Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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A good looki"'g borse and poor lokI , 4ng harnes s worst kind uf a Com-rn ~ tination. Eureka Harness Oil not only makenthebarnes and the horse oo better, but makes the leather soft and piable puts in on dition to last-twICe as long as it ordinarly would. size. Modeby i STANDARD OIL CO. aive i Your Horse a . Chance! No Exernal Symptoms The blood may be in bad condition, yet with no external signs, no skin eruption or sores to indicate it. The symptoms in such cases being a variable appetite, poor digestion, an indescribable weakness and nervousness, lossi of flesh and a general run-down condition of the system-clearly showing the blood has lost its nutritive qualities, has become thin and watery. It is in just such cases that S.S. S. has done some of its quickest and most effective work by building up the blood and supplying the elements lacking to make it strong and vigorous. "My wife used sev eral bottles of S. S. S. as a blood purifier and to tone up a weak and emaciated system,with very marked effect by way of improvement. "We regard it a great tonic and blood purifier."-J. F.DuFF, Princeton, Mo. is the greatest of all tonics, and you will find the appetite im proves at oncestrength returnsand nervousness vanishes as new rich pure blood once more circulates through all parts of the system. S. S. S. is the only purely vegetable blood purifier known. It contains no min erals whatever. Send for our free book on blood and skin diseases and write our physicians for any information or advice wanted. No charge for medical advice. UMg SWi:T SPECIFIC CO., ATLANTA, GA. THE Bank of Manning, MANNING, S. C. Tranisaets a general banking busi ness. Prompt and special attention given to clepositors residing out of town. Deposits solicited. .All collections have prompt atten Iionl. Bus.iness hours from 9 a. mn. to 3 JOSEPN SPROTT,. A. LEV.1. Cashier. PrsidlentI. BoA RD OF DIRECTOBs. J. WN. .'dc LEor, XX. E. Bnowis, S. '.3 ERN JosEai Sinr'r A. Lnvi. .Buggies, Wagons, Road Oarits and Oarriages REPAIRED With Neatness and Despatch -AT R. A. W HITE'S WH EELWRIGHIT and 15LA('KSMI~I SHOP. I repair Stovet. Pumros and run water pipes, or I will put dowvn a new Pump eheap. Ifr you need any solderi ng d1one, give My horse is lame. Whvy Because I did not have it shed by R. A. White, the man that ptl oin .uch neat shoe~s and makes horses travei with so muen ease. We Make Them~ Look New. We are making a-specialty of re painting old Buggies. (Carriages. Road Carts and Wagons cheap. Co'me and see me. My prices wil plas yo'u, and I gruaramnee all of my work. S ' on cor):ner below ! !. 31. Dean's. R. A. WHITE, MANN!NG. S. C. J A. WEINBERG(, A'rrouIt:Y A"' LAw. JOSEPH F. R~HAME. ATTORNEY AT LAW, MANNING. S. C. . .s. s .N. W ' U A T ~. NNING, S. C. C. DAVIS, ATTORNEY AT LAW, MANNING. S. C. DR. J.* FRANK GEIGER, DENTIST, MANN TNG, S. C. MAST SLAVI Copyright, 1901, 1 CHAPTER I. AMITY. HOJIACE QAKFELL, represent ative from the parish of Avoy elles, was the youngest mem ber of the Louisiana legisla ture of 1857. Of medium height, broad of shoulder, deep chested and brown Rired and brown eyed, with a countenance brave and frank, he.was regarded as the Adonis of the house. His dr- s of milk white cassi mere, ruffled shirt and deep Byronic collar gave warrant to the poetic ap prairal of the women. But his col leagues set a different estimate upon him. To them he was known as a well trained lawyer, a close student, a young man much given to philosophic research and meditation, one of learn ing and gravity unusual at his age, true, courageous, but of a seriousness bordering upon melancholy. He was a forceful debater, though his years were but 24, and his utterances were always heard with sincere respect. Though himself a slaveowner, he had from motives of humanity eloquently but unsuccessfully opposed the bill which enacted: "That from and after the passage of this act no slave shall be emancipated in this state." His speech had been published in full by the leading journals, and its perora tion was long remembered. "Can It be," he exclaimed, "that in this part of Christendom, in a time of profound peace and tranquillity, an American legislative body will from the black cloud of slavery tear the narrow fringe of hope and in its stead inscribe by statute the frightful legend seen by Dante over the portals of hell? Can it be that enlightened citizens will forbid the reward of liberty to the sl.ve who serves the state? Wil! the law making power deny to ihe master the exercise of the noblest virtue of his nature by prohibiting him from confer ring the boon of freedom upon the slave who has stood between his life and the knife of the assassin or safely borne his fainting wife through the flames of the burning mansion or plunged into the down sucking Missis sippi to bring back the fair haired child to the frantic mother? Can it be that the flower of civilization will make unlawful that kindness to a faithful human slave which It approves to a dog or a horse? I cannot believe it But if I mistake the sense of the house then let me say that the logical conse quence of this measure will be the sti fing of moral growth in the master, the removal of incentives to loyalty in the slave; the one must become more narrow and cruel, the other des perate and ferocious; the sense of jus tice of other communities will be shocked and their righteous anger will be provoked; a decade cannot fail to bring some frightful catastrophe on our state as the fruit of this unholy measure. 