The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1867-05-31
FREMONT. sANDUsKY COUNTY, OHIO FRIDAY MAY 81 1867

and most OF ali, Whether ANNE WOuiQ De
what fancied her. knew it would be
terrible to find her a common place, ignorant
young woman, yet it might be SO. Beautiful
she must be, yet the fairy loveliness might
have vanished with youth, and my rose bud
have changed into dahlia. Ny heart sank
] as the stage drove into Rushton.
At the hotel alighted and walked up the
street. 1t was altered and improved, but l
found the house, with its side garden and
shop windows, with the gilded boot swing
ing from the door. That had not altered
much. Even the tall hollyhocks seemed
the very same that were in bloom when /
looked back and saw Annie amongst them,
waving her tiny hand.
| / lifted the latch and entered. A little
hunch- backed shoemaker sat upon bench
near the window hard at work. He look
| ed up as asked for Mr.. Hope.
you've been away spell, l guess" he
said. 81 bought Mr.. Hope out five years
ago. He had some property left him, and
went away to live on it, in New York | think.
j wish could tell you where, but l don't
know"
felt pang at my heart.
''His family were all well at that time?"
/ asked.
aHis wife and little gal was, said the
shoemaker. ellis brother kept the bake
shop, p'raps you know. He's dead. Won't
you set down and rest?"
| / thanked him, but declined, but 1 looked
about the old place sadly as stood at the
door The counter where Annie had had
her first lesson in walking the steps leading
to the back room, down which / had seen
her Chamber so many times. Had she been
there, it would not have been the sweet child
1 should have met, but full grown woman
but l could not drive the fancy away that
might have handled her upon my knee, or
carried her in my arms as l did then, silly
as it was. Nobody in Rushton knew where
Johu Hope had gone Nobody remembered
me. / went home again. feeling that all ties
between myself and my old life were indeed
broken, and little Annie could be nothing TO
me hereafter but a memory.
Time passed on, l grew rich; I was
successful, but lived lonely life. l felt
as though l always should. Home and
home Joys were not for me. saw beautiful
Strange as it was, those baby eyes, with
their violet depths, haunted me still, and
shone from the fair face of the ideal woman
who was to be my wife. III ever married
it could only be another Annie Hope grown
to womanhood.
And so, having no ties to bind me, and
longing as lonely man must, for some
change and excitement, l was among the
first to answer my country's call for aid, and
TO enlist under the stars and stripes in her
defence. | might have had commission
but l preferred enlisting as private sol
4 dier, aud marched away in the ranks, un-
noticed and unknown, but under my blue
i jacket !, wore that tress of,yellow hair, as
had worn it all those years since it was sew
cred from the head of the child love never
hoped to meet again. a.,
1t was my fortune, and happy fortune
d esteemed it, to be with those who met the
foe the soonest. Many warm days work
many a cold nights watch had L y; many 8
hardship, many narrow escape with life
and limb, but for year / seemed to bear q
charmed existence, and stood unframed
/ when comrades fell on either side of me
My day came at last. l remember the order
to fire !. / remember firing. Then sharp
pang somewhere, and no more.
When / came back 10 life lzy upon 8
hospital bed, and my right arr was gone
My fighting days were at an end and veal
and worn with suffering, l forgot my man
hood far ugh to weep. The hot teari
stole from my closed lids over my cheek
and then felt them softly wiped away, and
Ia hand rested on my brow, and a voice said
eIt'isofor your country, soldier, think oi
1 lifted my eyes and saw beside me a
nurse. She was dressed in gray and had nc
! ornaments about her. She was ready tC
work, and that she had been working hel
toil-worn brow told plainly. Yet she was
Young and beautiful, and looked into my
face with the violet eyes had only seen il
ldreams since Hast kissed Annie Hope.
,qHDon't think me coward, l said; 'i
was the first shock-it is over now. Thanl
you.n For she had put some cooling drinl
bto my lips and bsthed my feVered brow. 1
seemed as though an angel ministered untC
! me- l slept soon and awoke to see he
beside me-to be fed by her as child nigh
be-; to see her bending beside other couches
, TO watch for the first time the motions of |
woman / could love. 1t was bitter thins
Ito think that had not met her before / wa
manned aud helpless creature. She pitieC
me She was tender of me; but when meI
love women they do not care to be pitied BY
them.
One evening, as I grew better, 1 lay
; watching her. She had been very busy
4 and her cheeks were flushed instead of pale
All her yellow hair was rolled into purpl,
net. Surely such hair was never seen bu
once before. l. called her.
II She came at once. q
,@Do you want anything? she said.
Il ;'Yes'' | answered breathlessly, "you
She smiled. at is an easy one to remem
ber," she said. "Annie Hope"
Great heavenl'' l cried, and fell back up
on my pillow. /.
care you ill.," she asked.
~No, said /, "no. Stay with me a mo
ment Don't you remember-the old gar
ret-the boy who loved you so, packing hi
trunk-dOn't you know who cut this from
your head, and said that he would keep i
always?" and my one hand stole into my
bosom and drew forth the yellow braid.
laid it on the pillow, and without wore
> she took a locket from her dress, and match
ed it with another tress-the curl that l haC
given her.
81 have never lost it, Walter" she said
Il Then her eyes filed with tears, and ou
: fingers met.
Il "Ifyou would only give me one kiss 70
/, the sake of old times" l said, and Anni'
Hope bent over me and kissed me as thougl
; she were still child.
! l.
My Anniel You remember how, one day
your soldier told you of his lifelong love
You remember how, under the blue southern
sky, you gave him your little hand, and tolc
him he had always had your heart, but ever
you can never guess the joy you gave him
You married me, Annie, ere we left tn
lcamp and no bride surely ever looked love
llier in pearls and satin and floating lace
than you in your gray nurses dress.
And stood beside you in my worn blu
ljacket with its empty sleeve, and you neve
lguessed that it was not a poor soldier yol
were wedding, but rich man-never rich a
heart before, in spite ofall his worldly goods
You know the truth now, and | have give
? my sweet bird gilded cage; and thanl
: Heaven that the ills of poverty can neve
touch YOU But we do not love each othe
!. one whit the more nor one whit the less 70
that my Annie-my violet-eyed treasure
the Hope that have taken to my heart
bless my life forever.