yBJa'g
OLD MAN GILBERT.
By ELIZABETH W. BELLAMY,
("KAMBA TnOttPE,")
Auther of "Four Oatct," "Litth Joan Jean
na," Etc
i
tOepyrtahtsd. All rights reserved. Published by
pvwiwiucuiinituuniKuuiuvvuiwii
IW i
rYerfc
CHAPTER I.
UTTUC M1S3T.
"ft-aiie de kingdom!" Glory-Ann ejacu
lated. Miss Theme, or, niore familiarly, Miss
Elvira, a gentle, faded beauty, attired
according te the height of the etyle in
the year of grace eighteen hundred and
flfty-seven, was going, this warm May
morning, "up te town," as they said en
the plantations around Tallahassee in
the days befere the war; and the entire
domestic retinue of Therno Hill were as
sembled te speed her departure. Her
brother, the colonel, had preceded her
en heisehack, for he was a man of tee
many Inches te endute a carriage in a
drlve of nlne long miles. It may have
been because of these extra inches that
he was called colonel, but his world ac
knowledged the title without inquiry.
The colonel's only daughter, Miss Win
ifred, a motherless lass of cloven, was
deemed this day te be left at home in
charge of Glory-Ann, the old family
nurse, whose name Miss Winifred had
transformed into "Mem Bee."
"See that Winifred dec3 net run in the
sun," Miss Elvira said, as she sank back
against the cushions and opened a little
well worn volutne of Bishop Ken's "Do "De "Do
vetions." Miss Elvira spent her day, for
the most part, reading this geed book;
she had formed the habit when she gave
up Sir WalterScett'a novels, nobody knew
hew long age or nobody told. It was a
practice that enabled her te forget little
Miss Winifred, who was a young lady of
exasperating devices.
"Weuldn s'prise me ef Missy wuz In
dishyer 6un new dis minute," grumbled
Glory-Ann as the carriage rolled away.
'Yit bIie meught be n-peutin' somewhere
'bout de house," she amended, as she be
gan laboriously te climb the Btairs.
The heuse at Therno Hill had a third
story under the reef, lighted by a win
dow in each gable, and deep, high peaked
dormers, back and front. The stair land
ing divided this story into two long
rooms, which were used chiefly for stor
ing odds and ends. In the cool north
room was Winifred's chosen den, and
here, in an old discarded arm chair be
Bide the gable window, Glory-Ann found
her.
A wild looking child she was, very
small for her 11 years, with bcant premiso
of beauty. She had large eyes of a dark,
uncertain color, a mouth for which her
teeth seemed tee many, and an insig
nificant nose. Streaks of sunburnt
yellow marred the beauty of her curling
and abundant reddish brown hair; more
over, her face was freckled. She wero
a faded green gingham dress, which
marked her growth by two bands of
deeper color in the skirt, where the provi
dent tucks had been let out. Her arms
and shoulders were bare, but pantalettes
of a pioce with her dress hung nearly te
her ankles, and obscured her white stock
ings. Her shoes, every way tee large,
laced up the front.
"Praise de kingdom!" Glory-Ann
ejaculated, pausing in the doorway, her
arms akimbo. "Yeu deli, Heney?"
"Ge 'way I Lemme 'lone!" was Heney's
response.
But Glory-Ann subsided te the fleer
boside the arm chair, slowly and with a
sigh, and there she crouched, her hands
clasping her knees. She foresaw that
the exhortation te duty she felt bound te
deliver would occupy a portion of tiene
distinctly appreciable by her btift and
elderly joints. "Wliyn't you mind ye'
book, missy?" she began.
"I'm tired of this old plantation!''
Missy declared, irrelevantly. "I want te
go ever an' ever se fnr away!" This was
the burden of the young lady's lament
whenever her aunt went up te town with
out her.
"You'd be tuk wid a mighly henin' ter
git back," baid Glory-Ann. "Yeu ter
talk 'bout quittin' here, when you can't
se much as dress ye'nef," she concluded,
half in pity, half in reproachful pride.
"I can!" retorted Missy, indignantly,
as she tugged at the btringy and inade
quate blue ribbon that was supposed te
keep in subjection her rebellious hair.
"Den hukkem you don't nuver de it?"
demanded Glory-Ann, with bly humor.
Te this tluust Missy made no reply,
and the old nurse began anew te exhort
her te "mind her book." "De, new,
Missy, lak a geed chile, jes' as Misslo Missle Misslo
virey said; "an I'm gwan mek de nicest
little ginger pone, tubbe she!"
Tempted by this prospect, Missy slowly
rose, and clasping her small sun browned
hands en the top of her head, steed con
templating, with lazy iudilTcrence, her
old nurse'i) struggling achievement of
the perpendicular. When at lest Mem
Bee, with a grunt of thanksgiving, btoed
upon her feet, Missy's eyes had found an
attraction in the Heme Field, beyond
the garden fence, where the corn in the
furrows was making n premising show
of green. In an instant her languor and
indlfTerence vanished.
"Mem Bee! Mem Bee!" she cried ex
citedly. "TIicie'h Daddy Gilbert in the
Heme Field; you reckon be's gein' te
the branch?"
"Jes' lis'n at dat, new!" said Glory
Ann, in a discouraged tone. "Why ain't
you mindin' ye' book, stidder studyin'
dat ele nigger's dein's?"
"I'm a gein with hlml" Missy an
nounced, as she rushed from the room,
and went tearing downstairs deaf te all
remonstrance.
"Jes' leek at her new!" lamented
Glory-Ann, as the child slipped through
a gap in the garden paling, and made
wild haste across the furrows, reckless
of damage te the growing com. "She is
jes' as heady as Mawbe Nick hecelf; an'
mawster ain' get no room ter complain
when his chillen tek dey own way; dey
is made atter his own pettcrun plum!"
"I'm a-gein' with you!" panted Missy,
as seen as she was within hearing dis
tance of her father's much indulged old
6lave, who, be(ug slightly lame, and
duly considerate of the corn crop, was
making his way leisurely. ,
"Maweter above!" exclaimed the old
man, with a grin that displayed his big
white teeth. "Here you ceme tremplin
de cawn lak se much pusley, an' gittin'
ye' skin tanned up. 3Vhj'ntyeu satis-
m i act in at gret mew, m m leeqr
je wua bAwnr
"I want te go wadinV Mid Mitt?.
"I ain't gwan ter no branch," said old
Gilbert, with decision; and before the
child could recover from the surprise of
her dlsappelnment, he asked with pa
thetic eagerness, "la mawster hearn
fum Mawse Nick lately, ex you knows
enr
"There, newl" cried Missy, angrily, "I
was just fergetltn' 'bout Brer Nicholas!
