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

matter-thcy III De along soon meantimol "
wheel this big chair up, and take bask, for
the air is chilly If il ia the first week in May.
Won't they be little astonished, though,
when they come int Upon my word. things
couldn't have happened nicer! Faugh
what smell of paint-whitewash. too. as
am living sinner! Confound 1t I've kicked
over pail OF the stuff! II tho women folks
aren't house clcaning!"
The captain gave an indignant and con.
te,nptuous suif u he surveyed the dcsolute
sceno.
"what comfort female can find In turn.
Ing things upside down, and deluging the
house with soap and water twice q year, |
can't imagine. Carpets oil up, floors damp
curtains torn down-not one familiar ob
ject to greet fellows eyes after a twelve
months absence from homo. Hcigh.ho!
think I'll light cigar"
Which he did and began to smoke and
mediate.
There was rustic and a tripping football
on the stairs. The Captain took out his ci.
gar and listened.
"That's Minny," said he to himself,
''M,mna doesn't dance up stairs like that. y
lie rose. and leaned against the door cas-.
ing as the dancing feet came nearer and near.
or. How his heart beat as the freight shone
upon crimson merino dress and q little
white apron. on tho threshold And the
next moment he had caught the slight form
in his arms, and was showering kisses on
cheek and brow and lips and hair.
"Caught for once, Miss Minny!" he ex-
claimed That's to pay you for presuming
to clean house without my permission! No.
you're not going to escape" ..-..
Such q piercing scream rs she rewarded
his fraternal demonstrations with I! CARL
Silver let 20 her waist. and retreated against
the wall with faint idea OF breaking
through the lath and plaster, and hiding him
self in the ruin For as truly as he stood
there quaking in his regimcntals, the voice
was not that OF his sister Minny, but-Kate
Merriam! . l.... ..r...r.
"How dare you 20 she calculated, with
crimson cheeks and quivering lips. "I'll
don't leave the house this Instant"
"Upon my word I'm not burglar or an
assassin" pleaded CARL, recovering his self
possession in u measure, as he saw kate's
breathless terror. 1T was so dark couldn' I
see your face. and thought it was my sis
ter Minny. Don't you know me, Miss Mer.
riam-Capt. Silver?"
..You are an impostor," said Kate, with
spirit. "Capt. Silver is with the army of
tho Potomac" .. .I..
mo, he's not, hos here" urged CARL.
How shall prove that I'm myself! Kate
Miss Merriam" |t." ...
r For she had sunk into chair and begun
to cry. He knelt beside her with u rough
attempt to comfort. r sf
kate you are not sorry to SEQ me back
again?" ... rHi.rI ...L s4
"No." she sobbcd "only-only was so
frightened" .|
The little, trembling, bluc.eyed thing
CARL Silver had never seen her in tears be-
fore. No shy assumption of dignity now
no royal ars-only brown disheveled hair,
and cheeks like red clover blossoms in u
shower. lie was the brave ore now--how
natural it seemed to clasp the tiny palms in
his one strong hand r..
"Kate, dearest, | love you! With my
whole heart, Kate. Nay don't bc 30 fright
ed would die to save you one moment .
terror! Only tell INC that your heart is
mino!" ...r-' ....f. a 81
And when the tears were dried, leaving tho
eyes like drenched violots, and the checks
flushed brightly, Carll Silvir had leave and
license to keep one little Huttering hund in
his, and knew that he was an accepted lover.
"But where are my mother and sister ?"
he asked ut length. "And what is the solu-
tion of this strange riddle?"
"Don't you know, laughed Kate, "they
do not live here any morc?" @ lH.
"Not live here!" .l
"No. have you forgotten that yesterday
was tho lst of May? We occupy this house
now. papa, Aunt Milcent, and ~
"Ohop quoth Captain Silver. $50
thoyve moved. And never to hear of it.
Upon my word they treat me pretty coolly."
"Ah, but you would have heard 0f it,"
said Kate. ''if you had stayed quietly in
caup to get your letters instead OF rowing
over the country without word of warning
to your friends !"
"Give ne one more kiss Katie, and l'm of
to sec them. One moro my betrothed wife.
Does it not seem like dream" -
"And you are my soldier now, whispered
Kate, playing with tho gold buttons of his
coat with trcmulous fingers. "Mine to send
out into the battlefield to dream Of and to
pray TOR. CARL, have always repined that
1 had no gift Tor my country, noip can give
my best and dearest to aid her cause" f7'
"Spoken like soldiers wife, Kate" said
Silver, with kindling eyes. eff you but
knew how much better wo rough men fight
for knowing that woa,ar,'s love and wonan's
prayers enshrine us with golden unseen ar
inor-nonsensc! I'm getting sentimental.
Good night" .....tm rr ...t F d
So there were three surprises that May
evcning-one for Kate Merriam (wouldn't
you have been surprised, Mademoiselle, to be
caught and kissed in the dark, and never
know who the kisscr was y, one for Captain
Silver Ia very agreeable one though), and
One-the original surprise, If We may 90
term it--for his mother and sister. Carll
has not yet left of congratulating himself
that his ''leaye Of absence" happened to fall
in tho aowerery and migratory month OF
May. For If he hadn't blundered into Miss
Merriam's house and kissed her by mistake,
thereby bringing matters precipitately to q
focus, the probabilities are that to this day
no mover would have mustered courage to tell
her Of his love. .i...D -.t ...fs
And when the golden armadss Of tho au.
tumn leaves Hoat down the forest brooks, and
the blue mist OF Indian Summer wraps the
hills in dreamy light, Carll Silver is coming
back to seal Kate Merriam's destiny with q
wedding ring. iaa..h sel el-'l ~
u. r-.TH.. H.I .tinl su.r.l. Ius Er \