Newspapers / The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, … / April 26, 1908, edition 2 / Page 7
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CIIAIiLOTT". DAILY OBSERVER, APRIL 2S, 1008. The Reincarnation of Kr. Casvallon - : 'Author of "For.tho Love of Lady, Margaret," Etc.. - - : ' - ' vxxniiiAst tbomas wilsox. , r - i- The unusual circumstances connect ed with the death or Mr. uaswauon. and- ths-. many conflicting. rumors which the strange manner of hl death hays riven arise to; Induce me to swbinit to the public the manuscript found by 1 mo , upon his . estate , some . weeks after hia death ' sAs fela nearest irtend. and the only person having any acquaintance with Caswallon's eccentric, mod of life, I have received many inquiries i irom scientific and medical authorities, men of the highest standing in their re spective professions, asking; f or any of throwing Mht upon the, singular occurrences detailed in the menu- Y ' script Which I nave oeiore menqonea. y .r Knowing - the fragmentary nature ' OX -wis reporvs wiucu oavi wcq m- culated. and the proheness to exag geration which characterises -matters i of this description. I have , answered ' one and all - that I would submit, in a short time the complete manuscript to the public, together with a 'brief statement of such Information In my possession which might bo useful as - bearing upon the manuscript." . (Of Mr. Caawallon (himself there ' can be no question ' that he - was In complete possession of all his facul- - ties st the : time when the alleged circumstances took place. He was a man of unusual brilliancy Of intellect. U- ; r.' of keen perception. . and very little given to dreaming . or Imagination.' Having Inherited a fortune from his , father, the .late Chancellor .Caswal lon, he spent most of his time at his . magnificent country ' home, ' Druid ' Hall. ' . - . ' ; -- v? - ''J I :. t or his ancient family little need be said, for from the earliest history of . ... .1, tne nortn country, ireicmng r iw into the dim. shadows of Roman Britain and connecting with the na tlve CelUo kings Is the1 name of Cas- wallon. - Druid Hall, however had ra eently been purchased by Mr. Caswal' Ion, who resided there alone, with only a few servants, being a bachelor and without any near relatives. On the night of his death Mr. Cas- tt 4 V -wallon had ; returned from. long : stroll upon his magnificent . restate, and feeling somewhat tired ' had thrown himself at full length upon a couch in the great halL The butler had gone to get him. a glass of Ice? ; water, for which he had called' and - upon his arrival had been somewhat surprised to find no trace of his mai ler. Only a great pool of blood was .- upon the couch, and could be traced down the steps of the porch and for some little distance down the .broad venue. -Tea doubtless remember the great ' , public excitement which the mystery of the aflalr.gave rise to: Many were the theories advanced by the press, the most plausible being that Mr. Cas- wallon had been murdered In the. hall In the absence of the butler, and his body carried away by- his assassins for .the purpose of ransom. But the ' days passed, and nothing more-was heard .or him. . .. " , "- - " v I had Immediately taken charge of affairs at Druid Hall, and with the assistance- of the police authorities and score of private detectives had . searched every square foot of 'the n ' tire estate without avail. I had put : all .the servants through a very rigid examination' with the help of my barrister, a very shrewd fellow, and had -Anally been forced to the con elusion that they were Innocent of the crime. If any crime had been com ; mltted. , . -'. . I was returning late In the evening from a day spent. In fruitless seach, .when a sudden shower caused me to leek refuge among some huge stone monoliths , which stood about 109 yards from the house, the remains, so tradition runs, of an ancient Druid I cal temple, hence the name of the estate. Druid Hall. ,2 The continued downpour of rain - soon caused me to cast around for . some, more effectual shelter, and I had almost made up my mind to break asii4 ex sTat (task tAiaa wVam Staasln jV. sharply at the great slabs which stood v around .me I discovered a fissure be v tween two of the large ones, leading ' back' Into -what appeared to be - a recess beneath the columns.-" The cavity was only a small one, .'probably of about two feet in width, 'but ' wtt4 Cut more lnfestlga) loV 1 ' squeesed into it, glad to be out of the . pelting rain. But it had like to have -, been a more serious matter than I -r had anticipated, for what I had taken V to be a mere opening between the columns proved to be a cavern of some ten feet in depth, so that in- stead f crawling la , upon the level ground as I expected. I took a head- er down Into the plutonlan gloom, as though I had suddenly-. sprouted v ' wings. ' - ' - . Luckily' I struck the bottom upon mr- hands and - knees, without - sus , tainlng any more serious Injury than ; merely barking my shins, and spring v -fng up I struck a match and peered ; - about me. It was a little cave of some feet in diameter in which I stood, the bottom of smooth white sand. ' As. ths light flamed up t ut , tered an exclamation, for there Upon ; the dther side of the cave, upon ths floor,- as though cast aside in haste, "lay art. antique -bronse-sword.-r r ' ' Now I am somewhat of an antii nuarlan. being chiefly Interested in the enrly history of Britain, and be - Ing able to read fslrly fluently the rude language of that gallant race. I So fapldly crossing over to the other ' side Df, the cavern, I picked up the , . prehistoric weapon and examined It. The'are was that of the first century after. Christ, and closely Inspecting the pointless blade, there seemed upon it what might have originally been eith er blood or rust. "- - 1 ' stcod there ' for some ' minutes motionless. Whs4 hand, long since ilust.