St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1862-04-24

rememberssh5u when she was gentle and
sympathetic-whe she gave him imapy a
hope,, By blush, AHA smile and action: 1T
must have bccnsmy taulk" he thinks to
himself ;%..Lwas bluudering fellow al
ways, and she was kind before. But
love you, Hope-I love you ! and on the
bright Magenta coiots q tear dropped aud
denly from eyes as brave as ever wept.
Hesitating moment he oseyed the i'm
pulse which quickly came, aud in few
earnest sentences wrote to her Of his love
and faith, touching lightly upon their last
meeting but in that brief mention divcst-
ing her of the shadow of unkiuduess BY
an almost play ful acknowledgment Of his
own iailinss and demerts. ibis done, he
turned to seek the reposc lie needed for
the coming day. AS he did SO his eye
again fell upon her gift. lie took them
up hastily, aud thrust them iuto his bosom
saying aloud, "Ihcy shall go with nc as
u .allslnau.'
What was it The sound of his own
voice, or the unbur'lcning of his heart,
that suddenly broke the spell? for at the
action and the words feeling Of instant
relief came over him. 1t was as it the
smoke OF battle had urlfted. and showed
him sure vision Of safety and Success
He passed his hand over his brow, as if to
clear his brain, or assure himself that he
Was awake. ii am the sport OF idle fan
cy,' he murmured as if the messenger Of
death had cIaimed me, and here l amp in
another moment breathing fee, as if just
released from some near danger; and al
at the touch Of a pair of mittcns-Hopc's
mittens," he uttcrs softiy. "Perhaps, per-
hars they are to be talisman, as l said )"
aud with u halt smile at his idle tancies"
he fiogs himself down to rest and sleep.
''Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode, and well:
Into the jaws of death,
1n.o the III, nth Of hell"
rode on those brave leaders, with their
brave troops that day. Every one knows
the fearful tragedy that tollowcd---the re-
pulse, the flight, the loss. Every ono
knows, too, Ut the herois,us that made it
not ali a defeat.
In the hottest Of the 6ght Major Thorn
ly was urging on his men-cool, collected
aud cheerful under the most disastrous
circumstances. Shot and shell hurtled
past him, but still he rode unharmed.-
lie seemed to bear charmed lite in the
midst Of the dead and dying.
n column just beyond loses its leader :;
confusion aud dislnay run along the linc
The next moment the panic would have
spread, when Major Thornly dashed on to
the rescue. The 81 ght Of his inspiring
face as he assumed command. his dauut
less air as he marshaled them together,
gave them both ardor and confidence and
again they press forward through
flame and smoke,
And shout and groan and sabre stroke"
Again they press forward but the gallant
leader, where is he? Iu charge from
the enemy that swept down many brave
fellow he had fallen. Was his prescnti-
ment of death real.zcd? Had the messen-
yer claimed him in that hour?
X X X
Kitty Mills at the window, making a
pretty show Of her bue-yarn knitting in
her white gla"ciny hands, mods ard smiles
to passing acquaintances. Hope Bayne,
at the piano, plays melancholy nocturns
with tense passion Ut meaning which
KITTY NILS never un ler>ta"ds. Ibe Oc!,-
bef SUI shines in at the window, CHEEKY
little wood-6re crackles on the hearth, the
great gray Cat purs contentediy in its rays
and everything presents smiling scene
Of peace, which on ly the passionate play
er there, with her dropping head, contra
diets. 4 look at her woeful face, and the
image Of peace me'ts away into dreams OF
dcsolation Us mournful as the dreary noe
turn.
The door opens. Kitty glances up with
disappointed face. "Oh, it's only you,
Will p
The lad perks his saucy lips into mock
cry. "Yes,: only YOU, W,ll,'" he returns.
lie knows Miss Kitty Mills's pcculiaritics
I hen his face changes, and he goes on
"More news-all the details Of the Gu
gagcment,' drawing the paper from his
pocket. The player turns from the piano
at this. Over the paper her eager eyes
wander rapidly. Theh, with a sigh Of re-
lief she passes it on to her cousin. lie is
not mentioned. She may yet have hope
Kitty, giving the columns hasty survey,
yawns, drops her knitting, thinks the city
''dreadfully stupid si.ce the. camp
broke np," and then goes sauntering out
Of the rom, tossing her blue yarn ball to
the cat upon the hearth. "s7
This proceeding seems to give Master
William undisguised satisfaction for as
the door closes the saucy lips curl with an
unmistakable air Of boyish triumph, and he
Ispproaches his sister with letter.