| Show r r fhe to f virginia a ady hallie a erminie raime rives rive cars port illustrated by balur lamm stout st t Copyright 1013 1912 by dobbs bobb marcul oft I 1 im tempted to stay sick and do nothing but eat at net last title nho tumid and ci Li cating herself at the desk dealt took from it a diary she scanned the rages pages at random ran doni her eyes catching lines bete and there A good run today botta and judge chalmers and the pendleton Pond leton boys boya my fourth brush this season A frown drew itself across liar hor bilows end and she turned the page ono one of 0 the hounds hound broke lits his leg and I 1 gave him fin to rickey chilly L liick sk to dinner today after swi milling I 1 the ie loring rapid she ahe bit her lip turned abruptly to the new page and took up her pen this rao ining a twelve mile run to damory court she this afternoon wont went for cape jessa Jossa mines mince there she ebe paused the happenings and sensations of that day would not be recorded they were mere she laid do down a tier her pon pen and put liar her forehead on her clasped hands bands ilow how empty and inane these entries seemed beside this rich and eventful four our hours just passed I 1 what had bad she eho been doing a year ago today she wondered fhe lower drawer of tho the desk hold held a number ot of allin ollar leg like tho the one beffie her she pulled it out took up tip the last years volume lumis I 1 and opened it why she bho said eald in surprise I 1 I got jessamine foi mother this very same day last yearl year I 1 she ehe pondered ponde pond iod eted frown ing then reached for a third and a fourth from these she looked up startled that date in her mother 6 calendar called for capo jess Jessa mines what was waa the fourteenth of may to her lart she bent beat a slow troubled giue gaze about tier her the room had boon been hem heia as aa a child she seemed suddenly b back ack in that childhood mith v ath her mother bend ing over hot hei pillow and fondling hot hei rebellious hair when the tha wind clod for loneliness out in tho the dark she had bud sung eung old songs to tier her sad songie even in those pina pinafore foro years shirk y had bad vaguely realized that pain lay behind the bravo gay mask was that a something some event that had bad caused that dull colored life ar and Q un 11 fulfilment fulfillment and was waa today pei bapa its ite anniversary 0 IN 0 john job valiant sat eat propped up on the library couch an open magazine magalit le I 1 un blooded on hlo his knee the reading tand stand beside him was a litter of letters ad papers the bow window vas open and the honeysuckle breeze ble blew about him lifting lite his hair and ruff ruffling ling the leaves of tho the papers la in the gaiden three darkies were laboi label lug under tho the supervision of uncle jefferson the unsightly weeds meeds and lichen were gone from tho the graveled paths and from the fountain pool whose shaft abaft now spouted a slender spra epra ehl ellered ered by the breeze late into a million Bill llon diamonds which fell back into tho the pool with a trickle and drip the master of damory court closed the ma bagatine gaTine A ith a sigh I 1 it I 1 could only do it all at once oncel bo be muttered it take such euch a confounded time pour four daia daa been boiking now and they done much more than clean up ile he caughel laug hel and threw tho the magazine at the dog who dodged it with injured alacrity after oil all chum he remarked I 1 its ita cheen thirty cars getting in athla condition I 1 guess were ore doing prett well ile he stretched b tako take a hand band at it myself tomorrow tomo irow I 1 ini al to a right as ae rain again now thanks to launt aunt and the doctor some I 1 thang thing of a crusty citizen the doctor but hes all to the good A heavy stop step came along the porch and jefferson appeared with ith a tray holding a covered dish with mith a plate of biscuit and n R round jam pot look heie bete said john valiant 1 I ohad my luncheon three hours tio aro im being stuffed like a milk fed turkey the old man smiled widely eta ef jes its or cr all snack er broth he said eald ehll atil kinder float aroun do de suddah things din die yeah pots dat apple battah miss altos mattle sue IMS a jo 0 o by rickey snyder valiant on iffet satisfaction 1 I TO getting so BO confoundedly spoiled I 1 ho he said that I 1 m tempted to stay sick alck and do nothing but eat cat by the 1 way ay undo uncle jefferson where did rickey como come from I 1 does she belong here to a bull she come torn tom rolle helle half act a ahat a that dats dat orne ornery ry 0 folks condah on do dome explained un do clo jefferson doys days been dah longs ali ah kin ida jes er ram lot 0 ol 01 aili po pol white trash git derlong it t all Tl iata interesting said bald valiant so rickey belonged there yau yas suh auh debbah d a come com a down hash cep cepin in fo mis shirley she do ono one fotch fetch do lil IN gal dat place en put huh wid mattle sue three yeah ergo A sudden color carne came into john va lianes checks checha toll tell mo me about it ills ilia voice vibrated eagerly well suh continue continual 1 uncle jetter jeffer bon an I 1 dy was one 0 dem lowdown low down hell B half aci ere name greet king call beset do de mayah ob do de dome tn en ho he went on do rampage