Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-01-20
CHAPTER Xxx.
4 llale. Period in she Midst vi storm.

As has been previously remarked
the most veracions story Of my life is
ROT intended as 3 history Of either the
! var. or Of The reconstruction period
though many incidents relating 10
both must or necessity appear in such
a narrative. FOR we are All children
I of oar times and environment. ard the
times and environment OF my child
hood and youth we're war and recon-
strl,clion with all that went With
Them Therefore 4 true narrative Of
! life oompcls lne 10 put down many
things mat may be historically stale.
| lut i correct comprehension Of which
III reeessary for an understanding OF
igLe person preagced
We oG my generation OF Southern
tr are tie product OF the most intri-
cate. difficult and tempestuous period
tof our whole national history and in
tie froublous times Of our youth abb
sorbSd feelings ideas and impressions
I that can only be understood in the
light OF . knowledge OK the events
That gave them birth These events /
fgige faithfully as they occurred, and
as they appeared to the boy at the
time Hoy they may have appeared
70 older and wiser heads is another
Germ As they occurred, They were
iaiher 10 tire hoy, as the boy IS father
10 the man: and the things which
produced us. through us. produced the
South OF today, of which We may be
as justly proud as our forefathers
were OF the old.
With this slight expl nation by way
OF apology to the impatient reader
who may have been weary over the
record of unilnpoyfant events, will
proceed with the narratives
The story Of the two years follow
ing the summers Of 81 can be told in
as many pages The days, weeks and
months OF school life succeeded each
other with monotonous, but pieasur-
able reguiaritv. varied by the>sumnier
vacation months Of joyous freedom,
", d riding. ashirg. srg:irrei shooting
and all rho sports ii farm and cnpa
Try Ifs I'd iibitun.
Thne and my sisters care had seft-
med and bcautiiEcd the once unsighsly
ruins ri tho old home, and is black
ened xalls and broken columns were
covered with moss OF green end
cIi1g:aE vines in summer: and ma
iure'g stairs OF browns and colds and
yellows had replaced the sombrc
black in winter Several more rooms
had also been reclaimed from tho
partial ruin OF the habitahic wing.
and occasionally relation or other
guest US seen at the holse once.
more. One Charlie Douglas, Of At
lanta. "a son of old Mr.. Douglas of
our county, and one of the few re-
manning OF the original Hamilton
Corps used TO come very often and
..av Tor The day. liked Charlie we'll
enough and he often brought me
things from the city. new rod and
reel. or some flies, or riding whip
and such like things; but he spent
nos. OF his tirie with Evelyn when he
Was out, and felt vague kind Of
jealousy o. him. and Wondered Why
lie ca'9e so often
Sometimes | would bring out one ef
my friends from town On Friday even
ing 10 stay over til Monday; md Ar
thur would come ever u VIC would 81
10 lie .1Downs" for Saturday, and
aaye a glorious aIl-day hunt, burning
pounds 81 powder with litsle detri-
ment sc the birds, but to tie evident
! disgust Of my beautiful Gordon set
Ter, Rex.
darasay there IS no institution
state er government il the world that
can conpuro 10 & boys school fof
pure democracy And ours Was &c
DESCRIPTION ta the rule All the respect
| uhie boys Of the town attended t. and
while at school there was absolute
equality knew Jac' Smith, tie tin
ner's son. and Bud Sewers. the shoe
makers, qaite rs we'll and intimately
/ as knew Arthur Hawkins and Arm
/ Old Campbell Bur outside OF schco
and play matters. the distinction be
| tween Glasses was as Clearly and def
niteiy felt as though it were marked
! b. visible. tangible line; and Jact
and Bud would NOT have dreamed o
being asked or OF coming home witt
Arthur. Arnold or myself, or We OF 20
sy,n ~ tI.eS- hatnac
/ In this manner Of life passed Tvs
happy years. only slightly DISTURBED
by the echoes of the terrible event
taking place throughout the state ant
i the entire South. | heard ramoTs o
the thievery and corruption OF tn
i carpet haggers and adventurers VII,
were footing the State under nilitar.
protection. and Of crimes perpstuasei
elsewhere BY ina negroes. But in on
immediate vicinity, all was compare
lively quiet. md crime had not gonI
beyond the limit already described Il
a peryious chapter. sna nothing sun;
i GENTLY startling occurred dnfin.
these whole, two years 70 attract m,
personal attention. or disturb the cur