He and his mother were talking
over the strange incidents that had happened in the settlement during
the last few days, and which we have attempted to describe in the
preceding volume of this series. The events were brought about by a
very foolish notion which Godfrey Evans, David's father, suddenly got
into his head.
During our late war it was the custom of the people living in the
South to conceal their valuables when they heard of the approach of
the Union army. They were also careful to take the same precautions
to save their property when it became known that the rebel guerillas
were near at hand; for these worthies were oftentimes but little
better than organized bands of robbers, and the people stood as much
in fear of them as they did of the Federals. These valuables,
consisting for the most part of money, jewelry and silverware, were
sometimes hidden in cellars, in hollow logs in the woods and in
barns; but more frequently they were buried in the ground. The work
of hiding them was sometimes performed by the planters themselves, if
they happened to be at home, but it was generally intrusted to old
and faithful servants in whom their owners had every confidence. It
not unfrequently happened that these old and faithful servants proved
themselves utterly unworthy of the trust reposed in them.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25