Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-05-20
An 0riginal Storg*
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
UNCLE BRAINERD'S WILL;
OR,
The Fortunes of Alice Lynn
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE SHADOW OF DEATH.

lation of them here.
While desolation and bloodshed had mark
ed the progress of the war in various portions
of the country, our own State had been com.
paratively free from its ravages. Yet gloom
and sadness reigned over many homes, and
voices of lamentation sent up mournful cry
for the brave fathers, brothers and sons who
had perished on distant battlefelds, far from
the loved ones who had sent them forth, with
l.opeiu stroir hoar Us, fS:Ic foi Tho IL
which they we're enlisted.
Charleston was well.nigh deserted, and re-
fugees had Aocked from the low-country to the
upper part of the State for safety. Our peo-
pie had to endure many privations, but they
we're cheerfully borne, and even gloried in,
by those who had the cause at heart, and
were ready to sacrifice the luxuries, the COM
forts, and even the necessaries of life, upon
the altars of principle and patriotism. Deli
cate ladies wore coarse clothing and ate the
plainest food, in order to be able to send aid
and comfort to the soldiers who we're fighting
for their defense and fingers that had never
worked before, wrought untiripgly now in the
manufacture of clothing for the regiments
who received from the quartermasters too
scanty supply for their needs.
In the pleasant parlor at Elmwood, sat
Mrs Delatour and Alice, one morning in the
winter of 1865. Both ladies wore homespun
dresses, which had become quite "the style"
among the "upper-tendom" Of the South. On
table between them stood basket, in which
were deposited a pile of freshly-knitted socks,
blue, white and parti-colored, and Alice was
busily engaged completing the fellow to one
huge blue one which lay apart from the rest.
Mrs Deatour was, or rather had been occu'
pied in the same kind of work but her hands
now lay idly in her lap, and her eyes we're
fixed on the fire with wstful, absent look,
that plainly showed that her thoughts were
travelling far away from the present scene.
"See, auntie," said Alice, in cheerful tone,
at length, as she held up her just.completed
task, "my tenth pair since we started this
last batch Don't you think Ideserve credit
for my Industry"
"Yes, indeed, DEAR" replied Mrs. Delatour,
absractedly.
81 only began this one last evening"" con-
tinued Alice, "and it is not yet eleven o'clock.
They told me the last set I made were too
small don't think they'll find fault with
these on that score-do you! Look here; a
giant might wear them"
Mrs. Delatour glanced at the dangling blue
legs, and smiled faiutly.
"How stained your fingers are, DEAR" she
said. II am afraid they will be quite sore" !"
"Oh! no, don't think so. must get the
dye out somehow, though, before l 60 at the
biscuits. doubt ift would improve them. I
don't like Mrs. Higgins dye as we'll as that
other old woman's; do you"
81 don't know" said Mrs. Delatour, relaps-
ing into her former absent tone. Then, after
pause, "Maron, how long is it since we got
that last letter?"
"About two months, I Think" said Alice.
1t was in reality rather more, but she always
tried to put matters in the most favorable
light.
1.-TWO months!' Mrs. Delatour sighed heav-
ily "It seems an age. Oh! if | could only
get some tidings of my poor boy"
II dare say you will hear again, soon.
Don't be desponding, auntie. III news travels
fast, you know, and if anything had happened
to Gervais, you would have heard it, you may
be sure"
"If could be sure but everything is un-
certain, now. Look at that poor young Nor
ton, who was killed weeks and weeks before
his family knew of it. Last night had a
terrible dream, Marion. thought was on
battlefield, covered with heaps of wounded,
CHASTITY y-looking men. They were all lying on
their faces, and was hunting among them to
see if could find any one l knew, and it was
so dreadful, having to turn each one over
before could recognize them. At last,
came to one that didn't need to turn over
l knew him by the back of his neck and his
curly dark hair, and one hand that was
stretched out above his head-it was Gervais." "
She stopped, shuddering.
"But dreams 90 by contraries, you know"
said Alice, resolved not to encourage her des-
pondent mood. "You will hear of him soon,
alive and we'll, and triumphant in the per-
formance Of some grand, heroic deed
81 am afraid grand, heroic deeds will not
avail us now. l lam fast losing all hope in re-
gard to the issue of the war;" said Mrs. Della,
tour. "The last reports have been so dscour-
aging" e.
Alice, brightly. 81 am not afraid, auntie
think God is with US, and we must succeed"
So spoke and felt many sanguine, enthusi-
astic spirits, even at that period Of discour-
agement and gloom. But unhappily the time
was not far distant, which was to witness the
destruction of their cherished hopes, and the
tul6lment of the predictions of those gloomy
prophets, who had, from the beginning fore,
told the fatal issue of the unequal struggle be-
tween might and right.
Mrs. Delatour, never very hopeful, had
lately been unusually cast down, and Alice
had much ado in keeping up her spirits to
anything like reasonable degree of equanim-
ity. Her anxiety in regard to her sons wei.
fare, always very great, was naturally en-
hanced by the difficulty of hearing from or Of
him, and every fresh report of battle, OF
even skirmish, in his vicinity, filled her with
dependency and dread.
Alice's society at this time was her greatest
comfort So entirely had she learned to rely
on the young girl, that no trial (except the
death Of her SOM would have been so hard
for her to bear as separation between them
She regarded her in the light of an adopted
child. And so completely had Alice Won hel
heart, that she would now willingly have given
her consent to her becoming Gervas' wife
But there had been but little chance of love
making, for Gervais had been very constant
at his post of duty, and as his regiment Col
which he was second lieutenanD was chiefly
employed in Virginia, his visits home had
been few and far between. He said that he
did not believe in officers asking for iurloughs
when they were so hard for the men to obtain
and knowing that his mother was in good
health, and as comfortably situated as any
one could hope to be under such adverse cir
cumstances, he concentrated his thoughts upon