1 protest against It I ap peal to my colleagues to be true to their better nature and -prove by their! negative votes that the white race in Louisiana can defend itself and yet be not ungenerous." His appeal was ineffective. The bill was passed by a pronounced majority, was approved by the governor and be came law. After the adjournment of the legisla ture Oakfell returned to the parish of Avoyelles, taking passage on the steam boat Red Queen. The vessel was one of those popularly called "floating pal aces," of which a score plied the lower Mississippi and its tributaries during the decade preceding the civil war, when no railroads had been laid in that part of Louisiana lying wesf of the great river. She was a side wheeler, with high pressure engines, capable of great speed and with accommodation for over 150 passengers. There were a profusion of white paint upon her exterior and a plenitude of gilding and low hanging chandeliers within the cabin.I The boat carried some 00 passengers, many of whom were planters returning from ther annual spring visits to New Orleans factories to settle accounts. of the past planting year and arrange credits for the new. Some were ac companied by their wives and daugh ters, and a sociability prevailed among the company which is wholly wanting in the commercial travel of the present day. Three were planters in Avoyelles, one of whom, Dr. De Roux, added the busi ness of a physician to that of cotton raising. His plantation was near the Marais des Cygnes. in the Avoyelles prairie. The second was Constant Quillebert, a low browed, long nosed Gascon Frenchman who had lived on Bayou des Glaises for 20 years, but had never married or become an Amer ican citizen. The third was Leonidas Latiolals of Bayou Rouge, a man of 60, whose hair was white and whose blue eyes and short chin bespoke a kindly but weak character. Of the three La tiolais alone threw any warmth into the salutation of Oakfell. The ethers referred to the legislative incident in a purely polite manner, as if tenderness for him required that it be quick.ly passed over. Latiolais, however, spoke regretfully of the result, b'ut rather out of sympathy for the young 'egislator than for the cause he had championeC. Oak-fell received their different ex pressions with apparent unconcern and evinced a preference to avoid any dis cussion of the supposed merits or de merits of the bill. After the evening meal had been par taken of in the long saloon, with the usual clatter of china sei-vice and scur rying of the numerous yellow and black waiters, the extension tables were closed and run together, and while mu si, dancing and conversation engaged the women and young folks In the la dies' cabin the tables in the forward end were arranged for cards and were speedily occupied by the older men and some of the younger, gambling be ing an unfailing feature of the steam boat travel in the fifties. These card tables were in close neighborhood to the bar, and this was the beginning of the barkeeper's business day. Oakfell passed the greater part of the evening reading in the captain's state room on the hurricane deck. Returning* to the cabin at 11 o'clock. he found his constituents from Avoyelles at the ta ble nearest the bar. They were not playing, but cards, ivory chips and half drained glasses of liquor were on the table. None of the chips was on the side where Latiolais sat Some' 0 *0 0 Ean' T. H. THORPE )y T. H. Thorpe. the rema1-.in1(,r. :1 n n ny stac,. . were' before Quillebert. The young man sat at a -distance from the three, but not so far that their conversation was not audible to im. Quillebert in a half jocular and half bantering tone had said: "Leonidas, If I were not a man of ex traordinary good nature you and I would now be at outs instead of sit ting here over a friendly game of pok er and clinking our social glasses, because it wasn't neighborly in you to sue me for $2,000 for that old negro of yours when you know that you couldn't have sold him for $700 even on credit." "No, I don't know that," replied Latiolais. "I could have sold him for $750. But that isn't it. I never tried to sell him, I didn't want to sell him, and, although he was 50 years old when you shot him, I wouldn't have sold him for $2,000 cash. I was attached to Bap tiste. He was the best judge of horses among iny negroes. He was faithful and nursed me and my son through the yellow fever, and, although my son died, I have always believed that had it not been for Baptiste's care and watchfulness I should never have re covered. Therefore I never thought that $2,000 could have at all repaid me for his loss. Moreover, It would have been the act of a good neighbor In you to have complained to me of any offense :Baptiste had given you and allowed me to correct him. Instead of that you shot him dead." "I admit that," said Quillebert, "but when he struck my pointer dog with that ox whip and I saw the blood red den the white skin of the poor brute I was so enraged that I couldn't help shooting the Infernal negro down in his tracks, and you would have,.done the same." "But had not the dog bitten the negro before he struck it with the whip?" Latiolals inquired. "I have heard something of that sort," said Quillebert curtly. "It was a fact," Insisted Latiolais, "and the wounds Inflicted by the dog's teeth were found upon