. to the mind OF a conscien.
tious southern woman. such as was
young Lucy Hampton, the souls OF
ner slaves were her charge as we'll an
ther bodies. As she stood slim and
TAR ana young, In the great shadow
suhshot hall Of Roanoke House and
Iead ana explained the Bible or led
the singing, while all the earnest. rev.
erent black faces turned to her trust.
,ns1' II Was great power to be given
INTO sucn hands. and she felt It go.
Ia ADDITION to all this a lady OF yfr.
sin,a must entertain and 20 into 40
Icy anu De q grande dame "A we'll
and mother. 'u ""'
an mis-, except the last lay on the
slender shoulders OF Lucy HAMPTON
ana besides all this she had begun
IN very childhood to hold nm the
hahds and do the thinking of an in.
competent father Ii was not won.
derfui that she was graver and allow.
or 10 frolic than other girls Of e,Y.
teen. Her conscientious young brain
was Iuii OF care, and light-heartedness
vi youth mad never had a chance to
grow IN that crowded place. Her
Cousin nao come to live with them
only the year before, when his moth.
er had died, his father being dead
iong ago; and Lucy knew quite well
tnAt her father had planned that the
TWO should marry and unite the broad
acres Of the Hamptons.
But the young longing for romance
which was In her In spite OF tho chok.
ing sober business of her life raheI,.
ed ut this. She would not give her.
self as well as all her thought and
enort for Roanoke. She wanted IN
rove somebody, and be loved for her.
self as other girls we're: she would
hot marry Harry because he and her
father considered 1t good arrange.
nent. So strongly had this determin.
alton seized her that, looking entirely
down that way Of thought, she failed
to see that Harry might not be class.
ed with the colonel In his view OF the
plan. She failed to see that II she
had not been heiress to Roanoke
House, or to anything at all. Harry
Hampton would still have been in
love with his cousin Lucy. For Hsr.
ry saw how the young life had been
pressed into service too hard for il
almost from babyhood; Harry saw
how unselhsh she was and trustwor.
thy: how broad.minded and warm.
hearted; how she would like to he
care free and irresponsible like other
girls of her age. only that the col
onel and the estate were always
there, always demanding her time
and her attention. He could do little
to help her as yet. but he longed to
lift the weight and carry II with her,
not away from her, for the fairy of
person was not the sort to lean on
others or to be happy without her
share OF the burden. Yet, Harry
thought. If I might only helm her.