creed, and Jaffray championed their doctrines. For him humanity,
justice and liberty was the breath of his nostrils. This passion for
men's rights he had inherited from a long line of ancestors reaching
back into the mists of "In the beginning." He was an Israelite.

Renestine was glad to accept this change in their lives, as she
realized that Jaffray's affairs were not prosperous and with the
assistance of her servants she could help him very well, particularly
as he was not in robust health. Whatever situation faced her she met
it with high courage and a spirit to do. Their devotion was deep and
with their little family they were happy and contented. Sorrow had
not spared them, however, for their baby daughter bad contracted
whooping cough and died a few months before. Jaffray grieved deeply
for the little child and Renestine was almost overcome. But she
straightened up herb beautiful head, like a flower after the storm has
passed, and comforted her husband.


CHAPTER VI

JAFFRAY was now Postmaster of Jefferson. he city had resumed its normal
life and gained in population and wealth. The streets were filled with
wagons loaded with bales of cotton brought from as far away as 250
miles by ox teams, which took three weeks.

Jefferson was at the head of navigation on an arm of the Red
River. Steamboats came up once or twice a week and the cotton was
shipped to New Orleans and from that city to the mills in the East.
When the boats arrived the scene on the levee was a very animated one.
Negroes would fix large bill hooks into the bagging around the cotton