the dead man's body. But, as we never quarreled about that," Latiolais continued, "let's r-ot quarrel now. Of course, when you de stroyed my property you owed me something. and, since we couldn't agree upon the amount, there was nothing to do but leave it to a jury, so I brought the suit. I was willing to T he yiountg man sat at a distance from the three. abide by the award of the jury, al though it was only $1,200; but you have seen di to carry the matter. on appeal to the supreme court and pro long this only cause of difference be tween us." "I think," Dr. De Roux remarked, "that you both made a mistake by let ting the matter go into the courts. Lit igation always begets bitterness. The longer it Is drawn out the more invet erate becomes the Ill feeling. I think yet you ought to take it out of court and settle it as friends and gentlemen." "I am afraid it is too late," said La tiolais, "as Constant perfected his ap peal yesterday and employed a city lawyer to argue his cause for him In the supreme court." "No, it is not too late." Quillebert ex. claimed; "it is never too late to do good. Let us have anotlier toddy, and when we dr-ink that to friendship 1 will make a proposition to you." Their glasses were filled and drain ed with expressions of good feeling. "Now," said Quillebert, with a know ing leer in his eyes. "you say. Latiolais -at least I have heard you say many times-that you are the best old sledge player in the parish of Avoyclles. know you play that game better than you do poker." And lhe significantly glanced at the bare space on the table in front of Latiolais, then at the piles of red and blue chips on his owna side, and continued: "I will offer to play you 11 games of old sledge. If you win six out of the 13, I wili pay you $2,000 as soon as we reach home. If 1 win six out of the 11, you will give me a re ceipt in full for the judgment and csts in your suit against me for kill ing Baptiste. If you agree, I will now write to my attorney- in the city in structing him to withdraw the appeal and deliver the le'tter to the cap-:aiu to be mailed when the boat stops at Ba you Sara." "Tbat certainly is a liberal proposi tion," said Dr. De Roux. "You would do well to accept it, Leonidas." Latiolais looked down, and his face assumed an. expression of doubt and trouble. Oakfell watched the work ings of his countenance intently. "Let's have one more toddy before I decide" "Agreeable."' With this aid Latiolais accepted the proposaL. Calling for writing materiail and a new deck of cards. Quillebert wrote the message to flie lawyer i' New Orleans, passing it to Laticlais to be read, addressed, sealed, and handed It to the captain of' the boat, with the request that he mail it at Bayotu Sara. The cards were shuffled and the game was begun, Dr. De Roux keeping score. The play was silent. Victory went alternately from the cue player to the othe: through ten games. The eleventh was close, but by turning a knave as trump and scoring a six spot as low Qaillebert won by a point. Latiolais too: pen and paper, wrote and signed a receipt in full of the judgment. prin cipal, interest and costs which lie had obtained for the -killing of his negro man Baptiste and gave It to Qulle bert also n 0 nT for the sum of $300, representing his loss in the game of poker they had previously played. Forcing a smile, he ordered three more glasses of whisky, and when these had been tossed off bade his companions good night and retired. Quillebert and Dr. De Roux strolled to the hurricane deck to soothe their nerves with cigars before seeking sleep. Oakfell repaired to his stateroom soul sickened by what he had witnessed. CHAPTER II. THE FEnRY AT BAYOU DU LAC. F ROM Fort De Roussy, on the Red river, to Pointe Midi, on the Bayou Claire, near which "L'Esperance," the Oakfell plautation, lay, was a dis tance of some 20 miles. The dignifying name of fort was given to a small earthwork which had been thrown up by direction of the United States gov ernment under the supervision of Colo nel De Roussy at the first rise of Avoyelles prairie abutting on the low alluvial river bottom. Four miles in land from the fort the highroad ran through the little town of Marksville, the parish site or seat of justice. The courthouse and two magazines for cotton were the only brick structures of which it could boast. All the other edifices, including the church, were of wood, painted white or yellow, ranged on either side of a long main street and two lateral and four cross streets Intersecting at right angles. The sit uation of the village was a gentle dip in the prairie, the two sides of which, when the thick foilage of umbrella china, pecan, fig and oak trees was at its full and softened by the sprinkling of rosy flowered myrtles, gave the re semblance to the trough between waves of a great green sea. The pop ulation of 600 or 700 souls was almost entirely Gascon French and French creole -' whom but few spoke Eng; lish. The exceptions were the families of foior American lawyers, who had acquired the French language and used it ao-e frequently than their mother tongue. Nine miles southward from the vil lage tie smooth surface of the prairie broke suddenly and the land declined sharply to a broad belt of stiff soil, incalculably fertile, bearing a thick growth of cypress, gum and oak and termirating at Bayou du Lac, wide and deep, on the farther side of which lay the Magnolia hills. These latter were a series of gentle undulations, rising