Dakota County herald. (Dakota City, Neb.) 1891-1965, November 10, 1921, Image 7

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    DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD
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By GILB
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SHEILA.
Bynopals. Dyck Calhoun, gifted
young Irish Gentleman of the time
of the French and American revo
lutions, meets Sheila Llyn, seven-teon-year-old
girl visiting In the
neghborhood. They are mutually
attracted. Sheila never knew her
dissipated father, Errls Boyne, her
mother having divorced htm. In
Dublin Leonard Mallow and Dyck
fight with swords and Dyck Is vic
tor. Errls Boyne, secretly In French
employ, gets Dyck drunk and tries
to persuade him to join In rovolt
against England. They quarrel.
While Dyck Is overcome with
drugged wine, Royne'fl second wife
enters tho room and stabs her
faithless husband to the heart.
Dyck Is arrested on a charge of
murder. He does not know If he
killed Boyne or not. ' Sholla begs
her mother to go to Dublin with
her to help Dyck. Mrs. Llyn op
poses the Idea. A letter from Mrs.
Llyn's woalthy brother In America
decides them to go and live with
him. Dyck refuses to enter any
plea except "No Defense." II
might have escaped by revealing
Boyno's treachery but refuses on
Sheila's account. He is sent to
prison for eight years. Sheila
writes Dyck, assuring him of her
belief In his Innocence. Released
after serving four years, Dyck finds
himself destitute, his father dead.
In London Dyck receives a letter
from Sheila Inviting him to come
to America and sending money for
the voyage. He feels he cannot In
honor go to her. Dyck JolnB the
British navy as an enlisted man.
Bad conditions In the fleet result In
mutiny. Dyck, Joining the muti
neers. Is chosen by them to com
mand the ship, the Ariadne, Dis
satisfied with the conduct of the
other ships' crews, Dyck breaks
with them and sails tho Ariadne to
the West Indies. He arrives In time
to turn the tide of victory In a
battle between the French and
English floeta. Calhoun Is arrested
for his part In the mutiny but
thanked by the admiral for his
work In the battle. The British
government gives Dyck tho free
dom of tho Island of Jamaica, of
which his old enemy. Lord Mallow,
Is governor. With a companion,
Dyck secures treasure worth 40,009
from a sunken Spanish ship, and
becomes a wealthy and respected
planter.
(CHAPTER XIII Continued.)
"The governor has been warned, but
he gives no heed, or treats It all light
ly, pointing out how few the Maroons
are. He forgets that a few determined
men can demoralize a whole state, can
fight and murder and fly to dark co
verts in the tropical woods, where
they cannot be trucked down and de
stroyed; and, if they have made sup
porters' of the slaves, what conse
quences may not follow I
"One thing Is clear to me only by
hounds can these people be defeated.
So sure am I upon this point, that I
have sent to Cuba for sixty hounds,
with which, when the trouble comes
and It is not far off we shnll be able
to hunt the Muroons with the only
weapon they really fear the dog's
sharp tooth. It may bo tho governor
may intervene on tho arrival of the
dogs; but I have made friends with
the nrovost marshal general and some
members of the Jamaica legislature;
also I have n friend In the deputy of
the provost marshal general In my par
ish of Clarendon here, and I will make
a good bet that the dogs will be let
come Into the island, governor or no
governor.
"When one sets one's self against
the crown one must be sure of one's
ground, and fear no foe, however great
and high. Well, I have won so far,
and I shall win In the end. Mallow
should have some respect for one that
heat him nt Phoenix park with the
sword; that heat him when he would
have me Imprisoned here; that beat
him In the matter of tho ship for Haiti,
and thnt will beat hhn on every hazard
he sets, unless he stoops to underhnnd
nets, which he will not do. That much
must be said for him.