I ain't come out here for you te talk te
me 'bout Brer Nicholas; it makes me
all swelled just here." And Missy,
with her slender hands across her heart,
began te sob.
"New, new, Heney, dean you go cry,"
old Gilbert remonstrated. "Ma wse Nich
olas gwan ceme home one e' dese days."
But the old man sighed. He was net se
sure of his prophecy himself.
"I want him today I I want him newl"
sobbed Missy. "I de bcliore It'll be a
whele crerlastin' year befe' I sec Brer
Nicholas any me'; and me with no broth
er and no sister, 'ceptln' only him."
"Mawster drers de reins tee tight,"
murmured old Gilbert, communing with
himself. "Hukkem he kin be te hard
en his own flesh en bleed, en se easy
wid dis pe' no 'count ele nigger?"'
His "jie 'ceuntness" was a point much
insisted upon by Daddy Gilbert, who
cherished his slight lameness as a means
of securing him as immunity from nny
regular work.
"I don't see as yeu're se no 'count,"
Missy objected. "Ye can de me' work
than Tem Quash and Griffin Jim. They
couldn't make round bottomed baskets,
net if they was te try."
The old man chuckled with gratified
vanity.
"And I am gein' with you no matter
if you ain't gein' te the branch," she de
clared. "Ne, you dean go 'long e' me, Missy,"
said old Gilbert, uneasily. "Hit's tee
fur. Yeu jes' tete ye'scf back ter de
gret house."
"I'm tired of the house," Missy said,
beginning te cry afresh.
"New nln' dat a pityl" exclaimed old
Gilbert, impatiently. "I'm s'priscd at
Glory-Ann Ictlln' you run loose in dish
yer sun. Yeu jes' go 'long back, Missy,
en' I'm gwan ketch you a Melly cotton
tall, or mobbe a squlrl."
Missy paused, glowering from under
her puckered brews. The house had no
attractions for her while the sun was
shining warm and bright, and the weeds
were waving boughs of green. But sud
denly the frown relaxed; Missy was in
spired by a brilliant purpose. She per
ceived that it might lie pessible te steal
off te that dingy little dwelling in the
midst of the plum thicket, en the ether
slde of the read, beyond the cornfield,
where she hoped te find Desia Furnival,
a girl eight years her senior, for whom
she entertained an immense respect. It
mattered nothing te this daughter of the
blue blooded Thernes that Deeia's father
was a carpenter, and that her mother
made dresses for the ladies of Tallahas
see; Missy found her altogether admira
ble. Fer Desia was gentle and patient;
she assumed nene of theso airs of superi
ority that rendered Flera Tlierne, the
colonel's beautiful niece, se obnoxious te
her little cousin. Missy had heard, a few
days before, that Desia was net in Talla
hassee; it therefore occurred te her that
she might be found with the carpenter's
kinsfolk, who inhabited the sorry little
house at the bend of the Therno Hill read.
Witli the colonel and Miss Elvira en the
read te town, with Glory-Ann busy in the
house, and Daddy Gilbert wending his
belitary way te the weeds, Missy decided
that she might venture te steal off for an
hour or se, without risk of discovery.
She turned her face towards home, but
she had geno only a few yards, when she
abruptly changed her course and began
te walk rapidly across the field in the di
rection of the read.
But just as shu took this turn, old Gil
bert was minded te leek back, and he
instantly detected her purpose.
"Hi-yi!" he called out, sternly. "Ge
back ter de gret house, stret! Yeu get no
call te toiler atter dem pe' white trash!
De Thernes is quality; de ain' get no
business wid de Furnlvals."
"Yeu mean ele nigger!" cried Missy,
stermlly.
"I ain' gwan see no chile e mawstcr's
'seciatin' wid dem Furnlvals," said old
Gilbert, unmoved. "Yeu tete ye'sef stret
back ter de gret house, else I gwan tell
Missle-Virey, mun."
Missy, after a few irrcsolute moments,
wiped her tears en the skirt of her ging
ham sun bonnet, and went resignedly
back te the gap in the garden paling,
slipped through mid confronted Glory
Ann in the latticed gallery between the
kitchen and the main building.
Glory-Ann was seated in a low, splint
bottomed chair, with a bread, smooth
beard across her knees, and a pen-knife
in her right hand; she was making
ready te crimp Miss Elvira's ruffled
aprons that lay folded in a basket en the
steel at her Bide. She paused in 'he act
of lifting the npren from the basket, and
. loekod ever her spectacles with an air of
gravt rebuke at the flushed face of the
child coming up the steps.
"I'm bound you nln' made nethln' by
ye' trip but two sheefuls e' sand," she
said, set crvly.
Fer answer, Missy sat down en the
fleer, threw her bonnet into a corner,
and pulling off her shoes, emptied two
little piles of sand at Glory-Ann's feet.
"Yeu gwan 'pent of all dis trapesin'
In de brihu'sun,enc e' dese days," Glory
Ann proceeded remorselessly. "Downy
you gees en is enough ter Bet dem freck
les fur ever 'n' ever."
Missy put up her little sunburned hand
and meditatively rubbed her cheek.
"My cousin Flera has get freckles
some," she said.
"None ter hu'tl" retorted Glory-Ann.
"And Desia Furnival ain't get ene;
sIie'b prettier than myceuBin Flern, nny nny
hew," Missy proclaimed, with defiance.
Glory-Ann Mopped her work, and
clutching the two ends of the lap heard
while she straightened herself up, do de
manded: "Is you been terdemFurnivnls, Missy?
Is you been?"
"Daddy Gilbert wouldn't let me,"
Missy pouted.
"Tubbe she," said Glory-Ann. "What's
a Therno getter de consertin' wid a Fur
nival. which de Thernes is quality?"
"Dosie is mero nicer than my cousin
Flera," said the unrepentant Missy,
stretching herself out en the fleer, face
downwards, resting en her elbows and
supporting her chin In her hands, ns she
gazed up serenely nt her admonisher.
"She don't snap ine up, ever."
"I'd lak ter bee her try hit!" cried
Glory-Ann, her very turban bribtliug
with insulted family pride. "Miss Flera
is a Therno, en' u Therno kin snap at a
Therno; but nFuruivnl pe'whltutraslil"
And Glory-Ann made an emphalic pleat
in Miss Elvira's ruffle. "Don't leinme
hear no me' sech talk," she commanded,
with all the authority vested in bur title
of Mem Bee. Then she lifted up her
voice and called sharply: "Amiiy! you
tritlin' gal, ceme here stret, en' put en
dis chile's shoes."
