The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1922-09-29

insects sang, while from everywhere
came. the low and drowsy murmur Of
the cane. e., " II. IS -
ID Drace was enchanted with the scene
the sweet air. Beside Linn Shottle
long-le,,ged his way, his neck stretched
out. , ..~ y -. -
"Yonller comes Uncle Howard, the
General he said. :.
Toward them. with a slow but firm
and emphatic step, came, a tall, spare,
erect old gentleman iand ias he drew
!, nearer, Drace saw that he wore q mus.
tache and whiskers trimmed neatly
down to a sharp point. The ssoldter
within him predonihnated. the profess
sional soldier, who is often gentler
and more kindly than the, volunteer
Shottle hailed him, and he duickened
his pace. T>.
: "Well. well, Liberty Shottle! Wei.
come, sir, and your friend"
"Uncle. this is Virgil Drace, my best
friend" -.
The old man Strengthened, held out
both his hands and made Liberty's
fria nd welcome most Hospitality.
Now they walked toward the house,
the General with his hand on Braces
ARM Over the yard fence poured a
stream Of hounds, and an old .'possum-
dog -'barked up Shottle as if lie had
treed.. The double hallway doors stood
open. The General conducted Drace
into the library, room that looked
big en, ,ough for tennis court. Then
he.hssstily withdrew, and Shottle
= spoke: T..
= "GGne to find Aunt Tycie. You'll like
her. No hickory tree sap is any sweet
er than her disposition She was
Shottle. my fathers young sister.
She's young, as told you. And she
looks younger now than when she
married. Did you ever notice that
when i young woman marries an old
fellow, She always tries to look young
er? Here they are"
Presently the great plantation bell
on tower in the yard rang time for
the evening meal. The General arose,
and bowing to his wife, gracefully Of
fered her his arm. To Drace it was a
pretty ceremonial and he contrasted
it with the more brusque customs OF
everyday life in the North.
When an opportunity offered, Drace
inquired of the General, as casually as
possible, if he knew anything Of an
old fellow named Stepho la Vitte. who
was reputed to live somewhere in the
vicinity.
The General seemed somewhat sur
prised at the inquiry. YES" he said.
II know something of him. And be-
lieye there are rumors that he is some
times seen across The River near here.
During the war he was guerrilla and
cast much blame on the OOnfederacy.
l met him once, after the war---near
your fathers house, my dear. My
mules were tired, and had hal ed in
the shade to let them rest, when up
came two men; one put his hand on
the wheel of my buggy and said that
my mules were his-that they had
been stolen from him. laughed. but
meantime I had the muzzle of a pistol
between his eyes. He didn't finch nor
wink. He looked at me and said that
he may have made a mistake. told
him I thought he had. Then, taking
his hand off my wheel, he bowed him.
self back and said that he would see
me again, to apologize. But haven't
seen him since"
In the evening how still and sweet
| was the air! From the quarters came
the weird drone Of the negrOs chant,
for the habit of the slave had not fall
len with his chain. In the parlOr Aunt
Tycie sang, in this house custom to
be dreaded by the learned ear; but
Braces ear was not learned; ShOttle's
was as an oyster-shell clapped to his
head; and in music the General could
not distinguish intention from accom-
| plishment. 1t was song Of love.
Hast Thou No Feeling to See Me
! Kneeling?" and when it's last note had
| found a dark corner wherein to die,
Drace requested her to sing it again.
! She gave him grateful look the Gen.
| eral smiled at him; and as the song be-
gan again to mourn its way, Shottle
| said to himself:
IF Providence will lend virtue to
scheme, that will cost you money, Vir-
! gill Came here to rest after going
through more than Stonewall Jackson
! cotiId stand, and this is what I get !!
Oh, it's respectable and ought to be
endured, and so is casket lined with
satin. but it doesn't suit me. Lord
but this atmosphere is unsympathet-
| ic"
(G0nfinned In Mart laAuAl