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“Those were heroic days. My little granddaughters never tire of hearing stories about them. They are strong partisans, too. Jessie is a fierce little rebel and Sam is an uncompromising Unionist, only they both agree in denouncing slavery.”

“That reminds me,” said Frank, smiling, “that our little Frankie came to me yesterday with a black eye he got for telling Judge Benson’s little boy that people of his complexion were once slaves. He had read it in his history, and appealed to me to know if it was n’t true.”

“I ‘m not a bit surprised that the little Benson boy resented the imputation,” said George. “I really don’t believe that more than half the people would be certain that slavery ever existed here, and I ‘m sure that it rarely occurs to those who do know it. No doubt that company of old slaves at the centennial–that is, if they can find enough survivors–will be a valuable historical reminder to many.”

“Dr. Hays,” said Nellie, “will you settle a question between Mrs. Hyde and myself? Were you in C——, it was then only a village, along between 1870 and ’80, about forty or fifty years ago?”

“No–and yet, come to think–let me see–when did you say?” replied Frank doubtfully.

“Between 1870 and ’80, as nearly as we can make out, probably about the middle of the decade,” said Nellie.

“I think I was in C—— at about that time. I believe I was still living with my father’s family.”

“I told you so,” said Nellie to Jessie, and, turning again to Frank, she asked:–

“Do you remember anything about a social club there?”

“I do,” replied Frank, with some appearance of interest. “I recall something of the sort quite distinctly, though I suppose I have n’t thought of it for twenty years. How did you ever hear of it, Mrs. Hyde?”

“Why, I was a member,” replied she briskly, “and so was Mrs. Tyrrell. We were reminded of it the other day by a discovery Mrs. Tyrrell made in an old bureau drawer of a photograph of the members of the club in a group, taken probably all of fifty years ago, and yellow as you can imagine. There was one figure that resembled you, doctor, as you might have looked then, and I thought, too, that I recalled you as one of the members; but Mrs. Tyrrell could not, and so we agreed to settle the matter by appealing to your own recollection.”

“Yes, indeed,” said Frank, “I now recall the club very perfectly, and it seems to me Governor Townsley was also in it.”

“Yes, I think I was a member,” assented George, “though my recollections are rather hazy.”

Mary and Henry, being appealed to, failed to remember anything about the club, the latter suggesting that probably it flourished before he came to C——. Jessie was quite sure she recalled Henry, but the others could not do so with much positiveness.

“I will ask Mrs. Long when I get home,” said Henry. “She has always lived at C——, and is great for remembering dates. Let’s see; what time do you think it was?”

“Mrs. Tyrrell and I concluded it must have been between. 1873 and 1877,” said Jessie; adding slyly, “for she was married in 1877. Mrs. Tyrrell, did you bring that old photograph with you? It might amuse them to look at it.”

Nellie produced a small picture, and, adjusting their spectacles and eye-glasses, they all came forward to see it. A group of six young people was represented, all in the very heyday of youth. The spectators were silent, looking first at the picture, and then at each other.

“Can it be,” said Frank, “that these were ever our pictures? I hope, Mrs. Tyrrell, the originals had the forethought to put the names on the back, that we may be able to identify them.”

“No,” said she, “we must guess as best we can. First, who is that?” pointing to one of the figures.