The Republican journal., 1881-09-08

to draw in its lines, he had ragged and
called the general hard names. Then
later he had cOnsOled himself by saving
that he was at present but enduring the
fortunes of war; and being determined
man, he promised that when once the
war was ended he would fly back to
Paradise
This promise he kept. But though the
magnoas Hooded the place with the rich
perfume which he had always associated
with 1t, and roses grew rampant, hang
inc great masses of bloom heavily over
the garden fence, the fence was a ruin,
and the house which the magnolas had
shaded was gone.
of the fate of its former occupants he
could learn nothing. And as he sat on
the pile of slanting stone which had once
formed the steps, he laughed bitterly to
himself, and exclaimed: "What FOOLS
orrand I've come on what fool | was
to expect to find Il trace Why. a battle
has been fought over the very lawn
cavalry has rushed through the garden.
and torn up the flowers and crushed the
life ont of them; cannon balls have
crashed through the windows; perhaps
III the Very room where ] lay and watch
ed her some Internal shell has shattered
all the sweet daintiness out Of existence );
and the rain of shot has battered the dear
old l4ousc into DUST
Rat he sat and looked at the dust until
it tthered itself together once more and
rose into the stately house he had re-
membered. 1t was almost as real now as
then. Why or how he had ever been
taken into it he did not know He re-
mcmbered the utter WEAKNESS with which
the last few miles had been made, how
his head ached under the merciless sun,
and how he had stumbled blindly along
the glaring road. And he remembered
vaguely halt. in which he knew he was
being discussed, but to which discussion
he was utterly Indifferent, and allowed
himself to drop helpless burden upon
his comrades hands, glad that the time
had come when he could be irresponsible.
After that there were days when he
was conscious of nothing but pain Then
there was one day when toward evening
he opened his tired eyes and looked
about once more. He had closed them
upon a burning heat which shimmered
over the fields, framing in hot, dusty
column OF men moving steadily into an
cnemN's land 1t was silent procession
to his dulled ear, and only the monOto-
nous tramp of heavily clad feet came with
muitcd sound from tie earth Even
when his eyelids dropped over his red
eyes, they did not seem to shut out the
sight The men still filed on ahead of
him and behind, and the heat still shiv-
cred in waves over the empty fields
When he opened them, a cool white cur
tain was swaying tittully to and fro be
fore an open window. As it would blow
back, he could see the boughs of trees
dripping and glistening with rain drops.
He lay and refreshed himself with the
sight; then he looked at the clean mat
ting with which the floor was covered,
then at the simple sweetness Of the room,
and attempting to raise himself upon his
elbow. he asked, "Whcrc am ~
NJ his question some one on the Veran-
da came, and gathering the curtain aside,
looked in.
"Oh, you are awake" said a girlish
voice, and a moment later young girl
came into the room. She came close to
his bedside, and looked at him With al
most 4 professional eve, then She laid her
hand on his forehead, and said, triumph
antIN: ~ our fever is all gone. You
feel much better. | am sure" lie gratlu-
ally sunk back upon his pillow. "les,
You had better lie down again. We
mustn't try to get we'll too soon :" then
slipping her arm under his head. she
took glass from Il stand, and lifting his
head, placed it to his lips. COZ course
You are better, still you must take your
medicine or YOU may have a relapse, You
know, and | can't have that" and she
smiled brightly at him.
The draught she had offered him was
as bitter as only thorough army surgeon
could prepare, but no nectar ever tasted
sWeetcr.
He had allowed himself to be put
gently back. still content to be irrespOn-
siblc, and made no reply, not even to
thank her. She settled his pillow, smooth
ed out the quilt, then brought chair.
and sat down beside him. After regard
ing her patient critically awhile with the
lOvelest dark eyes he had ever seen, she
began:
'Do you know how sick you've been 2"
II don't know" he echoed.
''Nou'ye had a fever, she informed
him.
"lcs ?"
''You do not suffer now, do you :"
"N0.n
and it doesn't make your head ache
when talk ;"
"No, indeed. I'm glad to hear YOU
You are the first white woman who has
spoken to me for two years"
''Humph That is because YOU were
on the wrong side. But mustn't excite
you, so we won't talk politics. besides,
we are within the enemys lines now"
''Ihe enemy's?"
es, your lines
"Ihen You are 4 rebel ~
"les; but I've taken care Of you; that
is, I've given you your medicine. And
now if You feel like taking anything to
eat, III 60 and prepare it,
'No, don't Co." he said, reaching out
and taking hold of her sleeve. II don't
want to eat
She settled herself in her chair again.
and gazed at him in the most unembar-
rassed manner. Then leaning forward
she placed her hand on his forehead once
more to note its temperature. Evidently
she was accustomed to looking upon him
simply as a cease" and she held her
head upon one side, and then said, rather
reprovingly, "lour talk has made you
tcYerish. Now you must 90 to sleep"
every well; only don't go away"
81 may have to; perhaps mamma will
call me. However, you shall not be neg
lected. Mamma will be glad to know
You have come to yourself again"
and are You glad ?" he asked, idly
ooh, YOU think, because Pm rebel,
would have been glad to have you die
Now think that is very unkind of you :"
and the dark eyes were filled with indig-
nant protest,
"No, | couldn't think that How did
come to be thrown upon your kind
ness -
"lou We're brought here and left, and
although mamma and | hated the sight Of
your uniform, Won looked so sick that we