The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-07-14
CHAPTER 4.
a Heritage of Hate.


- is June in Virginia, June in the
year OF our Lord 1882. The fields
are green, the early blossoming
Of the honeysuckle gives fra
GRANGE to the air. At such n time, in
such n scene and such surroundings,
two horsemen meet Both are men OF
striking appearance and proud pres
ence and are in the maturity OF their
middle manhood. They are Stanleys.
cousins in blood. The one on the bay
hunter, Judge Lamar Stanley, is
smooth of face, that Is marked with
cruel and heavy lines. His face is
harsh and set, and the grim lines OF
his countenance set the grimmer at the
approach OF his kinsman, Colonel Ar
thur Stanley The latter rides his
chestnut saddler like n soldier. Judge
StanIey's seat is that OF huntsman
Even as they ride they differ. Colonel
Stanley's face l. kinder. A white mus
tache and imperial add to his soldierly
appearance.
In Richmond during the war Judge
Lamar Stanley had been high in the
councils OF the cabinet OF President
jefferson Davis. I'm the field his
cousin. Arthur Stanley. followed the
fortunes of the Confederate arms as a
member OF the staff OF General Lee.
Crossing each other i'm love. crossing
each other i'm martial, civic and social
ambitions. their mutual hatred grew
with their growing years. There were
deep causes for all this I'm the thwart-
ed social ambitions OF the Judge As
the scion of the elder branch OF the
American Stanleys. springing from
their common ancestor. Sir Arthur
Stanley. n gentleman adventurer, who
came TO America I'm 1913. Colonel Stan
ley held possession OF the precious fam
lily heirloom. the diamond from the
sky.
The family tradition ran that this
great gem had fallen in n blazing me-
teOr at the feet OF Sir Arthur Stanley
three centuries ago just as he was
about TO be burned at the stake by the
Indians. whom he had I'm some way
affronted and aroused
The legend was that the Indians had
deemed the falling meteor an omen
from the Great Spirit that the white
man about TO be tortured was under
| the favor Of his protection. This leg
emu SldAtu mat CAE
| Stanley himself had so accepted the
| diamond from the sky as n token of
| supernatural favor. especially rs the
Indians had called IL ''the fallen star"
and as THE Fallen Star" Sir Arthur
| Stanley himself had been called after
| his Punishment from the court OF King
! James Of England for some wild esca-
| pade OF gaIlantTy when he was but
| turned OF twenty-five.
In the age stained family archives
/ kept I'm the strong box at Stanley hall.
| the great mansion home Of Colonel
4 Stanley. there was the will n the wild
\ Sir Arthur. and ut its end there was a
! strange prophetic clause. This clause
read that when the noble line OF Stan
! leys became extinct in England and an
/ heir Of the old Stanley earldOm was
| sought among the elder sons Of the
/ American family OF Stanleys In Vir-
/ ginia the diamond from the sky. tins
heritage 80 the elder son Of this elder
| branch. should he borne and worn back
70 England 10y the American earl when
he came into his English earldom-
Al the time we write-that j.. in
| June. 1SS2-the last Of the earls OF
| NlauifA WIS ltdfut-ibE illh anu Alin
| re-luSr. without hope or desire OF ar
| hoir
Colonel STANLEY had no son 20 sue
/ coed - the earldom IN England Fl,
was married 10 n fair young wife. who
,4~-.-r-fe6 shortly 10 become n mother
Were this child girl ii could have IL
! hope for the English great title in the
family nor 70 ever possess the damon,
. from the sky
On the other hand, Judge LANAI
. Stanley had son. a sturdy boy OF
three. His proud wife, equally witt
himself. dreamed Of a day when this
boy should bear the honors and have
the vast estates Of the Stanley earl
dom and the wonderful. priceless dia
mond from the sky.
As the two hOrsemen. kinsmen and
bitter enemies. rode down upon each
other in a smiling Virginia lane nei
Their would swerve his horse hairs
breadth for the other Into each other