The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-05-23


of Thomas and Ellen, left home for the
seat Of war, his father saw wayworn
and weary man coming toward his house
aud he cried out, Mother, our Frank is
coming h0me-he is right here. and he
looks as If lie was all but dead. too I"
They both ran to meet the man, and
they said everything kind and tender
that loving, indulgeht parents might be
expected TO say to beloved SON return
ing, after long absence, in SUFFERING.
That man was Frauk. the nephew, but a
thought that he was other than their
own son never entered thei, minds, He
was in an almost fainting condition. and.
in their excitement, they carried him to
the house in their arms.
Frank had waded streams, swan rivera
had climbed mountains, and trayersed
marshes, enduring hunger, and cold and
g constant fear of being fetaken, while
his locke were wet with the drops Of the
night; aud he was fevered and. sick.
The family physician was called, and
when he came and looked at his r.icnt
8 thought that the young man ,,as a
stranger there never entered his mind.
Was not that the same black. silky
beard, those the came jetty curls that he
had seen so often? Were not those the
same speaking black eyes3 Had DIR.
Wilson Deen called into Court of JUS
tice 10 testify to that mans identity. he
would have sworn that his patient was
Frank, con of Thomas and Ellen Will
iiaiu5, and shat ho had known MIN aii
his life. And he would have been per-
fectly honest, too. For thus he believed.
And thought that he was another
never entered the mans mind. Nellie
was summoned to see her betrothed.
And neither did she think other than
that she was looking at the man that
had breathed vows of love, and fidelity,
q few months previous, for her ear alone.
as she stood beside the sick mans couch.
But she was very bitterly disappointed
by tho coldness of her reception by the
sick man. She bent and kissed lti.ss
and the young man opened wide,J
speaking black eyes, and looked at fier
in way tha- said palmer than words.
why are you here? That was uncalled
for."
He closed his eyes aud thought, ga
strange state Of society, l should think
where pert little beauties kiss gentlemen
that they have never seen before. In
truth, can scarce tell which is most dis
agreeable, the rain of bullets left behind,
or the rain of kisses that have met; for,
in truth, l did fear that Aunt Ellen
would smother me. I hope there are nc
more blue-eyed, ba6y-iaced girls to
come"
And while he was thinking thus, Mel
lie hunted up Ellen and said: II think
that Frank is much worse than YOU
imagine. You think tbs: he is improv.
ing, In truth almost we'll; and l cannot
think 80, for he does not know me; and
he greeted me coldly, as ha might
hired girl that he had never sc II before.n
And Nellie began to cry :. ad choke,
and choke al, cry. And Ellen went
into the room, and said
my SON, why do you not speak kindly
to Gilmore? She is crying herself sick.
She says you greet her as you might q
hired girl that you had never seen be-
FORE"
"In truth, ma'am, never did see her
before and how could possibly know,
with none to tell me, whether che is your
daughter oF yoa: hired heip?" replied
Franz. SIN fact" he continued, II
thought her pert and officious, and that
she had no right to kiss me-"
Ellen turned away and sought her
husband, and told him that Frank did
not know Nellie, and that he had said
she was pert and officious. Thomas
Williams went into the sick mans loom,
and up close to the side of his bed, and
looked at him closely, then ,is laid his
hand upon his forehead and said: .How
do you feel to-day, my SOM"
II am almost we'll, dear uncle. I
think that / am not really sick, only
fatigued almost to DEATH"
Thomas Williams heard nothing but
the two words, "dear uncle" and he
went out of the room and out of the
house at his best speed, and finding q
boy, he sent him for DR.. Wilson, charg-
ing him to tell the doctor TO ride for his
life, for Frank is so crazy with fever that
he does not know Nellie, nor me, his
own father"
Then finding Nellie, he said: "Don't
fret, darling; / hope for the best. The
doctor will soon be here, and when he
understands the case think that he can
arrest the disease"
"Ol or sobbed Nellie, she has
ceased to love me. | fear that he has
seen fairer face while he vas gone"
"you. cannot possibly think that our
Frank would prove false7 He would
slotO W LOSO LID luCutlCJ W UU tldt.
Why, our Frank 10 honor itself. And.
again, the poor, war-broken soldier has
had little chance to see fair faces Of fair
women" W
"But, Mr.. Williams, he seems SO we'll
and strong, and perfectly RATIONAL" said
Nellie. a@ M
"Does he seem rational" aaid Mr..
Williams, when he does not know me,
his own father?"
"Is that the case z" said Nellie.
Indeed, he called me his dear uncle
just little while ago."
20, dear Oh, dearT' said Nellie, and
she began to wiring her slender, white
hands. and cry araiE. When Doctor
Wilson came Mr.. Williams met him at
the door, and told of what he considered
the fearful alteration of mind of his pa
:;eiitt- !, The Doctor examined the sick
man very carefully, and then said, ~
zee no signs of fever, or, in fact, anything
else, wrong about the man; he seems to
be doing well enough"
Mr. Williams spoke privately with the
dOctor, and told him to ask the young
man his name. The doctor did so.
Frank was reioiced to lear the question
and he had wondered my they diG moi
ask him something Of himself, and he
answered, tMy name is Francis Marion
Williams
II thought as much" eaid the doctor.
'What is your fathers name ?"
"AIy fathers name was Francis VIII
liams.s He died years ago. He was
Thomas Williams brother. therefore