-': hs once grsaned - this rude weapon? To whet wild scenes of sav ' age warfare had Jt not been witness t Perhaps some ' savage .: warrior, stricken to death and closely pursued Vrvhts exulting foes, had discos fed this hiding p!ac in ths -old ' Druid is temple, and had crawled within It to die. The rtfow - centuries had ' long 'rlnce reduced his body Into dust. , leaving aione . the old grim reminder of the shortness of - the -mortal span and the uncertainty r rate. ? But the noise of the storm was rsp Idly subsiding outside, and glancing around me to make certain that I had overlooked nothing else, if. prepared to scrambls tap to the mouth of the ' cavern by. means of a large stone WMh lav beneath It -- Then It was that t became cora sHous of some other presence within fhst dim esvern-which unseen and invlalhle was-yet eaertins a nowerful Hiflnence-uponrnrmlnd.- Smnanig nr yes looked around. There was no one there: and yet some unknown ense within me told me ,th"at I was not alone. And there under the silent man- rste ef. the .inscrafable I beran to r-ovo the rock which lay underneath ' the entrance to the cave. Gods! It wis a task as X strained and tugged! s.t that heavy stone. As well try to budgs the mansion itself as that great oouider. ; ( . . . , ; - r' ' 'I1' was' about to give 'up the task as hopeless., when there rsn through me' s, sudden shock, which l ean only describe e.s resembling that-produced by a strong current of electricity. At the thrill of that strange sensation-there-came to me the strength of ten men, ; Bending over ' X tore the. great rock from its foundation., ' Underneath it was something which shone- white In the twilight. Snatch ing it up under the command of that invisible, presence, I sprang upon the sverturned rock, and hotting through tbs opening, I ran for the house, - The rain had ceased, and I reached the mansion In a few minutes. ' My .first thought was of the package. and hastily unrolling it. l cameo it beneath the nearest light end read slowly that remarkable document, - It was written in the long forgot ten , British tongue, and ' long In . the nights have I worked upon It translating-the crude language Into mod ern English, and below 1 give the manuscript . In , full: ' i "Alone in the . cavern beneath the temple of the Priest Caradoc I have1 crawled, like . stricken wow w o Slowly, painfully I have dragged myj . , 1 1 . AA . .1.1. Una . 1 tlirsnlnr limbs to this love spot. and as the wine of life ebbs to Its dregs, there' comes to tns vague. In distinct, thoughts, which take shape and form out of the dim mists of the . past at first faintly, and then more distinctly, until Anally it u somes fresh and clear.- before my weary eyes, and as the garment of life prepares to slip from m I write. -t iriutw mw wh I was first at tracted to ? this dear spot, when my eyes beheld 4t some brief, seasons ag before' jny puny mind had connect ed nr.. lorloue ' past with the dull present., and why each foot ot roll Inf ground, each hill and knoll, evenlmen of a dosen tribes, And now ths very stones and thickets seemed strangely familiar to me. ' " "And the crumbling '.ruins of that old Druldlo temple of the Priest, grim ' caradoo ha7 I could have sworn "that at som peHod of my life I had .stood within that very temple, mld the silent threng of sav age Britons, and as the wild shout of - joy . crashed through, the silent hills,, had seen the luckless captives dragged i down ' to perish under the sacrlflcial knife. . "But these thoughts only struggled vainly with ;my- traitor memory, and with a . sigh I was forced to turn away, perplexed an troubled. So the long- Months passed by. while I rambled amidst the green flelds of my. lordly estate. And as I idled thus, lo! out of the misty past there came the messenger for which my soul had -unconsciously waited so long. V . V- .' . . '"I bad discovered that there once stood uponAhe knoll, from which my mansion now arose, the palace of some Boman Patrician, probably the ruler of these fertile 'lands, when England bowed 'beneath the yoke .of Imperial Rome. . And ; my : discovery came about like this. '. "Several - times had , I noticed the gentle : wells and ridges which ran at regular intervals around the j house, as though at one time there j hsd once ran a series of ramparts or walls about the hill. r WU HUVUI, WIW HUM "One day I had questioned one of tnv old laborers whose fathers had dwelt "time out of mind upon this self -same spot and he told me the tradition, that at one time the Roman dwelt within a lordlv palace, with tribune. Tiberius Orucchus, . had gleaming white columns ana spienam nortlcoes. uoon this vsry knoll. , " 'Great times thsy ad, sir. ' hs murmured, pausing a minute in his work to lean upon his spade and wipe the drops of perspiration from hjs, grimy forehead, as he looked up at' me. . ' . " ' ;" ..' ," 'Ird. l", -'twould do your "eart good to hear my old daddy tell the ! tale. -How the Romans were feast ing - in their glided palace like the Egyptians of old. sir, with their wine and'TOUsle.:' (Giles is , rther pious; and the shocked look of disapproba tion upon his face was laughablle to behold) - and . while they were stttln' there, up comes the Britons, all des perate.' sir, with their woes, led by a British chief, and they ciypt up to the white palace, and all of a sud den They busted In and kllled'the guards and every last' soul In the 'ouse. . ;, . "Then they set Are to the building,- and burned it -down, to the ground. A good riddance It was, too,' and psusing a minute to see what effect the tale would have on me, he sighed meditatively, and then resumed his work of setting out . a new hedge upon 'the -lawn. fThe - tale somehow mads an lm- pressionupon. me. .and . picking . up a mattock, which lay upon the ground, I went, back to. the rear of the house, and selecting a place where the ground seemed to' offer on inviting proipect for; discovery, I began to dig. ; ' - f -y--. y "y. "A good two hours I must have labored thus, and I was beginning to grow tired and to think of lunch. Putting all my strength Into a great bio Wr which t X intended should end ' my morning's work, , my pick struck something . which .rang hard against the metal, and breaking through some ' solid substance, flew from ; my hands and out of. sight 'J'- ;. s -uenaing aown i "uncovered anl 1 si u oia waib udi iook at the solid - stone .and the splendid workmanship .was 'enough for me. It was Roman. - -' "Calling Giles and a couple ef oth er stout fellows who were at work upon. the place. I set them to digging, and before evening they had uncov ered the banquet " hall of, a noble Roman Palace. Jove I how fresh the " wwrw upon me wans, and the mosaic of the floor. The very fawns and t satyrs upon- the painted , wal la ieraa-,w leer, ss though It OM yesterday that they bad Witnessed the revels of stalwart Romas pfw- weapon as a'efana and - aneeniv- wimuii . .... It had bsen nineteen hundred vr. since they had seen -mortal , Ana as i lOOKea - upon them T anew neyonnd a doubt that I had seen thoee walls ere this. Why the very leer of the drunken Pan the cori nee opposite was as familiar to roe ss my own face. Had X not hacked a curl from his hsad,.at some dim long vanished hour . in ; that behind me." . -.. "Slowly, Irresistibly I drew nearer that wanton ' figure, while thoaa dull i1" gape-Behln4 merWttft- as exclamation a srsrtea - back. ' As I iivs mere was missing tns curl upon his lift templet . - "Some mighty emotion stirred my very -beins;. so that existence - Itself seemed to tremoie and totter. There seemed tugging, and throbbing at my life a power In whose hands X was as wax. These called to me out of th shadowy existence past dear long forgotten voices, which fell upon my ears as the sabllms strslns of majes tic music. ' Faces, vaguely famlUir flashed across that mirror, which we poor mortals call the mind, and beckoned to' me with : sweet Insist nee, r( ;. .y "And I stretched out my empty arms to them, my cold heart warm ing under their gentle presence, as ths dying embers suddenly flare Into lire at the blast of the winter gale. '" "A hoarse cough from one of the wondering rustics behind me brought me bar Into life, an J with sigh X regretfully turned from the noble ball and clambered hack to earth. i- "Prom that "hour I waited for the message wfcJch would summons me back, to that life which my. spirit knew before it unwillingly came Into the oody of the Caswallon which the earth- now knows. , v fl hail i.ot long to wait, for one cny I know not now how long ago, for my pulsing spirit has " forgotten those petty throbs by which mortal! ty measures that little round which it calls time as I sat in the. great hall of my mansion. calmly resting nfter a long tramp; there came upon mm that . ann..' Mlhii . atnifftflA . nf me that same' mighty struggle -of my spirit I can only describe It as a struggle between the - soul, anxious to be free, and the base clay, eager to retain the spark of "dull, material existence. "And as I sat thus, lo! by the sa cred mistake, life dropped from me, as the ripe corn from the withered talk, and ray. sou Id came again to its own with a great throb of Joy. "From every knoll ' and ; morass. from every hill and fen, there biases the red light of the signal V res, as we summons to . the fray the fighting they gather by th pale moon, .while around glimmers the flaring torches. "Prom the dark morasses of Caer Mona comes the stern Casslar, and as he musters his wild, men, he thinks of his murdered mother,, who fell under the hard '. hand of the proud Romans, and he swears by the holy oak, which grows by the waters of the silent Hures, to spare no soul of the hated ' conquerors. "From the hills of the rugged west comes Am wern. the bold, with hundred valiant fellows, trained In many, a hard fought field, and as step torwara to meet ; them, my oronss Chairs shining in the red light Of the fires, Arnwren grips my hand with both his own, and turning to -his dauntless followers, he greets me as the. King of British Then up there goes a great shout. wmcn must have startled ths haugh ly Komans, who feast in the great house, which'. - shines so ' bravely through the dark trees, and my gal lant followers take 'up the cry with a - right good Will, so that the very trees, and the temple of Caradoc near us, reverberate, to the sound. Through the great thrpng of Joy ous Britons now comes Caradoc him self, and they part reverently before him, as with head bent, he crosses to where I stand., brave in my wolf skins and bronses, and reaching his hand beneath ,- his mantle he lifts high above his head the golden crown ' - ' I 'of the ancient 'kings, and as the low murmur of astonishment dies out which the people raise when they be hold the long lost relic, he speaks: -ins wise ones of the past when nuan was governed by her own j sons, foretold that the crown of her t-iuen noma never oe aiscoverea un Ul she should again be free.- And so it has been, for as I stood at my altar oy the sacred names on yesterday, lol a deep sleep fell upon me, and as in a. dream X beheld the place in which the crown was concealed. Be hold I now place it upon the brow of one' of . her ancient blood and pro claim him king.' - "Thus spoke the drivelling old do tard, and I believed him fool that I was to think that a handful of wild barbarians could overturn the power of Imperial Rome, whose stern le gions had faced unmoved the terrors rf a thousand flelds of carnage end bloodshed I And thus we feasted, while the priests slaughtered the white oxen and with solemn Incar nation made propitiation for our Victory.