The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1917-06-14
IN SMOKY MOUNTAINS
BY SUSAN r. cLAGETT.

form of the South Carolina station lie
was sick, therefore miserable in mind
and body, and he had come South be-
cause it seemed the only thing to do.
Now he was waiting for the team that
would carry him into the pines on the
slope of Old Smoky.
lie raised him head. A mule stood
near by, Hopping his ears and lazily
twitching a bushy tail. In front of him
was a young girl, very little girl, who
said:
"Guess l came for you, but l thought
you was to be II lady,"
"Why?" Marshall asked.
II don't know, cept that Julie
guessed it from your letter, you wrote
so ladylike. l don't believe she'd have
taken you if she'd known you was a
man."
ANY special reason why she
shouldn't?' he asked.
Maybe" was the noncommittal an
swer, "but now you're here we'd better
start" She looked about with keen
eyes. 81 wonder where that station
mans gone an put your trunk"
I'm sitting on it. But how are we
to get it into the wagon. The agents
gone and l haven't the strength of Il
kitten"
She looked at him reflectively. you
are kinder peaked, but you jes' leave
20
pushing it toward the edge an backin'
Bet TO the platform. You jes git in an
sit down an you needn't feel skeered
of the mule. Bet knows when to be-
have herself"
Two weeks later, with Mollies help,
he walked TO a bench in the shade of
n big oak and there faced a dilemma.
He had sensed something wrong as he
lay in bed during those first days, but
had been too listless to ask questions.
Now Mollie told him that their granny
had died in the spring and with her
death the little pension she had re-
ceived had ceased. Julie had seen his
advertisement in an old newspaper
and thought they might as well take
II boarder, as they needed money.
But" Mollie ended, simply, tive
thought you was a lady, and now all
the folks is talkin'."
"What can l do, Mollie?" Tom
asked, desperately. "rm not well
enough to go away"
Tel ;cfe 20 IN NJ Wa
thought you might 90 up the noun
tain to Jim Hawn's old cabin. He's
gone, but there's a bed, an me an
Julie can fill bag with pine needles
for a mattress, an Julie can cook you
something to eat an | can tote it to
you.x, You can be real comft'ble up
thers, an we don't neither of us want
you to CO." she finished, wistfully.
"And l don't want to CO." Marshall
answered. "If you and Julie can fix it
that way I'm satisfied. But | will tell
you what to do. Get someone to bring
me chair or two and some other
things from the village, if l am to set
up housekeeping And there is some
thing else" He drew the child close
to him. 81 heard you say you felt real
bad because you couldn't go to the
district school. Wouldn't you like me
to teach you? 1t would be something
for me to do, and you could come
to me in your spare time. I'm pretty
sure you will learn more with me
than in that schoolhouse two miles
away. What do you say to my planF
Breathless, but with shining eyes,
Mollle looked at him, yet all she said
was: "WOn't Julie be glad? She cried
because | couldn't CO."
1t was settled after Marshall had
his talk with the older sister and
that same night, after Il ride up the
mountain upon the bare back Of old
Bet, he slept upon bed of fragrant
pine needles in the forsaken cabin.
Ten days later in the comforting
knowledge of returning strength he
found work ready at his hand.
Julie was the last to come. She was
an entirely unknown quantity, al
though for a month or more she had
cared for his material needs. Mollie
had always been the go-between, but
one evening Julie climbed the path to
his cabin, an oflicial-l0oking paper in
her hand. This she handed him ask
ing If he could tell her what was writ
ten upon the following sheets. His
first glance told him the writing was
French.
slave you any idea what is written
here who your parents wereF h
asked, touching the paper
She shook her head. Granny told
me to keep 1t; that | might need 1t
some day."
81 will write this out in English, y
he said. After moments thought he
asked: ADO you know anything of
French hlstoryT'
"A little" she told him."
Then you will understand when
tell you your people were among the
Huguenots that We're driven out OF
France years ago. Many OF them set
tied in the Carollnas, but as time
passed there was no one to teach them
the children grew up in ignorance OF
their ancestors, and of all else, for the
matter of that. This paper tells me
that your NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
was Alphonse d'Armand and that his
wife was Julie de Gueselin. 1t would
seem that you are named after her.
81 would like to read that just as Il
is written. Do you think l coult
learuP" she asked eagerly. But Julie