The state herald., 1914-07-03


generosity which is responsible for
the present lack Of which you speak"
Valiant put out his hand with
little gesture OF depreciation, but the
other disregarded 1t. "Confound it.
sab. 1t was to be expected of Va
liant. Your ancestors wrote their
names in capital letters over this
country. They were an up and down
lot. but good or bad (and. as Southall
says. reckon"-he nodded toward the
great portrait above the couch-"they
weren't all little woolly lambs) they
did big things in big way"
Valiant leaned forward eagerly, a
question on his lips. But at the mo-
ment diversion occurred In the
shape of Uncle Jefferson. who re-en-
tered, bearing tray on which set sun
dry jugs and clinking glasses. glow
Ing with white and green and gold
You old humbug." said the doctor,
don't you know the majors that poi,
soned with mint-Juleps already that he
can't get up before eight In the morn
ing?"
We'll, suh." Uttered Uncle Jefrer-
son. "Ah done foun' er mint-baid down
below de kitchens dis mawnin. Yo'-
all gemmun' bout de bigges' expuhts
in dis yeah county. en- Ah reck'n
Mars Valiant sho 'sist on yo' sam
plin' ct"
"Sah." said the major feelingly,
turning to his host, I'm proud to
drink your health in the typical bev-
erage Of virginia." He touched
glasses with Valiant and glared at the
doctor. who was slipping his own
thoughtfully. Poems have been writ
ten on the julep. sab"
They make good epitaphs. too." OBJ
served the doctor.
Il noticed your glass isn't going
begging" the major retorted. "Unc
Jefferson. that's as good mint as grew
in the gyarden OF Eden. See that
those lazy niggers OF yours don't grub
the patch out by mistake"
"Yas. sah," said Uncle Jefferson. as
he retired with the tray. "Ah gwine-
ter put er fence eroun' dat ar bald TO
sundown."
Valiant's lips now found utterance. Il
saw you look at the portrait there" "
he said to the major. (which OF my
ancestors 10 III"
The other got up and stood before
the mantel-piece In Napoleonic atti.
tude. '"That," he said. fixing his eye
! glasses. 'is your great-grandfather.
Devil-John Valiant"
"Devil-John!" echoed his host "Yes.
I've heard the name"
The doctor guffawed He earned
II. reckon. never realized what n
sinister expression that missing optic
gives the old rufiian. There was n
skirmish during the war on the hill.
side yonder and bullet cut It out.
When we were boys wo used to call
him Old oneEye.'"
1T interests me enormously" John
Valiant spoke exploslyely.
| THE stories OF Devil.John would fiil
a mighty big book" said the major.
by all accounts he ought to have
the library. he looked into the dining.
room. Il thought ! remembered. The
portrait over the console there is his
wife. your greatgrandmother. They
say he bet that when he brought his
bride home. she should walk into Da.
mory Court between rows OF candle
sticks worth twenty-thousatd dollars
He made the wager good. too. for
when she came up those steps out
there. there was row OF ten candles
burning on either side OF the doorway,
each held by young slave worth a
thousand dollars In the market.
|. Some say he grew Jealous OF his
wifc's beauty. There were any mum.
ber OF stories told OF his crueitics to
her that aren't worth repeating. She
died early poor lady and your
grandfather was the only ia1ue. Devil.
John himself lived TO be past seventy.
and ut that age. when most men were
stacking their sins and groaning with
the gout. he was dleing and fox hunt.
Ing with the youngest OF them He
always sworo he would die with his
boots on. and they say when the doc.
tor told him he had only few hours
| 'N'""ss h' hhh' NV niuffr ufthh ulffl
completely and prop him on his horse
They galloped out no. n negro on
either side OF him II was n stormy
night black nr tho Earl OF Hoil's rid.
ing boots, with wind and lightning.
and he rode curning mt both. There's
nm old black'gum tree mile from
here that they still call Dcvil,John'i
tree. They were Just passing under
Il when the lightning struck H. Light.
ming hns no effect on the black gum.
you know Tho bolt glanced from the
tree ard struck him between the two
slaves without hnrming either OF
them. II killed his horse. too That's
tho story. To bo surc at this date
nobody can separate fac, from no.
tion. Possibly hc wasn't so much
worse than tho rest o. his nciEhbors
NOT excepting the parnons. Other
| at