Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-07-09
MoraI Gales.
M1LDRED,S SACRIFICE,

MILDRED'S SACRIFICE.
The vases of heliotrope in Miss Del.
ford's dainty little parlor were distil
ling their sweetest fragrance in the
delicious evening breeze that tossed
the muslin curtains to and fro through
the wide open windows, and the cher.
ry boughs overshadowing the piazza
with leaves were hung with sparkling
jeweLsprays of crimson fruit. July was
purpling all the horizon amethyst
light July brooded over the hills
with tender warmth and Clara Del
ford, in her dark, rich beauty. seemed
like typic blossom of the brightest
month in all the year.
Did Capt. Werner notice the chang.
ing color in her olive cheek the blaze
that glowed beneath her jetty eye
lashes, in strange, seductive bril-
lance Did he observe how artistic
ally she had poised herself on the tiny
footstool close beside Mildred Moore's
shadowy white draperies, and pure,
colorless features Clara Delford un.
derstood contrasts and harmony
Captain Werner did not he only knew
that the two girls were like rose and
l;ly-fervid sunshine, and pale, white
starlight !!
"If | could only do something for
those poor suffering soldiers" she said,
breaking the momentary silence, as if
in continuation Of the previous conver-
sation. Would it not be possible for
me to devote portion of my small
means to their comfort 2"
Captain Vernon smiled for the
heiress to speak Of the small means "
seemed, even to him, like an unneces-
sary bit of ostentation.
Certainly" he said "and I can
assure you the money could not be
spent to better purpose"
"Will you object to acting as my
treasurer Z" smiled Clara, with pretty,
appealing softness in her eyes.
Not at all there are in my own
regiment, many cases Of hardship,
even destitution. which it would give
me great pleasure to relieve. Thank
you "-ss she opened the tiniest OF
silken purses and placed q bank note
in his hand with blushing confusion
:" know from experience how much
good twenty dollars can do I"
All this time Mildred Moore had
sat silent in the shadow of the cherry
boughs now she rose and quietly
withdrew. Captain verner's eyes fol.
lowed her slight. willowy figure with
involuntary attraction.
You mustn't misinterpret poor, dear
Mildred's silence" lisped Clara, as the
door closed Of course she 10 interest.
ed in your hospital "reminiscences !;
but l don't think she cares very much
about the poor soldiers-Milly's ma
ture is not sympathetic. and
and" at the straightforward sol.
dier, her means are very limited.
She gives music lessons, or something,
don't she ="
He had risen and stood there, tall
and handsome. in the golden moon
light. Clara's beau-ideal Of man.
"Good night. Miss Clara. I must
stop at Harwood Grange for FIVE min
utes to tell them about their two boys
who fell at fredericksburg, and I've
two or three little errands to attend
to in the town. We soldiers, you
know, are scarcely at our own dispo-
SAL"
He held the little jewel hand in his
a moment, perhaps unconscious how
closely he pressed it, and then van
ished 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.
transcendent beauty-of her melting,
liquid eyes, and her month. like Cupid's
bow, carved in scarlet coral.
:" 1t was generous in her to give
that money" he thought. "But I
can't undersiand-hang i'll it's no
business of mine, snppose-but why
couldn't Miss Mildred have expressed
her sympathy in words. at least. It
annoys me little and yet l don't,
for the life of me, see why it should. y
You sent that set of onyx to my
mother 7 he asked, an hour or 80 Ia
ter, as he entered the stylish little
jewelry store in the main street Of the
town. "Yes! Then it's all right.
and I may as well settle the biIl.'
He tossed q ifty-dollar Treasury
Note on the counter as be spoke.
II hardly like to part with that
money" he laughed. The fact is,
Eve kept it about me so long that it
seems like q lucky penny. However,
there it goes-hand over your receipt"
He dashed the bit Of paper into his
pocket.book with the quickness that
characterized all his motions. and
walked out again whistling the low
refrain that made sort of company
for bis solitude.
1t was nearly midnight, the air
dewy and sultry, and the stars blaz-
ing in the violet concave Of heaven,
yet Captain Werner still sat in his bal
cony, idly looking out upon the sum-
mer night, with faint fragrance of his
cigar wreathed about him. Was be
thinking of Miss Clara Delford, orr
Half past eleven-high time wss
asleep" soliloquised the Captaiu, at
length. giving his cigar . toss into
the quiet street below, And entering
tho room Whero The nhn6AA lAmn casf