Amity, a girl of fifteen, in training for
Miss AVinifred's maid, was seated in the
shadow of the Chinaberry tree, beguil-
Ilng the tedium of towel hemming by
building sand houses ever her feet. She
started guiltily when she heard herself
called, tumbled eir the upturned cotton
basket that served her for n btel and
darted te the irallcrr. where bhe bet her-
eetf at met te obey Otery-Aaali behest.
Missy offered no resistance: but m she
did net cheese te change her position, it
was a work of some dexterity and no
little time (e put en the shoes and lace
them up; at Therno Hill, however "time
was plenty," as old Gilbert used te say,
and Amity was in no mind te hurry.
"I'm gwan en 03 year," pursued Mem
Bee, boastfully, "en' I has alters b'lenged
in de Theme fam'ly. 1 wuz bawn in de
fam'ly, I wuz raized in de fam'ly, en',
praise de Lawtt, I 'spects ter die in de
fam'ly. Yeu is bound ter pay rcscc' ter
my words, Missy, fur you en' Maws.
Nick ain' de only ones I has fetcb up. I
had a ban' In Missle-vircy's raisin', en'
dcre ain' nobody kin fault her manners.
En' Missel-vlrcy, fhe knows what a
Therno dean b'leng 'long of a Furnival,
en' a Furnival dean b'leng 'long a Therno.
Hukkem you ain' patternin' atter Missel Missel
vlrey?" And Glory Ann looked at her
charge ever her spectacles with stern, re
buking eyes.
Missy, freeing herself with n jerk from
the hands of Amity, wheeled ever, and
sat belt upright, inspired by a sudden
and comforting recollection.
"Mem Bee! whey is that ginger pone?"
she demanded.
CHAPTER II.
THE COLONEL'S BON.
-&Z- .C'
When he had fingered hit wealth te his $at $at
i'factten. Old Gilbert climbed the high rail fence
surrounding the field, and, having crossed
the beaten path that led down te the
spring, plunged at ouce into the weeds,
where the trees grew tall and close, and
where the wild grape vines and the
eparkleberry bushes continually inter
cepted his advance; but with such ob
stacles he was accustomed te deal, and
they did net deter him. He had n secret
errand in this weed through which he
made his way as if by instinct, for path
there was none; but this ancient child of
nature was nt home in the wilderness;
he knew nil the trees that grew, and all
plants that were for healing, and all
noxious things te le avoided. He came
at last te a little dell, shut in en evcry
slde by abruptly sloping ground, and
almost impenetrable te the sunshine
Here, when he had rested awhile upon a
lichen grown leg, he knelt down, and,
pushing aside a brush heap, laid bare a
nole in the ground, wheieiu was set a
wide and deep iron pet, protected by an
iien lid, en top of which was a tin plat
ter that covered a fraclure large enough
te admit old Gilbert's hand and arm.
This was the bank te which he confided
the dimes he received for chickens and
eggs and tke skilled labor of his hands,
for old Gilbert was master of many
crafts by which meney was te be earned,
and for all his jeb3 he was paid in geed
hard coin, an unconquerable prejudice
leading him te refuse what he called
"limber money."
Aslie had the privilege of selling his
manufactures off the plantation he com
manded what might be termed a wide
market. Often he bent his wares up te
town; sometimes even he condescended
te dispose of a mat or a broom te the de
spised Furnlvals across the read. What
he did with the money thus earned he
told no one; what he meant te de with
these accumulated small earnings of
mero than fifteen years amounting new
te qulte a respectable sum he himself
did net knew; but haWng nowlfe nor
child, nor any kindred whom he cared te
honor with gifts, the greatest satisfaction
he could find in his money was te count
it ever. This ceremony he jicrfemied by
an ingenious process of his own inven
tion, that did away with the necessity of
abstracting the coin when once, it wns
deiwsitcd; each deposit being made in
sums of $5 securely tied in a bit of osna esna
burg, the whole amount could lie pretty
accurately reckoned by touch, the ac
count being kept upon a tally stick, which
old Gilbert always carried with him.
When he had fingered his wealth te
his satisfaction, Gilbert carefully read
justed the platter ever the tin broken
pet lid, raked the leaves ever the spot,
and skillfully heaped tip the brush.
"Ole nigger gittin' stiir, tubbe she'!"
he said, rising with a grunt. "Time I
wuz flxin' up 'nether bottle e' white ash
belt en' whisky. I git de bek en' Mlssle
virey gimme de whisky. Hit ain' tee
late for babsyfnc, nuther. Little Missy
allers henin' after sassyfae tea. I gwan
tete her a bundle e' sassyfae ter de gret
heuse dis night, t-cein' I wuz 'blcged ter
spite her 'bout dem Furnlvals."
Old Gilbert leek his way home by a
roundabout route, through an old field
known as the berry patch, where older elder
bushes and sassafras saplings grew rank
In the fence corners, hedged round by
little thickets of the odorous horse mint.
Hcie the old man set te work; down
en his knees, by the aid of his ready
jack knife, lie was deftly extracting the
roots whute rich aroma dilTubcd itself
nreund, when his trained car caught the
Bound of steps approaching.
"Wha dat?" he whispered te himself,
with palpitating heart, lifting his head
te listen." "Rabbit?"
A yellow cur, with cropped ears and
barely thrce inches of tail, jumped upon
a leg en the ether slde of the fence, ut
tering a hhert, sharp bark.
OKI Gilbeifpeered ever the fence te
right and left of him, along the bridle
path that skirted the field.
"Whey you ceme fum, you oudemnnd eudemnnd
ed bcas' critter?1' he baid, bcernfully ey
ing the cur, which he recognized as tha
property of "dem Furnlvals."
The deg answered with a yelp, Jumped
off the leg and ran across the bridle, path
into tbe weeds, tint presently returned at
the heels of a lank, bandy haired, sallow
youth, clad in faded jeans.
Old Gilbert's heart knocked at his ribs
as he thought of his treasure in the hol
low of the weed; but "manners" de
manded that bome greeting should be
given, and jielicy dictated a certain ol el ol
sequieusucsd of tone, but the old negre
bade the youth "Geed morning" with a
bow very many degrees removed from
the respect he would have accorded te
"quality."
The lad responded with sullen reluc
tance. "Whlcherway Is you ceinln' fum?' old
Gllliert asked, insinuatingly.