--' ;i , , "The wild scene comes hack to me,; as though it were yesterday, as I lie within this accursed cave Snd writer while around me there dances the pale faces of that gallant race, as the lamp of life burns rapidly a own to me socitet. - . "The little . grassy plan, surround ed i by the dark trees, within which moved the dense '-throng-of warriors, women and children, as they gesticu lated eagerly and talked of the com ing fray; and amid them, his" long yellow locks afloat-ln,, the breese and his sword , clinking against his round shield, the chief among the , throng, moved Caswallon.. King of Biitian. "Below us two miles away the house of -Tiberius . Gracchus was ablase with light ss the haughty Roman feasted his noble guests, and In Ms pride dreamed of the day when he should wear the purple, and ' lord It over all the . Britons. Uttls thought they of our signal Area They hsd seen them. too often before, when we summoned the clans to the sacrifice or the council, and they had grown accustomed to the sight long ere this. '.."- - - -. .. - - "But they do not reckon upon the courage engendered by .weary years of toll and the sweat and Insults. Tou do not reckon upon the coursge of despair. Tiberius Gracchus, as you 1 drink deep of the costly wines, and posr. out your soft words Into th listening ear .of . yonder , black-eyed dame, - who ' reclines beside y in "But the hour has come, for the light-footed tribesmen have stolen back with-the tidings that the Rom ans keep but careless wstch to-night, and I muster my fighting men. Ave hundred true and tried warriors, ea ger for the fray, and we pass out Into the night - - . . "We are divided Into two compa nies, one of which.! lead mreetf. the other - commanded by i. the traitor Casslar a curs upon htm? For the stern -Casslar has long dreamed of the flay when his frowning brows shall wear the golden crown . which Mes upon hr head, and even now be plot my overthrowat ' The cool nisht air, laden with the scent of the deeo forests and the wild flowers, beats upon my fevered broWi aa- sword - mhswdf "press: dnwif the slops at the head of my gallant Britons. And the sound Cf the rat tllng swords and shields, and the deeo tread of my men behind me. Is as the sound of sweetest music In my ears. For I dream of a great re united Britlan, whose martial arms shall re-conquer the white Island, and then sweeping out Into the fer tile plains of Gaul, found a great e. I pire wmcn snouia aaaaa to its iouo ! d&tlons even Rome Itself. ' IZ!Pefhps the marble halls of that great clly might re-echo to the tread of my ' victorious - legions, a with flashing swords - we. pass Into Its market place, and there receive the homage of that grand nation, whose eagles had devestated the world. - "Such thoughts ss these wvre mine, as with pulsing heart I neared tnat palace, whoee familiar walls were to draw me back - to it some eighteen hundred .years after, when In altered form.- but with changeless soul. stood once more within its painted portals. "O mysterious Eternal ' One, ."' who with unwearied hand doth preside over all our little comings snd goings upon that puny canvass which men can life, had tt t ben better that I were not called back out of the echoless void which lies behind, to drink for a moment ot .the cooling spring . of recollection, and then hie me back Into that dark region whenca-I came? -' "And now we neared the outposts of the Romans. . Halting my men momentl whispered to them to await me there, concealed behind the dark undergrowth, , and slipping by the olive-skinned sentinel who, leaning upon his spear, dreams of the cloud less nights of his sunny land, I eau tlously neared the house. . Crawling under one of the great windows peered within. . . , "By the sacred mistletoe! ' 'twas noble sight at which I gased. Down ths splendid banquet hall there ran a great table, which was laden with all the - dainties that Britain and Rome could Yufalsh. Heaped high upon the board were the purple grapes In clusters, and the flowers hung in festoons above the heavy needs of the Romans. "There were centurians and senat or's about that great table, and gold en armor touched shoulder to shoul der with linen -toga. Bold captains of mercenaries, whose hard hands had wrung from the despairing Brit ons their lost coins, now drank deep of the mellow -wine, as with smiling faces they recounted their marvelous adventures among the barbarians. Grave statesmen, their ' brows knitted with the cares of state, dis cussed the affairs of Rome and Brit aln, and vowed that the chalkv cliffs of the Island might well, bless the nour.wnen the' keel of Caesar'. r1 ley had grated upon Its shors. 'There were ' nroud lad lea th too, swathed in the rich atiiffa r m nu climes, reclining upon the heavy couches, and the torches flamed down upon their ivory throats and here wmte arms, and sparkled upon their Buia ana jewels, as the servants fan ned, them with the peacock feathers. "But as I turned mv savara. Brit. Ish eyea toward the head of the board, where sat the stately Tiberius Qrao. chua, I half started. For beside him tnere sat the queenllest lady that I have ever seen. From her black eyes there shone a deep, sweet light which captured my wild heart upon the spot, and her long, dark hair gleam- ea line tne wing of the eagle. "A minute thus I stood, half start led by the beauty, and then I vowed tnat tnat proud lady shoukl be mine Mine those great black eyes, with ths strange, .deep light which stirred my being as never woman had done be fore: mine that swelling throat and round Dare arma "Turning. I softly crept back to my unions, wno cnaxea impatiently be hind those, dark trees below me. Half the distance I had gope, when front tne otner side of the mansion there came a loud shout of alarm, and then from out of the dark night there came that long quavering cry with which the Britons had heralded their wild charges, when in days past they had met tne serried ranks of Rome. And then from out of the dark ness came my warriors, a gallant band, ail mad with ths Joy of battle and the slaughter of the outposts, and with me at their head they streamed down upon the palace. "Brier as the time had been sines the alarm, ths Romans had poured out from the great house, and the tenth legion, which was quartered in the trees immediately surrounding the palace, had formed in some sort of order about the porticoes, and there, led by Tiberius Gracchus himself, they met us. Nothing daunted. We charged uoon mem. with a snower oi Javelins, and then with our bronse swords in our hands, our bare, hot breasts open to tne night breete we Closed. A noble youth, his armor shining in tne moonlight had thrust at me. and now with sneering lip he cried: . "wnat, Daroanani Tnink you that Rome la conquered thus?