"But what Is this I see? Michael
Clones in his white Jenn waistcoat,
white neckcloth and trousers and blue
coat Is coming up the drive In hot
baste, bearing a letter. He rides too
hard. He has never carried himself
easily In this cllmnte. Ho treats it as
If It was Ireland. He, will not protect
himself and, If penalty followed folly,
should now Imj In his grave. I like
you, Michael. You are a Ikhmi, but "
CHAPTER XIV.
8trantjere Arrive.
Dyck Calhoun's letter was never
wide. It was only n relic of the years
spent in Jamaica, only a sign of his
weH-!eIrig, though It gave no real pic
tore of himself. He was In appear
ance thin, dark-favored, buoyant In
mnnnor nnd Htern In face, with splen
did eyes, nad he dwelt on Olympus,
tie might have been summoned to Judge
and chantlHo the sons of men.
When Michael Clones cnnio to the
doorway, Dyck laid down his quill pen
and eyed the llubhed servant In dis
approval. "What Is It, Michael? Wherefore
this starknesw? Is eouw ouo come from
heaven?"
"Not precisely from heaven, y'r hon
or, bat"
"But yea, MlefaeelJ Have dose
DEFENSE
ERT PARKER
with but-lng and come to tho real mat
ter." "Well, sir, they've como from Vir
ginia." Dyck Calhoun slowly got to his feel,
his face paling, his body stiffening.
From Virginia I Who should be coming
from Virginia, save she to whom ho
had just been writing?
"Who has come from Virginia?"
He know, but he wanted it said.
"Sure, you knew a vessel camo from
America Inst night Well, In her was
one that was called the queen of Ire
land long ago."
"Queen of Ireland well, what then?"
Dyck's voice was tuneless, his mnnner
rigid, his eyes burning.
'Well, she Miss Sheila Llyn and her
mother are going to the Salem planta
tion, down by the Essex Vnlley moun
tain. It is her plantation now. It be
longed to her uncle, Brynn Llyn. He
got It In payment of a debt ne's dead
now and all his lands nnd wealth have
come to her. Her mother, Mrs. Llyn,
Is with her nnd they start tomorrow
or the next day for Salem."
Dyck Calhoun made an impatient
gesture at this Inst remnrk.
"Yes, yes, Michael. Where are they
now?"
"They're at Charlotte Bedford's lodg
ings In Spanish town. The governor
waited on them this morning. The
governor sent them flowers and "
"Flowers Lord Mallow sent them
flowers 1 Hell's fiend, man, suppose
he did?"
"There are bettor flowers hero than
any In Spanish Town."
"Well, take them, Michael; but if
you do, come here again no more while
you live, for I'll have none of you.
Do you think I'm entering tho lists
against the king's governor?"
"You've done It before, sir, nnd
there's no harm In doing It again. One
good turn deserves another. I've also
to tell you, sir, that Lord Mallow has
asked Uiem to stay at King's house."
"Lord Mallow has asked Americans
to stay at King's house?"
"But they're Irish, and he knew them
In Ireland, y'r honor."
"From whom do you get your Infor
mation?" asked Dyck Calhoun with an
air of suspicion.
"From Darius Boland, y'r honor,"
answered Michael, with a smile. "Who
Is Darius Boland, you're askln In y'r
mind? Well, he's the new mnnager
come from tho Llyn plantations) In
Virginia; and right good stuff he Is.
with a tongue that's as dry as cut
wheat in August. I saw him this
mornln' on the quay at Kingston. He
was orderln' the porters about with an
air oh, bedad, an nirl I saw tho
name upon the pnrcels Miss Sheila
Llyn of Molra, Virginia, and so I spoke
to him. 'Well!' said he, 'who might
you bo? For tliere's queer folks In
Jamaica, I'm told. So I snld I was
Michael Clones, nnd at that ho doffed
his hat and held out a hand. 'Well,
here's luck said he. 'Luck at the
very start 1 I've heard of you from
my mistress. You're servant to Mr.