"I dunne cz hit's any e' je' business,"
was the surly answer. "I ain't no furei
from home then you, en' I ain't a nigger.
I'm a-huntin' of a liawg, en' ef you ain't
tolled hit ter ye' pen, you ele prowler,
maybe yeu're fur gittin' enter hits
tracks."
Old Gilbert's heart waxed het. That
he should lie accused by this "pe" white
trash" of telling away a lean and scrubby
old hog!
"De Ler'-a-raighty!" he exclaimed,
with a sort of persuasive indignation.
"Dean' you en' ye' folks knew what I
have get hawg ev'y blessed year fat
tenin' cawntinual? I cuercs my own
bacon, en' is lieeii delu' dat mm vi
tS
In,' year eat, g Wan en fo'yeu wiui bawn,
If s prised at ycl '
"Wall," drawled the boy, measurably
subdued by this reminder et a fact with
which he was well acquainted, "1
'plclencd as ye're allers reun' these
weeds"
"Me?" interrupted old Gilbert, with an
uneasy thought of his buried treasure;
then, recovering himself, "I ain't often
ew Ian'," he said, with significance.
"Loek a-herel" shouted the boy, ad
vancing mcnaclogly.whlle the cur growl
ed and showed his teeth.
"En' I b'lengs ter Kernel Jasper
Therne," continued old Gilbert, with In
flated superiority. "I'se a gemman's
nigger, 1 is."
"I dean knew ez that's anythin' te
me," said Jcsse Furnival, with sullen
abatement of his wrath. "But, ceme,
new ain't you seen nethin' of ew ele
white sew in ye' cemin's en' geln'e? I
ain't inquirin' what ye air up tee."
Old Gllliert had dropped en his knees
again and was tugging at the sassafras
roots. "I'se ceraln' en' going en my own
proper arrants," he grumbled. "My own
ers deselvcs dean hoi' me ter 'count 'bout
dat, Howsemedovcr, I did see a lean ele
white sew cz I ceme along."
"Whicherway?"
The eagerness of the inquiry was as
fuel te the flame of old Gilbert's suspi
cions. "Side of de bridle path, follewin'
de weeds," he said, avoiding all refer
ence te the route by which he had come.
"'Spect she was gwan ter de branch.
Whyn't you keep her penned? De ain'
nethln' In de weeds dis time e' year ter
feed her."
"Yeu 'ten' ter ye business en' I'll 'ten'
ter mine," retorted Jesse Furnival.
"Prewlin' reun' these weeds lak a free
nigger. Ef the kernel ain't get nethln'
bettcr'n root diggin' fur yeti ter de,
wliyn't he Bend you ter keep track e' that
racketing son e' his'n? Nick Therno have
been in a fix, I kin tell you, ever yandcr
ter Eden."
"Wha' dat?" old Gilbert asked, in quick
alarm.
'Ain't the kernel hearn hew Nick
Therno wuz nigh en' about cut ter pieces
in a row with Marcus White? Over a
game e' poker."
This was about all that Jesse Furnival
knew of the affair, but he hoped te learn
mero from old Gilbert.
'.'De gret mawster!" exclaimed the
old man. "When wuz dat?"
"Oh, ever en' abeve two months age.
Ain't hearn nethln' 'bout hit?"
"Loek-a-here, boy," said old Gilbert,
"dere ain' dat knife made what kin cut
Mawke Nicholas ter pieces. Dean you
gotele no sech lie areun'. Who done
hit anyhow?"
"Much you knew!" sneered Jcsse Fur
nival. "I done tel' you hit wuz Marcus
White done hit, what is sorter kin terus
all, be in' he is second cousin ter Unde
Jeb's wlfe." And swelling with pride iu
the prowess of this family connection,
the youth spread his feet wide apart,
stuck his thumbs into his "galluses,"
and oyed old Gilbert defiantly.
"De law gwan hoi' him 'countable,"
said old Gilbert.
"Ef the law kin git him!" retorted the
boy, with exasperating laughter. "Mar
cus White is dene put all Texls 'twixt
him en the law." Then reverting sud
denly te the object of his search, "I
dean bee no tracks," he said, inspecting
the ground.
"Ne; she wuz travelin' the nidge of de
weeds," said old Gilbert; "in amongst
de leaves."
The boy glanced towards the weeds,
called te his deg, and walked en.
"Pe' white trash ain' get no manners,
nohew; sassy In' of a gemman's nigger,"
muttered old Gilbert, glowering nfter
him. "Quality dean nuver talk te nig
gers dat-a-way. S'pose I is prewlin' 'bout
dese weeds? Hit's ew weeds! Lawill
Lawdt I wen'er is ever he Bced me down
in de holler? I'se tel' a monst'eus lie; I
ain't need nalre old sew. But I wuz jes
'blcedged ter sesse. Drat her! I pintly
dean bulllove she's get meat 'nuff enter
her bones ter feed de buzzards, dat ele
Furnival bow, but I'm mightly skeercd
she'll have the stren'th ter go tiesln'
reun' dat speshul brcsh heap. En' I'm
'sturbed in my mill' 'bout Mawse Nick.
Dat boy ain't stiddy ez he meught be,
bless Gawd!"
The thoughts of all hearts at Therne
Hill were revolving around Nicholas
Therno at this time. On account of seme
irregularities at cel lege he had been ban
ished te "Sunrise," his father's most dis
tant plantation, partly by way of pun
ishment, partly by way of keeping him
out of temptation. The friends of the
family did net think this the wisest
course te pursue with a young man of
Nicholas Theme's temperament, but tbe
colonel was net a man te be ndviscd,
and Nicholas had been at Sunrise planta
tion since early in January. Ne hint of
the quarrel with Marcus White had
reached Therno Hill as yet, hut the col
onel was secretly fretted that his son, in
all this time, had never ence sued te 1m
recalled, and Miss Elvira's deepest anx
iety had licen aroused by a nole received
a few days before, which had been mail
ed at Eden, the nearest posteflico te Sun
rise, and was worded as follews:
"Miss Therno.
"Respected Madam: I am a Ged fear
in woman, and I feel it en my koriBcuuce
te warn the famly of Mr. Nick Therno
that Sunrise Plantation is a lonesome
place for a young man of sperrits and ift
no are net speedily removed out of harms
way great trouble is in waitin and be no
mero from yours respectful,
"ROXANNA WlIITK."
