The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-11-27
HOME FROM THE WARS.


HOME FROM THE WARS.
From Harpsr's Weekly.
"Therell be bitin' black frost on the
hills tonight, tell ye!" said Moses At
terly, as he threw an armful of oak logs,
fringed with silver gray moss, upon tue
stone hearth, and rubbed his hands cheeri-
ly before the red, roaring blaze that en-
circled the rude iron fre-dogs in drifts of
ruby sparks.
He was a tall, wiry-looking old man,
with mild hazel eyes, and skin well-nigh
as brown as the basket Of butter nuts that
stood in the cOrner-a man whom you
might easily fancy to have grown up
among those rock-bound, wind-swept will
dernesses, as one of the giant pines on the
steep cliffs above had grown-stalwart,
sturdy, and true to the very hearts core.
The room was very plain, with no curtains
at the narrow-paned windows, and no
carpet save the odd zigzag veins in the
hickory boards that formed the floor; yet
there was an air Of comfort in the splint-
bottomed chairs, with their red moreen
cushions, and the round table, neatly
spread for the evening meal. Over the
fire an apop!ectic black teakettle kept up
dreamy song, and Moses Atterly's only
child sat, with folded hands, in the Chin
ney corner, watching the vapOrOus wreaths
curling from the spOut-a pretty, sOft-eyed
girl, with late rose in her braids of glossy
chestnut-brown hair, and straight, clearly
cut features-now in shadow, now all IRA
dated by the capricious torches of fame
that played at hide-and-seek in and out
among the crevices of the great bubbling,
singing logs.
"Have you been to the postoffice to-
night, tather?" said she, suddenly looking
up as Moses gave the smouldering back
log a sort of demonstrating kick.
'No; but | met Jim Grayling down by
the hen,lock hollow, and he said he was
goin straight there; so told him to ask
if there was anything for our folks. He'll
be here directly, l calculate, for it must
be all of two hours ago."
6 | am sorry said Bessie, almost petu-
lantly. Father, | detest the very sight
of that mani"
"My daughter" demonstrated Moses,
"that amt accordin' to either sense or
gospel"
"Well, can't help it. father" coaxed
Bessie, stealing her soft, dimpled hand
into the rough palm that lay on Moses
Atterly's knee. "He always seemed to
Inc like -
She stopped suddenly-so suddenly that
the late rose fell out of her hair and lay
on the stone hearth-for, as she turned
her head, she saw James Grayling stand
beside them, unfolding a coarse white-and-
red worsted comforter from about his
neck. He stopped, without word, and
picked up the rose for her,
"Why, Jim!' said Farmer Atterly,
"where on earth did you drop down from
l 6idn hear you cOmein."
"Didn't you? am sure / knocked
loud enough" said Grayling, with deep
red flush slowly fading away from his
cheek. "Pretty well tonight, Bessie?"
"I'm well enough" pOuted Bessie,
without looking at him, and tossing her
recovered rose in among the glowing Gin
ders. Somehow it had lost its charm after
having lain in James Cravings hand a
second.
"Set down, Jim, set down." said the
farmer, heartily. ''Any mails for us to-
night?"
Nothing
What a strange smile passed over his
face as he saw the sudden downward
droop of Bessie Atterly's eyelashes-
culver around her mouth!
"Nothin'! That's queer. You see our
Bessie's feelin' kind O. worried cause she
don't hear nothin' from Henry Ives..'
81 got long letter tonight from my
H.
know. He says"
James Grayling paused, little ma
liciously, to note the eager sparks in Bes-
sizes eyes as she leaned forward with red
dening cheeks and intent look.
"What does he say ?" she gasped.
"Well, I'm afraid you'll feel badly about
it; but he says Hairy Ives was captured,
with half dozen Others, by a skirmish-
ing party about week before he wrote. ,
Captured!"
eyes; and that isn't all. He says they
didn't half believe Harry Ives cared
whether he was carried down South OF
not; for he had taken a great notion te
some pretty girl down in Virginia-s
planters darter-and-"
81 don't believe it, James Grayling,
said Bessie, springing to her feet, witt
flashing eyes aud passion-crimsoned fore
head II don't believe word oft. You
are repeating some. vile falsehood."
al knew you'd feel bad" said Gray.
ling. with provoking mildness, "but
thought you ought to know how matters
stood. can show you Sans letter, il
that will be any more satisfactory.
never had much faith in Harry Ives "a
.areless dashing fellow. who"