The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1919-01-03

"Darlingw he murmnred. pressing
her hand to his lips. Dear heart-dO
you mean itT'
"Eleanor" Seymour's voice cut the
darkness like a knife.
"Yes," came EleanOr's voice out Of
the night as she Joined her stepfather.
The sound Of hOOfbeats grew fainter
and finally died into silence; the soft
patter 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
com down." he murmured, and made
n mental note TO 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
Clar outer her cabin an It's sweeter'n
honey fob yo' comfort, sab; yO' bed
an lot of things from the big house am
thereon, 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
Eleanor's promise had awakened in
him had departed.
He would be o cur indeed to snatch
the delicately nurtured girl from her
home and let her slender shoulders
bend beneath the burdens that the wife
Of a poor man-a beggar, he thought
bitterly-must suffer! lie would not
bind her to a promise given perhaps in
the first warmth Of sympathy. He
would go away-alone-and Seymour
could have the coveted land.
Stern in this resolution, he rode ovcC
to Leesburg that afternoon and pur-
chased a 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 h~earthstone around which gener-
ations of Maxwells had gathered in joy
and sorrow, in prosperity long ago, ana
now in bitter ruin. Better remove this
landmark Of a dead race OF which be-
was doomed to be the last.
So mused Maxwell, as he stood ab.
S0rbed in bitter thought while Uncle
Jake, near-sighJcd and half blinded by
tears, recklessly prepared the last
blast. The fuse was laid aud they
withdrew into the shelter of the chest.
nut grove.
81 done leave cherry stick oh linna.
mite there, Marse john muttered the
old mar with rcseutful triumph in his
grumbliug tones. "There won't no
folks pint in here an say
"My God. Jake, what"
Johns words were drowned in a
deufening roar, followed by the black.
ness and silence Of death itself.
When ne rcgained consciousness his
eyes opened on the sunshine stream
ing through the window of Aunt Sal
ly's cabin; all around him were famil-
lar articles Of furniture and above him
bent Eleanor Lee.
what happened-Unclc Jake?' he
asked family.
Uncle Jale's snow-crowued head
bobbcd above the foot Of the bed, his
lips stretched I'm a toothlcss smile.
Here / is, MurSe John" ho rhuckIcd
softly dem lazy uiggcrs done left q
fodder bald wander iu dn grove, am
when de- 'sUlosion came this niger fell
on the bed am aiu.t hurt % mite, sah.
You was dc only one
"Im glad of that, Uncle Jake"
smiled Maxwell, and then ne raised
his eyes Goo Eloanor's. "What did the
doctor suyt'
"Tha, you will he as good as new in
% few weeks returned Miss Lee
promptly o,adin@ his tender eyes.