one day on took ills big wife she wall wag er po pol sickly boman vid er it I 1 gal five yeah ol 01 by or cr fust foot husban lie ha done lit b at huh heap 0 times bero lint but die time ho be boun tor ter finish huh bull AU ali realen reck n ho he was wae too trunk drunk to fo tut dat eu en she die got ei ciway way oil en nm iun down heah ceab I 1 t was wais time on en diah snow enow on do gi gifun oun dahs dahn or cr load torn do doue couo dat lilts ailts df dc red lied road clout ter nose wood dat d at ar arc a rc a do 13 1 3 dandridge en an she rome come dah hecken she ehe wu ei ci pitiful lookin obstacle peas lak lah slit aho done put de all III gal up lit in de cabin lof oil en hid bid de faddah en she mos to fo beah arlof git bit huh she let he huntin to lo do de oung lun un ahen hen she run away doy was ony dils judith on en mis alls on en do gal lm line at rosewood well suh euh de doy want no time ter sou son to fo men yo NIN shirley do she bho aln afeard oi 0 on oil its dla on en she ony yoila ol 01 don too she don tell mis judith jadith no buhl buh she run out tei de stable on en saddle hull bull boss on en she one callop up dat road tor ter hells half acre lak laic er shot outon or er shovel 11 valiant brought his hie hands bands together sharply yes yea yes ho he said and then I 1 I 1 when she cone ter greet greef kings cabin ho be done foun do kaddah en one ei he be footo anas as on de rung ile ho had er ax in fit he ban de po pa III gal gaj was waa down thoo do cracks 0 do da lie flo en an pi ay in do beshoo she bho know how she ho say eay dat she bho do de good lowd sen een er angel to fo mis shirley mare all in white she ehe dian didn stop ter change huh bull close she dian didn say bay mis shirley dian didn she ony lay huh bull lian ban on greet great kings king a ahm on lie he look at huh bull face on en ho he drop he a ax on en go don den she dumb clumb de faddah on n fotch fetch de chilo down in huh ahme en an take huh on do de hobb boss en an come caroe back dat do way ot c happen suh sub and rickey was that little child ayas yaa suh buh she bhe sho A as in do lawnin ei posse lone dono ride up tor ter hell a halt half aero acre en take greet king in do de cajah ho he de case to fo do state en an when hen he done git thoo day dey moo inoc put pat de tow lioun kings nok nek la in do da coot loom boom lie ho done got six yeah on en ct at mos broke do de magaha habit ha at dat doy day couldn coulden rive give him no mo me lie he cat t n y er bad nig dat giedt auz DO say bay he done abah he gwi do up lip do cajah when ho he git out suil such was the botory which undo uncle jetterson Jolt JetT eiBon eison told standing in the doorway hon his shuffling step had re trea td valiant wont neat to the table and picked up a bliku tooled blume that lit in there it nas ln anelle Luc elle llo alch lie he ha I 1 foun found d lit in the hall tho the nl knitht lit ol of his aneval a I 1 ival ile ho opened it to a pago aliers and but still retain in ing its bricht rod pigment lay shat lind been a n roie roge lie he stood lo looking oldrig at it abat abstractedly his no stilli 3 to its ita cl crushed bushed spicy scent scant thon then closed it and slipped it into his bin pocket CHAPTER XVI in devil johns day he IN was its sitting bitting motionless when curne came a knock knack at the door and it opened to admit the eibo olce ot of doctor southall A big form was close behind him I 1 liell hell up I 1 see BOC I 1 took the liberty ot of bringing major the master of 0 dummy court came form forward arol limp ing tho the least and bands glad to inow you sah bah said tho the major allow mo me to congratulate you its not doiy nei y one alio vho gots gets lit bit ton ten by one of infernal mocca bins that lives to talk bout it you must bo be a pet of providence or elso else you lime have a cA cast stiron iron constitution sah ball valiant wined waned ills hla hand toward the man of medicine who said I 1 reel on miss bliss schley was mas tho the providence in the caso case she hat hal sense enough to solid tor for me quick imd and speed did it well sah bab tho major raid 11 1 I reckon under tho the our alist Imp lonn ot of the section aren arent anything tor for us to brag about im delighted its ito hard tor for vie me to toll tell how much walt till 3 ou oil know the th tool place growled the doctor tastily I 1 youl shange 3 sour our tune guao the major smiled genially dont be taken lit in by the doctors pessimism have to get it yoke ot of three ear car oxen to drug drag him out ot of this state it would take taho as many for me valiant laughed a little you who have always lived here her can scarcely carcell car cely understand what I 1 am feeling I 1 imagine you see BOB I 1 never neter knew till quite recently recent lymy my childhood wass largely beut abroad aad I 1 have no near iola tives that my father was aas a virginian and that my ancestors anceo tors always hied here why theres a room upstairs with mith the ho very toys they played with mith when they were chil children drent to loam learn that I 1 belong to it all that I 1 mi self am the last link lit in such each a chain I 1 the ancestral instinct sald eald the doctor I 1 I 1 m glad to see that it means meana something still in these rotten days of course john valiant continued I 1 