Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-05-11

fair damsel, and won her heart. and
the heart oil her father. too.
One evening when they SAT together
In the little salon With its faded tap
sstries. Aur0re quoted Il iancilul lit
tie poem about the stars. and the gold.
en- pollen dr0pped from their flower
like hearts TO the cold earth. And RIA.
phael told her about his childish belief
about the star dust; how he had
dreamed of banishing cold ana dark
ness from the world.
That same evening. later. when Ra-
phael sat in his room smoking ana
dreaming how he would scatter star
dust in the path of Aurore she should
he robed like a princess, instead of in
the faded old.fashoned garments OF
a past generation; she should haze
slaves TO wait upon her feeble father,
his mother would welcome with pride
III. noble Girl who was to reign In
her stead in the mansion by the great
river-there. in the midst OF his re-
erie. came message from old Luke.
With trembling fingers Raphae. tore
open the envelope and read with de-
SPAR that his mother had died, and
his father had been shot down in bat
tie. 1t was the first battle of the Civil
war, and he enemy had soon taken
possession of the home and demolish-
ed nearly all of the surrounding prop.
erty
Stay in France" wrote the devoted
slave, Your annIs aud cousins are
going there rs soon as possible
The aunts and cousins came. Ra-
phael heard from the.lips the sad
story. His mother had purpoSoly kept
him in ignorance OF his fathers active
part in the wal; she was afraid that
her son might come home to enlist on
the eve of his brilliant career. His
debut before Critical Paris had been
phenomenal.
Raphael was crushed His two dear.
est ones were beyond the borders, and
he was quite alone in he world No
not alone In his great grief he had
quite forgotten Aurore. But alas the
wealth thar he was to lay at her feet
was lost, foolish dreamer OF dreams,
How could he afford 10 marry her? He
years before he could build up for
tune. and Aurore must not be asked 10
share Il poor mans lot There was
nauaht to do now but TO sit down and
write her Of The altered position This
done, he took the next vessel for
America. He must visit his mot hers
grave in the family cemetery and then
seal ch for his fathers remains and il
possible, have them taken home.
Home, How would he find it after the
ah"ence OF three years after the hand
OF the yandal had wreaked It's worst
upon H.
He reached the old plantation on
Christmas eve.
The house was a ruin and the plan.
talion was untitled He had heard
from the man who rowed him across
the river that the enemy had confiS.
Gated The property One of heir gen.
erals made his headquarters in the vii
lage hard by.
So the first place he went was not
TO the house. but 10 the graveyard.
just behind it. and there he stayed I'M.
til dusk deepened,
He stood and looked around at the
eager faces so dear and familiar in the
days of his childhood. Then. in spite
OF the anguish in his heart, he lifted
the istrument, and, drawing the bow
across the strings with a long, swift
stroke, he struck up one of the old
plantation melodies. Smiles came to
the lips of the young and tears TO the
eyes Of the aged. The youth played
on, forgetting self, forgetting the pres.
ent. and the future that had been
dark before him-played on. in the
spirit OF his lost childhood and his
music brought the old scenes wildly
before the freed negroes. But before
they were aware the melody had
changed 10 one that they had sung on
Christmas eve so many, many times.
The beautiful young mistress had
played the accompaniment on the or.
gan in the big parlor. and master had
led them on with his rich baritone.
Not Il heart among them but leaped
and.trembled at those beloved strains.
and some well--s0me of the younger
ones who had LOST their heads and
thsir good morals had drifted in the
ways of the wicked broke down and
wept aloud.
This show Of grief was more than
Raphael had expected, He slipped
away from the huddled forms and en-
tered Aunt Nancy's cabin. Here he
knew he would be given hot supper,
and then he would fare forth into the
world again. whittier he knew not.
Soon there was a shutting without
the door Aunt Nancy had been the
first TO come out OF the trance wrought
by the little masters music. Her heart
was yearning oves the lad AS II had
vnnpppt ubnp ho ,lttt, inta tl,. Iut,,