Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-10-01
A GIFT BY THE WAY-SIDE.

A GIFT By THE WAY-sIDE.
The old farmhouse clock had just struck
seven and over all the hills the purple va
pors of twilight were coming down, waking
spicy odors among the sweet-fern III the pas
lures and the blue wild-grapes rpening in
the woods, while the whip-poor-will sang sad
ly on the messy rails of the broken-down
fence that skirted the ravine, and the katy
dds chirped shrlly through the morning-glory
leaves above the window!
Seven o'clock !" echoed Silas Miller, Just
as though he had not been watching that
sow-creeping minute-hand for the last half
hour. He will soon be here now-my boy
will soon be here !"
What a strange softening of the rugged
features, what an unwonted culver of the
harsh voice there was, when he uttered the
two simple words my boyw Yes, it was his
boy who was coming back from the smoke of
half a score Of battle-felds; no wonder that
the thought sent a thrill through his iron ma
ture. His solder-his hero
Surely ought to hear the stage-horn,"
he said, feverishly pacing up and down the
narrow path where the maple leaves lay like
a carpet of pale gold. Listen, Sybil don't
you hear it ?"
It's too early yet, father"
The light figure came stealing out to his
side, and both together leaned over the gar
den-gate, gazing into the opal gloom of twi-
light with wistful, searching gaze.
She was not prettIer than many another
New England girl, vet there was delicate
type of beauty in her face and form that be-
longs as much to the frozen North as its
pine forests and cliffs of eternal snow. Pale
brown hair, with aureate lights crossing its
surface at times, eyes like the blue larlsspur,
and lips that had stolen the dewy crimson of
the wild rose in pearls and blue crepe Sybil
Miller would have been "a beauty" in her
dress of gray bingham she was something
far better and nobler.
Suddenly the old man started, and uttered
All indistinct, glad cry.
"It's he, Sybil; don't you see, beyond the
elder bushes Child, don't hold me back
let me so and meet my boy !"
No, father, you are mistaken; it is not
Laurence; Laurence is shorter by half a head
and that is not his quick, bueyant step !"
you're right, Sybil," said Silas Miller, al
most petulantly. "Why do these vagrant
soldiers go wandering by, giving honest folks
such start ,"
a suppose he did not know we were
watching for Laurence" said Sybil, half smil-
ing in the dusk.
1t was only this morning that a beggar,
disgracing-I won't say wearing-the United
States uniform, come by, and had the audaci-
ty to ask me for money!"
did not you give him something's"
''Givc him something's" repeated Sias,
angrilv, "Pd have seen him starving first
have no patience with these strolling beg
gars Here's another specimen of the kind,
| suppose. No, my man, you needn't trouble
yourself to recite your pitiful story y"
A. Ill --:4I. I. IA
coat thicklv powdered with dust, had Iaused
in front of the gate, and Sybil could Just dis
Germ dark, piercing eyes, and a forhead curl
ously traversed by a crescent-shaped scar,
apparently newly healed.
81 have nothing for you, said Silas, sharp
ly. Yes, yes, know what you would say,
but it's no use. If you're deserving, the
proper authorities will take care of you, and
if you're not the county jail is the best place
for you. Don't tell me about wdnt: what
have you done with your bounty money and
your pay, if you're really what you pretend
to be-a soldier?"
Even through the twilight Sybill could see
the scarlet flush rising to the SCARED fore
head.
"Sir, you are mistaken. l did not beg."
"No, you'd prefer to play the bully, I've no
doubt. But I'm not proper subject for you,
so be about your business, my man "
The soldier turned silently away, with
step more hating perhaps and head more
depressed, and passed slowly away into the
gathering dusk
Father" whispered Sybil, reproachfully,
:" had YOU forgotten that our Laurence too is
soldier?"
"No," returned Silas, abruptly 81 remem-
bered it, and it convinced me all the more
that man, paid and pensioned like our Lau-
renee, has no need to beg on the public high
ways"
''But, father, he did not beg"
because | would not allow it, child. lpay
taxes for the support of such as he, and |
swear I will do no more !!
He spoke in the sharp, high-pitched accents
of passion, and when he looked round again
S!bil was gone.
Footsore and weary, the travel-worn Pc
destrian had sat himself down on messy
boulder by the roadside, when quick, light
tootstep came up little by-path, leading from
the back door of the farmhouse, through
blackberry pastures and mown fields, and
Slight figure bent above him.
- Do not mind my fathers words; he was
angry and unreasonable" she said hurriedly.
F" have little to give, but l want you to take
II tor the sake of my soldier-brother.
Before he could speak she had unfastened
from her neck blue ribbon with tiny gold
piece suspended from it, placed it in his hand,
anu was gliding away across the fields like
some little gray nun, in her sober-hued dress
ne rose up, as if to follow and overtake her.
out IL was TOO late, and as he bent his head
over the cleaning token something rnr S IIe
tear dropped upon its circlet of tiny stars rs,
And now tell US everything that has bsn-
pened to you, Laurence Oh, Laurence
when l walked this morning it seemed ali a
dream that you had come back to us again in
very truth"