Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-03-20

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gold over the messy root and ivyhun,
chimneys Of an old farm house, stand
ing in the green hollow, in the mids
of the pleasant hill country which
stretches southwark from the red bat
tie ground of Manassa. Ia the neigh
boring wood the turtle cooed he
| plaintive love lay, the partridge wills
| tied, and tho robin twittered to be-
young, and from the surrounding
meadows came the dreamy gurgle 0
| the brook, and the musical tinkle o
bells from the cattle cropping tn,
early clover, that sprang up, greer
and tender, IN the warm shadow o
| the hills.
| The orchard, round about the house
was one mass of fragrant, milky bios
som, ard the lilac bushes tossed thei
purple plumes through the low win
dows, the soft winds scattering th,
leaves over the sanded floor, until ths
| great, hospitable room, with its evel
open doors and yawning fire-places
| gave forth odors sweeter than evel
| filed the Wales Of 'Araby the BEST
| On the low window sill, overlook
ing the garden, young girl sat, OF
this same May afternoon, her little
slippered feet hanging almost low
enough to touch the star like dande.
| lions on the grass plot beneath, he,
pretty golden hair thrown back in Z
wavy disorder, her cheeks flushed
and her tender, blue eyes, brimful o.
tears, as they looked, with serious
questioning gaze, toward the evening
sun, just slipping out of sight behind
the swaying summit Of the distan,
pine groves.
why, Alice cried manly voice
'how's this ? Come, come, | though,
you meant to be SO bravey
| 80 did, her voice fal.ering pain
fully; but it is so hard, so hard
Archer, Toto and she dropped
her pretty head on his arm, and gave
way to a good cry.
He stroked back the soft mass Of
cleaning hair tenderly, and said:
| 1 know it is hard, Alice-hardei
for me than you, child-though you
mayn't think so-but it can't be helped;
must go. And the sooner the bet.
ter. Tonight
Tonight p
sYes,-to.night. You don't blame
me for what I'm doing?
Blame you, Archer Oh, you know
better! And kindling flash lit the
fearful blue eyes.
Yes, yes,I do know better he said
But wouldn't mind, if it wasn't 70,
you and mother. 1t almost seems
wrong to leave you exposed to these
Southern troops, with no one to pro
tect you. But what can | do?
cannot fight against my country. Old
Jacob Bradford would rise up from
his grave, if his son was to turn trai
tor and my grandfather, who fought
at Trenton, would come back and
curse me. And yet if l stay here a
day longer, I'll be conscrlpted fol
Lees army
There were no tears i'm the blue
eyes now; they cleaned like ar un
sheathed sabre.
You must go, Archer she said her
lips, that had quiyered moment be.
fore, cnrving proudly; God will take
care of your mother and me-
i have something for you, Alice, 'he
said, after pause. See here and
he drew from his pocket a slender lit
tie rose tree, with the roots carefully
wrapped in paper. 4 got it up to Mr..
Ashton's to day. They say it is of a
rara species, and blooms every month
Come, we'll plant it, and 1t shall be
my parting gift
lie caught up the little garden hoe
that lay near by, and went round to
the old sitting room window. Alice
followed him in silence.
Right here he said, digging ar
the soft, black soil, where you can see
it whenever you look out at the win.
dow; and mind--it shall be token
between us, Alice-as long as it thrives
and blooms You may be sure I'm alive
and prosperous but if it Wits and
dies
Don't Archer, don't, isle cried, hel
face growing white in the deepening
twilight, don't say that it may die
and
| 1T will live, Alice and | shall live
and come back to yon again-God
has told me So
| She looked up with something like
awe in her face, as she heard his con
fident words. He smiled. and, level
ing the soil about the roots Of the lit
tie tree, repeated half to her, and hal
to himself 1T will live, and | shall
Iiiye-and our country will live, too.
| Then he kissed her softly, and shs
tripped away to the kitchen, leaving
him standing there alone. The Ma,
moon was coming up over the top o
the old oak tree that stood off to the
eastward, flooding the surrounding
hills, and all the green holiows with :
subdned lustre, lovelier, if not bright
err, than the full radiance OF day. A
whip poor-will began It's melancholy
song from its perch on the old grind
stone, and the frogs set up their plain
tive cry from the pond in tie meadow
Sights and sounds familiar in his owl
ng.they brought the tears TO Arche
Bradtord's eyes, and made his broad
chest beneath his folded arms swell
convulsisely. His heart was tende
and domestic all his affections wer,
centered in this old Virginian home
all his deep love layished upon hi
doting old mother and little blue
Alice-not his sister, but something, "a
we have seen, nearer and dearer.
i BY 10 o'clock every arrangement
was completed, and Archef's sachel
packed with clothing on one side, ant
eatables on the other, stood locked
and strapped on the kitchen door-sill
lie picked it up and swung it on hi
shoulder.
well, mother he said, putting BIZ
arm around her aud kissing her ten
DERBY, i must be off or shan't ge
across the river by day. Take car,
OF yourself, and may God bless you
And you, too, my boy
He turned away, panied by tn
sight Of her tears, and strobe out to
Il L