- As soon cllp4ha eagle's wings with that round shield which hangs upon that tawny arm of thine.' - - -. . . - . But X answered nothing. Only X stabbed so fiercely behind that glid ed breastplate that the hot warm blood spurted -up -Into my eyes, and then I passed en to the next foe. A few- minutes later-1 trod - upon - his silent figure, as I fought and cut J among those dark-haired soldiers. .' "Much: as I hated" the Romans, I could not restrain a thrill of admi ration, as I watched those calm ranks around me, and how coldly they met death. Not an -Inch did they give back as they sternly locked arm to arm, and though they fell thick and fast beneath our strong arma never for an Instant did they hesitate or waver. '," "Those grassy ' slopes drank blood that wild night and the wide porches and steps were all thick with the the glotted gore of friend snd foe. Bids by side lay the Roman in his armor and the Briton in his skins. The ruddy locks ef Islander and ths raven hair of a warmer clime were all, tangled upon the red floors. . - 'Twice had I closed with Tiberius Gracchus himself, and twice had the strus s-llne- foemen separated us. as the red tide of war ebbed and flowed, 1 And now we met again, and the Ro man recognised me with a shout . "'Ho. Briton. It shall not be said that a savage foemsn crossed swords thrlcs with Tiberius Gracchus and went unscathed. For the last time have you bearded a Roman patrician In his home.' - ,. "f answered back grimly enough: . " 'At least- I shall beard no more Tiberius Gracchus, for-my sword shall drink his blood, this night "Angered by my taunt he Jhrust at me so fiercely thst hsd 1 not caurht ' the' sword upon my bronse shield. Jt had gone hard with me. The blade snapped sheer off In his hands with the force of the blow. Gods' I can hear now that tingling sound as the bright metal broke and the fiery exclamation which came from the lips of the proud Roman, as he beheld himself weaponless at my mercy. - - "But a stout eenturlan with a shout thrust himself between us and met my ready blaser-eM-then- rem- bn hind the gTestwh Its house there came the stern Casslar with his men. "Long and loud rang out the war cry of. ancient Britain, and I doubt not that those rucred hills and trees welcomed the familiar sound, which had rose so often In those misty dsys In ths prehistoric pint, when Briton nu in ,i 1 1 n in .it ursoif airus I gle, and the red blood hsd flowed as freely as even It did at the sacrlflcial stone. , ; ' f " "Back t shouted L the burly een turlan, whose deep, voice- rang -out like the roar of the white bull of Caradoc. 'Back to the palace! And tne stern Romans, unconquerable In death as tn life, slowly retreated, foot by foot to the great house. , ; - '.They Were sore ' pressed between the men of .Casslar and my wild war riors, but calmly, undauntedly they kept their ranks, and though every foot of soil was piled with their slain -they at laaf reached the porticoes.- But here they could make no . further headwav. and their shining - ranks broke into a ' score of little groups. and there with -their - backs against the painted walls and fluted columns. Lthey made their last stand. "I had causrhtv sight of the golden helmet of Tiberius Gracchus in the great banquet halt and with a. score of wild tribesmen, their streaming blades in their red hands, I followed him. ' There I crossed blades with him for the last time In a corner of the vast room, beneath the sneering Pan, who stared unmoved from the wall above at us. "The Roman waa a soldier and a Dhllosooher, Back down the ages ssy that for you. Tiberius Gracchus, and mavhao your dauntless soul shall be comforted by that word. For you lost all that wild . nigntnome. friends, fame, and a bright lady and yet as you faced me you met, my steel as unmoved as tnougn you sai once mors unon your curvetting charger, your - loyal legions at your beck and calL " 'Jove!- he muttered beneath his hmih 'never did Roman meet sav age foeman more worthy of his steel than this wild Briton "Mv tribesmen were at work cut tins down the Romans one by one, but they gave us a wide berth, as the nobla Homan and myself cut and slashed at each other ueneain tne lnarins Pan. Ten minutes we mignt have struggled thus, and then I gath ered myself for ons last thrust Ti berius Gracchus had staggered back a half pace, for he was wounded in many places and weaa irom io m blood. "Whirling my bronse sword about my head, I cut at him with all my force. But oulck as I was he was quicker. Springing aside- ne - tnrew himair hick arainst tne wan. sna mv eaa-er sword saahed the face of the leering Pan, and cut from his left temple the curl which hung upon it "With a shrill whistle there flash ed by me a Javelin, and ss i looaea it cauaht ths Roman In the throat Without a sound he dropped like a lor. With an angry exclamation turned to my men, but as I did so there rang out from somewhere in the house a loud scream- the scream of a woman In an Instant there flashed across mv mind the thought of that black eyed lady, who had reclined by the aide of Tiberius Gracchus "I SDun around on my heel, and sword tn hand rushed through thorn empty, halls, which a few minutes be fore had rung with the sound of the fray, but now stretched out so silent ly before me. the pale moonlight flashing from the bright armor, and the shining steel