Gilpin observer., 1914-05-14


let 1e say, sab. that the neighbor-
hood is not unaware Of the splendid
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 1t,
sab. 1t was to be expected OF a 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 a 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 Jeffer-
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- All reck'n
Mars Valiant sho' 'sist on yo' sam
plin' et."
Sab" 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. sah"
They make good epitaphs. too." OBJ
served the doctor.
II 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."
The question that had sprung to
Valiant's lips now found utterance. II
saw you look at the portrait there"
he said to the major. which of my
ancestors is it?''
The other got up and stood before
the mantel-piece in a 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
1t, l reckon. never realized what a
sinister expression that missing optic
gives the old ruf1ian. There was a
skirmish during the war on the hill
side yonder and bullet cut 1t out.
When we were boys we used to call
him old One-Eye.'"
1T interests me enormously" John
Valiant spoke explosively.
THE stories of Devil-John would fill
a mighty big book" said the major
BY all accounts he ought to have
lived in the middle ages" Crossing
the library. he looked into the dining
room. Il thought remembered. The
portrait over the console there is his
wife. your great-grandmother. 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-thousal.d 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
thousand dollars in the market.
Some say he grew jealous OF his
wife's beauty. There were any num-
ber OF stories told Of his cruelties to
her that aren't worth repeating. She
died early poor lady and your
grandfather was the only issue. Devil.
John himself lived to be past seventy,
and at that age. when most men were
stacking their sins and groaning with
the gout, he was dicing and fox.hunt-
ing with the youngest OF them He
always swore he would die with his
boots on. and they say when the doc
tor told him he had only few hours
leeway. he made his slaves dress him
completely and prop him on his horse.
They galloped out 30. negro on
either side OF him. It was stormy
night. black as the Earl OF Hell's rid.
Ing boots, with wind and lightning,
and he rode cursing at both. There's
an old black-gum tree a mile from
here that they still call Devil-John',
tree. They were Just passing under
It when the lightning struck It. Light.
ming has no effect on the blackgum,
you know. The bolt glanced from the
tree ard struck him between the two
slaves without harming either Of
them. 1t killed his horse. too. That's
the story. To be sure at this date