Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-09-28

woman always, had married again.
She had been married many months
his eyes told him that-and he could
not bring shame and disgrace on her.
Another train would pass in two
hours. He would take it and 90 far
away, back to the army perhaps, any
where, it did not matter, and she
should never know but that it was
really SO. 1t would be best so.
OH Coralie, if you had only known
whose eyes looked upon you that
night, whose unselfish heart was plan
ming for you, placing your future
peace and well-being before his own
craving hunger for home, happiness
and children's love!
When Mark Ryder glanced again
towards the window, the strange man
had moved aside, out of his range of
vision, and he saw only CoraIie sit
ting there with Floy in her lap, while
Eddie leaned on the arm of her chair.
Home, and wife, and children-all
that he had hoped and prayed for
through three years Of war and eigh-
teen months Of captivity, before his
eyes, within his reach at last | think
none but God knew what was in the
mans soul then; when he gave them
all up, and elected to become wan
derer. One long look at the dear
faces he should never see again this
side of Heaven-then he turned resO.
lutely away.
He had his hand on the fence to
get over, when a dog came out of a
kennel near by, growing savagely
Bruno, good felIowr' Hearing his
name in that voice the dog knew his
master, and sprang up with a quick,
glad whine, licking the hand that ca
ressed his shaggy head, and the face
that bent down close for an instant,
as the man knelt on one knee on the
frozen ground, his arm about the dog S
neck.
"You will see them all tomorrow,
old lclIow-CoraIie and Eddie and
baby Floy-but | shall never see
them again till | meet them up yonder.
They'll never know that I've been
here tonight, and you can't tell them
can you? You'll keep the secret,and
when all the rest have forgotten me,
my dog will remember. No. YOU
mustn't follow. Back, | say, and
goodbye"
He did not look back once as he
went--kcpt straight on acros the
fields towards the station, in the same
path he had come over less than an
hour before The wind was in his
face now, that litter piercing wind
which seemed to penetrate through
the blue oyercoat SO easily, chilling
him through and through He shiy-
cred at iirst, and shrank as it swept
over him, but after awhile he did not
feel its chilling blasts so much.
1t must be getting late, he thought
he was growing very sleepy-walkine
slower and slower, pausing once as
the mournful howl OF a dog fell on his
ear
Poor Bruno! Nobody clsc'lI grieve
Nobody else knows or cares. It's
strange-what makes me so tired.
must-sit down--h er e-and rest
There 's-time-enough. No-neeC
to hurry. Coralie 's-asleep-by
this-time-a /" leaning hi;
elbows on his knees, aud his face il
his hands, he sat quiet. Not asleep
for he still heard the barking Of The
dog, but it sounded to him miles anC
miles away. His senses were getting
dulled. his faculties benumbed.
An hour passed-two-then tht
shrek of locomotive broke the still
ness, startling the echoes far ant
near. But Mark Ryder did no
move. Ha d he forgotten that h,
meant to take the train? Whel
daylight came he was sitting ther,
still
Later in the morning, Coralie'S hus
band, came down through this yer,
field. paused at the sight of a man il
uniform, sitting there iu that detected
attitude.
care you sick sir? Can | help yo,
in any way?
But the soldier did not look up o
: speak.
A strange fear fell upon the ques
toner. He came nearer, and gentl
lifted the sleeper's head, pushing bacI
l the cap that shaded the white fore
head and the closed eyes.
dead! Frozen to death, with he'll
so near. This is terrible Y
No slightest glimmering of t h
) truth dawned upon his mind. He ha
never seen Mark Ryder, and to
> strangers eye this pale face turned u
mutely to the winters sky, bore littl
resemblance to the picture he ha
1 seen Coralie kiss.
So he called a neighbor, and b.
I tween them, with reverent touch, the
: lifted the poor, pallid image of wha
q had been a strong loving man, an
bore it to the nearest house. An
:, the news spread that dead soldier,
stranger evidently, a passenger fro
one Of the night trains, was lying
DR.. Purcell's house, awaiting co
= oners inquest.
. Wha. impulse was it that prompte
= - Coralie when she heard of it, to tai
: her two little ones by the hand ar
= 90 down there? Her husband M
> her at the door with an awestrut
1 face. Some one who had know
- - Mark Ryder had recognized the bod
:. = and one after another of his o
:, neighbors, crowding nearer, recognl
: ed it too. They would have kept n
! away then, but she only said, Il mu
u, coo If - opd v,uttiu0 aWay their q