someuhat above the general level of the alluvion and extending quite eight miles to the fine, sandy soil of that per fect agricultural country formed by the network of bayous Rouge, Huff power, Boeuff and Claire. Here the stately magnolia tree dominated, its evergreen leaves of olive hue and var nished freshness preserving to the landscape throughout the year the warm sylvan tints of summer and Its big blossoms of creamy white loading the air with the fragrance of com bined .iasmine and lemon and imbuing with sensuousness the luxuriant spring. Robed in gown of woven vines, which trailed to the ground and flowered in yellow, red, blue and white, the mag nolia was truly queen of the forest. The day had been sultry, overcast by low bang' ; clouds, from which fell a steady, t ilng rain from noon until nightfail. An intense darkness suc ceeded the day, and the rain became fitful, while the lightning was frequent and blinding in Its lurid brilliancy. The public road leading from the rope ferry of Bayou du Lac to the Magnolia hills and which constant use had worn to a deep gully in the soft ground was re duced by the rain almost to a state of ooze, rendering travel arduous and slow. The dwelling of Valsin Moull lot, the ferryman, stood in an inelosure near the road and 50 yards from the bayou. Valsin was short and muscu lar, of middle age and scant education, but blessed with a cheerful mind. He was a widower, with three little girls dependent upon him, and his resources were the public ferry and the yield of 30 acres of clear-ed land, which he op erated with the aid of three slaves an old man and woman and a boy. This last drew the ferryboat along the wide stretch of rope more frequently than did the ferryman and on such nights as this cccupied the lookout shed on the bank to respond to the calls of travelers. Notwithstanding the warrmth of the night and the open doors of the house, a bright fire of cypress bark burned on the hearth of the largest room to resist the moisture with whieh this low region reeked. In front of the fire sat a stout, broad faced, dark skin ned man of advanced years, whose garb of black and turned down band of white about his neck discovered the fcddak, kndmn ag, eysl rgeadsrng.n i countnace thoughr cosasin to bgoad fiinacvied a siritd ofanevo Calc pn rity His harwas Fthck Francois Grhe, cure of Mansura, whose ecclesiastical dominion extended south ward to the Bayou Bonuf. He haa heard a call to the ferry, and later, when the sound of rushing hoofs and wheels in the road fell upon his ear, he had peered out into the darkness, but, notwithstanding the Illumination of a lightning flash, had discovered nothing. Valsin entered the room swishing the rain from his broad felt hat and, stamping his wet and muddy boots upon the floor, said: "I don't like a night like this, father hot and dripping and heavy. It always makes me feel that something bad is going to happen." "Keep your soul clean, Valsin," said the priest, "and whatever happens on a night like this cannot be bad for you." "Oh. it is not for myself-no-that I am uneasy, but I think that persons traveling abroadare sure to meet with accident, and If a man is hurt in the Magnolia hills on such a night he may lie there until morning and no one know of his suffering." "I have just heard some one drive up "r.ind pass oi toward the il. Who was it, Valsin?" "I do not know." replied Valsin.- "I did not go to the ferry. The boy Pierre is there tonight. But come, fa ther; your supper of chicken. eggs and coffee is ready. You must be very hungry after driving so far and wait ing so long." "Thank you. Valsin. . have an ap petite, you may be sure, although I am not Impatient. for, you know, I am practiced In fasting." As the priest rose to follow his host to the supper table a voice came from without, calling: "Iello, Valsin! Hello: Hello!" The dogs of the yard set up a furious barking. Both men stopped. and Valsin, step ping out on the veranda of bis house, responded: "Hello yourselU! Who Is it? Come in!" "I can't until you call your dogs off." "Walt; I will be there in a minute. Here, you rascn!. Jacques; get away! And you, Rosa; go off! Do you want me to kick you? Now, sir, they won't bite. They know i am bere. Who is it I see?" "Oakfell. Valsin. I have to claim shelter of you." "Why, bless my heart, Mr. Horacel How do you do? I am glad to see you, sir. . Come right in." And he grasped Oakfell's hand and shook It warmly. "What's happened? Where's your bug 4,7 gy ?" "Never mind the buggy, Valsin. Let us get out of this rain and mud," said Oakfell, "and then I will tell you what has happened." "To be sure, to be sure," said Valsin. "Fow foolish of me to keep you here at the gate to tell me about it when you can just ai well come inside and get dry and comfortable and then tell me and take your own time." And he led his unexpected guest into the house. Father Grhe gave Oakfell an- affec tionate greeting, but, observing that his face was scratched and his clothing torn and smeared with mud, manifest ed anxiety and asked with an air of concern: "Why, my son, you have met with an accident. Are you hurt?" "No, I believe I have sustained not.' ing beyond a rude shaking up. I ar rived 6n the Red Queen at Fort De Roussy this afternoon and, stopping for a short time at my office In Marksville, concluded to drive to my plantation this evening. The big black which was re cently sent me from Cincinnati had been stabled In town since I left for