Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-09-20

ed to have an air of well being and
breeding. The smooth driveway twist
ed and turned picturesquely through
the oak -grove, finally rounding a
bend which disclosed Barre Manor to
Carl's interested eyes.
The big house sat on a smooth
rise OF expansive, well-tended lawn,
and surrounding it were tall stately
cypress, pine, pecan, and live oak
trees. The building was Colonial
structure of true pre-slavery days,
with many tall white pillars running
around its wide verandah. Rose
bushes grew in rich profusion about
/ the place, and deep green creepers
lent rouch of color to the otherwise
unrelieved whiteness of the house.
AS they passed the big house Gene
throttled his motor so that they made
minimum of noise. The drive led
unhurriedly around to the rear of
the mansion, where there were many
outhouses, and barns, all scrupulous-
ly white-washed. Here were horses,
COWS and chickens, all moving around
with the sleepy langorousness of
beasts and birds in early morning.
The whole place exhaled an air OF
the we'll kept farm, and as the thin
mists lifted, men moved slowly and
laughingly through the big yard,
calling jokes softly to one another
as they prepared the animals for the
days labor.
Gene stopped the machine by what
he told them was the store house,
then Carl and Hotshot lent willing
arms to the unloading of the various
bulky packages which the truck held.
When this was completed Gene led
them to the kitchen, where the odors
of boiling coffee and frying bacon in
vested the place with an immediate
charm.
They Meet Creola
Inside, Gene introduced them to
Creola, vast dark-broWn woman OF
uncertain years, who grinned cor
daily and invited them to "set down"
She fed them generously with crisp
bacon, golden-eyed eggs, huge light
biscuits, and delicious Coffee Of
which the three partook ravenously.
"Kunnel up yit?" Gene asked her,
when they had done.
HE been up an hour" Creola told
them. "You want to see him?"S
Jaw, I'll see i'm when he comes
out t. de barn. got these yere boys
whut wants job"
eff they feeds like this sho' aim
to have me pumanent job here"
Hotshot said in stage whisper
loud enough for the big cook to hear.
The woman glanced at him coquet-
tishly.
Go on wild you," she cried. can
if you wuks in de fiePs den you don
get no SIGH vittles as desc"
Then gets myself a job here whar
I eats this bardacious food" HotShot
declared unperturbed.
Shortly after the three had left
the house and were standing by the
barn Colonel Barre came out TO
them.
Where's those two hands you
brought, Gene?" he asked as he came
up. lllCl llC odW Vail obiiN AAio
friend. oh! I see." His keen old
blue eyes swept over the newcomers
swiftly. you boys pick cotton pref
ty good?" he inquired with smile.
IT picks my TO hundred eny ole
day, Cap'n, suh," Hotshot told him,
bowling little. The Colonels eye
shifted to Carl.
I'm afraid I'm not such good
picker yet, sir" Carl told him, but
I used to pick cotton when was
kid" He stood straight and unmov-
ing before his prospective employer.
From the Nawth, eh?" the man
asked him.
Eyes, sir"
what you been doing up there?"
"Well-school, mostly"
What are you doing down here?"
Carl explained about the loss of his
parents, emitting the details of his
adventure in the refugee camp.
Him. Calculate you can figger
right smart, eh?"
Eyes, SIR
know anything bout weighing
cotton?"
Eyes, SIR"
"All right" the Colonel said brisk
y. boy had weighing my cotton
took sick and had to go home to his
NAV. You weigh cotton today, and
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