The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-05-16

"The man is either false or dead, and in
either case she is free"
Days, weeks, months and years went
by, just as they ever do, never stopping
| for 10y or grief, life or death. O., if old
Time would fold his wings sometimes,
and rest, if only for little while, when
ne are happy; but on he goes, just as
noiselessly and swiftly, over broken
hearts and tears, as over smiles and
dreams of transport; all are alike to him.
Thomas Williams went out into the
world, and sold and bought, and got
gain, and added field to field, and house
to house; and his dream of wealth was
verified. He was a rich man. And
Frank grew in stature, and ran swiftly in
the ways of knowledge; and he was obe-
dient, affectionate, and of cheerful,
happy disposition and he was uni
versal .fayorite. He was very hand
fsome r,an, with his fine, silky, black
beard, his ietty curls, and his speaking,
black eyes, with the defiant glance yet in
them that was peculiarly, and a very
beautiful one, too, in his childhood. He
was man of good size, and fine form:
He stood six feet in his stockings, and
he was well proportioned and muscular.
When lie returned from college gradu-
ate, Ellen said to her husband:
'iIf il was right TO be proud of any
thing III this world, should be proud of
our Franks personal appearance. He is
most certainly fine looking man."
~ ain proud of him, Ellen" replied
the father. eyes, 1 am proud of our
Frank. There is not another such q
man in the world, now that my brother
is gone. He is the very print of that
brother. One in ten thousand is our
Frank. We could never possibly mis-
take him for another, or another for him,
could we wife"
II should Think" replied the wife,
"that we could not. But why do you
ask such question:"
20, was thinking of Ben. Franklin,
that wonderful man, and his mother.
After he had been gone for time, she
did not know him, and she hid her
spoons lest he should steal them. Was
it not Ben? Well, if it was not Ben, it
was some other man."
81 think" said the mother, "that my
SON world have to change very much, in
deed, before I should mistake him for
another" ..
"Ah, yes" said Mr.. Williams, Frank
is very different from our neighbors' sons.
How they, these parents, can possibly
love their thick-headed, clumsy, awk-
ward, coarse sons, am at loss to un-
derstaud. Now, if our Frank were such
thing as Squire James son, how could
I love him? And our only son, Frank,
with his fine form, manly beauty, and
fine education, must stand side by side
with that thing, q common soldier, for
war is ut the door,"
"Mu,t Frank go 2" said his mother.
"In truth he must" replied the father;
she enlisted, to-day"
The blood all receded from the cheek.
brow and lips of that mother, and her
senses reeled, but, with the patriotism of
Spartan mother, she controlled herself
with an effort, and made no sign.
This conversation occurred about the
breaking out of the rebellion. Frank
was YET alone. He was the only child of
his pa:ents. He had wished for
brother through all the years after he
was old enough to know that there were
such connections rs brothers, but the
brother never came.
And when the continent was echoing
the measured treaG Of armed men, our
Frank went away, volunteer, to fight
for the honor OF the old flag; and the
father and mother were left alone in
their home, their elegant home. Frank
was good and true. Ills heart was full
of high hopes and lofty inspirations.
And there was one, not sister, that
Frank loved with all the ardor of true,
strong nature. Sweet Gilmore Marsh
had been the playmate of his childhood,
the companion of his youth. This love
for the beautiful girl seemed part of
his life. he bound and unbound her
skates when child, he fought her bat
ties, he was her champion on every oc-
casion. He could not remember when
he did not love Nellie, and Nellie could
no. remember when she did not love
Frank. He put the engagement ring
Upon her finger and hastened away for
there was the neighing of steeds, the roll
of the drum, and hosts of dark-browed
men were going forth to the fratricidal
war that cursed our country few years
ago had come, and women were in tears,
and there we're partings "that rent the
life out Of young hearts" and the loving
and Loved parted to meet no more on
earth. Some of the best boys that ever
lived went forth from parents, kindred,
friends and their homes to sleep upon
the bare, cold ground, the canopy Of
heaven their only covering, to meet the
long, harassing march, the dreary watch
and ward, hunger, cold, death, and laid
down their lives, far away, while the
loved ones at home kept their places at
hearth and board. There are some
wrongs too bitter and some sorrows too
deep to be spoken of in this world; and
there are tears shed in secret that none
have a right to look upon. And we
shall not attempt to give you picture of
the parting between Frank and Nellie.
Their vows are not for US to hear, nor
their tears for us to look upon. Nellie
watched him out of sight, and then she
tainted away. He had gone to meet all
the horrors that she had ever read of, or
dreamed OF, or feared, suffering, priya-
ton, perhaps death. Would he return
mutilated, to live cherries life, or
would be bear charmed life when death
missiles hurtled through the air! o,
who could tell
Long and tedious seemed the leaden-
footed hours to blue.eyed Nellie Marsh.
CHAPTER II.
JANE SMITH AND HER CHILDREN, AND
THE FLIGHT AND THE FANCY.
Our Frank went from proud home in
Indiana. There lived Thomas Williams,
and for long years he had forgotten Jane