The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1919-04-09
HIHE CHAPTER VIII
THE PROGRESS OF
A COUNTRY BEAU.

greatly in her affection. She be-
more and more attached to him.
Her parents were not inclined TO
look upon him with much favor,
thew having greater liking for
the more ambitious Merlin, and
forbade her accepting his atten-
tions. Nevertheless, parents laws
were never strong enough to bind
lovers apart. and many were the Sc.
cret trysts stolen by this budding
pair. Samantha worked out devil
GUS plans to get to be with Oscar.
She made nearly twice as many
trips to .Devondale as was necesa-
airy. because he usually happened
to be going the same direction,
whether accidently or on purpose.
we will have to guess; she went to
more parties than she had been ac-
customed to doing and finally she
decided to give one herself.
Her father finally consented to
her giving a play party after she
had plead piteously and earnestly.
But" he said" there are two
things you must not do: You mus
have no dancing and you must not,
under any circumstances, invite
that foolish Brown boy"
Now the last clause was not at
all to Samantha's liking. That
had been the reason she had plann-
ed the party-to be with Oscar. 50
she sighed, hesitatod, studied
thonchtrully and appeared to be un:
decided. "As for myself" continu-
ed her father, 81 will not BE- here
cannot lear q bunch of gigglinS
yCuugs;rrs and so / Will remain
fvay from home that night. You
will not have the Brown boy here p
No" she said softly, as all
women do when they really mean
yes. And so, when she made cut
the name of the list she intended 10
invite, she placed Oscars name
first. To break her fathers COM
mands was ore of the detestable
little traits the years were adding
/, her character.
TIE party came off on The Iais
mint f. august, q beautiful AID
starry liPEt, cool but clorGicss.
He- father, as he had said, mas
away klc, moreover, to her great
jos, Oscar was there. OF all the
handsome young men present, in
her Cycg. H. bore the palm. Dressed
in somber black, with a snowy col
lar contrasting with his sun-burned
face, and a huge sticlSpin adjoining
his red cravat he appeared to
Samantha as the prince of fashion
and the king-royal of the whole oc-
casion.
After the preliminary greetings
the crowd gathered in the large
hall where games were to be play
ed. Dancing had been prohibited
but music had not, so the young
sters said they must have music.
Neither Samantha or any of tile
other girls would consent to play
the piano and the boys could not,
so that idea was cast aside. But
Oscar was not to be bafIled by this
at all. Silently he slipped out OF
the door and fastened to Deyondale
to find Charlie and oe, the profess
sional negro musicians Of the vii
lage. Soon the guests heard the
twang of guitar outside, and the
next moment the young negroes en-
tered, a grin Of delight spread ell
over Lheir faces They were fol-
lowed by Oscar who seemed ye"y
much pleased over his successful
"GEd"
"Oh, | fetched EN-" he said
"'Taint once in hundred you Will
find these boys at home. Now we
are goin' TO have some music of
the old-fashioned kind. Strike up,
niegers!" And they struck.
Negroes arc natual musicians,
with an instinct for melouy thal
transcends that of their white broth
ers. and as they drew the bow
across the quiyering violin strings
or ran their deft fingers over the
guitar board, the air seemed to
reyerberate with music. After
Eeveral guitar solos, they tuned
,heir instruments and struck up
that old-time air, Turkey In the
Straw" The guests cheered when
it began and Oscar, thoroughly car
ried away with the music, sat beat
ing time with his foot.
"Say Bill, amt that simply great
he asked a friend, tapping him on
the shoulder. 81 feel like / could
Jig 10 that piece like a darkey don