The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-09-21
sHEDks CELEBRATION
BY IzoLA

der Of Windy mountain.
Ever since she could remember,
Sheba, one child left Of Cindy's brood,
had been told that her sole mission
in life was to hold the Blaine mansion
in readiness and in sacred trust for
the homecoming of young "Marse
Hal"
"Yo' gwine ter know him the min.
ute yo' set yo' eyes on him, chile.
He got de curliest. brown hair you
eber see and eyes like pools Of water
In de shadder. An when he laugh,
Cord, chile, when he laugh, seems like
all de sunshine comes ripping down In
a waterfall"
But Cindy had been laid away, and
Sheba was over forty, and still every
Saturday she went riding v 9 to the
big house, and every Wednesday, to
open 1t up and air the rooms and see
that 1t was Al. eady for "Marse Hal
It was hers by law, but she never con
sidered 1t so. She was only holding
1t in trust.
And on the way she had to pass
the little mountain schoolhouse where
Marjorie Atwell taught. Marjorie was
from Philadelphia primarily. Her ia
Their had come South for his health
and had bought up a peach farm in
northern Georgia, and Marjorie took
up the little mountain school just as
she had her settlement work in the
North.
1t became a regular occurrence
Sheba's rest on the stone steps out.
side the schoolhouse at the close of
the afternoon, and so It happened that
Marjorie became familiar with all the
intimate history of the Blaines. Then
came one day, the day before Lincoln's
birthday, when sheba rode up in an
excited and agitated condition.
"Jes' read dat yetter, Mis- Marjorie"
she cried. "Jes' read 1t. Date all
All say. He's on his way, praise Cord"
Marjorie read 1t. 1t was addressed
to Mrs. Lucinda Blaine, Blaine Hall,
Georgia, and raj signed "Halton
Blaine"
But, Sheba, he's an old man now,
remember. Why, he must be awfully
old, If he was twenty-five when the
war closed. You must prepare to
make him very comfortable" The let
ter merely stated he would arrive in
Stanton the next day, and hoped he
could find her. You might bring him
over to our exercises. / think he'd
like them, don't your"
"Ah doan't know" said Sheba du-
biously. "Yo' know, Mis- Marjorie, us
Blaines we nevah had no complaints
like, and we'd JUS as Dor Marse Lin.
coin hadn't been so sorter hasty, but
he's mighty fine man, All know. I'd
wave a flag for him any day, but All
wouldn't like to wave it right under
young Marse Halls ose Yo' see,
de Cunnel he died, and Marse George
and Marse Philip and Marse Francis
Marion, allus called Francis Marion,
dey use ter. And it might hurt his
feelins'. Ahll keep him quiet like
till de celebrations all over"
Marjorie hardly knew whether to
laugh or feel nonplused as she
watched the old gray mule climb the
mountain road. She stayed late to
decorate the schoolroom and see that
the flag halyards worked all right.
Standing under the 70 portrait of the
Great L~iberator, with it's wreath Of
southern smilax, she tried to gain in.
SEPARATION from its quiet smile. And
the voice behind her made her start.
Standing in the little low doorway was
a young man, with curly brown hair
and blue eyes, carrying a suitcase.
Il beg your pardon" he said cor
daily, "but am I on the right road to
Blaine Hall?"
Marjorie descended from her step.
ladder, the long strands of smilax
hanging around her neck, her fair hair
all rumpled from her work. And she
stared at the apparition in wonder.
Just follow the road until you come
to IT," she said. There's q high stone
wall around 1t and big entrance posts"
He laughed boyishly.
"Oh, I know what it looks like.
could find it with my eyes shut, ]
guess, from all my fathers told me,
I'm Halton Blaine. Is old Aunt Cindy
there?"
Just how 1t all happened even Mar.
jorie never could have told, but the
stranger fingered at the little wayside
school until dusk, helping her dec.
crate the room, and she told him all
that Sheba had told to her of the old
stories about the Blaines. He had
been born out West, in Oregon, he told
her. And out of all the family there
he had seemed to feel the old pull
back to the South. Together they
took the road at shutdown and walked
up to Sheba's cabin, half a mile from
the hall.
Praise de Lord, oh, NAH SOUL" she
exclaimed. It'll jes' take me a min
ute to run along and light de fires"
Save them for tomorrow night,
Sheha - Hal aaid hanniIv "Mias Mor-