Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1875-08-07
CHAPTER VII.

hnOW uOI. oO" hhN'~y
Surely eren soldiers will have respect
for sick ROOM
ISIS. Sherman's army is entering
town. have seen the advance
guard"
Hush. Maud, do not excite mama.
Come, let's 90 to her room. l am
resolved that no Yankee soldier shall
enter, if | can prevent IL"
1t were useless t" attempt de-
scriprion of what followed-nay, IL Is
too sadly and indelibly impressed ON
the hearts OF Southeruers to approach
even sacredly.
Mrs Loriner's house was plllaged
from garret 10 cellar, save the SICK
room. in the door Of which stood
Leila, disputing the enlerance win
the urtermost GrmDess
alt contains nothing but sick lady
and her family, and they must not be
disturbed"
! They fell back, awed by her exqui-
site beauty and by the noble resolve
,ba, seemed to add hight to the pettte
form. This, however, did not last,
and brutal force seemed about to pre-
vail, when all officer entered and re-
lieved her. A guard was placed
around the house aud they were left
in quiet.
We will not follow Sherman farther
/ The heaps of ashes, tue fallen chin
news. the desolated, ruined, homes
mark his footsteps. 1t has ended.
/ The bravest, most noble armies on
which Gods glorious sun ever shone
were overpowered and forced to sur
render. The last sunlight Of Hope
had gone down in the black Obscurity
of despair, and nothing left but to
bear with heroism the gloomy portion
assigned Us. The noble blood which
had deiuged our fair, our sunny land,
was wasted, poured out in valn-Ao,
not IN rdtH it was a protestatlon
against the usurpatiOns, aud oppres-
sions that we battled against until the
death, and still cry aloud for justice
and in the future history the unexam-
pied heroism, the noble chivalry Of
of our Southern Land will shine q
brilliant star iu the galaxy OF nations.
DR.. Loriner returned to Charleston
and, like other Southern gentlemen,
resolved to make the best of circum
stances. Though passed the meridian
of life, he supports his family by his
own exeriions. Edwin is reading
law with al old friend in Kentucky.
Leila had a small school, and thus
ligh;ened the burden of her father
Eva and Harold had married, anC
were living at her old home in Mem
phis. Leila bad heard nothing direct
ly from Claude since she left him a
Dalton. She learned through Harol'
, that lie returned from Atlanta; bu
, she made no further inquiries concern
ing him after be evaded ber father
. who sought him at her request. Dir
!, she regret not revealing herself a
Dalton? No; had be loved her b
would have found her, either as Cecil
or Leila She was forgotten, aud sh
closed the book of the past, aud, put
ting the volume aside, she took up tb
Il duties Of life. Did this refrain some
u times haunt hcr?-
n Il learned life from the poets, It's no, thus
Vainly they s,rove to change the truth FOR u
We live To wake from their soft dreams an
=. The barrenness of life's reality"
d Claude came home shattered
re bealth, and. like his friends, wrecke
d ia fortune He was advised to go
r the White Sulphur Springs for b
b health; reckless and morbid {,
1t change, be decided to 60. All b
er epdeavors to discover Cecile's retre'
ul proved futile; and, strive as be " oul
S, be could not banish the reDembran,
10 of Leila, while thoughts of the chur
in ishuess with which be had treated u
ne Loriner provoked him beyond mea
Id ure. The least be could do would
I'd 20 remember bis excuse-at all even
be would find Leila and leave q
id future TO self-developnent.
be With recovered health be cou
vi laugh at the frowns Of fortune; an
I'd perchance, could he succeed in wi
es ming Leila, he could Danish
&c thoughts of Cecile. lie according
.opped in Marietta and was inform
mt as to DIR. Lorimer's whereabouts.
of 1t was in early October. LIE
nd had returned from school, and "
sh sitting in q summer house, absorb
ny in copy of Ge;he. Her hair fell
curls around her, and on her be
MS was a wreath of white rosebuds,
on ranged By the hand of her little sist
re. The last rays of tine setting s
ta- peeped cautiously through the crow
ks ing vines and gently kissed the 70
DR.. buds of the wreath SIZE wore.
i'm much was she absorbed in her readi
- that she was unconscious OF sOothe
He presence until glad voice excla;m'
rse "Cecile Leila! Who are you
ust She sprang to her feet, and
liza. book fell to the ground, rs Cha.
be caught the trembling hand and looi
,ot wonderingly into the eyes turned
ing to his.
lie. Leila, is it so? have l fou
ori- Cecile, my gentle nurse!"
ing She answered by holding up
OBJ arm, on which cleaned q bracelet
'ms the setting Of WHICH was an 81
surl