Miss Elvira, net daring te show this
nole te her brother, lest it might widen
the breach between him rind his son, had
geno up te town te consult her cousin,
Mrs. Hcrry, In whose judgment she
placed unbounded faith, though she had
netnlwnys the courage te fellow her ad
vIceT But Mrs. Hcrry was en n visit te
her plantation iu Jeffersen, nnd Miss El
vira had returned still burdened with tha
afflicting nete, which she was always
poring ever whenever her brother was
out of the way. She liegan reading it
furtively nt the tea table as seen ns the
colonel retired te Ids musings en the
front piazza. Missy, why had ceme in
late te her eupMr, was eating waffles
and honey with a leisurely gusto that had
driven Grillin Jim te n steel in the
kitchen, witli the remark, "Fe' legs is
bctter'n two legs ter wait en Miss Wini
fred's delays," and thus Mihs Elvira and
her little niece were alene together.
Winifred improved the occasion.
"Aunt Elvira," said she, "don't you
think it's time Brer Nicholas was let te
ceme home? He's been geno ever since
befe' corn dreppin'." Missy's calendar
was of the plantation.
"Oh, Winifred, I'm afraid Nicholas
Isn't always well conducted," Miss
Elvira stammered, net knowing what te
reply.
"It ain't no dilfereucu te me if lie is
had or geed," suiil Missy sturdily; "he is
Brei Nicholas. Only I don't belleve he
ain't just as geed as can 1."
"But he ought net te disappoint his
father as he does," sighed Mits Elvira.
"Well, I lerkeu ,?yV?: --'
him 'ome," Miy0t
its
cieus direwdnesv xJ-"u-
Y 11 don't V
'. ." P'i
parv of lnht sea-
Miss Elvira, & I ' reu"T ,"y
ir .1 . i.V7' A signed by In-
self that ilfey ils0 'wUh
thii child. K'-vF cV-SViri?,. l,reul
And Miss
.e?jy
0 ' ijmlderabIe
vocabulary.
V J C "
1-1 - - A." I
5..?.c ' .rel of the
fctmntrLl lj
VS&
-r-V
, .. ..1. !,
W .. L tin
"
"U-t hiif
tamea, Mia Missy, promptly.
This was Mrs. Hcrry's advice also
Mrs. Hcrry, who reasoned from a sound
judgment, and her own deep experience
in a like case. But te advecate Cousin
Myrtilla's opinion openly was mere than
this student of Bishop Ken could venturs
upon. Her strongest hope was that Nicho
las might be tamed by a marrlagn with
his pretty cousin Flera Therne, who had
the merit of pleading the colonel. That the
colonel should lw pleased was the all im
portant point, In view of which Miss
Elvira ignored the fact that she herself
had net found Flera flaw-less. But this
was net n subject te be discussed with
Missy, and she felt relieved when Glory
Ann Interrupted with the anneuncement:
"Missle-virey, here's ele man Gilbert.
Dunne 'm what he want. He mek gret
parade e' secrecy 'bout what he get
wrapped in a piece e' cloth; but nese kin
smell sassyfae anywheres."
"Pummel" shouted Missy, and darted
from the room.
"Jes' hear dat!" grumbled Glory-Ann,'
In jealous resentment, as she followed
her te the back piazza. "Hukkem she
gees utter ele man Gilbert, stidder re
hiln'ln' me 'bout sassyfac."
"Hewd'ye, Mlsscl-vlrcy; huh you de?"
said old Gllliert, rising te bow and scrape,
is she came out en the piazza.
Thank you; prclty well, Gilbert. Hew
de you de?"
"I'm ter say tellable, bless Gawd;
Missle-virey, I 'lowed ter bring a dozen
alggs fur a 'membrance, but de ain't all
laid ylt; an I knewed Missy wua gwan
be glad e' Bome sassyfac, se I jes come
'long se."
"1've plenty of eggs just new, I'm
much obliged, Gilbert."
"Tubbe shot" said the old man, and
paused and scratched his head. Then,
with a despcrate abruptness, "Missel
vircy," said he, "when you hear fum
Mawse Nicholas?"
"About a week age,! said Miss Elvira,
hesitatingly.
"She ain't heerd 'bout dat cuttln' scrape;
'blcedged ter let en ef she had," old Gil
bert argued te himself; then aloud, "Hit
de 'pear lak Mawse Nicholas erter b'leng
ter Therno Hill, Misslo-virey."
"Yes, he ertcrl" Missy declared.
"He's gwan en 21, Mawse Nick Is,
ceme Bome day de las' e' dis month. He
erter be glttcn' married."
"Ne, he erten'tl" Missy objected with
violence
Old Gilbert was doubled up with silent
laughter when the colonel came out en
the piazza. The colonel was a handseme
man, though past fifty, tall, erect, with
clear cut features of a somewhat stern
and melancholy cast. He was formal
and precise in bearing, perhaps even n
trifle pompous, but he could unbend oc
casionally, nnd with this favorite old
slave he was always disposed te be jocu
lar. "Helle, Gilbert!" he said. "Any bas
kets te Bell? Yeu must be getting rich?"
"Dullaw, mawster! Dis pe' ole no,
'count nigger gittin' rich? I ain't sellin'
nalre baskit ler-nlght, suh; I ceme ter
'qulre 'Unit Mawse Nick. En' I been
a-studyln, mawster, det bcln's hew dere
ain't no odd jobs In 'tickler jes' new
s'pesln' I wuz ter go down ter Sunrise,
en' leek atter Mawse Nick a little?"
"Yeu call him an odd job, de you?"
said the colonel, net witiieut bitterness.
"New, mawster, you is comical, tubbe
shel Hit's gwan en nigh two years eence
Mawse Nick been home ter stay, en' I in
gittin' ole. I hankers ter see dat boy
what I mes'ly raised."
"Laws-massy! Hear dat, new!" ojao ejao ojae
ulatcd Glory-Ann iu the background.
"Hew long de you mean te stay?" the
colonel asked, net unwilling te make in
direct overtures te his son.
"Hit's a matter of thutty mlle en' bet
ter," said old Gilbert, meditatively rub
bing his forelio.nl with his horny foro fero fore
flnger. "A day ter go and a day te
ceme"
"Suppose you go te-morrow?" the col
onel suggested, with secret" strong ap
proval. "Yeu can take the ex cart."
"Yes, suh," replied old Gilbert, with
a hesitating thought of the hollow in the
weed wheie his treasure was buried. "I
ha' ter start 'fe' sun-up."
"Very well. I'll write you a pass.
Nicholas can write you another te return
with."
This meant unlimited lcavoef absence.
"Thankee, suh," said Gllliert, with his
leWCbt llOW.