which lay hither and thither among those calm figures. "Another scream, which seemed to come from the room upon my right. Pushlns aside the heavy tSDestry which hung above the doorway, 1 en tered. In the centre of the room. by the side of a little polished table, stood the old priest Caradoc, and there, all white and still in his rude arma lay my black-eyed beauty Godel how that sight sent my not blood boiling through my British veins, so that X was half beside my self with rage. "At the sound of my footsteps Caradoc turned his head, and none too soon, for the times were rude and uncivilised, and I would have slain him where he stood without a mo ment's compunction. At the sight of angry face he dropped the lady In an Instant and plucked out his sword. "'What! Has the cold Caswallon been smitten with ths charms of ths black-eyed Roman?' he shouted 'Hat 1 had thought him proof against such snares.'-and he laughed loudly, ' "but I had no mind to waste preel ous time with him, when at any mo ment a score of petty chieftains might Durst in upon us to contend with the vtctor for the lady. Catching my sword Dy tne Tiaae, l cast it full at his throat. The sharps blade struck true, and he staggered bsck a pace with a cry which rang throughout the whole bouse I could near tne sur as tne sound caught the ears of the warriors, who were plundering the mansion, and the tramp of many feet as they hur ried toward us. There was no time to bs lost, and catching up the lady I sprang through the open window in to the garden outside. "It had all gone well with me. I was hurrying towards the secret re cess behind the altar of Caradoc, which I had discovered a year before, Intending to remain there until the victorious tribesmen should have di vided the spoils and recovered from their revelry. But the eternals had willed it otherwise, for as 1 turned the corner of the house, who should X en counter but Casslar. Ill Now, the stern Casslar was even then In search of me, thinking to re move me from the pathway to the throne, which stretched so alluringly before him, and as I ran full Into him. he waited no longer than to peer Into my face, and then before could drop the lady In my arms, he had snatched the sword from his belt and stabbed me.- At the thrust X staggered an In stant and then as he would have turned to flee, I laid the lady gently down upon the green grass and wheeled towards him. He stood as when he had stabbed me, but his syes were fixed fsr past me, and I saw that they were set and glassy, and that he swayed gently to and fro, as though he had received his' death blow. I knew not how tt was, bat a sudden awe fell upon me, and I turn ed. As the gods live, a scant six paces away stood ths dead Tiberius Gracchus. Ths moon shone full upon his golden armor and the bright sword In his hand, and t could even see the dents upon his breastplate, where our stout swords had gashed it. "He smiled calmly at me. while my wild, untutored heart - leaped and throbbed within my aavsgs br my . trembling knees shook beneath me. - - ' "What Briton r he said, a smile lighting up hie martial features. had not thought to see rear upon that ruddy face. But listen, we shall meet agaliu- Tour spirit shall sleep for a season, but it shall wake once more upon this self-same' spot Tou know little ef those who direct your feotstspe, he continued, not heeding the wonder upon my fscs. "but you shall know more In the ages to come. And now farewell!' "He ceased. A moment I saw him. his frank, noble face aglow with gen erous ardor, the night air stirring faintly the great plume- v son- his wel met and then he was gone. . ' r 'A groan behind me, - and turn ing I stumbled over the body of Cas slar. who lay stark and cold upon the ground. Bending,. I placed my hand pon his forehead. lie waa quite ead. ,..:'-' ( - - "The great wound In my breast was spouting a torrent of blood snd 'there came to me the knowledge that the end for me drew near. Slowly, painfully,- I picked - up from - the ground the cold body. Whether, dead or alive I knew not and began my Journey towards the secret recess in the temple of Caradoc. '.- The great trees seemed to whisper to me as ! staggered through them, and the pale stars shone with a truer, kinder Hunt as they. watched tny tot tering footsteps. Dimly I wondered if I should reach those gray columns which gleamed so distant -- - , :"Every Inch of ground was water ed with my blood, and twice I halted to shift' my fair burden from one shoulder to the other, as 1 pushed back my shaggy locks and wiped the Cold death-sweat from my forehead.. . "But I reached the temple at last. and with ' fast stiffening angers. pushed back the stone from the re cess, and passing within It I laid the lady upon ths sandy floor, ana tnen nushlns back the' rock .1 cast aside my red sword and , threw myself. down. "There - comes to me vague. Indis tinct shadows which pass before my sightless eyes. I lead again my tribes men, to the fray and the fierce kites scream amove us as iney waicn m dull crash as our wild ranks come to gether. ' . ' ; r.