The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-01-19
,UvnIlnnsd from Last week
CHAPTER XIV.
At Salem.

narish of st. Elizabeth. where grow
the aloe, and torch-thistle. and clumps
of wood which alter the appearance
Of the plain from the South Downs
Of England, but where thousands Of
cattle and horses even In those days
we're maintained. The air OF the dis
trlct was dry and elastic, and 1t fl
tered down to the valleys near like
that where Salem was with It's clUs-
ters of negro huts and offices, It's mills
and distilleries where sugar and rum
we're made. Salem was situated on
the Black river, accessible by boats
and canoes. The huts of negro slaves
we're near the sugar mills. without
regard to order. but in clusters of ba-
mana. avocado pear lines aiid oranges
and with the cultivated land round
their huts made an effective picture.
Every plantation had Il surgeon who
received small SUN for attendance
on every slave. while spcclnl cases Of
midwifery, incubation. etc. had par
tlcular allowance. The surgeon had
10 attend 10 about four hundred to
five hundred negroes. on an income Of
f11O per annum. and board and lodg-
ing and washing. besides what he made
from his practice with the whites
Salem was no worse thnn some 9th.
or plantations on the Island, but 1t was
far behind such plantations ms that
owned by Dyck Calhoun, ami had been
notorious for the eruelfies committed
on t. TO such nn estate n lady like
Shcila Llyn would be boon. She was
not on the place day before she
started reforms which would turn the
plantation into a model scheme.
Houses. food. treatment of the negroes
became at once q study TO her and
her experience In Virginia was inval.
liable. She had learned there not TO
work the slaves too hard III the warm
period Of the day: and sln' showed her
interest by having serypd al herr OWL
table The fayorite olio the sl6ses made
of planaIns, bananas, yains. ealalue,
eddoes, cassavt ard sweet, potatocs
boiled with salt Ash and favored with
cayenne pepper. This. with the uu-
ripe roasted plantain' as bread. WIS
native relish and healtl,,giving food,
Ever since the day when SHE had
seen Dyck Calhoun at Spanish. Town
she had been disturbed In mind. Dyck
had shown reserve which she felt
was not wholly due to his having been
Imprisoned for manslaughter In one
way he looked little older. His ply
sque was as good or better than when
she first saw him on the hills OF Play
more. 1t was athletic. strenuous, elias
tic. Yet there was about II the 0bundon-
ment of despalr---at least of reckless
ness. That much was to be said for
him, that he had not sought to inhu-
ence her to his own advantage. She
was SO surrounded ID America by men
who knew her wealth and priced her
beauty, she was SO much figure In
Virginia, that any reserve with regard
TO herself was noticeable. She was
enough feminine to have pleasure in
the fact that she WAS thought desirable
by men; yet 1t played nn Insignificant
part in her life. 1t did not give her
concet. 1t was only like Il firth on
the skirts Of life. Ii did not play any
part in her character. Certainly Dyck
Calhoun had not battered her.
Tint one to whom she Ind written,
as She had done, should remove him
self from the place of the deserving
friend. one whom size had not deserted
while he was in jail as criminal
That he should treat her so, gave every
nerve thrill OF protest. At the lodg-
ms In Spanish Town, after Dyck Cal
houn had left, her mother had briefly
said that she had told Dyck he could
not expect the conditions of the Play
more friendship should be renewed;
that, In effect. she had warned him
on. To this Sheila had SAIL that the
kllllhs OF n man whose life was bad
might be punishable. In any case,
mat thing was In another land, under
ABNORMAL conditions; aud. with utter
iack of logic, she saw no reason why
he should be socially punished in ia
h'a'ca for what he had been legally
punished for In Ireland As for the
mutiny' he had done what any honest
loah of spirit would do; also, he had
ny great bravery and skill brought
victory TO the kings fleet IN West In
uian waters.
Then 1t was she told her mother
nov she had always disobeyed her
'oiUlnands where Dyck was concerned;
mat she had written ID him while he
was In Jail; that she had come to
aah'alcn more TO see him than to re-
iorin Salem; that she had the old Gel
uc spirit Of brotherhood. and she
would not be driven from IL. In sud
uen burst Of anger her mother had
charged her with deceit: but the girl
saiu she had followed her conscience,
ana She dismissed II alI with yes.
lure as emphatic as her mothers an-
ger
:, mat night they had dined with Lord
sia'iow, and she saw that his atten-
.io's had behind them the deep pur-
pose OF marriage. Lord MalIow had
aoi''ty and knew how 10 use Ii; and
"s was never SO brilliant as on this
a.sslnoon. fot thH dinad while Il -