Evening star., 1925-07-12

and still no one answered. Frown-
ing, he walked to the end of the
Veranda, and, peering about, shouted
the name for the third time, with the
same result as before.
He turned apologetically to his
guests. THAT trifling rascal" he ex-
planned, "is never about, particularly
at this season of the year. when 1
need him" He glanced about for the
driver of the surrey, but the old man
had gone. Come with me, gentle
men," Taking up their luggage, he
led them within the house.
Though his welcome had been ex-
tended in all sincerity, their coming
brought a problem-another one-to
the Judge. And, somehow, in his de-
clining years life seemed to hold little
else save problems, and all of them as
yet unsolved.
Time had been when Holmacres
threw its doors wide open to the
countryside, for its masters had lived
in the traditions handed down by its
founder. Even now Judge Holmsted
permitted his thoughts to stray back
to the days when servants swarmed
about the place, when there were
stable boys who seemed actually to get
underfoot, and house boys who fairly
haunted the guests, eager to be OF the
slightest service. But now
it seemed that there remained little
of misfortune that could happen. For
of the hospitality for which Holmacres
had been famous there existed but
shell, shell so fragile that 1t might
be crushed at any moment. Pity. too,
that he, the last of his race, should
not maintain the heritage which was
his.
Had he belonged to that modern
school he might still have kept him.
self from actual want. But a friend in
financial straits had come to him. and
it was a neighborly act to indorse
note for large sum of money. 1t was
a hideous fate, though. that caused
the friend TO die, leaving an estate
heavily encumbered, and forced the
Judge to pay the Indebtedness by
mortga ging the home of his ancestors.
Even before this, though, the soil
of Holmacres. planted for generations
exclusively to cotton, had been grow
ing less and less fruitful. Judge
Holmsted had seen the yield dwindle
year by year. He had divided the
plantations into small farms for ten
ants Then the northern exodus had
begun. and one by one the tenants
had left. until now, with the few hired
hands" that he could secure, he was
cultivating perhaps one-tenth OF his
tillable lands.
Still. for a time he had not expert
enced want. His salary as Judge of
the circuit-while not munificent-
had enabled him to make pre-
tense of the hospitality that had
brought fame to Holmacres.
THEN new order of things came
a
with the precision-and the heart-of
machine. Those in control of the
political destinies of the counties COM
posing the circuit banded themselves
together-that is. all of them save
Judge Holmsted. Old fashioned jurist
that he was. he refused to lend him
self to what he considered certain
questionable prediction machina-
tions. Then the ultimatum went
forth: He could submit or take the
consequences-politic oblivion. He
accepted the gage, for he came not
only of a hospitable but of a COM
bative breed.
Now, for the first time in his life,
he entered upon a vigorous campaign.
He Travelled about the various coun-
ties of his circuit, spending, legiti-
mately, of his slender means. He
made countless speeches. he met hun
dreds of friends and received
promises.
He returned to the practice of law
in Wynnesborough but it seemed
that his methods, like himself, had
become old-fashioned.
The practice of law" he had said
once, when the matter came up. lis
an honorable profession. 1t was never
intended that IL should degenerate
into a display of legal acrobatics."
Clients were few and those who
came were not always of the soundest
financial standing. But there was al
ways more or less pickering and
litigation between the poorer class
of hill-farmers. and some of these
brought their troubles to Judge Holm
sted. They paid their accounts in
various ways: some brought small
lots of cotton. others poultry and pigs.
while one. an aged bachelor recluse
of uncertain temper, just before his
death had willed to the judge 40
acres of land. This, people inclined
to be humorous asserted, was in the
way of subtle revenge, for the
Judge, suing for the old man, had lost
his case, and the hill forty, as it was
known, was not considered worth the
tax payments.
There had been excessively poor
crops. Years. too. when the cotton
raised had not paid operating ex-
penses. Twice the judge had bor-
rowed money-which he still owed
in advance on his crops. And the
present outlook. with the late Spring
rains and cultivation sadly hampered,
was now worse than ever.
Even his plainly dwindling income
did not cause him to forsake his
ideals. These, he insisted, one must
cling to. even though he go down
with them. Certain other changes,
though. had forced themselves on
him. Horses and other stock had been
sold. since the plantation would not
longer support them in numbers. Now
all that remained were a few work
mules and the judges own mount,
Grover Cleveland. Servants were dis
pensed with until all of them, save
one. had gone. She stayed.
Christened Alabama, she was
variously called Miz' 'Bama, Sis
'Bama and 'Bama, the form of ad-
dress depending on the degree of
intimacy she permitted the speaker.
the Judge and those of her race whom
she considered her equals using the
last named. She had remained at
Holmacres after all the others had
left, though her wage was more often
a mirage than a reality. Latterly,
continued urging by certain of her
friends that she leave Judge Holm
sted's service and go to the city.
where her skill as a cook would res