Baton Rouge in the early part of the session. I had him put to the buggy to day. Just as I was getting out of the gully beyond Valsin's field the horse took fright at the upright shafts of an ox cart tilted on end in front of old Grineau's house, which I in the dark did not see. Before I was aware he bounded to the left, leaped up the bank and started on a dead run into the Mag nolia hills. I braced myself to bold him in. but he was beyond control, and, positively, I expected to be killed. I3ad he got as far as the woods he surely would have dashed my brains out against a tree; but, fortunately, at the edge of the field the left wheel of th( buggy struck a thorn stump, and every thing went to pieces. The buggy. suppose, has been broken into a thou sand fragments. I was thrown violent ly to the ground, the reins left my grasp, and the horse has gone dashing, through the hills like some mad ca ture. So here I am, all that is left of the cortege that started out so bravely from Marksville, and I may thank my stars that there Is this much left sound and unbroken." "The kind God be thanked, it is thi best part which has been saved," said the priest fervently. "Yes, yes," Valsin added. "we could( not afford to lose such a one as Mr. Horace, and we must take the best of care of what God has been good enough to preserve to us." He hurried Oakfell into another room, calling to his aid the old negro Alonzo, and the two, after delving Into varicus~ cypress chests and armoirs and bus tlng about like busy housewives, short ly returned him to the fireside dry and comfortably clad in a suit of Valsin's homemade and clean Attakapas cotton ade, his feet Incased in a pair otf soft moccasins of deerskin. The garme~nts were indeed a scanty fit, but they be stowed the desired comfort, and, no women being present, slight impor tance was attached to mere appear ance. Valsin urged his guests to the meal that was awaiting them. and after grace by the priest the three played at knife and fork in the manner of men blessed with good health and quiet con sciences. "Who else of Avoyelles came on the boat. Mr. Horace?" Inquired Valsin. "Dr. De Roux, Constant Quillebert and Leonidas Latiolais." "Constadt, I hear, has carried to the supreme court that unhappy lawsuit between himself and Latiolais," said Father Grhe. "It Is a great pity that such disputes should arise between neighbors and a greater pity that they should be prolonged."~ "It is deplorable." said Oakfell, "that In a Christian country the very possi bility of such a dispute as that should exist, but there is no lon~ger any law suit between those two ne'ighbors. It was settled last night in a manner both unique and imnpressive." He described how the price of a human life had beeni liquidated by the hazard of cards un der the inspiration of' whisky. "Meet lamentably un-Christian," sad Father Grhe. "I am especially sorry that Leonldas Latiolais was a party to such an act. Hie is a good man at heart His Intentions are right, but he is In some things weak, very weak. At times I am grievously distressed by apprehensions of misfortune to, his granddaughter, Estelle. As her guard ian he controls her inheritance, and, while I know his love for her is little less than a worship, yet his yielding nature is a continuing menace to her interests." "Your fears are in all probability c-or rect" Oakfell observed. "Lat ialais' hm providence may be hurtful to his grand. child in the dissipation or the estate which she should inherit from him, but he could not without gross dishonesty imperil that which she derives from her mother, and L~atiolais, I am sure. i honest." "Certainly he means to be," said Father Grhe. "I trust my fears wvill never be justified by the event. hut, speaking of Estelle, my son, I must ive you a bit of news which probably has not reacL&e youi since you hfae been at the capltal. The' new bell pre sented to the church by our guod friends at Bordeaux arrved from France last week and will be christ en ed the first Saturd~ay after Easter. On the Thursday before a fair is to be held at the Mlansura schoolhouse to raise money to pay the expenses of bringing the bell from New Orleans and to build and paInt a new belfry. At the fair the godmother of the hell will be elected, and quite- a spirited contest is being waged by a number of our girls w~o are ambitious of that honor. Es telle has been persuaded to enter he competition. and I :n afraid her grand father's absence in New Orleans has not improved her cuances of wiauing. She is too modest and timid to canvass for herself, and, while I ought not to be a partisan of any in the race, yet I grieve to think that Estelle should suf fer for the want of a champion." "Is it too late for a champion to be of service to her?" asked Oakfell. "By no means." "What Is the mode of election?" "Each vote must be accompanied by $1. The candidate In whose name the greatest number of dollars are con tributed is elected godmother to the bell," the priest explained. "The candidates are, of course. all young girls?" queried Oakfell. "Oh, certainly." replied the priest. "No matrons are admitted." "How many candidates are there?" "Six. The lists were closed last Sun day." "Then," said Oakfell, "though I have not had the pleasure of meeting Mle. Latiolais since her return from the con vent, I suppose she is now regarded quite a young lady. I will be her ac tive champion from this on to the close of the polls, but, of course, Incegnito to