- "The great billows crash upon the chalky cliffs as we solemnly sacrifice the white bull, and as the red rays of the rising sun touch with majes tic splendor the shining water below us ws raise with solemn chant the sacrificial hymn, and the priests cut the throat of the trembling nun. as ths sound slowly., merges with the deeo roar of the restless ocean. Jove ( I can feel the fresh salt air and the spray upon my face. : - "And then there comes to me that last solemn awe which thrills the soul of - mortality, when they stand In the presence of that mighty sovereign- Death. There Is no pen which could express that emotion, nor any mortal who' would comprehend, could lt.be expressed, - save- only . those wnoee trembling souls have stood within that great presence, and who with solemn dread have passed down to the brink of that dark river where awaits the hooded bootmea. "And there upon the bank stands tnat sweet Roman lady, and sne smiles at me as I near the end. And beside her stands Tiberius aracohus. who raises his hand in martial greet ing ss I reach his side. " A Moment we stand thus, as we gase out over that boundless stream. which ilea before us, and then with the lady's hand tn mlns ws step upon the boat. "What lies before I know not nor the end. Whether I shsll And rest and oblivion for a season, to roam again In altered guise, at some distant age this mortal sphere, or whether my sleep snail oe eternal I know not only know that with calm, un fearing soul I pass out. The pen slips from my dead fingers, and I can write no mora Farawall!" ' TWO VERY OLD EX-SLAVES One Nearly Ninety-Four; the Other One Hundred and Ten Hoto In Upper South Carolina. . DY EDWARD A. TREfiCOT. To the average person In the South there is always, more or less, a cer tain fondness or liking for the old negro of ante-bellum days, who differs so radically in nature and character from those who have come into exis tence since the civil war. There Is something touching, nay pathetic In the passing of the old slavea Of them but few remain, yet they, like tnose wno navs gone ne fore, will carry to their graves muoh that speaks well for the copdltlons that existed In their youth: a people who 'Understood that perhaps peculiar yet strong and tender feeling which existed between slave and slave own er, between master and servant Such was and is generally the case yet the writer will refer to one Just reverse then mention one who Is thorough ly representative of the class and conditions to which he has especial reference, and which prompts this ar ticle.,. . - - . About nine miles northeast of Pen dleton. 6. C. there Is an old negro who claims to be 110 yesrs of age and still abls to pkk cotton. He lives near a large house overlooking s rou- in country, wen under cultivation. His cabin stands just across a branch at ths bottom of the hill: is not one of the log kind but a weather-board ed one. consisting of two rooms with chimney In the middle, door back ana front with windows at the ends. It sides are almost covered with trailing vines, while around a clean yard are name Is Carter Martin. He was seated in a cane bottom chair near the hearth, and appeared glad to know that I was there. He la of average height and weight; black. clean-shaven face with a fringe ot white, kinky ialr around a well-shap ed head.. Though apparently look ing . at one. It soon became notice able that he could not see, yet during the conversation which followed one almost forgot such to be the case, be cause the expression on the face was Intelligent eo good-natured, and bis laugh Infectious--, - v- - It appeared, from the conversation which followed, that the eld negro had been bora tn Virginia and had come to Wllllamston. 0. C, in a drove Of slaves when about T years old. At Wllllamston he had been bought by a Mr. Thomas Martin, and wlta him hs lived for some time. Then he passed into the hands of Mr. Thomas Martin s son, - Aoranam, - wno uvea near the headwaters oi ijee.vsro.am creek. Carter says it was a fine plan tation with an especially una orchard. From that place he went with Mr. Abraham Martin to a place on the road between Anderson and Green ville, which Mr. Martin had got part ly from a Mr. Elrod and partly from General Earle. At that place he was made free. During that time he had moved 'four times within a radius of but four miles. Then he moved te Mr. "Wi tain's place on Three and Twenty creek. When asked as to his age, he said that he had no record of it but that the greatgrandchildren of Mr. Thom as Martin. (who. had bought him as a child) had repeatedly told him that they had often heard their parents ssy that he (carter) waa aoout 7 years of age wnen ne was brought from Virginia ana aoia, wnica, wnen taken In connection with the age ef Thomas Martin, it hs were alive, would tnako htm (Carter) between Its, and 11". and that be firmly be lieves to be 'the case. During his life hs had had three wives, tuirty one children, while as to the number of grandchildren It was Impossible to say. - About twenty yearn ago nis eyeaig.it had begun to fail, yet he wae still able to see a. little as for Instance tn talking with any one he was able to see whatever there waa about them that tit white, net In eha-ssmd b stanc but color, provided,, U was white. He can tell when it Is dark but cannot see anything on - the ground, unless It be Are. And while of course the loss of his eyeslgnt distresses htm. he appeared to mind more than anything else the giving away, eo to speak, of his arma and legs, yet he had been, up to snd in cluding last summer able to pick cot ton; He would be given e, chair an 1 put in ths row. Once there, he would move the chair along and fe-tl for ths cotton. In that way he would pick about twenty-five pounds a day and delight in it because, dur ing the days' of slavery, he had been a field; hand. . ' When asked as tq his conduct dur- -ing slavery. he said he never- had had any trouble, except once. The white people of Hopewell church ac cused him of some offense in connec tion with the handling and drinking of liquor at r near the church. - As a result he nd six others negroes were whipped. He said that was the , only time he had ever been whipped but when asked if he liked the old slave; days better than th present he quickly said no, because they had been cruel to him; that he had upon his back to-day scars from the lashes whleh had brought blood, but he did not show them to the writer. He eald he had never been tn a court house, but once or twice; that waa Just sifter the war and he" had gone there, to hear some speaking; had al ways been, and expected to die, a Republican, because "hit wus dat . party whut freed us niggers. " ' He remembers the days of recon struction, when Federal soldiers wen at Anderson. Never had any uoubln, but