The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-10-15
MKLPRED's SACRIFICE.

The vases of heliotrope in Miss Delford's
dainty little parlor were dstilling their sweet
est fragrance in the delicious evening breeze
that tossed the muslin curtains to and ire
through the wide opened windows and the
cherry boughs oversh Allowing the piazza
caves were hung with sparkling jewel-sprays
of crimson fruit. July was purplng all the
horizon with amethyst light; July brooded
over the hills with tender warmth; and Clara
Delford, in her dark, rich beauty, seemed like
typic blossom of the brightest month in all
the year.
Did Captain Werner notice the changing
color in her olive cheek the blaze that glow
ed beneath her jetty eyeIashes, in strange, Sc
ductive briIliance Did he observe how ar
tisticalIy she had posed hersefon the tiny foot
stool close beside Mildred Moore's shadowy
white draperies, and pure colorless features
Clara Delford understood contrast and harmo-
ny Captain Werner not; he only knew that
the two girls were like rose and Hly-fervid
sunshine, and pale, white starlight!
eff could only do something for those poor
suffering soldiers, . she said, breaking the mo-
mentary silence as if in continuation OF the
previous conversation. 'Would it not be pos
sible for me to devote portion OF my small
means to their comfort =
Captain Werner smiled for the heiress to
speak Of her ''small means" seemed, even, to
him, like an unnecessary bit of ostentation.
Certainly" he said land | can assure
you the money could not be spent to a better
purpose"
''Will you object to acting as my treasur-
er ?" smiled Clara, with pretty, appealing soft
ness in her eyes.
''Not at all; there are, my own regiment
many cases of hardships, even restitution,
which it would give me great pleasure to
relieve. Thank you'-as she opened the IL
NEST of silken purses and placed bank note
in lis hand, with blushing confusion-'I know
from experience how much good twenty dol
lars can do ~
All this time Mildred Moore had sat silent
in the shadow of the cherry boughs; now
she rose and quietly withdrew. Captain YER
ners eyes followed her slight, willowy figure
with involuntary attraction.
you mustn't misinterpret poor Mil
dred's silence" lisped Clara as the door clos
ed ''of course she is interested i'll your hos
pital "reminiscences but don't think she
Milly's nature is not sympathetic, and
cher means are very limited. She gives mu-
sic lessons, or something, don't she :"
He had risen, and stood there, tall and hand
some in the golden July moonlight, Clara's
beau-ideal of man.
Goodnight, Miss Clara. must stop at
HARDWOOD Grange for five minutes to tell them
about their two boys who fell at Fredericks
burg, and I've two or three little errands to
attend to in the town. We soldiers you know,
are scarcely at our own disposal !"
He held.the little jeweled hand in his mo
ment, perhaps unconscious how closely he
pressed it, and then vanished through the
crimson sprinkled branches OF the cherry trees
AS he walked along, whistling softly to him
self he thought Of Clara in her strange tram
scendant beauty-of her melting, liquid eyes,
and her mouth, like Cupids bow, carved i'll
scarlet coral.
at was generous in her to give that mon
ey," he thought but | can't understand
hang it ! it's no business of mine, I suppose
but why couldn't Miss Mildred have express
ed her sympathy i'll words, at least 1t an
noys me a little; and yet don't for the life
of me, see why it should.
''You sent that set Of onyx to my mother ?"
he asked, an hour or SO later, as he entered
the stylish little jewelry store in the main
street of the town. Yes? Then it's all right,
and may as well settle the bill"
He tossed ffty-doIIar Treasury note on the
counter as he spoke
Il hardly like to part with that money"
he laughed. ''Ihe fact is, ive kept it about
me so long that it seems almost like a lucky
penny. However, there it goeS-hand over
your receipt"
He dashed the bit of paper into his pocket
book with the Gu;etness that characterized all
his notions and walked out again whistling
a low refrain that made sort Of company
for his solitude.
1t was nearly midnight, the air dewy and
sultry, and the stars blazing i'll the violet
concave of heaven, yet Captain Werner still
sat in his balcony, Idly looking out upon the
summer night, with the faint fragrance Of
his cigar wreathed about him. Was he think
lug Of Miss Clara Delford, or
Half past eIeven-high time Twas asleep"
sohloquized the Captain, at length giving his
cigar toss into the quiet street below, and
entering a room where the quiet shaded lamp
cast a circle of subdued light on heaps Of dis
ordered papers.
''Halo-what's this ?" he said, half aloud,
taking up a tiny note that lay lightly on the
top. This is a new arrival i'll my chaos OF
documents, or I'm mistaken"
The direction, Captain Werner" was in a
strange hand writing-nor did the contents
afford any clew. Nothing appeared further
than fifty dollar note wrapped in bit Of
paper on which was penciled these words =
''t7or the soldiers !"
CLARA Delford again." was Verner's first
exclamation. ''What a splendid creature that
is !"
The next glance, however, discovered new
ground of conjecture and perplexity-he held
the note in the full glare OF the lamp, turning
it eagerly from side to side.
Il thought | couldn't be mistaken" he
muttered 1T is the very note paid at At
kinson's to-night-here are my initials, "E.
"" in the corner Now, how on earth"
He paused, apparently in deep thought.
Every provoking that can't find out to-
night, " he murmured ''but III go to Atkin-
sons the first thing i'll the morning."
The early dew was yet weighing down the
'half-blown roses in the simple town garden,
when Captain Werner entered the jewelry store
where he had purchased the set Of onyx for
his mother.
''What can l do for yon this morning, Cap
tain ?" inquired the bisk little jeweler, as he
came forward, rubbing his smooth, white,
hands.
"a great deal, Mr.. Atkinson; you can tell
me to whom you paid out this treasury note
last night! y
He laid the mysterious ''greenback' on the
glass counter; Atkinson took it up and scru-
tinized it closely, then referred to his books.
Certainly can" he said Il purchased
very beautiful pearl ring from a lady yes
terday evening" and paid for it with that very
identical bill"
A pearl ring the simple words seemed tc
unlocked his show case, and took out small
violet-velvet case, lined with white silk, in
which gIimmered pearl Of surprising beau
ty, set in a gold circlet.
There it is he said. Ten years ago l sent
to New York for that very ring, ordered by
| DIR Moore as q birth daV present for his little