Glory-Ann Immediately bought Daph Daph
ne, Miss Elvira's maid, for the satisfac
tion of oxprebsing her mind.
"Jes' you erter hear dat succumstan
tfal ele nigger clalmln' dat he raised
Mawse Nicholas!" said she, In high
dudgeon. "Whey wuz me, I'd lak ter
knew? En' whiles I'm n-raisln' en' n
mindin' of Missy, here he Is cavort In' of
hlsscf 'Ixmt de ken try In de yex uynrt.
When she gits crewed s'pose he'll he
layln' claim ter her raisin' en' cxactln'
privulliges 'cerdin'.
CHAPTER III.
AMBASSADOR KXTRAOItDINARY.
At break of day old Gilbert set forth
en his journey in the jolting little cart,
drawn by a small black ex that went a
plodding gait.
The old man, with a view te doing
Mawse Nicholas honor, wa.1 attired in his
Sunday best a blue broadcloth coat with
brass buttons, and a black satin vest, ence
the property of Cel. Therno's father, a pair
of nankeen pantaloeni, and n white hat,
Btifl and tall, discarded by the colonel.
He sat ujien a plank across the front of
the cart, with Ids feet dangling outside.
The plank was cushioned by a blanket in
which was folded his every day suit of
homespun. A box that held a contribu
tion te Nicholas' larder, from Miss Elvira,
was safely bestowed In ene corner, at the
liottem of the cart, where a wallet con
taining his neon refreshment lay beside
a dingy umbrella, the cherished posses
sion of twenty years.
Uite in the afternoon, he came te an
ex pante of plnu barren; vast, helcmn,
Bembrc, it stretched in every direction,
thurajsef thesinUngBiiu shilling faintly
athwart the uiultitudineus, tall dark
tlt.es, whose boughs, swaying In the up
per air, maintained a continuous busurrus
that emphasized the silence. Himself and
his ex were the only living creatures via.
ihle in this solitude, save mi occasional
bird that darted abeve his head, as if in
haste te cscape te a mero genial wed;
-;! old GilU-rt, te keep himself in heart,
jilenl ,0 bi-"K llis ''J'mns. Lifting-up his
ceniit'''0 '"ado the selitude resound te a
that d?;. In harmony with the sigh
serfcuw iltyines;
Yerk Atb(' humble, bumble, buuible,
for none nt tiurabla, da bell dena tslil
u lnnL ...1 .
--??2S3sa.
deatthucvliriX
e icj neml
The sun was down, and the moon met
yet risen, when he came out en the ether
slde of the barren, where he ceased his
singing, liclng new near his Journey's
end; for at the feet of the slepe was the
large red gate that gave entrance te Sun
rieo plantation.
Old Gilbert dismounted, with seme
rheumatie grunts, te open this gate. A
whlppoerwill was calling in the grove
through which he had te drive te the
heuse; and ns he climbed back upon the
cart, a screech owl uttered its uncanny
cry.
"Drat dat critturf the old negre mut
tered, in fear and anger, as he steeped
with haste te pull off his left shoe. "Hit's
etch a bad sign ter hearn screech owl;
but de de ssy, ef you put off ye' left shoe,
ye' put oft de bad luck, Lawd, sen' no
bad luck ain' gwan fall ter Mawse Nick,
'long e' dat 'sturbance what dat Jesse
Furnival named ter me. Lemme clt euten
dishyer greve quick cz ele Brandy kin
tete we."
But old Gilbert had te endure the sere
nade of the screech owl yet Bome minutes
longer, liefore he came te the second
gate in front of the heuse of hewed legs,
which was neither a cramped nor a com
fortless dwelling, though It moved the
scorn of the old negre fresh from the
grandeur et Therno Hill. "SIch a place
fur Mawse Nick!" he ejaculated con
temptuously, as he halted his ex.
A vociferous chorus from the dogs
greeted his arrival, and Gilbert prudently
kept his perch en the cart, shouting
lustily, "Hellel"
"Helle, yourself!" nnswered a voice
through the dusk.
"Dat's him, bless Glory!" the old man
chueklcd, as he clambered down from
the cart, while the same veice was heard
silencing the dogs.
Nicholas was standing en the piazza
dimly outlined In the uncertain light et
the new risen moon; a goodly young fol fel
low, tall, bread shouldered and straight
as an arrow; his great brown eyes, his
curling dark hair, his straight nese and
rounded cheeks, his bread forehead, and
his mouth nnd chin with the silky, red
brown beard of early manhood, old Gil
bert knew by heart.
"Hew d'ye, Mawse Nicholas! huh you
de?" he shouted, with a chuckle of ex
uberant delight, as he stumbled up the
steps of sawn blocks.
"Why, where In thunder did you come
from?" cried Nicholas. "Anything the
matter nt home?"
" Ne, Mawsb Nick, dean you be un
easy. De is all peart. Hit's jes' me,
ceme fur change."
"Aha I ceme n-ceurtln't" Nicholas
returned with a laugh. " Can't feel me;
yeu're gotten up te kill."
" New, Mawse Nick I Pekln' fun at
dis ele nigger t I ceme a-puppose te see
you. 'Pears lak hit's se lonesome ter de
Hill, deutcn you; en' Missle-virey, she
sent you a box e' goodies. I'll jes' step
back en' fetch cm euten de cyart."
But Nicholas forbade "Here, Virgil,
go bring iu these things," he commanded
a negre boy who was hanging nlieut the
piazza. "Hungry and tired, I reckon
you are, old man?"
"Ne, Mawse Nick, I ain' se hengry;
but rldln' is pew'ful Btiffcnln', en' ef you
please, suh, I'll jes' drap down here en
de steps. Hit's a mons'teus geed sight
jes' ter leek nt ye, Mawse Nick."
"Well, I'm net sure but the sentiment
Is reciprocated In my own personality,"
Nicholas responded sonorously,
"Wha' dat, Mawse Nicholas?"
"What I mean te say," replied Nicho
las, with due gravity, "is, that the visual
perception of your material essence awak
ens a sensation in the cardiac region that
completely eliminates any inclination te
despendency."
"Mawse Nicholas," said old Gllliert, in
solemn admiration, "you erter go 'bout
de kentry talkin' politics, you ertl You'd
git 'lected ter nomethin', she' cz uhoetin',
But min' new, Mawse Nick," he sudden
ly interrupted himself, starting up, "dat
hey erter be mighty kerf ill hew he han'les
dem tings, he nieut bus' de bottom euten
dat box what Missle-virey put de goodies
In. En' dere's my rumlierlllal'' he ex
claimed, excitedly, as Virgil staggered
through the gate. "Min' hew you tete dat
rumberllla, you plantation nlggerl
Han'tchcrl Yeu gwan brek dem ribs,
en' den what? Dishyer rumberllla is
elder den jeu is, Mawse Nick," he ex
plained with prlde, ns he spread it open
te satisfy himself thnt it was unbroken.