Dyck Calhoun ain't that It?' And I
nodded and he smiled again a smile
that'd cost money anywhere else than
In Jamaica. Queer way of talk he has,
that man, as queer as "
"I understand, Mlchnol. But what
else? How did you coine to talk about
the affairs of Mrs. and Miss Llyn? He
didn't Just spit it out, did he?"
"Sure; not so quick and free as
splttln', y'r honor, but when he'd sorted
mo out, as It were, he said Miss Llyn
had come out here to tnko charge of
Salem, her own estate In Virginia be
In' In such good runnin' order nnd her
mind bcln' active. Word had como
of tho trouble with the manager here,
nnd ono of the provost marshal's depu
ties had written accounts of the flog
ging and Ill-treatment of slaves, and
that's why she come to put things
right at Salem I"
"To put things wrong In Jamaica,
Michael, that's why she's come. To
loose the ball of confusion nnd free
the flood of tragedy that's why she's
cornel Man, Michael, you know her
history who she was nnd what hap
pened to her father. Well, do you think
there's no tragedy In her coming hero?
I killed her father, they say, Michael,
I was punished for It. I came hero
to be free of all those things lifted
out nnd away from them all. I longed
to forget the past, which Is only Bhatno
nnd torture; nnd here it is all spread
out at my door again like a mat, which
I must teo as I go In and out. There
was no talk on Boland's pnrt of their
coining here, was there, Michael?"
"None at all, sir, but there was that
In the man's eye and that In his tone,
which made mo sure he thought Miss
Llyn nnd you would meet."
"That would be strange, wouldn't it,
In this immense contlnentl" Dyck re
marked cynically. "Site knew I wan
here before she enme. I wonder her
mother let her come here. Her mother
knew pnrt of the truth. She hid It all
from the girl and now they are hero!
"Michael, order my horse and I will
go to Spanish Town. Tills mntter must
le brought to a head. The txuth must
foe told. Order my horse 1"
"It is tlio very beat of the day, sir,"
"Then nt five 'clock, after dinner,
bave my Iiorne here."
"Am I to rldo with you, sir?" '
Dyck nodded.
"Yes, Michael. There's only one
tiling to do faco all tho facts with all
the evidence, nnd you are fact and
evidence, too. You know moro of the
truth than nny ono else."
Several hours later, when tho sun
was abating Its forco a little, after
traveling tho burning roads through
yams nnd cocoii, grcnndlllas and all
kinds of herbs and roots and vagrant
trees, Dyck Calhoun nnd Michael
Clones camo Into Spanish Town.
Dyck looked around upon the town
with new eyes. Ho saw It llko ono for
the first time visiting It. He saw the
pcopte passing through the wide
vornndns of the houses, like a vast
colonnade, down the street, to be hnp
plly sheltered from the fierce sun. As
they passed King's house they saw
troops of the viceroy's guests Issuing
from the palace officers of the king's
navy nnd-nrmy, officers and men of the
Jnmalca militia, pale-faced, big-eyed
men of the Creole clnss, inulnttocs,
quadroons nnd octoroons, Samboes
with their wives In loose skirts, whlto
stockings nnd pinnacle hats. Snatches
of song were heard and voices of men
who hud had a full meal nnd had
"taken observations" as looking
through the bottom of a glass of
liquor was called by people with naval
spirit were mixed in careless carou
sal. AH this. Jarred on Dyck Calhoun and
gave revolt to his senses. Yet he was
only hnlf-consclous of the great son
suousness of the scene ns he passed
through It. All was brought to focus
at last, however, by their arrival at
Charlotte Bedford's lodgings, which,
like most houses In the town, had a
lookout or belfry fitted with green
blinds nnd a telescope, and had a
green-painted wooden railing round It.
At the very entrance, Inside the gate,
In the garden, they snw Sheila Llyn,
her mother and Darius Boland, who
seemed to be enduring from the moth
er some sharp reprimand, to tho
amusement of the daughter.
