Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-09-30

The kronzed, handsome young soldier
looksi s1lilugly do91n into tia radiant fses
that estled against lis shouldar and serioas
shadow stole into his eyes.
81 can tell you, Sybil, it came very near
being nothing more than a dream once or
twice. have had more hair-breadth 'scapes
than you know of little sister | did not tell
YOU, did /, of that skirmish along the Poto-
mac where stood face to face with DEATH an
ugly death, too, at the point Of rebel bayonets,
when some brave fellow charged down on en-
and saved my life with his own right hand"
Who was it. Laurence ?" said old Silas,
with trembling lip and dilated eyes. 90 /
would give nv best wheat field for a chance
to grasp that right hand"
= [ don't know never came across him
again. Probably he was in some other regi
ment. All know is that he had fiery black
ewes, and an odd scar on his forehead, shaped
exactly like a Moorish crescent"
And a straight nose, and heavy black
mustache :" interrupted his sister.
Exactly"
Father" said Sybil, turning with spark
ling ewes and crimson cheek 10 where Silas
Miller sat, g the wandering soldier whom you
turned from your door last night was the man
who saved our Laurence's life"
SiIas rose up from his chair and took an
uneasy turn across the room and back, his
iron features working strangely
at can't be helped now" he said in a
tremulous voice; but it's the last soldier
I'll ever send with empty hands from Ht,s
door The man who saved our Laurence's
life (! Oh, Sybili if / had only listened to
your wordsi"
But she never spoke of the little lucky
piece of gold She fancied it might seem
like ostentation, this shy, fastidious little
wild-hower of the hills,
"My Sybil going TO be married among the
fine folks down in Boston Well, | s'pose /
might have expected it, and yet it does seem
kind o hard" soliloquized Silas Miller, drop
ping the happy, timid letter in his lap, and
looking out through dimmed spectacles upon
| the snowy, sun-bright hills. Il wonder who
it il. | should like to see the man that's 60
| ing to marry Sybil Miller"
Slas would have been proud man could
| he have beheld his pretty daughter that self
| same night in her white evening dress, with
scarlet geraniums lighting up her brown hair
and glowing on her bosom. No wonder that
Captain Leslie's face frightened with grave,
quiet pride, as he looked down on his fair
betrothed
* Sit down here, dearest, in this quiet little
music-room," he said, with caressing authori-
ty Il can't share your sweet eve. and
| sweeter words with the world any longer
| mast have you all TO myself for while"
She looked up with blushing smile, then
down again.
W ell 2" he asked, as if she had spoken.
| Il was wondering, Allen-that scar on
| your forehead -
! 'W hat of it :"
| ''Why it is such singular shape-almost a
/ half circle. l never saw but one like it be-
| fore"
| did you not And where that ?"
| "A poor soldier passed our gate once with
| just such a scar on his forehead, and"
| She paused, for Allen Leslie had quietly
| taken from some inner receptacle in his coat
tiny piece ofgold with narrow blue ribbon
passed through it He held it smilingly up.
| ''Do you know who gave this to me ?"
| Gave il to yoa, Allen :"
| ''To me, a footsore, weary vanderer, who
had missed his way among your tangled roads.
| You fancied me begsar--it was not SO. l
| had money, friends, position; yet | stood
| sorely in need of kind word just then, for
my brain was throbbing, my limbs weary, my
wounds scarce healed That foot-march cost
| me a weary fever. Yet ] do not regret it !;
| for"
He took her hand tenderly into his, and
added,
For although might have known that my
/ Sybil was beautiful, yet had it not been for
that blue-ribboned piece of gold | never
should have known how good and true she
was"