The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-02-20

averse to society.
"Oh, father and mother are both
feeble and need me-" she said.
Three weary years went by; Will hav-
ing no heart to come home. In the
meanwhile, Kitty married and left the
place.
"Gone to T." some one said; "mar-
ried rich old fellow that she didn't
heartily love, all for the sake OF making
her father and mother comfortable.
1t was just about 30, but only when
Kitty had grown heart-sick waiting to
hear from Will. Reading at last In the
evening paper that Lieut.. Graham had
been killed, she gave up all hope. She
made grave as she thought for the old
love and gave herself away to a rich old
friend of the family, Mr.. Carleton.
"'Twill be good thing for father
and mother" said Kitty. Mr.. G. took
his young bride to the city of t. In
two years, Kitty, found herself widow.
NJ. Carleton had been kind husband,
and Kitty though unable to give any
thing like hearty love, sincerely re.
spected him. Love, however, is a
plant that can't live on respect alone.
Kitty's affection had been given to
somebody else, and that somebody else,
though Kitty did not know it, was still
alive.
"Almost dead" said Surgeon Dale to
Will; "they say you we're found after
that last little skirmish. The bayonet
wound you received in your eye, will
finally. am afraid, cause you to lose it.
At any rate, you must wear green patch
for II long time"
Willis health recovered sufficiently to
allow further service, and at the end of
the war, he was sent home with gold
eagle on the shoulder and a green patch
over the left eye.
When Will reached home, he said to
himself, "The young woman who once
wanted the little gold ring carry in
my pocket, surely won't want it now if
And sure enough, she didn't. Kitty's
old home was as empty as robins nest
in October. He heard heard she had
gone somewhere and was widow,
Col. Graham was rich, and why
shouldn't he marryp Many girl would
have put up with that green patch for
the sake of his warm heart and manly
character. Add money, and the green
patch was very attractive. In one little
clique where Will moved, it is wonder
it was not adopted as badge. But
those works of green were never carried,
though assaulted by many fair raider.
Will was given up at last, and venom
ously reckoned as "crusty old bach. !"
The soldiers orphans, and also the
poor women that the war left penniless
widows, knew the green patch, however,
as the sign of warm-hearted man who
made children happy with candy, and
their mothers happy with coal.
AS a handsome little property in the
city of T, fell to him one day, the
colonel concluded to move there. The
property included big, hospitable old
mansion just suited to his tastes. 1t lay
in large garden. The trees were not
close up to it, smothering it. but stood
at respectful distance, so that the sun
shine could pour around the old house
depths of gold-color, bringing health
and life. To outsiders in tue street, so
thick were the intervening trees, it
seemed like a nest slowed away in the
green foliage. ArounL the house went
broad piazza like white ruff of the
olden times about lady's neck. Back
of the house, there were long slopes of
grass leading down to river. In June.
this river went like minstrel past the
mansions bordering it, singing beauti-
full songs of the summer as it purled
along. At sunset. this princely trouba
dour brought out of his treasures all
sorts of precious stones and spread them
on the waters surface to tempt away his
lady-loves wandering on the river 3
were of generous size, and yet cozy in
their arrangements. The hall, furnish
ed after the English style. was an
ample, comfortable retreat, ever open to
all soldiers whose stumps halted at the
colonel's door.
"Oh, mamma" said little Kitty
Carleton, now three years old, and Kitty
Barton's only child, " somebody's tum,
somebody's tum, over dere. See in de
garden 70
Sure enough as Mrs. Carleton looked
ont of her windows, she saw that the ad-
joining mansion we have described was
indeed occupied, Strolling under the
trees she saw finely-formed, stalwart
man. The stranger turned his face to.
ward Mrs. Carleton's home. "See, .
said little Kitty, something geen in
his eye."
"It is a green patch, darling, on his
eye. 1t must be poor soldier. Kitty
| must love the poor soldiers"
81 will, mamma, and won't you ?"
eyes," the widow replied, hardly
conscious of any reference to the gen.
tleman walking under the trees. "a;
long as I live," she said to herself, 60
ing to a drawer and taking out Will
Graham's faded picture. "There,
thought I had got over that. 1t wa'
never buried, after all. No, there are
no graves for true love-"
Mrs. Carleton soon fonnd that Kit,
and the gentleman whose eye appeared
habitually in green, were great friends
She would call upon him and bring
home flowers or candy or toys. One da,
Kitty said she had found out his name
the name of that "nice gentleman.
"What is your lovers name ?" sale
Mrs. Carleton, smiling.
"It's ham, mamma; some kind O
a ham-Gayham."
Graham, you must mean, child"
"And he's been a sojer; and some
body tame to see him and tailed hin
Will"
"Will Graham, and a soldier. Well
that is coincidence" thought tn,
mother. And Kitty said she had told tn
strange man. her name. "Kitty Bartol
Tarleton."
So that the colonel thought he hac
got hold of coincidence. "Kitty Bar