ing for one moment his racial connection. He
could not help feeling a sense of vexation at the signal mistake he had
made.

Dr. Frank Latimer was the natural grandson of a Southern lady, in whose
family his mother had been a slave. The blood of a proud aristocratic
ancestry was flowing through his veins, and generations of blood
admixture had effaced all trace of his negro lineage. His complexion was
blonde, his eye bright and piercing, his lips firm and well moulded; his
manner very affable; his intellect active and well stored with
information. He was a man capable of winning in life through his rich
gifts of inheritance and acquirements. When freedom came, his mother,
like Hagar of old, went out into the wide world to seek a living for
herself and child. Through years of poverty she labored to educate her
child, and saw the glad fruition of her hopes when her son graduated as
an M.D. from the University of P----.

After his graduation he met his father's mother, who recognized him by
his resemblance to her dear, departed son. All the mother love in her
lonely heart awoke, and she was willing to overlook "the missing link of
matrimony," and adopt him as her heir, if he would ignore his identity
with the colored race.

Before him loomed all the possibilities which only birth and blood can
give a white man in our Democratic country. But he was a man of too much
sterling worth of character to be willing to forsake his mother's race
for the richest advantages his grandmother could bestow.

Dr. Gresham had met Dr. Latimer at the beginning of the convention, and
had been attracted to him by his frank and genial manner. One morning,
when conversing with him, Dr. Gresham had learned some of the salient
points of his history, which, instead of repelling him, had only
deepened his admiration for the young doctor. He was much amused when he
saw the pleasant acquaintanceship between him and Dr. Latrobe, but they
agreed to be silent about his racial connection until the time came when
they were ready to divulge it; and they were hugely delighted at his
signal blunder.

CHAPTER XXIX.

VISITORS FROM THE SOUTH.

"Mamma is not well," said Iola to Robert. "I spoke to her about sending
for a doctor, but she objected and I did not insist."

"I will ask Dr. Latimer, whom I met at the Concordia, to step in. He is
a splendid young fellow. I wish we had thousands like him."

In the evening the doctor called. Without appear