The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-02-24
aflistellansolrs.
SURPRISED.

iron track like some strong. furious demon.
CARL Silver became dimly conscious OF these
things rs he started from brief, restless
slumber, wherein his knapsack had served as
pillow, and stared vaguely into the sharp
Yankee face Of the obdurate conductor.
"ricket! suppose I've such thing
about me-" no muttercd drowsily, searching
first one pocket and then the other. "Oh,
here it is Isay, conductor. are we near
New York :"
"Twenty minutes or so will bring us into
Jersey City, Sir-we'rc making pretty good
| time"
And the sharp faced official passed on, to
harass the next unfortunate man who had
neglected to put his ticket in his hat band ;
while Capt. Silver dragged himself into sit
/ ting posture. putting his two hands back of
his head with portentous yawn, and smiled
to remember the fantastic dreams that had
chased one another through his brain during
that half hour Of cramped, uneasy slumber
from which the conductors challenge had
reused him-dreams in which bloody battle
fields aud lonely night marches had blended
oddly with sweet home voices, and the sui
phureous breath of artillery had mingled
with violet scents from the twilight woods
around, and gusts OF sweetness from tossing
clouds Of peach blooms, through which the fly
ling express train shot remorse.le .lessly.
And then CARL Silver began to think OF
other things
"Conductor " whispered the fat old lady
opposite, in tho bombazine bonnet and snuff
colored shawl.
"Yes'm," said the man of tickets, stop
ping abruptly in his transit through the cars,
and inclinins his ear,
"That young man in the military cap,
conductor-I hopc he ain't an escaped luna.
tic dressed up in soldiers clothes. I've heard
o. such things. And don't u bit like the
way he keeps grinnins to himself and rub.
bing his two hands together. He's acted
quecr all day-and I'm travelling all alone,
conductor!
The conductor laughed and passed on.
The old lady bridled in offended dignity.
Bless her anxious heart. how was she 10
know that Capt. Silver was only rejoicing in
the thoughts of the glorious surprise he
had in store for his mother and dimpled faced
sister that night2 Was it not year
twelve long, long months-slncc he had
looked upon their faces last? And now
Oh, speed on your way, express train,
through quiet villages where dafiodils sprin-
kle all the gardens with gold! Speed over
the slopiug hills, where springing grass sends
up faint, delicious smell. and brooks bah
bling under swinging willows-past lonely
church wards, where the innumerable grave
stones beckon through the twilight and are
gone for every throb Of your iron pulse
brings ono true heart nearer homo! Shot
and shell have spared him for this hour; fe-
yer aud pestilence and foul malaria have
passed him by; and now
Suppose there should DO an accident He
had heard OF such things on these lightning
routcr Suppose he should be carried home
dead, mangled corpse. the words OF greet
Ing frozen into eternal silence on his lips, the
glad light sealed forever under the heavy eye-
lids! Strange that such morbid iancies
should never have ass ,iled him in the lire
and smoke OF Gettysburg, yet come to him
now, like guests that would not be driven
away; when he was within twenty minutcsot
home Would it break his mothers heart !;
or would she live on? And would hate
Merriam care?-Kate Merriam. the blue
eyed shy little fairy, who never would look
at him save through her long brown lishes,
whose coy mouth always made him think OF
scarlet cherries and roses dashed in dew.
"To think" CALCULATED CARL Silver. bring
ing hisbr,nxsd fist on the window ledge with
aiorce that made the glass rattle ominousy
and struck chill to the heart Of the old la
DIV in the bombazine bonnet-"to think that
| |, who would knock down the man who ven.
tured to tell me was coward, should be
afraid to say frankly toa little tender girl
that I love her To think that the very
touch Of her glove, the sound OF her loot
step, tho rustic OF her ribbons can frighten
INV sell. possession away, and make staring.
silent idiot of me Alter oil, what is u
mans courage WORTH There's no uso in
thinking of il. Ishall die an old bachelor,
for I'll never marry any woman but Kate
Merriam, and shall never dare to plead my
cause with Kate. wish l hadn't such an
absurd streak Of cowardico through me-" ,H
Yet Capt. Silvcr's men had told different
tale when hc led over the bridge in that
dreadful charge at Antietam. Cowardice! !!
there are several different interpretations to
the word.
"Carriage! carriage. No. won't have
carriage. Get away from mo you fellows.
you're worse than the locusts OF Egypt, and
ten times as noisy" growled Captain Silver,
energetically elbowing hrs way through the
swarms of eager hackmen, who were making
night hideous ut the foot Of Cortlandt Street.
"Do you suppose I'm going to spoil my pre-
cious surprise with carriage" ~'-[1'' '0'',
Broadway by gaslight How strange,
vet how familiar it seemed to the returning
exile, with its stately facades OF frccstonc
and marble, seeming literally to rcst on lonn.
datious OF quivering fire, and its throngs OF
people. co,aing and going in everlasting sue
cession, like tho tides ol u never-resting soa.
Carll Silver's heart leaped up in his breast
with q quick. joyous throb at the old accus-
toned sights and sounds. It was good to
feel his footsteps ringing on Manufacturers
ground. p a tfs. .ai1l -
No lights in the house! His heart stood
still amoment. That wasstrangc-ominous.
But then he remembered that his mother
was fond Of sitting in the twilight, and DIS
missed the lingering doubt from his mind.
How lucky, the door was on the latch and
swung noiselsssly open. - ~
| Hush! not q. crsaking stair or olanking
spur must betrsy him; through the old fa.
miliar hall he passed and into his mothers
room, lighted only by the ruddy glimmsr Of
. bright coal hre. ..- a.-.4I = y..a ,...a !