The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1867-05-02

nent next day, and sallie wondered
why Barton did not call. She had a
thousand excuses for him, but months
rolled on, and when Holmes wrote Of
ten, and Barton seemed to have for
gotten her, she strove to put him out of
mind.
1 need not tell you of hair-breadth
(it is the common lot of SOL
diers), or how they lay within the
loathesome walls of Libby. Sallie
shuddered when she heard it, and
skipped the accounts of the horrors of
prison-life. But Right prevailed at
length. The prison-doors were unbar-
red, and the captives set free.
"Weapons are no longer used, save
in the forest, where the leaves rustic
beneath the startled rabbits tread
There is, thank HeavenI no longer
war of brothers. Peace, with healing
in her bright wings, hovers over the
broad States of the Union. God grant
it may ever be sol"
So said Charles Holmes, in closing
his first lecture after his return home.
The next day he left Mrs. Weston's
handsome residence with heavier
heart than he had ever before known.
He sought Barton and poured out his
grief to him, as such men do, who for
get and outlive it soon. He pitied
him and said, ''Perhaps she loves you
for all. Press your suit"
"Ah, no; her refusal was decisive,
and free from coquetry."
Months afterwards a group of ladies
and gentlemen sat beneath the wide
spreading forest trees. 1t was a lazy af-
ternoon, and the picnic party seemed
not unlike the day.
Barton had yielded to the entreaties
of fair young girl, to tell her some
thing of his experience in the army.
He went on and on. His life in prison,
though modestly told, was so full of
thrilling events that he was uncon-
sciously becoming a hero in the eyes
Of his listeners. Aline Stevens held
up wreath that she had been weav-
ing and said:
"The victor must be crowned" >"
"No, no, did no more than my
duty; no more than I should have
done"
"But it took a brave heartand noble
mind to bear it all ;" said Miss Stevens.
Sallie Weston said never a word, but
there came into her eyes such look of
tenderness that even Barton, that most
unegotisticaI man, could not fail to
understand it. The party thinned till
at last but four sat beneath the grand
old oak. Holmes seemed to have
gotten a clear insight into affairs, and
begged the lady who had wished to
crown Barton, to proclaim him king
She did so piayfully, and they went to
tell other friends of his promotion.
Miss Weston sat, leaning her finely
formed head against the trunk of the
tree, and fingered the lace of her hand
kerchief in a most s2hool-girl-like man.
ner.
Barton gazed out upon the purple
hills in the distance, that pointed heav-
onward, and gave him high and holy
aspirations; but doubt ifhesaw them
just then at all. He turned and look
ed earnestly into Miss Weston's face.
"What were you thinking of, when
I was speaking of camp-life?"
There came no answer, and he spoke
again, almost impatiently.
"TelI me! tell me! 1 must know" !"
al went with you through the
scenes you described, till my heart
failed, and then I thought what g
grand conquest you had gained over
selfshness and love of ease, and thai
your story would win a heart, even
were it invuInerable to ought else"
"Did it win yours ?"
"No."
"Then am miserable"
"Oh, James, are you blind How
could you now win that which has
ayUays been yours ?" she said tremu
Iously, almost reproachful!y.
A new sun arose in James Barton'E
ornament, while the great luminary
of earth set in the weSt-a sun thai
shall not go down'so long as life lasts
DIR. Reynolds told Miss Weston the
day of the wedding, that she had beer
wise in sending her lover to defend hi.
country, for now that he had achieved
victory on so many battle-feIds sht
might yet become a Senator's wife
whereas ''stay-at-homes" found them
selves minus even nominations.
Holmes gave his hearty congratuIa
tiOns, and told them, confdentially o
course, that as he was king, Miss Alint
Stevens had consented to be queen O
a part of his pOssessions-even his af
fections.
There was much good will and hap
piness at that wedding. Much more
than can ever be told in black and
white.
The Mt. Vernon Republican gays thai
the evidence in the contested election case
of Delano vs.. Morgan is thus far over.
whelming, that there was q corrupt and
disreputable bargain and agreement be.
tween Morgan and President johnson, by
which the former was to have all the pat
roAage Of the district at his disposal, viii
which to buy up so far as possible, Union
men, and induce them with the hope and
promise of Office to desert Mr.. Delano, and
vote for Morgan. The testimony is full
aod cl1v1r,Iafo ~ FE,e o-y-to,,cC ~