"Hit was ye' gran'paw gin' him ter me,
en' 1'be toted hit ever you tnany'sde
time, when you wuz a baby. We dean
see no sich ev'ry day," he declared, shut
ting the umbrella with a snap, and turn
ing te caution Virgil nlieut the box.
"Missy charged me te tell you dere in
a sugar heart iu dat same Ikix she sent
you, Mawse Nick, dot she kissed It when
bIie wrapped hit up."
"Dear little blstcrl" Nicholas sighed,
half te himself. "Hew I wish she were
nearer my own age."
"Dere's Miss Flera, you knew," said
Gilbert, insinuatingly. "She's gwan en
10. Gleryl Mawbe Nick, you jes' erter
see Miss Flera sense she come home euten
school. De w-n-y bIie can clatter de pl
anner, tubbe shel En' she's ez pretty cz
pink."
"Red head and freckled face?" said
Nicholas.
"New, Mawse Nick! 'ou ter be jekin'
dat way, when you knew Mis3 Flera, is
get hair lak de inside e' a chincapin burr,
en' her face Is lilies en' roses, en' her eyes
de is stars,"
"00 en, pecta naaciturl" Nicholas cried
gayly.
"Tell you what's a fae', Mawse Nick,
you erter be bcttin' up ter Miss Flera yat
new."
"Hum!" Baid Nicholas. "Hew many
times a week de you think I could ride
back and forth, these thirty miles, for
her sweet sake?"
Old Gilbert rubbed his forehead in deep
thought befere he said;
"Yeu meught straighten hit wid
mawster, en' git ter be at home."
"Ne. I'll be hangedl Here was I sent,
and here I mean te stay until I'm invited
home ngainl" Nicholas declared, almost
with fierceness.
"Hut you see, Mawse Nick," old Gilbert
remonstrated, "folks uln' blin', en' dem
what leeks at Miss Flera enct is mighty
apt ter leek "gin. Dere's n let of young
Kcmmen buzzin' reun' her same ez a
Juny bug after a fig bush."
"Did my father send you down here te
preach my cousin Flera te me?"' Nicholas
demanded, sharply.
"Ne, Mawse Nick. I'm gwan te tell
de bottom fae'. Jew' ycatiddy down by
de licrry patch mu 'n' dat Jcsse Furnival
swapped bome words; en' he let me knew
hew you had teme 'bturbance down here
ter Eden, en' hew dat low- white trash
Marcus White tried ter Bteb you. I
'lowed hit wuz all a lie. Marcus White
is kin ter de Furnival 1, en' w hat is de ter
mix 'long e' you? But I was dat eucasy
in my min', ceme dark, 1 went up ter de
gret house."
"And told my father?" interrupted
Nicholas, angrily, starling up.
"Ne, Mawbe Nick, I ain't let en ter no
body; I jes' ceme new t r see fur myee'f,
dat you is bafe en' been'."
Nicholas was much moved; he turned
away.and walked up and down the piazza
several times. When at last he sat down,
"Gilbert," he said, with an effort te speak
lightly, "you have the teul of a gentle
man. "I'm 'bleedgwl ter ye, Mawse Nick,"
laid the old man, getting en his feet te
bow hU acknowledgments. "Yo'gran' "Ye'gran'
uaw en', win iiaiv wm umuiiim) m' ''"
bieugea te 'em nor. 1 ain' nuver
nted mvfte'f wid no' while trsh."
-..". . j ' '' 'A "...
NIMinlna lATtblM at l,lm lth .. Al""'S
kmlln. .ivlnrf ftlnwlv. "I'vn tnmiul rtmmm '
new leaf. I'm net going te be a bad boy y
nny mero. Yeu can carry that newt ?
home, If veu llke." 2',
"Blesa Gawd!" ejaculated old Gilbert. '.
"That affair between me and MarcM i
White happened seme time age; it's all
ever new, nnd my father need knew
nothlng'nbeul it."
"The Ler'-a-mlghty, Mawse Nlckl HM
win iln trnef. den? Wav off hern an!
M
.. -, ,-
tinnn lull: nltrper pu' Aa nliflrjifwr tjir- tb .
keer en veu?" iCtfS
"Oh. I was well attended te," Nicholas ,.;
a.1Im.1 nltHetrnlt "ftlt tTCiintf trt til M .!'
VI'lllV. W...O..W.J. B-'n -.- -imm w i
steady Ufa in future; se this affair may, I
as well he forgotten." &)
"De Lawd be praised! Netbutwhatl -
I....... ,.1 - t,' ..fttllti M ma?'
chances ter have young felkses fun, if
Mawse Nick."
But old Gilbert had net been three;
days at Sunrise plantation before he
learned that it was Nicholas' InvariaWa' ;
habit te ride away as seen as he hedV ";;.;
eaten his 0 e clock supper, and It was .jrf
nlways late before lie returned. ' n
"Dat boy de tee much prewlin' by "
nhrht." tin old man crumbled. "MawM .' J
Nick erter bu home lly in' reun' Miss Flera, Vsj
en' me erter be home mindin' my own 4$
r -ma. lint I re Veered da ber k rfs
mtxeNpJ-.yld tt bad crowd I'm 'bleeged jfi
ter stayv ar(re''ln tek my observation." ift'-j
Andlnorderte "jjinsoDservauene,'
nil! mlluirf linil In rnnfr' A n tllen..-.
