Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-01-20
IORI6INALl
A WAR ROMANCE.


Bf Is. DADD.
IL has just occurred to me that have
never written War Novel, that owe my
countrymen-and women, too-a master
piece on this subject. something constructed
on wholly new and marvellous denoue
ment. And never suffer myself to owe any
one very long, not If l know 1t. No doubl
the people are heartily tired of war, and
everything pertaining thereto, and much
prefer that should write about something
else. And fully believe this story of the
late cruel war, would be read with greater
avidity two hundred years hence. At one
time the question was uppermost in my
mind, whether l should write it now, OF
wait century or two. But the opposite
remark of the old philosopher about "never
putting off till century or two what can he
done today" served to dispel that momen-
tary idea. Lest the reader should "mlslike
me for my complexion"-that is, object to
the romance on account of the subject, /
will here remark that there is not much war
in it, any how. Here goes:
CHAPTER |.
"I have sworn it, Fred"
And so she had But whether the oath
was taken on Miss Braddon's latest novel
she held in one of her snow-white hands, or
OH the 1924 volume of the Holy Writ
which reposed on the marble-top table in q
distant part of the room, ,deponent saith not.
The speaker-our heroine was a superb
specimen of the gcntler sex. Her profusion
of hair was as dark as midnight; il would
have been blonde, had blonde been the
style at that period; diamond like eyes, with
heavy dropping lashes; peachy cheeks;
Grecian nose-Greclan bends were not en-
regte, or she would have surely possessed
one. don't know what en- regle means,
but it sounds well there. Her teeth rivalled
pearls, and-well, she was every bit as
handsome as anybody else's heroine. Prob
ably you have read of a heroine who was
not beautiful. l never did.
"Her name was Pearl Bravely, only eighteen years
And her father had large fortune in-greenbacks,
and 7.so's, and Government and other bondr,
lOnotation from Wat Whitnaa.1
admit the metre in the above lines is ex-
ecrable, but the idea is admirably conveyed,
think.
Pearl was prodigiousy patriotic, but there
was some ''sham" In her nature, withal.
Sanitary Fairs were her hobby. She pre-
sided at II table at all the S. F's in her i'm
mediate nelghborhood. And on such oeca
sions she would appear gorgeously arrayed.
Solomon in all his glory was not arraycd
like Pearl. have frequently heard this re-
mark flung at the fair sex, cant see that
it is at all applicable. 1t was not Solomon's
business to be ''arrayed like one of these"
Hardly.
Pearl was an attractive "lair'' behind a
fair table. 1t was little amusing to see her
hold out an elaborate worked dressing gown.
and in a half pitoous tono, ASH a gentleman
to purchase it for some poor soldier in the
field, who, she knew, must be suffering for
dressing gown. ''Buy dozen, she would
say, "and the soldiers will bless you." And
if the gentleman didn't invest in dressing
gowns, Rearl would "bless" him.
The person called Fred-surnamed Frade
was youth of twenty-five falls, and, for
aught know, the same numter of all the
other seasons of the year. He was rather
delicate chap, A draft would give him
cold-and the year in which our story opens
was bounteous year for drafts. The oldest
inhabitant didn't remember more success
iul year.
Twas the ardent wish of Freds heart to
transform Pearl Bravely into Mrs Fred
Frade-and he succeeded.
When Pearl uttered the sentence with
which this 'so'er true tale" commences, Fred
asked
'' Will nothing alter your decision, PearlP"
Nothing-but what have sworn that
l will never be your wife unless you take up
arms, and battle for your country-help to
"sustain therstar- -fag.of the Free
win name, and-and be sure and obtain an
office. A captaincy will do"
For the privilege of calling this fair
hand mime" clasping the maiden's diglts,
" I'd brave all the dangers of the earth-if
l wasn't afraid" he added, aside " Yes I'd,
Id, hesifating, I'd join company"
Alter this outburst, Fred sat in silence and
an arm chair few seconds, then, suddenly
starting up, exclaimed
" Pearl apple of my eye,-only promise
you will be mine, and I'll join company
to morrow
promise" was the soft reply.
The infatuated lover clasped the brave girl
to his bosom, and imprinted thousands of
but its none of our business.
CHAPTER IL.
Is the reader becoming tired of this story?
am. was never so tired of any ST ory |
in my life. The next time will write on a |
subject know something about-the Ecu