The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1914-10-10

| let me say, sah 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 IT, "Confound II.
sab. It 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 land. as Southall
says, | reckon"-he nodded toward the
great portrait above the couch-"they
weren't all little woody lambs) they
did big things In a big way"
Valiant leaned forward eagerly.
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 blinking glasses. glow.
ing with white and green and gold
You old humbug." said the doctor,
don't you know the majors that pol
soned with mint-juleps already that he
can't get up before eight In the morn
ing?"
We'll, subj" Uttered Uncle Jeffer.
son, "Ah done fouu' 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' ct"
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. 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 garden of Eden See that
those lazy niggers OF yours don't grub
the patch out by mistake"
Vas. sah." said Uncle Jefferson. as
he retired with the tray. "Ah gwine-
ter put er fence eroun' dat ar bald 70
shutdown"
The question that had sprung to
Valiant's lips now found utterance. 81
saw you look at the portrait there.
he said to the major. (which Of my
ancestors Is III"
The other got up and stood before
the mautelpiece In q Nspoleonic atti
tude. That" he said, fixing his eye
glasses. ia your great.grandfather
Devil-John Valiant"
Devil joint" echoed his host YES
I've heard the name"
The doctor guffawed. He earned
II. reckon. never realized what {
sinister expression that missing opti,
gives the old ruffian. There was {
skirmish during the war on tie hill
side yonder and a bullet cut II out
When we were boys We used to cal
him Old one.Eye.'"
1T interests me enormously" Johi
Valiant spoke explosively.
The stories OF Devil-John would al
mighty big book" said the major
by all accounts he ought to hav,
lived In the middle ages" Crossing
the library, he looked into the dining
room. II thought remembered. Tn
portrait over the console there Is hi
wife, your greatgrandmother. The
say he bet that when he brought hi
bride home. she should walk into Da
mory Court between rows OF candle
sticks worth twenty-thousand dollars
lie made the wager good. too, 70
, when she came up those steps on
there, there was row OF ten candle
burning on either side OF the doorwa,
each held by young slave worth
thousand dollars In the market.
Some say he grew Jealous OF hi
wifes beauty. There were any nun
Der OF stories told OF his cruelties I
her that aren't worth repeating Sh
died early - poor lady - and you
grandfather was the only isuue. Devi
John himself lived to be past sevent,
and at that age, when most men wer
stacking their sins and groanlng wit
the govt, he was dicing and fox hun
ing with the youngest Ct them. II
always swore he would die with hi
boots on and they say when the do,
tor told him he had only a few hour
leeway, he made his slaves dress hir
completely and prop him on his hors,
They galloped out so. a negro o
either side OF him. II was a storm
night, black as the Earl OF Hell's ri,
e ing'boots, with wind and lightning
c and he rode cursing at both, There
an old black-gum tree a mile fror
here that they still call DevilJohn
e tree They were Just passing undo
i when the lightning struck II. Ligh
a ning has no effect on the black.gun
you know The bolt glanced from IN
I tree ard struck him between the tw
+ slaves without harming either {
}, them. II killed his horse. too. That
!, the story To be sure at this da,
!. nobody can separate fact from n
e ton Possibly he wasn't 80 niue
Il worse than the rest % his neighboi
I not excepting the parsons. 9th,
!, times, other manners.
e They weren't any worse than n