"I dunne whey Mawsoreck kin bja
gwine se stiddy," he argued, "bedeutea a
mt s uai piace ue cans ricn, wnai am -i; 3
irieu uese Berne years icr no a wwu. ,
n ste' en' n meetln' house, en' a han'fnl rfi'j
little ennaluted dwellln's, sich ez meuM ii j
suit de Furnlvals. I getter git Mawat
KICK giuiuiu me n pan ler eaiuij. jrew- -a
linine- fe1 hlta will me in case e' need." . -
ntiinillieri.ilrn-v frnm hisnecket alena .V,
black plug of "tobacco, which he looked S
at affectionately. "Hits wutnaiie- two -
I. It. XI... . .1.1 ,-n.l Inl.n.l. HKllf 4lnlMB ''
lilir, uunum, ..II.. r,.h..t,., uu. uw...Ba (.j,
is a chu'eh member In full standin', en'
I ain' gwan tell no He, lessen eatan gil J$
me." ,7
He laid aside the harness he was patch-
Ing, and went out into the grove, where,
nfter assurine himself that there waa M Sk
1,1,1 A U1UIIKI1, ww ji, w. w.wa.mi., w m .; jv
ene te see him, he shut his eyes, whirled h
1 .1.1 .. 1 HMn, ft ka seM fM l.'-J
lit) WUIU BUIIU It. "n 1 we -
nlntii rtllt T If Itt V fill fUMM tT atO 4sttvkV
Eden. Hit's my lieunden duty ter loei A vm
atter dat hey." &i
liiu piisn wiw rvuuiij giiivu, msw 4
while yet the sun was high in the eky
0111 uiuicrc set ienu, aivireu 10 iu biwij-,
with the shadow of the cherished wav'.-S
brcl a ever him. V
"Hit's two hours be sun. Mawie Nick.'
... ";".."". ... " ' j .1.- -I. : .feP
no nam ciieeruy, us no )hmscu hid yunj, V)--,,..
t i.t ....... t.n.HA i.w Ja Ilw1f a1 Am?
I'll 1 Kill VUJIU IIVJIUO lJ 0 S.MW w -mmrc-
moon. I'se treed tee many 'possums cat ?
Ntnlinlna InilP hpd tn himself with tha , ' -;
unspoken thought, "I verily believe aHl- '
tlie old cnap wnnieu was a cuance raenn n
that umbrella." O i
It was two miles te Eden, ana en:'.
Gilbert, as he trudged along, had no mera
idea than n child hew he should proceed $1
in order te learn the secret of hia yoeM-L-
master's nightly rides, but with aflrmbJff j
lief In the righteousness of hie unday$&j J
takine. he honed for tne guidance Of aafe ',
snccial nrovidence. ' ?
"Maybe I ain' gwan On' out nethtafJi
but I gwan te de my besyne eaia wjji,'
himself. "Hperrctca young gemmene trnM
my Mawse Nick Hs sartln she' ter fei
talked about, en' I meught hear sesaa-
iiung, un i ineugnii gii sign u uMr,
black hawse e' hls'n." Jf
He readily found the one store whaw
the scant retail trade of the place' WM3-
transacted and entered with hie MM W-t
his hand. ' "W
The storekeeper, a tall, lanlr, mBtm,?&
ulneii shouldered man with IetMC haitv f
..! n l.nnnv lutlir.l if fUnW llllll. MAftLA,
u..u....i...j ..... -e, "--" J!,
ever the counter, ana eying eia unnerve .t
. . .... ..i.l Tn- .-.t..i ffH."-
Iirass uuueiih wiui a biiuic, icuhhui, jkk.
"IOU uiusv uv vuuiw Hum w V?
tropeiisr NSfc,
"I'se fum Tallahassee, BUh," said OU
!rt, dolling his hat. "Cel. Thant,i:
bcrt,
man Gilbert, come ever
ter de Suariet
slnnfntlnn An' lint-A ITIV tlftJU. Mltl." r " X. ''"I
"Anything you'll haver' said tha tctf
keener, glunclng at the paper and bm&-''.
Ing it back. isS?
"Twe bits wuth of terbacker. yett-'M:-'
please, suh," old Gilbert made anewer, .
producing an ancient leathern puree.1
"Ye' town's a-grewfif, suiif ne saia, UKgy
gratlatingly. ,M
"Hlewiy, siewiy, was me tunwrnr. fi
"We 11 have a rallreau te tne moon amis ;y v
the year 1000." Un
This jnke was beyond old Gilbert'!
comprehension; but the little crowd loaf leaf
ing around set Up a perfunctery about,
for the storekeeper was the local wit.
The talk that followed had no bearing
whatever upon the affairs of Nicholas
Theme, and Gilbert went out and sat en
LlheBteivi a little disheartened, ue had
fancied that evcry ene weuiu ee amine
of his young master, but Therne Hill
was Binallcr than old Gilbert dreamed,
and even this Insignificant world of Eden
turned upon a pivot of its own.
As tliedusk deepened, and lights began
te show in the windows of tuftf1
houses. C"Lzii i ipse nnd-eCFsy
the leaelv and desertiS! street; for night
came early te these primitive folk, who
were new nt their evening meal.
"Call dishyer Eden?" he muttered, In
deepest ncern. "Better nnme hltChaney
lierry. Nuver seed sich a many Chaney
berry trees in all my time. En' de ain
geed ter eat, nuther. Ef hit wuz Talla
hassee new, ninny's de kitchen whey I
neught git invited."
He wendeied en aimlessly te the end
of the straggling ftreet, where a house,
guiltlesi of paint, llke nil the ethers,
loomed up in the dusk, isolated, upon the
edge of an old Held.
A prey te homesickness a suffering
unknown In his experience hitherto old
Gilbert sat h'm down en the stump of a
neble oak that had been felled te make
room for the overrated China tree.
"Wish I wuz back ter Therno Hillhe
sighed. "Sich a supper ez I could eatl
What straits you is brung dis pe' ole no
'count nigger ter 'Bperlunce, Mawse Nickt
I gwan tell you 'bout dis when you en'
Miss Flera gits married."
But the clatter of a horse's hoofs pres
ently created a diversion in his thoughts
and made him forget the pangs of hunger.
It was Nicholas, who rede up te the
gate In front of the lene house, dismount
ed and hitched his horse.
Continued next Saturday
SPOKES FROM THE WHEEL.
Richard Hewell, the great English pro
fessional bicyclist, who is as ponderous in
stature as ha is In racing, has been matched
against A. H. Rebh for 1500, te ride one
mile liefore June 14. Each man will ride
by himself and be timed by the referee, and
the rider doing the festet ttma te receive
the stakes. Rehb holds the ene mile pro
fessional record for an ordinary wheel,
'J min. S-1 4-A bee Hewell weighs 193
peu DtU iu racing trim, and he rides a nine
teen pound wheel.
The reappearance in racing of Willie
Wiuille, the great bicyclM who was dls
nuulifled lint year by the League of Ameri
can Whi- iiuen for IwiiiK in the pay of a
blcycle hoiiie.bliews that his enforced idle
ness has net lutc.-fered materially with his
peed, llu wen the two mlle handicap
rute til the recent Berkeley games from
scratch in 6 min. 47 4-0 sec,
j j
.;
A-.
k
f