The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1878-12-05

IeJurn, and then Horace had no home to
which he might bring a wife. And now
! there must be a farther delay, perhaps
! separation only to be ended in another
! sphere of existence. 1t was a dreadful
| trial to both those young hearts. How
great a trial they, even now, could hardly
/ estimate. But Horace was COmfOrted by
| tbe thought that thus he purchased home
and peace for his parents, and surely no
/ sacrifice was too great if made for them.
After he was gone, those he left be-
/ ind we're as peaceful as human beings
,an he. encumbered with anxiety and
sod exDectatiOn. Battle after battle, dire
and dread was fought Horace was IN
most of them. Horace was exposed to
fine horrors of wounds, Imprisonment,
and sudden death. No one could pre-
/ dict fhe tidings Of the coming day; put
! a great hush of dread and expectation
was over all the land.
At last the blow fell. A great terrible
battle had been fought. The wounded
and the dead counted by thousands
There were hundreds of prisoners
! Horace's own regiment had been more
than decimated. The smoke of battle
must clear away before the losses can be
counted. 1t cleared. The naI 9s-lOng
lists of slain-were published, and col
umns of wounded. His name was not
among those. STAY here it is. But
opposite to it is written, missing"
Many mOnths-weary mOnths-passed
away, and no tidings came of the lost
one.
And then old Simon Suggs appears
once more upon the scene. He has
I,s1oI - tine TTa docs not mean IN
wait till the deafness of despair Is quite
over-until energy and power OF resist
Iance are re-awakened.
He has known the mother of Mary
Lord all her life. In her youth he had
a sneaking fondness for her, long sacri.
feed to his passion for gain. Now he
visits her in Ter trouble, mOdulates the
sharp whine of his voice to sOftness, and
cordoles with her in the loss she has
met. She cannot see his pinched and
meagre face, and she has not that sensi-
tive gift whereby she can detect the
falseness of his voice, or, with sure in
stinct. shrink from the besOtted selfish
ness of his nature.
They are very poor, now, for Mary has
had neither heart nor strength for her
accustomed tasks. She has done her best,
Door girl, and sacrificed much for her
mothers comfort. For no more dutiful
child existed than this sadly-tried girl.
But in her grief she has made mistakes
and seemed to neglect her employers
| work, and they no longer trust her as
they did. She has become languld and
nerveless, and could not, all at once
muster the forces of her nature that had
, been worsted in her sore conflict with
grief and suspense.
It was while she was in this state
that Simon Suggs commenced his siege
He was a wise and careful man, for, tirst
of all, he undermined the mothers
caution. In little time he had her al
: upon his side, and then by degrees he
ventured to speak plainly. First, he sale
8 sIiehting words about Horace. He haC
been cowardly, he hinted. It was known
that he tried TO stink away from the tielC
, during this very action. He had beer
/, fred at. He was undoubtedly eithel
: dead or a deserter-in the last case hid
, ing from the inevitable doom Of hi
: crime, and would never dare to return
thus leaving Mary as free as if he wert
D really dead.
: Then old Simon would boast Of hi
: wealth, and utter such magnltcen
: promises for the future, that the poor
weak and sightless woman was eve
more and more persuaded that he wa
: the best friend and protector two help
:. less women ever habitat Mary COulC
! not do better than to marry him-tha
she must accept his Offer-that it wa
her duty not to slight this CLEAN o.
= fortune, but to provide thus for her Owl
: comfort and the helpless old age Of he
1 mother.
= Mary did not yield easily. She re
sisted with all her feeble powers. Bu
u. she had a great deal to contend with
= She loved and respected her mother. Tn
! habit of obedience was strong, and S
! was that of self-sacrifiCe. For herself
:. she reflected, it mattered Ettle-sh
q should not live long. She had not tn
a faintest shadow of love for Simon Sugg'
no respect, not even tCleranCe. He wa
- totally, utterly repUlsiVL to her-ln mlnC
- in person, in character. If she had an
. positive feeling towards him, 1t was ths
I of hate. But convinced at last thf
= Horace was gone, she resolved to thin
"a only of her mother. With a heart mum
If with despair, she gave her consent
7s the proposed match.
70 The wedding morning came. The poo
y pale, hopeless bride awaited the comlT
yye of the bridegroom, with an apathy mol
n dreadful to behold than the livele
paroxvsms of hate or disgust. 1t WI
O. well that her mother, who loved n
.. dearly even while practicing this cruelt
10 was blind and unsensitiye.
Il She thought Mary had shown gre
nj good sense, and that she was securlI
40 for both Of them an excellent HON
She was pleased, for she was weary
privatiOn and poverty.
~, And then the bridegroom, lookll
4 older and meaner than ever in b
~ unwonted finery, came, and the par
Il set out for the village church. And
Z thev entered, Simon Suggs started, +
,I+ his eve fell, for one moment, upon
~, soldier, in worn and faded unlforI
- sauntering up the opposite street.
ONLY a moment, and the man W
III gone. Surely soldiers were commt
- enough in those days, and he smiled
20 his sudden apprehension. AnOth
Iy moment, and the pair stood before t
n altar, and the service began.
n Quietly up the aisle came the soldlC
Of worn and faded his clothes, thin al
T. brown his face-a contrast to the 6
bright crowd. His shadow fell aero
W. the kneeIng pair. There was ST
IL and a cry.
" The bride had risen; her wan face
.at all alive with joy and color, as for an
IN slant it is turned toward the audient
cd The next, it is hidden on the should
,Iv of that worn and faded coat Of bll
he Horace is returned.
M "The bullet you hired did not kill Il
YOU see" he shouts after Simon Sug
he stealing out of the church. "Iye {
,iv well, and come home. The war
for over, and I shall enjoy my own agail
his And then he lifts up the pale face, q
fIy presses a kiss upon the white lips, a
"a bears, not without glance around
triumph, a halffainting form to
ef' Vestry.
There was no wedding that day, |
he there was on the next. 1t was but ma
srT raj to expect that result, since the de
lr. was alive, and the missing" had be
'eL found.
ad CHANGING HATs.-Barry, the paint
on was with Nollekens, at Rome, in y
he and they were extremely intima