The Hickman courier., 1868-08-01

/, "Sir, If you pity me, tell me the W
at once; can bear it,"
- well, madam, your husband and
ng party have been wayisid and murdered
to the Indians. - s
ng sAll2 Did none escape?" la
ss. "Not onel' ~
Is She turned sharply, leaving him vi
J. out word and he sa. her enter
8, house, and cloG~the door after her--s
Id that was the end ) He would never co
J back anymore. no matter how patien
IS she might wait ard watchl He wo,
d never know that be had a son--ne,
d look upon the little chubby face, vi
8 ITS, bold, blue. eyes and sunny curls,
e like his own From henceforth b
heart and hop>@ were desolate. ---~~~-
And this was the anniversary. of b
wedding day. Six years ago, and 81
was happy bride. Five years she b.
been heart-broken widow. Her bs
slept in his little bed, and She sat.the
--..ai6Hng. think NJ -ssld gaxiazt : 90 n !
ram came down IN great siIelFssS IL
Wild, wailing winds rnshed round tbe
gables, and went shrisking over the hills
like human souls in agony Her heart
ached with desolation that seemed al
most insupportsble. Life was so hard
yet, for the boy sake, she must endure
aud live on.
She looked down at her sable garments
with hot, binding tears. Six years ago,
and she was robed in gems and blossoms.
His face, his very voice, seemed to come
back to her, and she fancied that his
spirit must be neaII,er. No matter how
high above her, how happy, she knew
that he loved her still, and his glorifed
spirit may have left its home of bliss to
keep with her that sacred anniversary.
The fancy consoled her beyond express
sion. She glanced over at the sleeping
boy, with dim hope that his father low
ed and watched over him. Then sud
den impulse shot across her mind she
would not keep the anniversary of her
wedding day in her garments of widow
hood she would put on the robe he low
ed. If he knew aught of her poor, sad
life, he should see how saeredly she re-
membered and observed his simplest
wishes
Stealing up to her chamber, she took
out the mauye silk, and the dainty laces,
growing yellow aud time worn, and the
pretty jet and gold ornaments, and ar
rayed herself as ia days gone by; and
the old bloom came back to her checks,
and the brightness to her eyes; and she
seemed to drop her years and her widow
hood, and to spring out afresh into the
rare beauty Of her early maidenhood.
Thus srrayed, she went down softly, aud
seated herself before the blazing FIRE, her
face fearful and expectant. If his soul
we're near--and she clung to the hope
hat it was, as she clung to hfe-he
should see how tenderly she remembered
him.
The anniversary night wore on, wild
md dark with storm and still the poor
wife, half crazed by her terrible sorrow,
at by her lonely hearth stone, robed in
Ter festive garments. At last there came
step without sharp, impatient step
zsss--.ss .s1ss-,.
\ weary, travel worn man, bronzed BIZ
and pale with long endured grief
anne up to the front entrance, and paus-
d beneath the low window Through
he parted curtains shone the rudy fire.
light, revealing the warm, attractive room
the old, familiar ROOM. with his hat
Ipon the wall, aud has books and meer-
chaum on the mautle, unmoved as he
lad left them-revealed the dear, sweet
ace, wet with tears, and the dress he
owed in happy days, that seemed too far
'ack to the poor wanderer to be real.
Vas it al dream? Was that the wife
rom whom he had so long been parted,
those face had been present with him
Trough all his lonely hours of peril aud |
Was she waiting and |
aud keeping his home bright /
Dr. his return?
lie left the window, stole softly to the |
orch, and approached the door. He |
aised the latch: il opened, and he stood 1
pom the threshold
Intent upon her own musings, her own /
Teet memories. and sad reflections,
laud heard no sound: Her heart was (
IT back with her husband she had loved |
} well. The old dress had revived old (
and his very presence seem
/ around and about her She looked L
P with clasped hands and streaming
yes.
"0h, Harry oh, my husband p she
urmured /; '.if you know how I love
mourn your loss, surely your
'ul might speak to mine, and tell me i
lat you are near me r. II
" Maud, my WIFE my darling r' Il
She started TO hss feet, with a wonder .
g, startled face. There he stood, worn I
Id weary, changed from the man he had |
zen, but the wife recognized him in an
stant. For moment, solemn awe
led her eyes, aud her love hesitated
I'd trembled in the presence of spirit
ON the otheE.world but the next in I
ant she heldh him In her arms with a I
Id cry.
"Oh, Harry, my husband, you are not
ad you have come back to me y
His passionate kisses on her face. his u
rong arms and thFobbiug heart, answer !
her as no words could have done. He +;
ID come back to her from imprison- !
ent amid the wild western mountains, .
om perels ar-3dangers, aud death itself. /.
For a little While after she had heard !,
s story, and fully assured herself that +
was really flesh and blood, aud not /
irit, as she had first believed him, she :.
quietly weeping on his bosom then :
e arose, with solemn tenderness in 9
r eyes, and les5ng him upstairs to
e bedroom, drkS aside the curtains of
Q couch, revealing the little face, flush
aud dimpled, in slumber, aud the ID
lall, chubby fists fast clinched together /,
Harry Merlin looked on without a a
'rd then, bending down, he kissed Il
e little sleeper with a joy and thank s
mess in his soul too deep for utterapce. e
And on this stormy night, after weary D
ars of imprisonment and amid barba- 4
US hordes-after having endured trials c
d hardships, and almost death itself, d
is was how Harry Merlin came home u
Democratic Meetings.
1t is the earnest desire of the County, \
Committee that the citizensj i
the different precincts and neighbor-
DDS of this county, will get up publicl n
etings, barbecues, ETC., to which thel :,