Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-10-18

lett uuuntsUtO. w uCn uc iiist hau Nohi
: to know why be had been so ruthlessl
. snatched out Of Paradise, and TO fin
that "some one had blundered," an
made i: imperative for the Union arm
to draw in its lines, he had ragged an
called the general hard names. The
later he had consoled himself by sayin
that he was at present but enduring tn
fortunes of war and being a determined
man, he promised that when once tn
war was ended he would fly back to Par
adise.
This promise he kept. But though tn
magnolias flooded the place with the ricl
perfume which he had always associated
with it, and roses grew rampant, hanging
great masses of bloom heavily over tn
garden fence, the fence was ruin, ant
the house which the magnolias had shaded
was gone.
OF the fate Of its former occupants h
could learn nothing. And as he sat oil
the pile Of slaEting stone which had ono,
formed the steps, he laughed bitterly Il
himself, and exclaimed: "What fool
errand I've come on what fool wa.
to expect to find trace Why, bat.
tie has been fought over the very lawn
cavalry has rushed through the garden
and torn up the flowers and crushed The
life out of them cannon balls have crash
cd through the windows; perhaps in the
very room where lay and watched hel
some internal shell has shattered all the
sweet dain,incss out OF existence and
the rain Of shot has battered the dear
old house into dust"
But he sat and looked at the dust un.
Ill i, gathered itself together once more
and rose into the stately house he haC
remembered. IL was almost as real now
as then. Why or how he had ever beer
taken into il he did not know. He re-
membered 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 was being
discussed. but 10 which discussion he was
utterly Indifferent, and allowed himself
to drop a helpless burden upon his com
rades' hands, glad that the time hat
come when he had become irresponsible
After that there were days when he
was conscious of nothing but pain. Their
there was one day when toward evening
he opened his tired eyes, and looked
about once more. He had closed then
upon burning heat which shimmered
over the fields. framing in hot, dusty
column OF men moving steadily into al
enemy's land 1t was a silent procession
to his dulled ear, only the monotonou.
tramp of heavily clad feet came will
mufiied sound from the earth. Ever
when his eyelids drooped over MS rec
Eyes. they did not seem TO shut out th,
sight The men still filed on ahead o
him and behind, and the heat still shiv
cred in waves over the empty fields, Whe,
he opened them, cool white curtain wa
swaying fifully to and fro before an opeI
window. AZ il would blow back, b,
could see the boughs Of trees drippin.
and gls,ening with in-drops. lie la,
and refreshed himself with the sight
then he looked at the clean mating will
which the floor was covered, then at tn
simp'e sweetness of the room, and attempt
ing to raise himself upon his elbow, n
asked. Where am -
Al his question some one on the yeran
da came, and gathering the curtain aside
looked in.
"Oh, you are awake" said girlisf
voice, and a moment later young CIR
came into the room. She came close 4
his bedside, and looked at him with al
most professional eye, then she laid he
hand upon his forehead, and said, ,ri
umphantly. Your fever is all gone
You feel much better, am sure" II
gradually sank back upon his pillow
YES, YOU had better lie down again
We mustn't try to get well too soon )
then slipping her arm under his head
she took glass from stand, and liftinl
his head, placed it to his lips. 30
course you are better, still you must tax
your medicine or you may have relapse
you know. and can't have that" an
she smiled brightly at him.
The draught she had offered him wa
as bitter as only thorough army sur
geon could prepare, but no nectar eve
tasted sweeter.
He had allowed himself to be put gen
tly back, still content to be irresponsible
and made no reply, not even to than
her. She settled his pillow, smoothe,
: out the quilt, then brought chair, an
sat down beside him. After regardin
her patient critically awhile with the lov
liest dark eyes he had ever seen, she be
gan:
"Do you know how sick you hav
been,"
II don't know" he echoed.
"You have had fever" she informe
him.
"Yes -
"You do not suffer now, do you"
"No."
"And it doesn't make your head ach
when talk :"
mo, indeed. I'm glad to hear YOU
You are the first white woman who ha
spoken to me for two years"
Humph! That is because you wei
on the wrong side. But must not e,
cite you. so we won't talk politics; bs
, sides, we are within the enemy's lint