Year: 1873

In one of my journeys through the
State of Kentucky, chanced one eve
ming to find myself at the State line
and near small farmhouse, before
whose open gate couple of fox-houpd:
were dismally yelping, About a half
mile in advance of me, the thin blue
smoke was curling upward from the
chimney of a yellow house that stood
on little elevation.


The most trivial circumstances fire..
quently change our purposes. [ gath.
cred up the reins and was about tC
touch my horse with the spur, when 8
voice by nay side, said:


You need go no farther stranger
unless you are unwilling to accept q
generous welcome, but not very fat
larder.'


L turned in ny saddle, and beheld
directly behind me tall and well pro-
pOrtioned man of about forty-five years
of age, who had come up so nOiselessly
in my rear, that l was not aware of his
presence until L heard him speak.


For one who has travelled half over
the world, / answered, it matters but
little what | eat or what l drink. Sc
long as l have a crust and place to
stretch my limbs. 1 pay more atten-
ton to the provender of my horse than
| do to my own appetite


Such being the case, follow me- he
said, leading the way up the lane that
led to his habitatiOn, i've plenty OF
good corn and your animal will find a
rack well stuffed with fodder. Here,
you Jim,' he shouted, as L alighted at
the door; come, take this horse. rub
him down well land give him plenty of
corn


At the sound of his voice a dwarf
like negro boy came out from the
kitchen, and led my horse to the barn.


Selden Bates (fOr that was the name
by which my host introduced himself)
remarked as he gaZed after the tagging
steps of the boy, who had stopped and
was looking about apparently at moth
ing Before the Rebellion | owned
that fellow, but from the way he obeys
me, | sometimes think he oWnes me-
There is sad change hereabouts since
the new order of things came into vogue
But come in the house, sir, and let US
see what can be done toward procuring
you a meal


L followed him into a room, the fur
niture of which was the cheapest and
most plain material. A stained pine
table stood in the midst of the floor,
several wooden chairs were ranged
against the wall, and a well-worn rag
carpet was upon the floor. And this
was the best furnished room in the
house.


In short time the wife of Selden
Bates appeared. and | was duly intro
duced. she was a pale faced, meek
looking woman, with never a smile
upon her countenance, and remined
Que that she was perpetually brooding
over some dOmstic calamity. In an
swer to her husband she replied that
she would endeavOr to get upa meal,
and forthwith she started for the kitch-
en-, and never saw her again until she
came in with some fried chicken. corn
bread and coffee. which to me seemed
the test dinner L ever enjoyed, for |
was terribly hungry.


While dinner had been preparing, /
had leisure to note number of vol
umes that were hanging upon a shelf
in the corner. l ran my eyes hastily
over them. 'Ah, | thought, there is
some taste about this place after all as
l saw the works of Sterne, SmoIIet,
Fielding, a Well-worn COPY of Shakes
peare, Junius' Letters, Milton, Homer,
and, finally, (Oh shade of murdered
Hamilton), the Life of Aaron Burr.


When | had concluded my dinner,
Mr.. Bates asked me if l smoked, and
upon my replying in the affirmative,
produced some cOrn-eob pipes and to-
baccO, and we were both soon envelop-
ed in cloud of Kentucky smoke.


always feel communicative under
the influence of the weed, and have
generally found it the case with pref.
ty much every one but Selden Bates
pipe seemed to seal his lips. He DuffeC
vigorously, and repleuished his corn
cob several times, only deigning to re
ply to my remarks by a simple yes OF
no, and l began to think that aftel
all, though he might chance to be ;
well-read person. there did not appear
much variety in his conversation.


have neglected to inform the reader
that have an ugly scar running from
my left cheek bone down to the cor
ner of my mouth. 1t was received
when L was boy, by my falling from
barn loft upon a scythe, which lay OF
the floor. The wound healed. leaving
purple seam on my visage, and as
never had any beauty to spare, thi:
accident in nowise improved my PEI
sOnal appearance. As evening drew
on and the lamps were lighted, sew
eral times detected Mr.. Bates regarding
me with peculiar stare. There was {
look of pain and unhappiness in hi:
countenance, that was at variance witt
his previous rosy and uncOncerned de-
meanor. After little he moved his
seat upon my right side, and simulta
neOus with his act / unconsUiously
changed my attitude, so that [ agair
brought my left cheek TO view. Sud
denly his countenance became very
pale, and laying his hand upon my
arm. he said:


Pardon the requst I make, but L viii
esteem 1t favor if you sit with your
right side toward me-


'Ah l see,' replied, the left side Of
my face is less repulsive than the right
Certainly and l turned in my chair
with a laugh.


He seemed offended at my reply, and
Wnlie the DlOOu mounted 10 MS CHeehs
he quickly corrected me.


Il should be sorry to think that you
could deem me capable of an act of dis
courtesy. Believe me, yenr face has
nothing in it that in the least degree
is repulsive to me, but that scar upon
your cheek recalls one of the most bit
ter epochs of my life. So bitter, so
hopeless is the remorse L feel, that /
would be content when L sometimes
lay down to sleep, ifI knew. that
would never more awaken to the pangs
l must ever experience while live,
Oh it is fearful thing to have a sOr-
row so deep and remorse so great that
they cannot, they will not be cast out
by even cOutrition that grOvels at the
feet of Mercy in sackcloth and ashes


l looked at my host with an air OF
amazement, could scarcely believe
had heard him Alright


What great crime can you have
committed p


The words came slowly from my
lips. | did not know that / had ut
tered them until heard his reply.