Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-02-05
Alice Bankgrove's Soldier.

The gnarled old veteran OF an apple
tree that overhupg Squire Bankgroves
red brick house was tossing its boughs of
pink .treaked apples to and fro in the
September sunset ; the level beams looked
straight into the deserted robins nest in
its mossy fork; and Alice Bankgrove
stood in the door way shading her eyes
with pretty sun-embrowned hand, and
looking the while at the western light,
sitting through canopy of moving leaves,
which covered her with narrow lines and
zigzags OF tremulous gold, like bird
peeping through the guided wires of its
cage!
Home already, boys" she called out,
as the garden gate swung on its creaking
hinges, and the hazel eyes flashed sun
ny welcome down the path.
Bovs, indeed! The boys whom Miss
Alice apostrophized so patronizingly. were
two stalwart fellows, either Of whom
could have picked the young lady up in
one hand-handsome, olive checked young
giants, With the strength and symmetry of
Hercules in their thews ard sinews, as
might have testified the shining heaps of
newly shreshed grain they had left piled
on the floor of the echoing, fragrant old
barn under the hill
"But why do you look so serious?'' she
added, the next minute. Alb, what curve
of the lip, what culver of the brow ever
escaped a woman's quick eye? She read
the two faces AS if they had been open
books.
1--WE have been talking, Alice" said
the younger, dark, open browed young
man of about twenty, leaning up against
the doorway. 81 am going to ask your
father to get another hand to finish off the
fall work"
Alice stock in establishment.
"What for, Harry! Trad hasn't been
teasing you again, has her"
Harry Moore burst into great, mellow
laugh
AS if Irad's nonsense ever seriously
ANNOYED me No, Alce-tEe truth of the
matter is, | feel like a tool threshing wheat
here, when ought to be standing in the
ranks with musket on by shoulder,
fighting for the Stars and Stripes as my
grandfather did at Lexington and Bunker
Hill"
And as he spoke his dark eye sparkled
with inward fire, and q flush came on his
sun-burned cheek.
"Hear him talk ~ said Trad Curtis,
Struggling his shoulders. :" All moonshlne,
say |. Time enough to fight for the old
flag when the old flag hasn't men enough
to do its work, and sends word for Hal
Moore and Trad Curtis to come along and
lend hand. Meanwhile let every man
mind his own business-that's my max
imi"
II shall not wait for any such mes
sage" returned Moore, quietly. =" mean
to be off soon,-that is, Alice, it you think
Pm doing right"
81 would volunteer tomorrow, If |
were mani !" said Alice, instinctively
clasping her hands together, and drawing
deep breath. Moore's face lighted up.
"That's enough, Alice!" said he.
Trad Curtis, standing in the shade of the
old apple-tree, quietly watched the two
faces beyond with halt>closed, vigilant
eyes and disagreeable curve to his lip.
Wonder what Squire Bankgrove will
say to all this" was his internal comment.
"if he really means to give his daughter
to farm hand, don't see why my
chsnoes-with little lnanagement-are
not as good as Harry Moore's. She don't
exactly like me but if Harry really is in
earnes. about this volunteering bushes,
it's the most obliging thing he could do
just now. Once give me clear held'
and"
Trad Curtis set his lips closely together
as he entered the wide, cool hall where
Squire Bankgrove, hale, port!y person
age of abont fifty, with ruddy cheeks. and
locks thickly sprinkled with silver-sat Ia
his elbow chair, doing over the newspa-
per.
Harry Moore walked straight up to him
and preached the subject without unneces
sary circumlocution.
esquire Bankgrose, could you make 1t
convenient to dispense with my services on
the farm p
"Wsn, l don't know" said the Squire,
who was man of reflection, and seldom
committed himself without first consulting
his snuff-box and his red silk pocket
handkerchief. "Are you thinking OF leav-
ing me2 I've no fault to find with you,
Harry Moore!"
"Thauk you, sir. But have made up
my mind now that every young mans
place is in the ranks of his couutrys de-
tenders. And so, sir, | shall enlist to-
morrow"
Squire Bankgrove brought down bis
clenched fist on the window seat with q
force that made the blackbird start in its
wicker cage.
Well said, my boy! wish was ten
years younger, and I'd go long with you
mysalt!"
81 am glad you approve it, SIR .
.Approve it; l don't do anythia' else! =
entirely needless of the memory of Lindey
Murray, in his enthusiasm. "And when
you Gene back, Harry, after you've done q
mans duty on the battle-feld-for you
will come back"
Don't father! !" interposed Mrs. Bank
grove, who was wping her spectacles
very hard; "don't go to temptin' Provi
dsnce that way!"
Wife," said the old man solemDly, "h'
Viii come back! Shall not the Lord Q
6atties be with him2 Az l was sayin'
larry, when that day arrives"
Then, sir,'' said Harry" will yo'
consent to give me your daughter2' q
he mad spoken from a sudden impuls
she words he never would have dared t.
utter under ordinary circumstances. No
recalling them now, however, and Alic
blushed redder than the reddest hollyhocl
bV the garden wall Son;.o Ponkurov