As the gate closed behind Dyck nnd
Michael, the three from Virginia
turned round and faced them. As
Dyck came forward, Sholla flushed
and trembled. She wns no longer a
young girl, but her slim stralghtncss
nnd the soft lines of her figure gave
her a dignity and charm which made
her young womanhood distinguished
for she was now twenty-five nnd had
a carriage of which a princess might
have been proud. YeN It wns plain
thnt the entrance of Dyck at this mo
ment was disturbing. It' wns not what
she had foreseen.
She showed no hesitation, however,
but came forward to meet her visitor,
while Mlchnel fell back, as also did
Darius Boland. Both these seemed to
realize Unit the less they saw and
heard, the better; and they presently
got together In another part of the
garden, as Dyck Calhoun enmo near
enough almost to touch Sheila.
Surely, he thought, she was supremo
In appearance and design. She was
touched by a rose on ench cheek nnd
made womanly by firm nnd yet gener
ous breasts, tenderly Imprisoned by
the white chiffon of her blouse In
which was one bright sprig of the buds
of a cherry tree; n touch of modest
luxuriance on a person sparsely ornn
m'ented. It was Sheila herself, whom
time had enriched with far more than
years and experience. It was a per
sonality which would anywhere hnve
taken place and held It. It was un
defeatable, persistent nnd permanent;
Dyck Looked Around Upon the Town
With New Eyes.
tt was the spirit of Ireland loose in
n world that wns jih far apart from
Irclujid as she Was from her dead, dis
honored father.
And Dyck? At first she felt she
must fly to him yes, Jn spite of the
fact that he had suffered prison for
manslaughter. But a nearer look nt
him stopped the Impulse nt Its birth.
Hero wns the Dyck Calhoun she hud
known In days gone by, hut not tho
Dyck she hud looked to tee; for this
Author of
The Seats of
"The Right
mun wns llko one who had come from
n hanging, who hnd seen his dearest
swinging nt the end of a ropo. Ills
face was set In coldness ; his hnlr wns
streaked with gray; his forehead had
a line In the middle; his manner wns
rigid, almost frigid, Indeed. Only In
his eyes was there that which denied
all that his face nnd manner snld a
hungry, nhsorblng, hopeless -look, the
look of one who searches for a friend
In the denying desert.
Somehow, when he bowed low to
her nnd looked her In the eyes ns no
one In nil her life had ever done, she
hnd an almost agonized understanding
of whnt a man feels who hns been
Imprlsdncd that he Is never the same
again. Ho wns an cx-convlct nnd yet
she did not feel repelled by hltn. She
did not bellovo he had killed Errls
Boyne. As for tho later crime of mu
tiny, that did not concern her much.
She wns Irish; but, more than that,
she was In sympathy with the mu
tineers. She understood why Dyck
Calhoun, enlisting ns a common sailor,
should take up their cause nnd run
risk to ndvnnco It. That ho had ad
vanced It wns known to all the worm ;
that ho had paid the price of his mu
tiny by saving tho king's navy with
a stolen ship; nnd thnt he had won
wealth was but another proof of the
mnn's power.
"You would not como to Americn,
so I camo here, and " She paused,
her voice trembling slightly.
"There Is much to do at Salem," he
added calmly, and yet with his henrt
beating ns It had not beaten since the
day he had first met her nt IMnymore.
"You wouldn't take the money 1
sent to Dublin for you the gift of n
believing friend, nnd you wpuld not'
come to America I"
"I shall have to tell you why one day,"
he answered slowly, "but I'll pny my
respects to your mother now."
So saying he went forward and
bowed low to Mrs. Llyn. Unlike her
dnughtcr, Mrs. Llyn did not offer her
hand. She was pule, distraught, trou
bled and 'vexed. She, however, mur
mured his nnme nnd bowed.
"You did not expect to see me here
In Jnmalca," he said boldly.
"Frankly, -I did not, Mr. Calhoun,"
she said.
"You resent my coming here to see
you? You think It bold, nt least."
She looked at lilm closely nnd firm
ly. "You know why I cunnot welcome
you."
