The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-02-10

AZ inis WoT1an the bedroom that was |
never opened was mystery. She once
mentioned the room to her mistress
asking why Ii was kept locked. but re-
cefved no satisfaction. After that she
speculated a great deal about the room.
telling the field hands that she "'spect.
ed Missy Aborn had a ha'nt locked nm |
In dat room" The settlers, or, rather. |
their wives, who knew of the closing |
OF this room pitied the poor woman.
whose husband had doubtless been tor
tufed and burned at the stake by the
savages and would never return. They
assumed that she hoped her husband
would come back to her and she wish
ed him to find his room ready for his
occupation.
Two years passed, during which
Mrs. Aborn worked her farm as well
as she could. and her neighbors on their
return from their hunting expeditions
always supplied her with meat for the
coming winter and spring But 1t was
q forlorn country in which to bring up
children, and she was often tempted
to remove TO Indiana or Ohio. where
she would have facilities for giving
them an education. Finally she resolv
ed one autumn that IL no tidings came
from her husband during the winter
she would sell her plantation and her
negroes. keeping her horses, and
| mounting her children and herself on
them. would go to some point on the
river bank opposite Ohio, cross the riv-
/ er and make a home In one of the vii
lagos of that state.
The winter passed without the return
Of her husband or any news Of him
Friendly Indians came and went to and
from the settlement. and the widow
never failed to inquire If any of them
had knowledge Of a white man she de
scrihed to them But none Of them
could give her any news Of him. In
the spring she began her preparations
for removal
One night when she had put her chill
dren to bed she concluded to ride over
to the house OF ncighbor TO whom sh,
hoped to sell her plantation. 1t was d
stormy night. but she was anxious &
get an offer for the property and was
not deferred by the weather. nurin.
the evening band OF friendly lndian'
came into the settlement and were sool
wandering about In search Of wha
they could steal One OF them appear
ed at the Kitchen where Martha, Mrs
Aborn's maid Of all work. was at work
and. turning. she saw him standing i
the doorway She was wiping a plate
which she straightway dropped on th
floor. and II broke In pieces, The say
age I'm cultural tone peculiar TO tn
Indian said
. "AIe want bed. Me good Indian. NJ
{ no hurt anybody"
e Martha got up enough courage TO te
. the rcdskin that every room but on
!. was occupied hy the children and thf
n was locked The Indian Mortified b,
a by walking into the kitchen. takin
! up a tallow dip and proceeding to g
}. anime the house Seeing the childrc
n sound asleep in their beds, he held Il
h candle over each one Of them in tnf
giving n crunt of satisfaction at Il
II sight of their rosy faces. Martha f
Y lowed him Mt n distance, her compile
,r ion wearing the sickly light yellow
2 frightened negro. She saw him
d into her mistress bedroom. and wh,
q he came out he had key IN his han
Il Going to the empty chamber, he u
u locked the door and said to the woma
N "AIe sleep hcre You no tell
nr He accompanied his words with
e. savage look that tied her tongue col
n pletely. She wished to tell Of the
IL dian who had gone into the only
IL cant room. but did not dare lie wou
surely know that she had told a
I'd would tomahawk her. When her M
IL tress returned II was evident tht I
lie negro had experienced a great seal
ut but. though Mrs Aborn tried 10 indu
10 her TO tell what had frightened h
t her efforts resulted In failure. As so
to as Mrs Aborn had gone to her roc
ct MArIUa went oul uli'l NI'a'N'
TO dams presence in the house. But
re was either not believed or those S
at told. considering that the group
or red men who had come to the villa
xt we're friendly. did not think the IN
Id ter worthy of their attention, esreci
N. ly as the Aborn house was closed
be the night.
as Slumber finally reigned over the :
il tlement. Martha slept in one oil
ed negro cabins and early in the norm
on returned to the mothers abode, dre'
at ing to find both her and her chiidI
he murdered. Entering the kitchen
at went from there into the other 7
tions of the house, and. finding eve
ler thing quiet. the older children asi'
I'd. in their beds and her mistress slu
on bering with the smaller ones, she mi
'or up her mind that the savage was
ey murderous than she had supposed
me 70 he and set about getting breakfast