Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-14

| 1S5J that Adelbert Swift graduated
from n northern university and. hav-
ing heard n great deal about plaDta-
ton life in the south. concluded to go
there with n view to becoming plant
or. lie bad Inherited some means with
which he might buy and stock plan
4 tation; but. realizing his ignorance or
the art OF tilIing the soil. he felt thai
It was prudent for him to gain somt
knowledge on the subject before max
ing an investment.
In order to do this he conceived the
idea OF obtaining position as tutor
in the family of some planter. The
! hours he would be required to teach
would not he many each day. and he
would have time to familiariZe himself
with the workings of plantation. He
! was not long in finding position in
the family of Colonel Southgate in
South Carolina. The Southgate planta-
ton was n very large one. including
some 800 negroes. Swift found he had
not made mistake in assuming that
there was 81 great deal to learn in run
ming plantation. One Of them was in
itself a community consisting of two
! main branches. the planting branch
/ and the business branch.
Swift. being young and not yet ener-
waited by the climate. occupied por-
| ton of the day riding about on the
plantation observing the methods used
and asking questions. He volunteered
/ beside to handle the colOnels accounts.
to which be devoted himself during
! the evenings.
/ The south has always been noted for
/ the hospitality of its people, and Swift
was made Mt home in the families of
the planters in the vicinity of Colonel
! Southgate's manor house. Indeed, he
received more invitations than he had
time to accept. which was a source of
trouble to him. fearing that when he
declined one of them it would be set
down as n slight.
Not far from the SOuthgate planta-
ton resided Miss EsteIle- Martindae
Her father was supposed by many to
be the owner of the plantation he man
aged. He had married its owner. who
had died and left him with little girl.
Estelle. Martindale had contrived to
get into debt to his wife for a con-
siderable sum. and she had made
will leaving him an amount equal to
his Indebtedness. bequeathing the resi-
due to their daughter.
Estele was about Adelbert Swifts
age. She had inherited from her moth
CT not only the planta ton. but a practi-
cal nature, and was principally occu-
pied in checking an impractical father,
whose chief idiosyncrasy was TO sink
money. She had learned as her moth
er had learned before her that to save
her property from being wasted she
must keep it and her finances in her
own hands In managing her father
she was very adroit. Nothing hurt his
pride so much as 70 have any one
think that he was his daughters en-
ployee. Consequently she always spoke
of the plantation as his and consulted
him about everything. though. match
ing her own good against his poor
judgment. the consultation always
ended in her views being carried out.
Swift, having been highly educated.
made an impression upon Estelle Mar
tindale. He found her particularly
congenial, and she preferred him to
any of the young men of her ac-
Quaintance.
When Albert Martindale noticed that
an intimacy was springing up between
Swift and his daughter he fancied he
saw the end of his administration. He
was not bad man. Indeed. he was
an honorable man, but it was fmpos-
si0!e for him to contemplate with
eQnanimity his daughters marriage.
since her husband must learn that his
wife's father had no right in law TO
the plantation or its management 1t
&c Fnr fnG Ind 70
prev entinG what is not to his interest
and Oftentmes to believe his reasons
to be sound.
Martindale said nothing to his dauGh- !
ter about the prospect before him.
but showed-he could not help showing
his antagonism to Swift When they |
met. except Mt the Martindale home. /
he bowed to the young man coldly. In
his home he would have Scorned TO !
treat any guest except. with an ap-
pea-ance ut least of cordially. Es- /
teile saw what was in her fathers !
mind. though Swift did not.
What began between Swift and Miss /
Martindale with friendship developed /
into love. Swift called frequently at /
the Martindale home. Then came flow I
erS. a sure sign that there were inten-
lions. Martindale watched the process
with disQuietude.
Martindale. himself an ardent south
crner. had Il friend. Major Marston.
who was much prejudiced against the /
north. Marston. meeting bis friend .
one day. spoke of SwiftS attentions to !
ESteIe and asked il Martindale were
going To give his daughter to II north
erner. This was the straw that broke
the camerS back. Martindale made an
cvaSive reply. But the die was cast.
From that time he began TO lay plans
for breaking up the impending match.
He could not attack Swift on politi-
cal grounds, for the young man had
no political views. But Martiudale
must find some ground of objection TO
thu m9D who. by marrying his daugh-
ter. would doubtless make an inroa<
upon his authUtity as manager OF HIS