Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-11-10
MISCELLANEOUS.
LOVE AND LOYALTY.

DO you mean it, Rose %
Yes"
" You set high price on your love ; can
aotpay it,"
Il think you will"
She came a little nearer. this beautiful
woman whom the young man loved with all
the ardor of first Affection she laid her hand
upon his arm and looked up in his face, her
own wearing its most persuasive aspect for
tenderness seemed to have conquered pride,
and i'll will was concealed under winning
softness which made her doubly dangerous,
as she said. in the low, sweet voice that be-
trayed her Southern BIRTH
Remember what you ask, what 1 offer /;
then tell me which demands the highest price
for love. You would have me give up friends,
fortune, home, all the opinions, prejulices,
and beliefs of birth and education, all the
hopes and purposes of years, for your sake.
ask nothing of you but the REIMBURSEMENT
of mistaken duty; | offer you all l possess,
a life of luxury and power, and-my.elf"
She paused there, with little gesture of
proud humility, as if she would ignore the
fact, yet could not quite conceal the conscious
ness that she had much to bcstow upon the
lover who had far less to offer,
"Oh, Rose, you tempt me terribly" he
said :" not with your possessions Or a life of
luxury. but with Yourself because love you
more than a thousand fortunes or century
of ease and power. Yet, dear as you are to
me, and barren as the world will be without
you, dare not turn traitor even for your
sake"
:" Yet you would have me do it for yours"
:" No; treachery to the wrong is allegiance
to the right, and only ask you to love your
country better than yourself, as try do"
"Who shall say which is right and which is
wrong /? am tired of the words. want to
forget the ills cannot cure, and enjoy life
while may. Youth was made for happi-
ness; why waste it in quarrel which time
alone can end |? Robert, do not ask you to
turn traitor. do not care what you believe.
I only ask you to stay with ME, now that
have owned how much you are to me-"
"God knows l wish l could, Rose; but
idleness is treason in times like these. What
right have l to think of my own happiness
when my country needs me-? 1t is like de-
sertin. my old mother in extreme peril to
stand idle now and when you tempt me to
forget this, must deny your prayer, because
it is the only one I cannot grant"
But, Robert. you are little to the rest of
the world. and everything to me- Your
country does not need you half so much as
la stranger in strange land : for, in a
great struggle like this, what can one man
doi''
His duty, Rose"
She pleaded eloquently with voice, and eyes,
and hands but something in the sad gravity
Of the young mans face was a keener Ieproach
than his words. She felt that she could not
win him so, and, with swift and subtle
change of countenance and manner, she put
him from her, saying, reproachfully,-
"Then do yours, and make some reparation
for the peace of mind you have destroyed. l
have a right to ask this. l came hero Us to
refuge, hoping to live unknown till the storm
was over. Why did you find me out, protect
me by your influence, Tighten my exile BY
your society, and, under the guise o. friend
ship, teach me to love you !"
Robert Stirling watched her with lovers
eyes, listened with lovers ears, and answered
ike lover. finding her the fairer and dearer
for the growing fear that hard test was in
store for him.
"I found you out. because your beauty
would not be concealed protected you, be-
cause you were n woman. and alone; gave
you friendship. because wished to prove that
N--.L hrII