remembers very distinctly Mance Jolly, the leader of the Ku Klux Klan, who lived near Hopewell church, and. ' while they did not give him any trou ble, there were some white men who r had, and claimed to be Kb Kluxes; ' that a negro boy had shot a white -bojv- and aome white.. men. tried to make him tell something that he did not know. - They caught, him In a field and beat him; then carrying him to Beaverdam church they turned him loose and shot at him as he ran through th woods. - (These state ments are merely referred to In order to snow now contraotciory, ana, therefore, absolutely worthless such, statements are when prompted - by -selfish interests). Where Carter now lives be has been 'for alx years and during . hV . whole life has never paid as much ss IS for medicine or medical serv ices, he being his own doctor and -a great believer in the medical proper ties of "yerb," as he terms them. He was baptised at Hopewell church and Is still a member of that enurcn. though he has not been able to at- ' tend tn eleven years. He can neith er read nor write, but is fond ot dis cussing the Bible with any one. sand . with the contents of that good book he Is remarkably familiar. He rec ognises ths fact that his end Is near and wants to be prepared yet wants to live as long as the Lord will les him. Now the foregoing Is only the ex ception which always proves ths rule. Carter prefers ths present condition - of life to thoss ot slavery, -while Henry 6trother, of whom I am about to write, voices the sentiments pf the ' greater majority of ex-slavea Of average height somewhat feeble In movement of a bronse color with, snow-white hair and beard. Henry will tell you with that politeness char- -acterlstlo only of good raising that hs was born May xotn. 1111. aoout four miles above Austin station on the epartanburg. Union lb Columbia. Rail road, and the dividing line oetween y Newberry' and Lexington counties, 6. C; that he belonged to Miss Lucy fi end was her coachman for fourteen years. Miss 8 named -Mr. George Metts, Henry was a muter for about seven years, and was then given the general supervision of the plantation. In a division of tne alaves Henry went to Dr. John Metts and was going to be taken by bis master to Mississippi. Mia young "missus" (Miss B ). however, a hi not want him to go. especially because his (Henry s) wife wss Miss 0 ' maid, and he waa, therefore,- ex changed for another negro, to Mr. William Toung, of . Laurens county. Mr. Toung had a son George who en tered the Confederate army and with him Henry went to PocotallgoM 8. C-, where he remained as body servant for four months during the closing days of the civil war. After being made free, he went to Chester coun ty, where he remained until about UQ,, when be went to . Biacksburg. 8. C, where he now Uvea Dunns- his younger days he was quite a fiddler and often played fer oe wmte i oxs" and aiso xor tne ne groes, when permitted. He ' was nevsr in but ons fight That was when about 10 years of sg and at . a corn-shucking. The trouble was . about e. colored damsel. He got the . best of (according to his statement) . the fnree men. though nearly killed y In the fight and finally married the . woman about whom the fight had oc- .purred. That was his first and last ngnj' uunof ait ns it years -am was never' in a court as defendant. witness or spectator until about April, 1106, when he was a witness In the Federal Court at Greenville, 9. C tn a case where a young negro, repre senting himself as a pension agent and special . representative of Preel- ' dent Roosevelt claimed that he could (for a consideration) secure a pen. slon from the government for all old ex-slaves. Henry was the first wit ness -of - about fifteen - old negroes men and women to . go before the - grand. Jury, -Th Impression he made was such thst no other witnesses were ' called, and the foreman took up a collection amounting to several dol lars, which was presented to tne 014 negro. As he emerged from the mom the expression of delight and pleas ure on his honest and kindly old - face was indsseribable and touohlng. The young negro pleaded guilty and la now serving his sentence in tne 1. Federal penitentiary at Atlanta, Oa. In the Town of BiacKSDurg usury and his good old wife live In an bum ble cabin which, with a small tract of land, they own and which furnishes , ' them with, all the vegetables and the like that they need. "Uncle Henry." as he Is known. Is the sexton of sever al ot the. cliurches ef the white peo ple, and while he appreciates tne kindness shown htm by the white - people young and old. he values above ; everything else a small .Bible given him by his young "mlssua" Jn that book, which he safely Keeps in an old trunk, his name and the date of his birth appears In the handwriting of the young lad to whom he belong ed and to whose example and train Ins are due the good life and char acter ot this old negro. ' 7 -- There Is nothing that gives Mm greater pleasure than describing the delights and pleasures of slavery. If there is one thing that constantly en ters Into his prayers, tt ts of his young . "missus" and her Innumerable acts of kindness to him. Without a mo- - meat's hesitation, he will to-day tell vera that he would cladlv return to his earlier life elavery, though It be. In politeness he cannot be outdone. Pnr manv of those of his race, born sine the war. he has but the -utmoe contempt firmly believing that many or those who escape aestn si ine ena ef a hempen rope become Inmates of the Jails and penitentiaries. To tMt ep'nlon he does not nesitate w 1 ts J) fessre n.r ---- UBRARY TRAINING FCnrCT. Carnrrlo Ubrsry of At A complete course ft training for library work. 1 ... examination to be held June 1. For catalorns arplr to JULIA T. RANKIN, rire' -Carnegie Library of Atlanta, t -.
The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 26, 1908, edition 2
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