ever ono one knows that he has ances tors hut but im beginning to see that what ou call the ancestral instinct a locality and a place in a way ay it seems to me that an old estate like this has a soul too a sort of clan or family soul that leads on the descendant Il rather ileather a Jopa ja nesy idea it observed the major but I 1 know what i on mean MB be why old vir virginian finlan families hang bang on to their land in spite of liell hell and highwater high water they count their foie faie beara bears real live people quite capable ot of turning over to in their gi lives alln mine are beginning to seem very rial to efto I 1 dont even know their chrewan names yet I 1 can call judge them by their handiwork the men who mho built damoil court had EL 0 ense of be auty anil and ot of art and thila share of deviltry too put in III the docton 1 11 I suppose so BO admitted his host 1 at ahli distance I 1 can bear even that but good or bad im that they choso chose Vl iginia sinca ive been 1 ild up I 1 vo licen boon in it ow oa sing in tho the library hero A lilt bit out of date now I 1 reckon sa eald id tho the major bat it used to pass caos houi grandfather ans some thins thing oi a book worm ho he wrote arote a history of tho the family oll III t hev lie yes ivo ive found it the gallants Vali Val ants lants of Virg virginia intal ira I 1 m loading lending tho the revola tiomai y chapters now it novel seemed real before its been beca a slice 0 ot impersonal and lather dull history dut but the book his has inide it como come alive im lining tho the of the globe trotter the alist time lie ho sees seen the tow toa er of I 1 ondon or tho the held of waterloo I 1 seo sen mote moio than that stubble field out aonder I 1 eco a big wooden stockade with mith sold leis in jaegel buff and blue gu aiding it the mafoi nodded I 1 ali ah aps ho he said eald I 1 tho the continental prison camp and jupt juet avei this ilse filhe there I 1 can see BOO an all old court house and the virginia assembly boiling under the golden tongue lashing ot of lean rawboned patrick I 1 see bee it a messenger gallop up tip and see the members scramble to their saddles and then Tai leton and ills his redcoats streaming up too late well f Lommen commented ted the doctor deliberately era tely all I 1 have to say Is dont materialism materialise materi alise too much to mrs poly gifford when you meet her shell have you leet tring to the ladles ladies church guild before 5 ou know it 1 I hope iou ride mr valiant the latter ased genially I 1 in fond of it said valiant but I 1 have no horse as yet 1 I was thinking pursued the major ot of the coming tournament I 1 tournament the doctor cut in A ridiculous cock a doodle do which N gives the young I 1 I 1 ed ti ai 1 kl 60 1 aa 1 ac 4 1 ct 4 1 I 1 vie other cot up and stood before the mantel piece in a napoleonic Attl tuo a bucks it ii chimes chance to rig out in silly billy tog goi deiy y and prance their rolta colts beffi 0 a lot f petti petticoat coit a I 1 I 1 it a nn an annual affair explained tho the major ft a lint ol 01 spectacle for man b tho way may it hati been liel hell I 1 on a part of this estate ou oil will mill have no objection to its uso use this sa at asony oll nad at night there Is a dance at ai tho the countr club dy by the way ou must lot me ino introduce you there tomorrow toi I 1 vo va t iken tho the liberty already tili cady of putting our name up good loid glow gioI led ed tho the doctor aside 1 ho counts himself fungi if lit id reached bour our tige bristow I 1 loon ou hive hide said the major nettled tour scars ars egol agol As I 1 was saying mr valiant ride for a prize it a a very ancient thing lne ie seen keen bences to it in a colonial manuscript in the byrd I 1 library at westover no doubt its come down rom the old jousts yon don t mean to say eay arlel ills hla hearer bearer in genuine astonishment that virginia has a lineal of the tourney the major nodded yes tea certain sections of kentucky used to have it too but it has died out there it exists now noa only in this beato bbate its ft a curious thing that the old knight lyl meetings of the middle ages should survive today only on oil american soll soil and in a corner comer of virginia I 1 doctor southall meanwhile had set his gaze on the litter of pamphlets hoi hal turned with an appreciative eye youre beginning in earnest thal agricultural department and the thab congressional frank 1 I im in afraid I 1 im m a sad lad sketch as aa a i scle aust laughed vallant valiant my mya point of view has bag to be a somewhat practical one I 1 brust be self sup supporting lort dandry court to Is a big it has giali lands and forest as well mell if my ancestors lived irom it I 1 can its it B not only that herout he went on more 1 I want mant to mako make the most of the plue place for its own sake too not only of its ita possibilities foi earning but of its natural beauties I 1 lack the resources I 1 once had but I 1 can give it thought and work and it if they can bring damory court back to anything an thing oven even ren ran cotely resembling what it once was not spare either the major smote emote hla his knee and even tiro the doctors face showed a grim if transient approval I 1 I believe you 11 do it exclaimed the former and let me sa aa salt nali that the hood |
