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〃Your plan has succeeded admirably。 One or two of the hands
went to Richmond next day； but returned a day or two afterward
and begged so hard to be taken on again that I forgave them。 Since
then everything has been going on as quietly and regularly as
usual； while there is scarcely a man left on any of the estates near。〃
〃And now； mother； that I find things are quiet and settled here； I
shall go down to Georgia and fetch Lucy home。 I shall be of age in
a few months； and the house on the estate that comes to me then
can be enlarged a bit； and will do very well。〃
〃Not at all； Vincent。 Annie will be married next month。 Herbert
Rowsell was here two days ago； and it's all settled。 So I shall be
alone here。 It will be very lonely and dull for me； Vincent； and I
would rather give up the reins of government to Lucy and live here
with you； if you like the plan。〃
〃Certainly； I should like it； mother； and so； I am sure； would Lucy。〃
〃Well； at any rate； Vincent； we will try the experiment； and if it
does not work well I will take possession of the other house。〃
〃There is no fear of that； mother； none whatever。〃
〃And when are you thinking of getting married； Vincent？〃
〃At once； mother。 I wrote to her the day we were disbanded saying
that I should come in a week； and would allow another week and
no longer for her to get ready。〃
〃Then； in that case； Vincent； Annie and I will go down with you。
Annie will not have much to do to get ready for her own wedding。
It must； of course； be a very quiet one； and there will be no array of
dresses to get； for I suppose it will be some time yet before the
railways are open again and things begin to come down from the
North。〃
Happily Antioch had escaped the ravages of war； and there was
nothing to mar the happiness of the wedding。 Lucy's father had
returned； having lost a leg in one of the battles of the Wilderness a
year before； and her brother had also escaped。 After the wedding
they returned to their farm in Tennessee； and Mrs。 Wingfield；
Annie； Vincent； and Lucy went back to the Orangery。
For the next three or four years times were very bard in Virginia；
and Mrs。 Wingfleld had to draw upon her savings to keep up the
house in its former state； while the great majority of the planters
were utterly ruined。
The negroes； however； for the most part remained steadily working
en the estate。 A few wandered away； but their places were easily
filled； for the majority of the freed slaves very soon discovered
that their lot was a far harder one than it had been before； and that
freedom so suddenly given was a curse rather than a blessing to
them。
Thus； while so many went down； the Wingfields weathered the
storm； and the step that had been taken in preparing their hands for
the general abolition of slavery was a complete success。
With the gradual return of prosperity to the South the prices of
produce improved； and ten years after the conclusion of the
rebellion the income of the Orangery。was nearly as large as it had
been previous to its outbreak。 Vincent； two years after the
conclusion of the struggle； took his wife over to visit his relations
in England； and； since the death of his mother in 1879； has every
year spent three or four months at home； and will not improbably
ere long sell his estates in Virginia and settle in England
altogether。
End