The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-10-15
Mildred's Sacrifice.

II
The vases Of heliotrope in Miss. Del
ford's dainty little parlor were distill
ing their sweetest fragrance in the de
licious evening breeze that tossed The
muslin curtains to and fro, through the
wide opened windows, and the cherry
boughs over shadowing the piazza caves
were hung with sparkling jewel sprays
of the crimson fruit. July was purp.
ling all the horizon, with amethyst light
July brooded over the hills with ten.
der warmth and Clara Delford, in her
dark, rich beauty, seemed like a typic
blossom of the richest month in all the
year. ffe rars f7i d.ifr (
Did Captain Werner nstice the
changing ,selor in her olive cheek-the
blaze that glowed beneath her jetty
eyelashes, in strange, seductive brilli-
ance? Did he observe how artistical.
ly she had posed herself on the tiny
footstool, close beside Mildred Moore's
shadowy white draperies, and pure,
colorless features I? Clara Delford un.
derstood contrast and harmony-Cap-
tain Werner did not; he only knew that
the two girls were like rose and lilly
fervid sunshine, and pale with starlight.
eff could only do something for
those poor, suffering soldiers" she said,
breaking the momentary silence, as if
in continuation of the previous CONVEX
sation. "Would it not be possible for
me to devote at least portion of my
small means to their comfort and hap
piness ?" fIa
Captain Werner INDUCED in a quiet
smile for the heiress to speak of her
''small means" seemed, even to him,
Ike an unnecessary bit Of ostentation.
Certainly" he said; sand can as
sure you the money could not be spent
to better purpose" l.a 80 3aa5E
"Will you object to acting as my
treasurer2" smiled Clara, with pretty,
appealing softness in her eyes. as
"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'-as she opened the tiniest of sill
ken purses, and placed a bank note in
his hand with blushing confusion-sI
know from experience how much good
twenty dollars can do"
All this time Mildred Moore had sat
silent in the shadow of the cherry
boughs; now she rose and quickly
withdrew. Captain Verner's eyes fol-
lowed her silent, willowy figure, with
involuntary attraction. a1i. .
"You mustn't misinterpret poor,
dear Mildred's silence" lisped Clara,
as the door closed /; "of course she is
interested in your hospital reminiscent
ces but I don't think she cares very
much about the poor soldiers-Milly's
nature is not very sympathetic, and"
"And," added the straightforward
soldier, quietly, cher means are very
limited indeed. She gives music less
ons, or something, don't she ?" Hmoo
BE had risen, and stood there, tall
and handsome, in the golden July moon
ligbt-Clara's beau ideal of man. o
"Good night, Miss Clara. Iamust
stop at Harweod Grange for FIVE min
utes. to tell 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 disposal.n2s yssyy
He held the little jeweled hand in his
a moment, perhaps unconscious how
closely he pressed it, and then vanished
through the crimson sprinkled branches
of the cherry trees. As het.walked
along, whistling softly to himself, he
theaghs of Clara in her strange, tran.
scendent beauty-of her melting, liquid
eyes, and her mouth, like Cupid's bew,
carved in scarlet coral. ie ue.i4at
"It was generous in her to give that
money" he thought. "But can't un-
derstand-hang it it's no business OF
mine, l supposed; but, why couldn't
Miss Mildred have expressed her sym
pathy in words, at least. 1t annoys
me little; and yet / don't, for the life
of me, see why it should 5s,.,,
"You sent that set of onyx to my
mother?" he asked, an hour or so later,
as he entered the somewhat stylish liz.
tie jewelry store in the main street Of
the town. eyes Then it is all right
and / may just as well settle the bill
He tossed fifty dollar Treaury note
on the counter as he spoke. "a ID
81 hardly like to part with the money