Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-08-31

The laugh that had been a moment be-
fore rippling from her lips, ceased, and
she started back with o slight gesture of
alarm, but my doffed cap and peaceful
attitude reassured her, and she stood
waiting.
"1s Mrs. Wayne in ?" 1 asked.
My mother is at home, who shall
say desires to see herT
''Charles Talbot, a class-mate of her
son, and at present with the regiment
quartered in the village"
What, are you the Charley Talbot
who was Hary's chum at College,"
81 am"
"Then come, for we all seem to know
you, and though on opposite sides are
friends, and she held out her hand"
II took it, and its warm clasp thrilled
me strangely, as did the clear glance of
the bright eyes that were upturned to
mine."
"T am Mabel Wayne, Harry's sister,
she went on. We have heard so much
from Harry concerning you, and your
kindness to him, that We have often
longed to meet you. Harry said that he
knew you would be in the Northern
army, but for US, in your ease, there is
no war. Please be seated and will call
mother
"We had passed into a large, airy
drawing room while she had been speak
ing. Here she left me and soon re-
turned with a middle-aged lady, whose
beauty was of that quiet, motherly kind,
SO rich in the power that makes one
comfortable and at ease. found that,
despite my antagonistic uniform, I was
held friend and glad was I to know
this, for the first glance of Mabel
Wayne's eyes had broken down the
barriers that had raised against love
barriers of which I had made many
boasts to myself-and 1 knew that, come
what would, my future life would garner
its Joy from her kindness, or have no
Joy at all. / was invited to remain to
supper, and did so; and when my duty
forced me to take my leave, I was asked
to make my calls as frequent as my time
and inclination would permit.
"You can easily surmIse that both
time and inclination made the interval
between my visits very short, and soon
noticed that the door was always opened
by Mabel often ere had reached the
steps leading to the veranda. Who
could mistake the motive of such mark
of favor? And you can know that to
my soul this brought glory that was
brighter than sunshine and whose music
was sweeter than the spring chorus of
birds.
81 have not told you of Mabel
Wayne's beauty. 1t was of that clear
Saxon type, which denotes bright and
sunny disposition. And she was as
merry as one could wish, possessing a
finely cultivated mind, sparkling wit,
and sweet, ringing voice that made it
a delight to sit and listen to hear her
talk. As you know, we were quartered
two months in that village; but before
our regiment marched south had asked
Mabel to be my wife and had heard her
low voice tell of a love that l knew
would bless me all through the years.
Her mother gave willing consent, and
the time fixed for our union was the close
of the war
"Then came our marching orders,
and the raid in which 1 won my majors s
commission. During the year which
followed, and the campaign Of which
Gettysburg was the conclusion, 1 heard
frequently from Mabel, for the COM
munication between her home and our
lines was kept open. The last tremend-
GUS struggle southwark with Grant fol
lowed this, and as you all know, we
were on patrol duty and reconnoitering
all the time; and when the flank move
ment began, kept well on the outskirts
of the army, and made that last raid
down the peninsula, which brought the
crisis of my life.
.Do you remember the day we were
expecting to meet Fitz Eugh's men?
was ON picket duty that evening, and
had battalion of our regiment deployed
along a road that ran through some
broken country. just after night began
to deepen. and the shadows lay heavy
between the trees that fanked the road,
the rapid gallop of a horse sounded uE
from a narrow valley; and telling the
men near to be ready, rode down the
sloping ground to meet the person ap
preaching. Soon came to place tha'
gave me command of long stretch o.
road and halted Just in the shadow. Ii
another moment horseman dashed int
view, and came rapidly towards me. Al
soon as my voice could be heard l com
r manded a halt, but the order was nm
needed.
, ".Halt or fire. cried, and still tn
horse came dashing on and the mex
r moment nv pistol was levelled, and tn
: sharp report rang out on the still night
With low cry the horseman tumble'
, from the saddle; and then the fiutter o
, a white robe made me spring to tn
ground and run to where the prostrat
form was lying.
'eThe person had mistaken for TO
q was a woman and as 1 bent over tn
! white face, felt my heart grow cold
for Il was the face of Mabel Wayne.
' 'I took her in my arms, and her eye
/ looked up in mine, so full OF love that
sobbed like child.
e "Oh, my darling, my darling,
cried. what brought you herey
"T heard YOU were with the troop: