The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-09-06

body else to take the responsibility
for it he assumes it himself. His mag
ination has an intense craving for
blood and violence. It's that type Of
American who, egged on by the slave
power, is hurrying us into trouble
with Mexico"
Puryis came in presently with a
look in his face which betrayed his
knowledge Of the fact that all the cob
webs spun by his fancy were now to
be brushed away. Still he enjoyed
them while they lasted aud there was
Kind Of tacit claim in his manner
that they were subjects regarding
which no honest man could be expect
ed to tell the truth.
AS we ate our dinner they told me
that an escaped slave had come into
neighboriing county and excited the
people with stories of the auction
block and of negroes driven like yoked
oxen on plantations in South Carolina,
whence he had escaped on a steam
boat.
IL b'lieye I'm goin' to vote for abo-
lltion." said Uncle Peabody. II won
der what Sile Wright will say to that"
He'll probably advise against 1t; the
time isn't ripe for so great change
was my answer. "He thinks that the
whole matter should be left to the gla-
cial action of times forces"
Indeed 1 had spoken the view of
the sounder men of the North. The
subject filled them with dread alarm.
But the attitude Of Uncle Peabody
was significant. The sentiment in IA
vor of change was growing. 1t was
now to be reckoned with, for the abo'
litfon party was said to hold the bal
ance of power in New York and New
England and was behaving itself like
bull in china shop.
After dinner tried to put on some
Of my old clothes, but found that my
nakedness had so expanded that they
would not cover it, so 1 hitched my
white mare on the spring wagon ant
drove to the village for my trunk.
Every week day after that I worked
in the fields until the senator arrived
in Canton about the middle of August
On one of those happy days I received
a letter from old Kate, dated, to m!
surprise, in Saratoga. 1t said:
Dear Barton Baynes: I thought
would let you know that my father 4
dead. / have come here to rest ant
have found some work to do. / am bet
ter now. Have seen Sally. She is yer.
beautiful and kind. She does not know
that I am the old witch, Ihave changed
so. The others do not know---it i
better that way. think it was tn
Lord that brought me here. He has
way of taking care of some people
| my boy. Do you remember when be
gan to call you my boy-you were YER
little. 1t is long, long ago since I frs
saw you in your fathers dooryard-
you said you were going to mill on
butterfy's back. You looked just as
thought my boy would look. You CAV
me kiss. What a wonderful gift /
was to me then! I began to love you
I have no one else to think of now.
hope you won't mind my thinking S
much Of you.
"God bless you,
KATE FULLERTON"
understood now why the stron
will and singular insight of this won
an had so often exercised themselve
in my behalf: I could not remembe
the far day and the happy circun
stance of which she spoke, but wrot
her a letter which must have warme
her heart am sure.
Silas Wright arrived in Canton an
drove up to our home. He reache
our door at eight in the morning wit
his hound and rifle. He had aged raj
idly since I had seen him last. HI
hair was almost white. There wer
many new lines in his face. Ell
seemed more grave and dignified. FL
did not lapse into the dialect of hi
| fathers when he spoke of the ancier
pestimes of hunting and fishing as h
had been wont to do.
BART" he said when the greeting
were over, '1et's you and me go an
spend a day in the woods. I'll leay
my man here to help your uncle Will
you're gone"
We went by driving south fe'
miles and tramping in to the foot {
the saltwater on our rivera ira
long familiar to me. The dog left U
soon after we took 1t and began t
range over thick wooded hills. We SO
down among small, spirelike spruce
at the rivers edge with long stretc
of water In sight while the music c
the hounds voice came family to on
ears from the distant forest.
"Oh, I've been dreaming Of this fc
a long time" said the senator as b
leaned back against tree and file
his lungs and looked out upon the W;
ter, green with lily pads along th
| edge and flecked with the last Of til
white blossoms. II believe you war
to leave this lovely country."
81 am waiting for the call to go,
swell, I'm inclined to think you ar
the kind of man who ought to co." b
answered almost sadly. "You ar
needed. have been waiting until W
should meet to congratulate you o
your behavior at Cobleskill. thin