her." "Good'" exclaimed Valsin. "I will give you five votes for Estelle to begin with." "Steady, my good friend," said the priest. "No voter can cast more than one ballot." "Well, I will give my own vote," per sisted Valsin, "and get four others. I Will be good for five anyhow. I polled five votes for Mr. Horace to go to the legislature, and I can poll that number for his candidate for thekbell christen ing." "Thank you, Valsin," said Oakfell. "Our present candidate is more deserv ing than the other and less likely to disappoint you." "How so?" asked - Valsin. "When have you disappointed me?" "When I voted against the antieman cipation !,ill. I am afraid." replied Oak fell. "Not liy a jugfull" declared Valsin. "But you would have done so if you had voted for that bill. What! I paid my own money for old Alonzo and old Jeanne and I cannot set them free if I want? 1 could have thrown my money into the bayou. Then why cannot I free my negroes, for whom I paid my money? No, sir. You voted right, like a real man, and I honor you for it." "And so do I, my young friend," said the priest. "and I advise every man who wishes to see and do the right to read your speech and engrave it on his memory. You spoke for that broad hu manity which was the especial care of the Lord Jesus and in which alone lies the ultimate safety of this nation." "Should all others disapprove these expressions from you- two would suffice to sustain me, for in your sincerity and judgment I have abiding faith." Oak fell spoke warmly and sincerely. When the meal was concluded, the rain had ceased and the late moon risen above the tree tops of the sur rounding forests. The priest announc ed his determination to push on to Mansura, and, his horse and buggy be ing led out by Alonzo, hle thanked Val sin for his entertainment, gave his blessing and good night and drove on, to be ferried across the water by the boy. Oakfell's sleep was that of the young man fatigued. At suurise of the fol lowing mncrning he was speeding In the ferryman's buggy througl- the glisten ing, odorous magnolia woods to his plantation at Pointe Midi. CHAPTER lii. TnE MANSURA BELnL. HE fair and election were had as notified to Oakfell by Fa ther Grhe. It was a notable ocso.The quaint little hamlet of Mansura, whose residents were nll. French and whose verauned dwellings and shops fronted its single street, broad and umbra goous, in two ranks of unequivocal yel low. was throughout the day denied Its accustomed sleep by noise of buggy teams and saddle horses hitched to its trees and the chatter and laughter of women, young and old, pretty and otherwise, who vended gumbo, roast fowl, coffee, eake and claret punch at famine prices to the men boisterously patronizing their tables. The con course was distinctively French. No English word was heard in the grePe Ings, jests and chafferings. The pale nuns of the Holy Family convents at Marsville and Mansura chaperoned coveys of shy girl pupils and stood between them and the bold glances of dark eyed youths, and the priests of Moreauville, Choupique and Marks yille lent the influence of their pres ence to the interests of their good brother of Mansura. The four reverend gentlemen, smok ing cigars in front of the schoolhouse -Good dayL, jathers fortr. in which the fair was held, were ac costed by Quilhebert. whose manner evinced but Miight respect for their pro fession and wh-> was, truth to tell, dis pleaslng to them by reason of his boast ed fondness for the literature of X'ol taie. "Good day, fathers four," was hls airy salutation as he approached. "Do you know a strange thing? Whenever I meet more than One nun or more than one priest ther-e are always two or fon- or some greater number of them but nover' three. They seem to avoid the number or the Tinity as if the feared it would bring had lck Now, that is even odd, is it not. my good - thers? How do you account for- it And he laughed loud and hard at his own wit. "That is no m're str-ange than my own experience. Constant," said Fa ther Galotte. "When~uever- I have met the devil he has always been aloe. And, jabbing his pudgy forefinger against Quillebert's ibs. he shook fro his throat an oleaginous gurgle which had served him as al laugh since his first appointment to a parish in Louisi "Which." expxained little Fathe! Chialine of Iu:e.iuville, "makes quit( plain Father Galotte's frequent and easy victories over hm of the cloven hcoof. Ore lone devil is no match for Te :gh was now a quartet, and Quilml;rt did not long hesitate .tc pnake it a quintet. "Well, in this encounter of my own seeking I yield to numbers and will pay tribute In forage to my vanquish rs," Quillebert said, with a mock air of submission. "It is noon and time for solid nourishment. Come with me, fathers, to old Mime. Goudeau's table and take a stout absinth and anisette, and then we will sample Mother Pier rot's turkey and rice with a bottle of bordeaux." And as host he led the priests into the building. Mme. Goudeau received her patrons with profuse acknowledgment of rhe honor conferred, and with great cere mony mixed five glasses of the appe tizing decoction. "Sante to you, fathers, and success to my candidate," was Quillebert's sen timent as he raised the green liquor to his lips. "Dominus nobiscum," responded Father Galotte. "How is the election progressing?" "Satisfactorily," said Quillebert. "Laure Luneau is a sure winner. My guess now is that she is 22 votes ahead of Estelle Latiolais, and the