A Tar-Heel Baron

h von Ri

it to the fact of his being a foreigner. The more cultivated folk realized that a man of the world who bore every mark of good

aron Friedrich Johann Ludwig-and a half-dozen more-von Rittenheim was a good

ldren. Among those of more gentle birth there was little question of their reception of him after once he had ridden to their doors, making the first visit, as in the old country. To be sure, he had appeared astride a mule, but neither his mount nor his dress could conceal a soldierly bearing that made him the envy of every man

his wife were talking as they drove to

hat farm he bought from Ben Frady hadn't any crop on it but a mahty little corn. He did his winter

into the red clay mud, and shook the reins over the b

w," returned Mrs. Morgan, with the application to self that a country life ind

or, had there been any such bit of gossip, it would have been the Doctor's exclusive propert

plied. "Hi, Pete, w

hich the mule had tried to jump. In his harnesses, twine, rope, and wire played as prominent a part as leather. In fact, most of the points of responsibility wer

octor, in a tone of grievance, as if the fact of its having broken yesterday o

placidly, holding the reins which her husband transferred to her as, with no

own here. Got a

out of the lines," suggested Mrs. Morgan

ey're pretty short now from

ned them

him for landmarks. "Oh, there's the road that leads to the Baron's over yonder. Give me yo

royal mantle of purple enwrapped the shoulders of mighty Pisgah against a background of lucent gold.

red. "I wonder if she,

aboring into sight around

ous Madam," he cried, as he went to the side of the carriage, and unshrinkingly sa

Baron. Can you-all let me

do me the honor to enter herein, dear lady, whil

e manner in her, and she sailed ponderously into the cabin, displayin

y does fetch

hair. He left Mrs. Morgan stretching her plump feet and puffy hands to enjoy the flames' warmth, while her keen

ucky he's married and has some one to look after him. You see he's no great shakes at keeping clean now;" she looked him over with an eye

o he said, "That is one advantage of

eplied. "Henry was in the army all through the Civil War, and

's features betrayed only such interest as

o'? That was Ben Frady's mother's chair. Ah've seen the

e next room, but Mrs. Morgan was quite capable of penetrating there; and, besides, telling the truth was another result of ar

nd he was learning the true meaning of the word "poverty." The crop of corn that he had bought with the farm had served him until now as feed for the mule, as meal and hominy, and, by the alchemy of the alembic, as whisky. The end of the bacon from Ben Frady's pig was on the shelf in the cupboard before which he was standing, and he had just offere

ecause the social demands upon him were as nothing. But no money and no food meant that he must work for a wage, a

face with starvation, and a man of thirty-five doe

organ, and von Rittenheim set about making it, secretly wondering what his b

ream for you,-or sugar, either," he added, peering into a bowl that he knew to be empty. H

ally. "Ah like them just as well as sugar.

octor, or whisky? See, I have a jug

der their shaggy brows. "Not bad fo' new whisky," he commented, as he swallowe

a bit of r-rubber hose for a worm. It makes enough f

orry that he had said it, for his glance had fallen within the cupboard, and

sell any. It's again

r what you call 'r-roughness,' for the cattle to eat, I may sel

ey must tax us on something, and w

interrupted Fried

y with us North Carolina mountaineers

t is also with men who think such a bever-rage good to dr-rink! You go

in the dusk, and then turned back into the cabin, o

alk there and beg for employment like any tramp. Such straits as this he had not anticipated when he had made t

. It was with stinging honesty that he owned it to be through some lack of fores

rited craven. The hopeless longing that had been in his eyes while he gazed at the sunset filled them once more. What had

ts. He must work for somebody else. That wou

s the cry that has brought many a man to his door to be shot to death;

in the darkness as he sat on his horse. "Ah must have taken

ounty r-road is the str-ring," explained the Baron. "Dismoun

sitor's powers of perception that he did not ask for other than was set before him, and compel his host to disclose his poverty. H

roved the stranger. "Do

ake

sudden contractio

is necessarily meagre hospitality, for which he tr

air?" he asked, after describing th

to Asheville to-night. But if you'd sell me a quart of

he door and

smart cold

which the other drew from his pocket and tossed on to the table. Undoubtedly he was hungrier than ever he had been in his life, and not only had he seen his supper devoured b

his mind. He glanced at his guest, who was buttoning

y bottle and filled it from the jug. Then he helped the stranger with hi

d, "did one of my race