Part 5 (2/2)

She embraced him, and amid a perfect shower of kisses, said: ”Let the public think as they please, the fact remains that you are my own dear husband, whom I love better than life itself, and I am glad, oh, so glad, that you took that means to bring me to terms. If you had not, I might have refused you from time to time, on account of the fraction of African blood that circulates in my veins, and you might, through spite, have married some woman that you did not love.”

He admitted that there was much philosophy in what she had said, and, if she hadn't married him, that he might now have been in the Alabama River. He said that he didn't wonder at those Northern men killing themselves, and one another, about her.

Then saying, ”My dear wife, let's dismiss all of those unpleasant things of the past, and talk about the future. Where shall we 'drive down stakes?'”

She said she would leave all that with him. While both of their means, put together, would make a fortune, and judiciously invested, would provide for them, the balance of their days, she was sure that a man of his caliber would want an active life, and would go where he could find it.

”Thank you,” said he; ”and that means one of the mining States of the West, which is comparatively new.”

And there they went, and he prospered as he never did before. He located in the capital of the State, and soon was doing a good law practice.

Octavia became the center of attraction for a large coterie of friends, and if her husband had been of a jealous disposition, he might have shown it.

He was successively elected alderman, mayor of the city, representative and senator, in the State legislature, attorney-general and governor.

In after years, when several children had blessed their union, they often spoke of their home in ”Dixie's land;” of Octavia's many hairbreadth escapes; of the Northern tragedies on her account; of the many suitors who had received their mittens from her; of her Red Cross life; and last, but not least, of his successful strategy in bringing her to terms. Octavia admitted, shortly after marriage, that she deliberately ran off to Europe, knowing that if she remained, she would have to ”marry him, to get rid of him.”

They are now planning a visit to the old original home of Octavia, the Octoroon.

THE END.

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