"Yet I hnve pnld the account de
manded by the law. And you had no
regard for him. You divorced him."
Sheila had drawn nenr, and Dyck
made a gesture In her direction. "She
does not know," he said, "nnd she
should not hear whnt we say now."
Mrs. Llyn nodded, and In n low tone
told Sheila that sho wished to be alone
with Dyck for a little while. In
Dyck's eyes, ns ho watched Sheila go,
was a thing deeper thnn he had ever
known or shown before. In her white
gown and with her light step Sheila
seemed to float nwny a picture gruoe
ful, stately, buoyant, "keen nnd sm nil."
As she was about to pnss beyond a
clump of pimento bushes, she turned
her head toward the two, and there
was that In her eyes which few ever
seo nnd seeing nro nfterwnrd the
snrae. It was n look of Inquiry, of
revelntlon, of emotion which went to
Dyck's heart.
"No, sho docs not know tho truth,"
Mrs. Llyn snld. "But It hns been hard
hiding It from her. Ono never knew
whether some chance remark, some
allusion In the papers would tell her
you hnd killed her father."
"Did I kill her father?" asked Dyck
helplessly. "Did I? 1 wns found guil
ty of It, but on my honor, Mrs. Llyn,
I do not know nnd I do not think 1
did. I hnvo no memory of It. We
quarreled. I drew my sword on him,
then he made an explanation and I
madly, stupidly drank drugged wine
In reconciliation with him, ami then
I remember nothing more nothing at
all."
"What was tho cause of your qunr
rel?" Dyck looked nt her long before an
swering. "I hid thnt from my father
even, nnd hid It from the world did
not even mention It In court nt the
trial. If I had, perhaps I should not
have gono to Jail. If I had, perhap"
I should not be here In Jamaica. If
I hnd " He pnuscd, a flood of re
flection drowning his face, making hi
eyes shine with black sorrow,
"Well, If you had I . . . Why did
you not? Wnsn't It ynur duty to save
yourself nnd save your friends, If yon
could? Wnsn't Unit your plain duty?"
"Yes, nnd thnt was why I did not
tell what the quarrel was. If 1 had
oven had I klllvd Errls Boyne, the
Jury would uot have convicted we. Of
that I am sure. It was a loyalist
Jury' .
"Then why did you not?"
"Isn't It strange that now, nfuir nil
these years, when I have settled the
account with Judge and Jury, wlih
state and law that now I feel 1 must
tell you the truth? Miiduni, your ex
hUKlmnd, Errls Boyne, was a traitor.
He was an officer In the Fiunch nnoy
nnd he offered to make me on officer
also and pay mo well In French gov
ernment money, If I would break al
legiance sod unrw tint Prtuich cnuoe
the Mighty"
of Way'
,99
Copyright by Sir Gilbert Parker
Ah, don't start 1 Ho knew I wns on
my Inst legs financially. Ho knew I
had acquaintance with young rebel
lenders llko Emmet, nnd ho felt I
could bo won. So ho mnde his pro
posal. Because of your daughter I
held my peace, for sho could hear It
less than you. I did not tell the cause
of the quarrel. If I had, there would
have been for her tho double shame.
That was why I held my peace a
fool, but so It was!"
Tho woman seemed nlmost robbed
of understanding. His story over
whelmed her. Yet whnt the man hnd
done wns so quixotic, ro Celtic, that
her senses were almost paralyzed.
"So tnnd so mnd and bad nnd wild
you were," she snld. "Could you not
see It wns your duty to tell nil, no
mntter whnt tho consequences? The
tiiaii wns a villain. But what madness
you were guilty of, what cruel mad
ness 1 Only you could hnve done n
thing llko thnt. Errls Boyne deserved
denth I care not who killed him you
or another. Ho deserved denth, and
It wns right he should die. But thnt
you should kill him, apart from all
else why, indeed, oh, Indeed, It Is a
tragedy, for you loved my daughter,
und the killing mnde a gulf between
you! Thero could be no marriage In
such n case. Sho could not bear It,
nor could you. But pMaso know this,
Mr. Calhoun, that sho never believed
you killed Errls Boyne. She hns said
so again and ngaln. You nro Uio only
man who has ever touched her mind
or her senses, though many have
sought her. Wherever she goes men
try to win her, but she has no thought
for nny. Her mind goes back to you.
