by the name of Brown. Fortunately, however,
there is only one Andrew Jackson, or Andy, as they call him, and I found
him on one of the suburban trains, rather old to be a conductor, but
seemed young for his years. He is your grandmother's cousin, and was
present at the double wedding, when Eudora Harris was married by Elder
Covil to James Crompton, 'a mighty proud-lookin' chap,' he said, 'who
deserted her in less than a month. I remember him well. Pop threatened
to shoot him if he ever cotched him, but the wah broke out and pop was
killed, and all of us but me, who married a little Yankee girl what
brought things to us prisoners in Washington. She's right smart younger
than I am, and I've got eight children and five grandchildren, peart and
lively as rabbits. And you want me to swear that I seen Eudory married?
Wall, I will, for I did, and I'd like to see her girl--Amy you call her.
Mabby Mary Jane an' me will come to visit her when I have a spell off.'
"All this he said in a breath, and when I told him I was to marry Amy's
daughter, he called me his cousin, and asked when the wedding was to be.
If it had not been for those eight children and five grandchildren,
thirteen Browns in all, which I felt sure he would bring with him, I
should have promised him and Mary Jane an invitation. As it was, I did
nothing rash. I got his affidavit, and we parted the best of friends, he
urging me to call at his shanty and see Mary Jane and the kids. I had to
decline, but told him perhaps I'd bring my wife to see them. What do you
say? Expect me to-morrow.
"Lovingly,
"JACK."
CHAPTER XI
CONCLUSION
It did not take long for all Crompton to know that Amy was Col.
Crompton's daughter, and that the Colonel had left a paper to that
effect, which Mr. Howard had found, and that Eloise had also found the
marriage certificate, proving her mother's legitimacy beyond a doubt,
and making her sole heir to the Crompton estate. It was Friday night
when the travellers returned from the South, and on Saturday morning,
Mrs. Biggs's washing day, she heard the news. Leaving her clothes in the
suds, and her tubs of rinsing and bluing water upon the floor, she
started for the Crompton House, which she reached breathless with haste
and excitement, and eager to congratulate Amy and Eloise.
"I swan, it 'most seem's if I was your relation," she said, shaking
Eloise's hand, and telling her she always mistrusted she was somebody
more than com
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