Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-05-30

birds the brightness of the flowers he only
noticed rs they carried back his memory over
the long years II was the twenty sixth Of
April, the very day on which, sixteen years
before, he had marched out of Charleston.
People were walking to-day, he noticed, in
the same direction with himself, laden with
baskets Of flowers aud the spectacle em-
phasized in his mind the contrast between the
two eras. As hc entered the cemetery he
saw others strewug the mounds with bios
SONS, and then he remembered that this was
the Decoration day of the South. He had
seen the same thing done month later in the
North, but here and now it struck him with a
new and tender meaning. AT length he reach
ed the Kcrshaw plot. From afar of he saw
that ii had II story to tell
Fifteen years ago it was empty now a
monument stood in the center with one-two
--throc-f four five mounds at its base Lean
ing on the railing lac read the names
PEYToN KERsHAw
Colonel of the both S. c. Volunteers,
Born Jan. 2i 1906
Fell at Frederickburg Dec. 49, 1862.
That was the father.
FRANCES EFFINGHAM KERsHAw
BoRN Aug. Is, 1909; Died October 4, 1876.
That was the mother. Next came the sons
EFFINGHAM KERsHAw
Born Feb. Il, 1885,
Fell at Charlottesville May =, lsG3.
RANDOLPH KERsHAw
Born May IS 1880;
Fell at Gettysburg July 3, 1868.
j. c. CALHOUN KEBsHAw
Born November s, 1881
Died September &, 1874.
Father. mother and three boys, three of
them killed in the war Besides Nathalie
that was all the family. John drew breath
of relief. At any rate she was not here. But
wait here was another nalue occupying one
side Of the stone. What was that ?
He read it in a sort of daze; read it over
again then beginning to take in its sigIif-
cance, raised his hat in reverent gratitude
while he read it for the third time:
Is MEMORY or
ions TEMrLEToS WINTHROP.
Fell at the battle of Malvern Hill July /,
1867 ht %.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a
man lay down his life for his friend"
81 don't deserve it," he exclaimed, "but it's
a sort of vindication. Thank God that she
hasn't thought Of me all these yoars as un-
faithful"
As he leaned against the railing he obstruct-
ed the gate. and was not aware of the fact nor
Of any ones approach until hc heard voice
saying,
"Will you be so kind as to let me pass :"
Whose was the voice He turned around
like Il flash The speaker was a lady dressed
in black and heavily yelled. The features he
could not see, but the voice he would swear
to among a thousand II beg pardon" he
said mechanically, and stood aside.
The lady OH her part had hesitated, struck
perhaps by some familiarity in his look or
tone. Seemingly unable though to place it,
-. - 81.
wreaths and dispose the flowers a servant had
carried, John watching her meanwhile. On
the side where his own name was cut she
seemed to linger the longest, and hung there
too, he noticed, the choicest of her supply
1t WAS ill-mannered i'll him he knew. but if his
life had depended on it he could not take
himself away. Once or twice she stopped in
her work and looked towards him as though
on the point of coming out.
At length, the task being finished, she
came. Her veil was now thrown back, dis
closing the face of Nathalie Kershaw, no
longer the eighteen year-old girl, but a wo-
man matured in trial and schooled in suffer
ing with the soul light streaming through her
eyes. Her beauty WAS altered, not diminish
ed, by time.
Excuse me, she said in the soft low voice
he remembered so well, but have you any
particular interest in this plot;"
Was he then so changed: He had fancied
it, but had hardly been willing to admit it
even to himself Had his voice changed too?
He would at least make the experiment.
Il beg your pardon, lie said gravely, for
seeming to intrude, but l have that interest
in the plot which man may have who sees
his own name"
He got no further. With his first word her
look of quiet courtesy had changed to one of
perplexity and concern as he went on it be-
came eager expectancy; before he reached
this break she had put out her hand and was
saying,
Il know know you are John Winthrop
come back to forgive me-"
He raised his hand as if to hold her of.
Il am John Winthrop" he said, but not
John Winthrop who died for your cause, not
he whom you have been enshrining for fifteen
years as a martyr. l am John Winthrop the
traitor, doubly so first to the North, then to
the South 1t is for you to forgive me- Miss
of all these changes | know not what may
have happened"
Il am still Miss Kershaw," she said, "but
mot the silly girl who exacted a pledge she
had no right to ask. Fifteen years suffering
has taught me that much"
but was a traitor, he insisted.
Hush :" she said deprecatingy. THAT is
all gone by. We have each learned some
thing, perhaps
And am forgiven 7" he asked.
wstful smile came over her face.
1T is only now that can forgive myself,
she said -E Eliot Mccormick in Sunday After
noon for June.