race was really befween those two. It is too late In the day for Estelle to overcome such a majority, as her strength was chiefly from Borodino and the Big Bend of Bayou des Glaises, and It has been voted. I am sorry for her; but. then, Laure's father and I came from the same part of France, and, you know, I had to stick to my clan. I have worked hard for Laure, and she cannot be beaten. How proud the saucy little Gasconne will be!" Having laid a coin upon the table, Constant was leading the way to Mother Picr:ot's. when Mme. Goudeau called: "Hold M. Constant. till I give you your change." "No change is coming to me. madame. I gave you a gold dollar, and 20 cents apiece for five absinth anisettes is cheap enough for a church fair." "No, M. Constant, this is not $1; it is a five dollar piece." "Oh, Mme. Goudeau, your sight is failing like that! This comes of read ing your prayer book so much. Put on your spectacles, madame, and examine the coin carefully, and if you find it a five I may stop again for the change." And, bowing merrily, he moved on. "Well, that is handsome of Constant and will get him two more votes for Laure Luneau," remarked madame to Maximilien Cantonet, an ancient ex justice of the peace, who in religiously intoxicated condition devoutly assisted her with the bottles and glasses. Mother Pierrot bustlingly superin tended the carving by her mulatto man and served five- heaping plates of breast and back, declaring one gobbler to have been a 20 pound bronze and the other a cream yellow of equal weight and both to have been fed on pecains for three weeks prior to their martyrdom In the cause of the church. A pyramid of steaming, fiaky rice flanked each plate, beside which~ was set a Dottle of bordeaux wine of good body; There Is no need to discuss the efficacy of the absinth. The fact is, the five portions were disposed of by the five men wjth every Indication of hunger, thirst and appreciation. "Is our little Laure still ahead, Mi. Constant?' Inquired the old woman. "She is and will remain ahead till the poll closes at half past 5 o'clock," Quillebert replied confidently. "Leon Idas Latlolais Is no politician. He be lieved he could elect Es'telle by simply Interesting the neighbors on Bayou des Glaises, while I have electioneered for Laure not only on the bayou, but oni the prairie also. She has had votes to day from Mfarksville, Isle de Cote, Le Coigne, Par en Haut, Bayou Blanc and even Pointe Maigre." "You have indeed been very active," said Father Grhe. "I am edified to see you manifest such Interest In a matter of the church." "It is not the church-no," Quillebert protested; "it Is politics with me. Who ever enters a canvass against me can not win by sitting quiet and looking amiable. He has got to travel and maybe get mud on his shoes. . Good Mother Pierrot, this will about pay for our refreshment," he added, placing a coin In the old woman's palm. "But this is $20, M. Constant!" she cried in amazement "I said It would about pay for our. refreshment, and thank you," said he, walking away. "Such a generous man! I wish he was on better terms with the church. Certainly I must get some more votes for Laure," soliloquized Mother Plierrot as she dropped the glittering golden eagle into her silken purse. Declining with thanks an Invitation to join the priests in pipes at Father Grhe's house, Quillebert sauntered along the crassy sidewalks of the street and had proceeded but a short distance when he encountered Dr. De Roux and Leonidas Latiolals lounging under a flowering china tree. Latiolals looked bored and worried. He knew nothing of the condition of the contest, but he felt he had not perfectly cham pioned his grandchild's candidacy and was apprehensive of the result. Her defeat would grieve him deeply, and he would lny It to hi.~ .a.n supineness. "Ah, my friends, this is a slow affair for full blooded men," remarked Quille bert. "You both look as thoroughly de ected as I feel exhausted. Can we not have a small game and hasten this aft ernoon off? Else I will go into the graveyard and take a nap." "Yes," said Dr. De Roux, "let us go to Dede Lebrun's cabaret at the coulee bridge and swap chips; either that or I will go home. I cannot stand this any longer." Latiolais hesitated, then consented, and the three proceeded to the one sto ried public house of the village, where in the back room they were joined by the brothers Tailleur of Isle de Cote. and, supplied by Dede, the stunted, swarthy, pock lpitted proprietor, with ards, chips, rum and whisky toddies, they were soon absorbed in the prob lems of American p~oker. Quillebert as not without ulterior aim In his proposal. He was confident of Laure Luneau's election should no especial activity be displayed in her rival's In terest and concluded that the surest eans to prevent that would be to .se uce her champion from the field; ence he set about to make the game nusually attractive by betting boldly ad drinking freely, and in a measure is tactics proved successfulI, for soon he attention of the players was so en rossed that they were unconscious of he iight of time and the passing of any buggies and troops of horsemen o-er the coulee bridge into the one street of3Iansura. To the surprise and, it must be ad mitedth iappointment of Father Bestowed the name "St. Ceci-e" Grhe, Oakfell .did not apifear at the fair. The priest feared he had for gotten his pledge of support-to Estelle given at the house of the fryman at'. Bayou du Lac on the night he soiler rowly escaped death. 