Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-06-06

drum beat came on the wind like ,
knell. covered my face and triet
to shut out the sounds from my ears
but they were ringing in my brain Al
II they meant to stay there forever.
! 1t was night when Robbie came.
| 4 know it all p / cried, reaching
out my hand and drawing him to me
You're going away
| Yes, I'm going away, he answered
with kiss. Il am needed, and yor
would not have me stay, l know, i
you felt it was my duty to go. AND
John is going, too
| Then a silence came. Neither O
us could talk much that night.
You ought to have heard John, to-
day. he said by.and.by. How they
cheered him. He was the first one te
put his name down on the enlistine
roll, and / couldn't help putting mine
under it. You don't blame me Ruth
You understand -?'
Yes. / understand, and | don't
blame you,' said, and then tears
came and hid his face from me.
could not see the hills for many mo-
ments.
Then we heard steps on the path.
John Earle came up and held out a
handful of pansies to me.
4 thought you would like them,' be
said, in his grave, tender way 'Her
grave is beautiful with them now
took them, and answered not
a word. But he understood. Then
went away and left them together.
could not listen to their eager talk.
Every word stabbed me like a knife.
By-and by l heard Johns step
coming down the path to the gate.
He came and stood beside me.
you are going away too," said,
after little silence. ooh John,
hope you and Robbie will come back;
but I'm afraid-'and then stopped,
for l dared not speak the thought that
was uppermost.
God knows he answered, and
from the way in which he said it l
knew that he put the future in His
hands, willing to accept it as it came.
Ruth he said at last,sI have some
thing to say to you. Can you guess
what it is? | love you. / would like
to take away with me the memory of
just such sweet-faced woman as you
re,who will be my wife when 1 come
home. May /, Ruth p
4 am sorry for your sake, John,'
answered as gently as | could; 'but l
don't love any one but Robbie
think it over, and tell me wha!
you have thought before l CO. he
said. Il don't want your answer now.
| did think it over. / made myself
believe that would be untrue to my
brother if l tried to love another.
was not capable of loving two.
The shadow of parting hung over
everything 1t filled the hours with
that pathos always clinging to the end
OF summer, or the face of friend who
is drifting slowly out of life. l knew,
when saw Robbie looking at the old
places where we had played whel.
we were children, at the peaceful
hills, and the old river, with that look
of usefulness in his eyes, that he was
thinking perhaps it was for the last
time. Oh, those last times
The day of good-bys came at last.
Robbie came home in his suit of blue,
rush of tears blinded me to the sight
of all things near, but far away l saw
sloping hillside, with a low grave
under pine, and the sunshine was all
about it, like benediction.
John Earle came to say good-by
and ask me for my answer
is it yes or no ? he asked.
1T is no, john l answered. 4
cannot love you as you want me to.
We'll, if you don't love me that's
the end of it, he said, and his voice
was full of the pathos ola strong man.
pain. You are sure, quite sure
with sudden hope that was hardly
hope, after all.
Quite sure,' | answered. Next to
| Robbie, you are my best friend
but
'Good-by,' he said, suddenly, with
culver of his lip.
put my hand in his. God help
you, john | said, brokenly. Take
care Of Robbie for my sake, and
good-by.'
Il will,' he answered, bending
down to kiss me. For the sake of
what might have been, what / hoped
would be, Ruth, but you know best.
And then he was gone.
Robbie came and touched my hand.
'I'm going across by the church-yard,
he said. 1T will be easier saying
good-by there, l think.
Hand.in.hand, as we had often done
before, but never would again, we
went up the hill. Mothers grave
was purple with pansies.
Sweet little things he said. touch.
ing them with tender, oaressing fin
gers. IF should die Then a sob
choked him, aud he could not speak
for many moments. By and by-sIf
| shouldn't come back, Ruthie, don't
think of me as so far off that you can't
see or hear me any more, but close
by-all around you! l shall love you
just the same. Remember that.
ooh, my brother, remember!
| cannot write about it-that last
hour with Robbie-for tears blind me
so that l cannot see the page, but
can see his face. Not even the grave
can hide that from me.
Il was in the second year of Rob-
bie's army life that his discharge
came and be was mustered out 1t
was June. The world was like a
child that wakes from sleep flushed
and radiant. The robin had finished
his nest in the cherry tree, and had
sung to his mate the whole afternoon.
had thought so much of Robbie all
day wishing he could know about the
roses and the robins. Perhaps he
knew more about them than | did. In
some strange way he seemed near
me. Once his presence seemed so
real that | whispered his name. But
the only answer was trill ofjubilant
song from the robin, and it seemed as
if his little throat would burst with