The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1860-09-06

Light warblings of some old psalm tune
fiuttcred down the staircase, and then the
door opened and pleasant looking girl burst
suddenly into the room.
| Rebecca Palmer was twenty-five, and the
sight of her bright yonng face was like a
picture rejoicing the eyes She was not
beautiful, but her checks were full of the
glow ofyouth, and the richness of perfect
| health.
"Well, child" said Mrs. Palmer, taking
her kettle from the crane, "you just hustle
round spry and get up supper. Your father
and the men will come home clear tuckered
out, for they've been fellin trees all day, and
We must get a hearty meal for 'em. You
slice up some ham, too, and fry dozen
eggs, while fix up some short cake"
"Mother. did you hear the sta. e horn ?"
asked Rebecca, rs she laid the cloth she
had spun with her own hands for the sup
per.
"Yes, and was kind of impressed there
was news from Reuben"
al wonder Whist keeps father so p remark
ed Rebecca
Likely as not he's gone round to the tav-
ern, to learn if there's any tidings from the
army"
Another halfhour throbbed itself away
IN the pulses of the great old-fashoned
clock in the corner, and both the women
had begun to grow alarmed at the deacon's
prolonged absence, when they caught the
click of the gate latch, and his heavy tread
along the footpath.
They saw him stop, as usual, at the
WOO ZEN trough at the well, and wash his
hands there, and then he came into the
kitchen
"Why, father" began Mrs. Palmer. with
little wifely admonition, "what has Ike pt
you so long! | rally began to be scared
about you"
"And the supper's about burnt to Gin
ders, added Rebecca, who was in some
thing OF hurry to get the table cleared in
time for singing school.
The deacon W. a square-built, sun brown
ed man, with shaggy eyebrows and wealth
er-beaten face. He came toward the table
with slow cropping movement, which nei-
ther OF the prcoccupied women noticed,
and he cleared his throat twice before he
spoke.
[ was detained spell on some matter
OF my OWN and Mrs. Palmer and Rebecca
at once concluded that he alluded to some
bargain with a neighbor.
"Don't you see the chair there, father?"
asked Rebecca; for the old man stood still
rs statue before the table, though his
daughter had just placed his seat at his
elbow, and now he sat down without speak
ing n word
Why, husband, do believe you're deaf
to night. You haven't taken your hat off, -
exclaimed Mrs. Palmer
"Dos't, wife, don't and the old man
laid his straw hat on the floor beside iim
The two women beat their heads rever
emily over the board, waiting for the dea-
con to invoke his customary blessings up
on the meal, but no sound broke the still
ness
Mrs. Palmer glanced up at her husband
HIS head, too, was bent over his plate and
stream ct caalle-Iight falling on his
face, revealed it fally To her "a e
"John, something has happened to you
to night she said, leaning forward and
breathlessly searching his face
a deep conv1lsive sort of groan heavcl
out of the old mans lips, and both the wo-
men grew white as they heard il.
"Oh, what is it, fa'her? do tell us !' flut-
tered up the frightened voice Of Rebecca.
Mrs Palmer rose and went to her hus-
band and land her shaking fingers on his
hard hand
'Oh, John, it amt anything about Reu-
benz! She cried cat the words as one might
IT sword had struck seddealy into his
heart
Rebecca had set still at the table. her
sweet face struck white with wonder and
fear, and her brown ewes fastened on her
parents (; but now she sprungup, and drop
ped down on her knees at the deacon s feet:
oh, father, do say it isn't Reuben !" and
her voice was like her mothers. The
deacon opened his lips, but could not speak.
lie took the hands OF his wife and his
enid, and covered them with his own TEN.
bling ones. "Oh, Lord, have mercy on us
groaned the stricken man, and then they
knew.
Mrs. Palmer crept up to her husband,
and whispered ia a faint, broken voice,
"Jest say my boy isn't dead, father /
cam bear to hear anything else"
Anc the deacon made no answer but
the great tears fell down his furrowed
cheeks, and it was enough
The tdings of the disastrous battle at
Long Island, which closed the summer of
l116, had filled the land with mourning.
Tor thousands OF widows and orphans had
been made in that terrible hour when so
many brave Americans lay dead ON the bat
| tie field, and the news of the successful
skirmish which took place the following
month near Kings bridge, in New York,
was everywhere hailed With gladness and
gratitude, and the little village of Wood
stock bore its part in the general rejoicing
on that autumn night, when the stage first
brought in the tidings
The deacon's family was the only one in
Woodstock to whom the news brought
any sorrow, for it was in this engagement
that Reuben had fallen He was great
favorite throughout tho village, and every
heart was filed with an adpesc " hen N thouobt