The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-12-07

"
you mean it,"
Eleanor" Seymour's voice cut the
/ darkness like a knife.
Yes" came EIeanor'S voice out OF
the night as she Joined her stepfather.
The sound of hootbeatS grew fainter
and finally died into silence; The soft
! pattcr OF rain on the chestnuts and the
! low wall of mourning from the negro
quarters formed the only requiem over
the funeral pyre of the house OF Max.
well.
john drew nearer the ruins and
looked up at the froWning majesty Of
the six huge chimneys. They must
come down. he murmured, and made
mental note 10 go to town and get
the dynamite necessary for the blast
ing.
out of the grove of trees Uncle
Jake's voice came, cracked with emo
ton. "Marse John, Aunt Sally she done
ciar outer her cabin an its sweeter'n
honey fob yo' comfort, sab; yo' bed
an lot Of things from the big house am
there-oh, Marse John !"
Maxwell forgot his own troubles in
allaying the grief Of the old servants,
but when the gray morning dawned
and he still lay awake in his new quar-.
tiers all the comfort and hope that
EleanOrs promise had awakened in
him mad departed.
He would be a cur indeed to snatch
the delicately nurtured girl from her
home and let her slender shoulders
bend beneath the burdens that the wife
of poor mana beggar, he though:
bitterly-must suffer! He would not
bind her to Il promise given perhaps in
would go away-alone-and Seymour
could have the coveted land.
Stern in this resolution, he rode over
to Leesburg that afternoon and pur
chased quantity Of dynamite, and the
following day, with the help of the ser
wants, he prepared to raZe the menac.
ing chimneys to the ground.
The women servants carried all the
precious crystal and china to a place
of safety, and then the work of remov.
ing the chimneys was begun.
One by one, they tottered and fell In
clouds of choking dust, until there re-
manned only the great central chimney
the hearthstOne around which gener.
ations Of Maxwells had gathered in joy
and sorrow, in prosperity long ago, and
now in bitter ruin. Better remove this
landmark of q dead race of which he
was doomed to be the last.
SO unused Maxwell, as he stood alb.
sOrbed in bitter thought while Uncle
Jake, near-sightcd and half blinded by
tears, recklessly prepared the last
blast. The fuse was laid and they
withdrew into the shelter of the chest |
nut grove.
Il done leave cherry stick OBJ dinna'
mite there, Marse john" muttered the |
old man with reSentful triumph in his |
grumbling tones. There won't No
folks pint In here an say"
'My God, Jake, what"
Johns words were drowned in q |
deafening roar, followed by the black.
ness and silence of death itself.
When he regained consciousness his !
ing through the window of Aunt Sal.
ly's cabin; all around him We're famil-
lar articles of furniture and above him
bent Eleanor Lee.
what happened-Uncle Jake?" he
asked family.
Uncle Jake's snOw-crOwned head
bobbed above the foot of the bed, his
lips stretched in a toothless smile.
Here is, Marse john" ne chuckled
softly; dem lazy niggers done left a
fodder bald yander in de grove, an
when de 'splOsion came this niger fell
on the bed an amt hurt a mite, sab.
You was de only one"
I'm glad of that, Uncle Jake"
smiled Maxwell, and then he raised
his eyes to Eleanor's. what did the
doctor say"
THAT you will be as good as new in
4 few weeks returned Miss Lee
evading his tender eyes.
Maxwell groaned. 1.-THE devils own
luck" he muttered desperately. "Nell,
darling, can't hold you to your prom
se to go with mel am penniless. ]
an not selfish enough to accept your
sacrifice"
A soft hand covered his mouth and
Eleanor's bright hair touched the pill
Ow beside his head. 1--WE set my
heart on making rich marriage.
John, don't disappoint me, please!
weeks ago I heard my
stepfather telling that man who bought
The Lesson place next door that he
vas positive that there was q vein of
coal beneath your place that meant q
fortune to the man who acquired the
81 thought the matter over and de-
,ided that he was the author of all
your troubles. It is he who has baked
Ill your enterprises. He had hoped to
discourage you and send you away,
hat the place might become his" She
whispered in his eur now. II am
afraid he set fire to the hall as last
'esort, but for mothers sake" her
7oice broke.
Maxwell found strength to encircle