The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-06-12
ON + OF m A N " !.

On how the music, the wild war m usic
rose and swelled AZ the company marched
down the street of the little country town
How the banner. shook and the bayonet,
glittered in the August sunshine Blu,
were the skies overhead, and along tbs
wsy-side the fields were green. and the
scent Of flowers was in the air. For
moment Margery Dane looked out from hei
window then she drew down the curtain
and held her hancs over her ears, trying tc
shut out sight and sound.
:" Are they treading on the ground or on
my heart o. she cried. with passionate
despair in her tones. +" He is marching
away. and he will never march back again
Pity me. Heaven am loosing my last
sight st him.
Up again went the curtain, but the last
man had gone by. The martial music
foated back, softened by distance to pity
and tender pain. instead of triumph. Mar
gerry was indeed alone.
She had had lonely life. Not that she
had been poor, or i'll treated, or in snywise
perseoated. Bot she had neither father nor
mother. brothers nor sisters. She had
fortune of her own a very com Portable one
they called it in that little country town;
and the uncle and aunt with whom she
lived were kind to her and seldom crossed
her wishes. But if you have ever lived
just such life. you know what loneliness
means. Ono would rather have even harsh
blame from those whose love is their author
ity than the cool kindaess of people too in
different to ceusure. Margery had not been
morbid or sentimental in girihood, or even
in childhood. When her heart ached for
love, for mother kisses aud fatherly praises,
she scarcely understood what she wanted
herself, and only betrayed the secret pain
bv her utter recklessnoss of danger. No
boy in Wes.ville rode such gay horses, OF
climbed such high trees, because not boy
there but knew some heart would ache il
i'll beiell him. Want Of love made Margery
reckless.
But when she was sixteen love came. 1t
was the old, sweet story. She grew in six
months from romping. reckless girlhood. to
gentle. reticent, and most graceful woman
hood. All the tenderness of her nature,
which had waited many years for its
object, overfiowed az last,-longing. dream
ing heart, passionate, earnest soul were
satisfied. And for once she built no altar
TO q false idol Her nature was SO pure il
tested those she met like touchstone. II
had no affinity with evil. and her choice fell
worthily. Nelson Harding deserved all :
love, confidence. tender girlish trust.
think, too, his devotion was not less intense
than her own-not less utterly absorbing
He, too. was an orphan. and the new tie
was his all
They had been engaged six months when
the war brok out. They were not to marry
for two or three years but they met daily
and 50 waiting was not wearisome. When
the war began Msrgery had been half afraid
Nelson would think that his duty called
him but he told her he would wait unit
there was more need Of him--so many were
roady to 90 then. So she had year and
over to be happy in. Then came the cali
for the three hundred thousand. and two oil
three nights afterwsrd Nelson Harding
with the words she dreaded
al ought to 60. Margery. Shall
eco home, now. Nelson. and come snt
ask me again tomorrow"
She dared not answer him then. for Sd,
was torn between the fear of losn., him anC
the fear OF doing wrong. She felt that she
must be alone in the universe with God il
order to see the truth clearly.
When he was gono she went up stairs Z
the llttle room where. for so many years. th'
solitary child lad cried out of her healt'.
else muttered loneliness to the - solitary
Ooo- WHAT was required OF nor now -
When Heaven gave her no father or mother
only Nelson, was it not meant that sh,
should keep the gift Could it be ths, al
ready the Giver was asking for it bacl
again And yet were not the chosen peo
pie IN all ages taught to offer of their best
to lay their first fruits upon the altar -
Ought she not to think it Heavens bounty
that gave her opportunity to make a sacri
fee so costly
All the night she sat there before he
window. or knels beside her bed, until N,
daily miracle of dawning repeated itself.
repeated its tender pink fiuslles above n,
hills, its tremulous mists, its air of balm. \,
broadening glory Of surprise Soon h
would come. Soon she must tell him VIA
70 choose,-lifs aud love for her and him
or-the right. With that word her sou
grew strong. She would be the console,
not the temp,ress.
When her lover looked into her ewes b
knew her thought. Still he asked the que
ton,