'But he took heart when at 4 o'clock 'he saw Val sin ride in at the head of seven'neigh-' bors from the Bordelon slough and lead them to the poll for Estelle, and ten more from Lac de la Pearle march ed up in the same interest, and these followed at short intervals by doseisi and twenties from Choupique, Cotton port, Pointe Midi and a company-.f-G - non-Catholics from .Evergreen and tfe surrounding plantations, and learned - that every one of these late comers de posited a vote for the granddaughter of Latiolals. The game at Dede's was running high, and the strong drink had taken possess!on of the players, when at o'clock a cheer from the schdollios fell upon their ears. They .knew tAien priests had- counted the vote andE nounced the result, and the cheer wa for the victor. Quillebert doubted'ot she was Laure, and,- hastily githering, in the winnings, which, as.usual, had fallen his way, he proceeded with companions to learn the exact His heavy eyes and purpling face took on an expression of cruel enlftloi Latiolais lagged behind as If loitb to hear the decision. Seeing Either Grhe In the door ofthe schoolhouse, Quiflebert caiHed 1 "What's the majority, fatherr' "Seventeen," the priest said. "Is that all?' said Quiflebertoa ly. "At 1~o'clock she had'22 ofeTs telle .Latiolais." - "Who had?" asked the-priest. "Laure Luneau," shouted Quiebert. "Bt Estelle Latiolais-has nowf votes over Laure Luneau, and the poU' Is closed.- Estelle Latlolaiss eleet i 7 godiother of the bel," said 'ath Grhe. Quillebert's features fairly, with rage, but his exclamation o doubt profane, was drowned 1y there ' newed cheer from the crowd, hileA LatiolaLs' white face -was wetwS tears of joy, unexpected 9ad-unmUr et tW ed. The fast falling darkesside e~ dispersion of the .assebgdoiIt3 choosing of the church- bers sponsor was a scored event in the history of-the' parish. The christening day rof tbe bel-was the most perfect of that.incomparably lovely season, the Louisiana spring The pale blue sky -had notfa.eel~ta Thie bosom of the littepalewS' spread with velvety.. greenspnke with buttercups and violets, and'onte edges of coulees bright willows in the gentle breeze. The lanes wer bordered by walls of dark h~ke vines, against which-white ropes tened in the sunlight -2The cns ting stretching branches :n were opening in light, h eir while afar In 4the- swamp~-bv~ bluish gray festoons of Spanish i6 could be seen the feathery fringe which later would be plumes In the crowD* of royal cypresses. The soft air was scented with jasmine, china, flower and. sweet gum and rang with the joyousa song of the mocking bird. The bell, secured upon the stouitest of plantation wagons, drawn by aBir' sleek mules, was arrayed in a robe of~ white swiss, set off with bands of blue' satin and bunches of pink rosesA string of red coral, the gift of the godI mother, encircled Its brow, above *iehk was a wreath of white magnolia blooms. The wagon was cloth-ed ,In white cotton cloth, the harness of th( mules decked out with knots and bows of ribbon, and the herculean black who drove them was attired in his holiday ralment, with a broad red sash Across his chest The cortege escorting the bell in Its progress of six miles from the ware house at Marksville to the church at mnsura was composed of full 200 per sons on horses, in buggies and afoot. It was headed by Elol Durant, the an cent volunteer sacristan, bearing aloft a banner of blue silk on which was em broidered in yellow the name of the sodality society. Following him rode Homer Debellevue, holding a tall, slen der wooden cross painted white n garlanded with flowers. A dozen yon ger men with silk banners inscrib with sacred legends formed a cava cade preceding the c'arriage. of Father Grhe, who in black robe and cap, white 7 surplice and gilded stole sat betweenl two acolytes gowned in red and white and carrying censer burners On each side of the wagon six horsemen sashe-d with blue rode as a guard of honor to the bell -and then the fair sponsor in an open conveyance seated beside her grandfather. She was attired In- white. a thin veil over her hair and shoulders, and held a nosegay of large white roses In her lap. A sweet, childish face, brown hair and hazel eyes distinguish ed the victor of the contest, a girl of 15, gentle, shrinking and blushing. On a roan pony at the side of the carriage a oung mulatto woman rode and screen ed the face of her mistress with a sun shade. The cavalcade closed with ve hicles, In which were many women, matrons and maidens, and a long line f white youths and negroes marching afoot came after. . As the processIon wound past the Marksvlle church the bell In the tower, rung by Father Chaline himself, greet d Its new sister with a merry peal, while all the men uncovered their eads. Arrived at Mansura, the bell was rev erently lifted and hung in the sheltered temporary scaffolding which had- been provided for it at the church front, and around it the people arranged them selves in a wide circle. Two trays of white roses were placed on the scaf fold, ~an acolyte brought from within e church the silver vessel of hioly wa ter and sprinkler, the aromatic gums in. the censers were lighted from live oals, and Father Grhe, reading the words of dedication and bathing bell nd flowers with incense and blessed water, bestowed the name "Ste. Ce :e," chosen by the sponsor. Estelle tagaset"~gMra in aoice_..o . - Continued on next pagoe.]