Just when you entered the garden I
learned and only then thnt you wero
here. She hid it from me, but Dar
ius Boland knew, nnd he hud seen
your man, Michael Clones, nnd sho
hud theii mude him tell me. I was
Incensed I wns her moUicr, nnd yet
sho had hid tho thing from me. 1
thought sho came to this Island for
the sake of Snlcm, and I found that
she came not for Salem, but for you.
. . . Ah, Mr. Calhoun, sho deserves
whnt you did to snvo her, but you
should not have done It,"
"Sho deserves all that any better
man might do. Why don't you marry
her to some great man In your repub
lic? It would settle my trouble for
me nnd free her mind from anxiety.
Mrs. Llyn, we are not children, you
und I. You know life, nnd so do I,
and "
She Interrupted him. "Be suro of
this, Mr. Calhoun, she knows life even
better than either of us. Sho Is, and
has always been, n girl of senso and
Judgment. When sho wns a child she
"Lord Mallow He Courts Her, Does
He 7"
was my master, oven In Irclnnd. Yet
sho wns obedient and faithful, and
kept her head In all vexed things.
Sho will have her wny, nnd sho will
have It as sho wants It, nnd In no
other manner. Sho Is ono of the
world's great women. Sho Is unique.
Child as she Is, she still understands
nil that men do, und does It."
"Why does nlie not ninrry? Is there
no man she enn bear? Shu could have
the highest, that's sure,"
lie spoke with passion and insist
life. If klio wero married hl trou
uio would ho over. Thu worst would
have come to him like denth. II
ad tho look of a lost angol, ono who
ell with Belial In the first duys of
dii.
"There Is no mnn she enn foonr
wept hero In Jumnlcn. It Is no use.
Your governor, Lord Mallow, whom
hhe knew In Ireland, who Is dlstnnt
kin of mine, ho has nlreudy mudo
advances hero to her, as ho did In
Iri'lund you did not know that. She
Is, rich, and he would he glnd of an
t'Htuti) that bring-, In scores of thou
Minds of pounds yearly. Ho hns nsked
us to stuy at King's house, hut we
have declined. We start for Snlem In
u few hours. She wnnta her baud on
the wheel."
"Lord Mallow I courts her, doea
hr Uio U.u fw -rrtatmer. nftiu
he might do worse, though If sno
were ono of my family I would rather
seo her In her grave than wedded to
him. For ho is selfish aye, ns few
men aro I He would eat and keep his
apple, too. His theory Is that life
Is but a game, and it must be played
with steel. Ho would squeeze the life
out of a flower, nnd give tho flower
to his dog to cat. Ho thinks first and
always of himself. Ho would trat,
there, ho would mako a good husband
ns husbands go for Bomo women, bat
not for this woman I It Is not because
ho Is my enemy I say this. It la be
cause there Is only ono woman Ilk
your dnughtcr, nnd that Is herself;
and I would rather see her married
to a hedger that really loved her thaa
to Lord Mallow, who loves only on
being on earth himself. But see, Mrs,
Llyn, now that you know all, now that
we three hnvo met again, and Uila Is
land Is small and tragedy Is at our
doors, don't you think your daughter
should bo told the truth? It will end
everything for me. But It would be.
better so. Your conscience will ba '
clearer, and so will mine. We shall
hnve done the right thing at Inst. Why
did you not tell her who her father
was? Then why hlnmc hie? You held'
your pence to save your daughter, as'
you thought. I held my tongue for'
the same reason; but sho Is so much,
n woman now thnt she will understand
as she could not hnvo understood years
ago In Limerick. In God's name let'
us spenk. Ono of us should tell Jicr,
nnd I think It should be you. And
see, though I know I did right In with
holding the facts about tho quarrel
with Errls Boyne, yet I favor telling'
her thnt he was a traitor. The whole
truth now or nothing. That Is my
view."
