The Pensacola journal., 1914-12-20

| ALABAMA BEFORE YOU RETURN
TO THIS OFFICE"
| I'm on the job.'' Mcdonald curtly
replied as the superintendent went
| about other important duties of the
| road.
| It was Saturday night of the second
weeks survey through the big pine
| woods of the extreme southern portion
| of Alabama The camp had been
| moved to within less than a mile of
one of the oldest settlements on the
| great cattle range. Mcdonald had
| been well advised of the great nppos'
ton among the natives to the pro-
| posed extension through the cattle
| range, and he fully realized the i'm
| portanee Of his position. He was an
apt student in the study Of human ma
ture and well knew the peculiarities of
the especial class Of people he must
deal with in this section. Rising
early Sunday morning and leaving in
structions for the camp to be kept alb
| solutely quiet, he walked off toward
the old settlement saying that he was
going out to make some private inVes-
LEGATIONS and would possibly not re-
turn until the afternoon or evening.
The old settlement was known as the
old Campbell place. It was an inter-
esting home, with its huge log walls
flat-hewn on the inside and round on
the outside. Large sheds and wide
verandas added comfort and welcome
to the place. The floors were kept
scrubbed clean and white and the
walls were free from dust and COZ
web. Everything about the place be-
spoke an age of happiness and sue
cess.
But the most interesting feature Of
this home was it's occupants. Granny
Campbell, who had lived there con-
tinuously for forty-seven years, was
still mistress of the premises. Not only
this; she was also held in as high es-
TEEN by the people of the entire range
as she would have been had she been
real queen and that especial section
had been an Independent country.
Everybody in the settlement consulted
her for medical advice. She knew an
herb for every ailment. She was their
spiritual adviser, and knew a verse in
the Bible for every sorrow; a promise
for every good deed; a curse for every
act of disobedience. Through some
mysterious power she could stop the
flow of blood in both human beings
and animals No calves were marked
and branded on the range until
Granny pronounced ''the signs" right.
Granny Campbells only companion
was little grand -daughter-sixteen
years old. Glodywild, as she was
called, was taken into the old Camp
bell homo an orphan at the age of
three years and reared 'mongst the
trees, vines and flowers-environ-
ments that had a tendency to shape
4,1, ,t2n 4i00 IN Y11a
blended with her poetical name.
The soft, golden sunlight was burst |
ing through the eastward forest, it's |
radiant glory falling in noise1ess flakes |
upon the broad expanse Of meadow |
land, lighting up the tints and hues |
of a million flowers: kissing the rip |
pies Of the water as they leaped along |
the pebbled way; painting leagues |
upon leagues of untold beauty on a |
primeval forest fringed on the south !
by the pale, blue waters of the Gulf II |
was June twelfth, eighteen hundred !
ninety-two Glorywild sprang out of
bed and hurriedly pulling a little sum-
mer frock round her plump form,
started the fire a-going, took the
cedar pail and went for a bucket Of
fresh water from the spring, seventy
five yards away. Her sharp, black
path leading from the house to the /
spring through the dogwoods. flowers
and vines, and she raised her hand and
exclaimed: "a silver thread running
a cloth of green!" This SEN
tence she had read the night before in
q little book which had been given her
by the Methodist circuit rider for a
gift, just year ago. sixteen
years oid!" she repeated with marked
emphasis all to herself. She stopped
and stood for a moment gazing at the
grand scenery and inhaling the pure
air and sweet aroma of the flowers. a
strange feeling swept over her.
sudden desire for companionship pos
sessed her. She could feel the pres
ence of it but her sharp vision failed
to reveal it. "Alone, all alone!' She
breathed the words in soft, sad voice,
and a quiyer of disappointment went
TO her heart that she had never ex-
oerienced before. UnconsciousIy she
pulled her skirt closer apout her lower
limbs She looked at her bare ankles
and feet and wished that she had put
IN her new stockings and best shoes
but why? Granny would have been
very much vexed at such imprudence.
A young sheep had oversight himself
under the dogwoods near by and on
realizing his deserted condition ran
lere and there bleating almost every
2reath until a response came from the
lock Just across the meadow. Even
.nimaIs are not made to be alone
declared Glorywild as she noticed the
Incident.
At the spring Glorywild set the ce-
lar pail under the end Of the long
rough that conveyed the water from
he side of the hill to a convenient po-
gition twenty feet below. In less than
hirty seconds the pure, sparkling wa
er was dashing over the sides Of the
pretty white vessel, catching up the
ints of golden sunlight and carrying
hem in round bubbles down the tiny