Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-11-27
EStelle Martindale'S
PIOW
Story OF q Duel That Did
Not Come OH
~ RlJCt GRAHAM
BY RUrr GRAHAM

II was somewhere between 1850 and
1875 thGt Adelbert Swift graduated
from Il northern university and, hav-
ing heard great deal about planta-
ton life in the south, concluded to go
there with view to becoming a plant
err. He had inherited some means with
which he might buy and stock plan
tatlon: but, realizing his ignorance Of
the art OF filling the soil, he felt that
II was prudent for him to gain some
knowledge on the subject before max
ing IN investment.
IN order to do this he conceived the
IDEA Of obtaining position as tutor
In the family Of some planter. The
hours ms would be required to teach
would not be many each day, and he
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 very large one, including
some 800 negroes, Swift found he had
not made a mistake in assuming that
there was 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 n por.
ton of the day riding about ON the
plantation observing the methods used
and asking questions. He volunteered
beside TO handle the coloneps accounts,
to which he devoted himself during
the evenings.
The south has always been noted for
the hospitality Of its people, and Swift
was made at 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 source of
trouble to him. fearing that when he
declined one Of them 1t would be set
down as slight
Not far from the Southgate planta-
ton resided Miss Estelle Martindale.
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 con-
siderable sum, and she had made a
will leaving him an amount equal to
his Indebtedness, bequeathing the resi-
due to their daughter
Estelle was about Adelbert Swift's
age. She had inherited from her moth
er not only the plantation, 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
err had learned before her that to save
her property from being wasted she
must keep 1t and her finances In her
own hands. In managing her father
she was very adrolt. Nothing hurt his
pride so much as to 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 aIwavs
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 MortindoIo noticed that
an intimacy was Swinging nm between
Swift and his daughter he foncIod no
saw the end of his administrator Ue
WINS not n had man Indeed no uos
nm bonorobla mon but n wos ,nno..
sibIe for him to contcmnIoto With
eouanlmItv his daughters marriage
since her husband must leorn that bis
wIfe's father had no right I'm law 70
the plantation or its management II
is very easy for one 70 find reasons for
preventing wbot ia nor m HIS Interest
and oftentlmes TO believe his REASONS
10 be sound.
Mort,ndoIo said ,o,htno On b,o douo,,
for obont The nrosnoct hogoro him
but sbowod -bo could NOT holm sho,ying
his .ntooonIsm IN swift When tbev
mat excent NJ tho MortindoIo home
no bowed IN tho vouno man coldlv Tn
bis homo bo wouid have scorned m
trent onv puesf except with an an.
pearapce Mt least. of cordIoIIty. Es-
t.IIa sow wbot vvoa In bar fotborJs