Ho snw how lined nnd sunken was
her face; he noted the weakness of
her cnrrlnge; he realized the task h
wax puttluir on her, nnd his licurt re
lented. "No, I will do it," he added, "
with sudden will, "nnd I will do It
now, If I may."
"Oh, not todny not today l" sha
snld with a piteous look "Let It net
be today. It Is our first day here,
and we nro due at King's house to
night, even In, an hour from now."
"But isn't It better to end tt all
now? Suppose Lord Mallow tells her."
"He did not before. Ho Is not like
ly now," wns tho vexed reply. "Is It
n thing a gentleman will speak of to
a lady?"
"But you do not know Mallow. If
he thought sho hnd seen mo today,
he would not hesitate. What would
you do, If you were Lord Mallow?"
"No, not todny," she persisted. "It
Is nil so mnny years n"go. It can hurt
nnught to wait a llttlo longer."
"When nnd where shnll It bo? ha
asked gloomily.
"At Snlem nt Snlem. Wo shall be
settled then and steady. There Is
every reason why you should consider
me. I hnve suffered as fow women,
have suffered, and I do not hate you.
I nm only sorry."
Far down nt tho other end of Uie
garden he saw Shclln. Her face was
In profile an cxqulslto silhouette. She
moved slowly nmong the pimento
bushes. '
"As you wish," he snld with a heavy
sigh. Tho sight of tho girl augulsued
his (soul.
CHAPTER XV.
At Salem.
The plantation of Snlem wns In a
region below tho Pedro plains in the
pnrlsh of St. Elizabeth, where grow
the nloe, nnd torch-thistle, and clumps
of wood which alter tho appearance
of the plain from the South Downs
of England, but where thousands of
cuttle and horses even In those days
wore maintained. The nlr of the dis
trict was dry and clustlc, nnd It fil
tered down to tho vnlleys near, Ilka
thnt whero Snlem was with Its clus
ters of negro huts nnd offices, Its mills
and distilleries whero sugar nnd rum
wero made. Salem was situated on'
the Blnek river, accessible by boats
and canoes. Tho huts of negro slaves
were nenr tho sugar mills, without
regard to order, but In clusters of ba
nana, nvocndo-penr, limes and oranges,
nnd with tho cultivated hind round
their huts mndo nn effective picture.
Every plnntntlon had n surgeon who
received n small sum for attendance
on every slnve, whllo special cases of
midwifery, Inoculation, etc., had n par
ticular allowance Tho surgeon hadi
to nttend to about four hundred to
five hundred negroes, on nn Income of
100 per annum, and board und lodg
ing nnd wnshlng, beside whnt he made
from his prncUco with tho whites.
Snlem was no worse than somo oth
er plantations on tho Island, but It was
fur behind such plantations as that
owned by Dyck Calhoun, and had been
notorious for the cruelties committed
on It. To such nn estato a lady Ilka
Sheila Llyn would bo u boon. Sho was
not on thu place a day bpforo she
started reforms which would turn thu
plantation Into a model scheme.
Houses, food, treatment of tho negroes
became at once n study to her, nnd
her experience fen Virginia was Inval
uable, She had learned thero not to.
work tho slaves too hurd In the warm
period of the day ; and s-ho showed her
Interest by having served nt her own
table the fnvorlte olio tho slaves nmdo
of plantains, bannnns, ynms, calalue,
eddoes, cassavl, and sweet potatoes
boiled with salt fish and flavored with
cayenne popper. This, with the un
ripe roasted plnntnlu ns bread, wns
a natlvo relish nndlienlth-gtvlng food.
"I hid it I did not want you
to know what your father
wm.m
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