Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-08
AMBER C0SGROVE.


My name Is Amber Cosgrove, and such is my
good fortune that can write in three words the
history of my girlhood. appy-happier=hap-
piest. Those thin, clear, up-and-down strokes
tel little to others; to me they tell of past for
which cannot be too thankful. write hand
like my great-grandmother's. so Ainslie tells
me, neat and formal and old-fashOned-epi-
thets which l think describe me as well as any
can find for myself And so i'm those neat for
NAL. Old-fashioned strokes on the smooth white
paper see pictured not only my life but nv
habits and ways. And the dashes between
what Of them2 They are the breaks in the even
flow of peaceful life; passages rough at the
time, but now not unpleasant TO remember for
through them passed from being Amber Nc
Michael TO become the wife of man as noble
ana brave. as generous and true as my own
father. And even of Ainslie | can say no more
than that
There is a scene which is often in my mind
when j sit and think OF the past. But it is no
passage in my own life: 1t took place before
was born. and i'm a far-distant land. Try to pic
ture dark still night in one of the central prov
tnces of India down a jungle path roughly
paved with logs. Int only here and there by the
mOOnbeams piercing through the branches over
head, some dozen persons. Europeans and ma
tlyeS, are Fastening, stumbling and falling i'm
their hurry. but never pausing. Behind them
there is glare in the sky tar too deep for the
moonlight. brighter and redder even than the
gov which hangs over great city at night
mat crimson illumination is no ordinary sfrht
IL means murder and blOudshed for II is the
oiaze OF the Feringhees burning houses. AL
ready YOU can hear the cries OF the pursuing
Sepoys, so feroeiOus in the hour of their long,
delayed vengeance that the blood of men. as
brave as the two who bring up the rear of the
ny1ng party, may well run chill with fear Not
on their own account, but for the women and
children who are being hurried along by their
panlc-strcken servants. Well NAV Major Co.'S
groves breath come and go. for his wife and
children are of the party; vainly he tries to
pierce the darkness in front. and to distinguish
the Rleam of the river. beyond which is COM
paraflve safety. He knows that hardly three
miles on the other side of it Is British station:
and the demons behind cowardlv as cruel NAV
hesitate to pursue where every step brings them
nearer to danger While he yaZes i'm front his
brother officer keeps turning back his head
In the direction of the pursuit. Neither speaks
his thoughts; but the Major his face white
and set. tries the chambers of his revovers. and
MS companion sees him and mods He knows,
without explanation. for whom the cartridges
30 carefully tapped home are intended Ha.
the water at last There it is. between its dark
wooded banks. ripping quickly with a thou
sand pale flashes over the shallow ford But is it
not too late? louder cry rings through the
night air; the pUrsuers have sighted them and
are redOubling their speed The race to the
1ord Is Tor dear life The fugitives gain it, and
are hall way across before the enemy reach the
bank. Even then escape seems impossible: q
dozen bullets paSh the water and the SepOys
encouraged by their own numbers, are crossing
the ford TO Come tn close quarters Breath
less and dripping. the women and children
are pulled up the bank. and the officers fol-
iOw-one of them. The other. with a stern
grasp o. his friends hand. and forward gesture
OF encouragement or farewell with a muttered
uoo bless YOU turns back into the water,
ana crouches under the bank like a stag at bay
Inc Major hesitates; but the lives of his wifi,
and children are at stakes. He hurries on with
stlfied curse. Then at intervals, amid the
desultOry fire of the SepOys' rifles. he hears the
sharper cracks OF a revolver and shrill cries of
rage and pain The sounds are getting fainter
In the distance, when there arises fiendish veil
o. triumph "Ged rest his SOUL, mutters the
Major IN his turn So-there is a swelling i'm
my breast and a choking in my throat that al
ways comes when think of this-so it was that
1 never saw my father. Captain VI Michael of the
10th. but learned. as soon as was old enouph
20 understand it. the tale of how he died to save
his friends with his back to the bank and his
lace To the foe. And he did not die in vain
The little party reached the English camp in
safety. and the story of his death has become a
tradition in his regiment
Ana now L. his daughter. am sitting in the
porch OF quiet cottage home amid Hereford
ehire orchards. idly gazing out upon the sha-
ooWed-necked lawn, s.Oping from my feet down
way to jsdnfheSevetIi. Crossing the river on
my left is an old bridge, wide and bulky and
In front gentle hill rises from
the stream. and covering this hill is little
town as picturesque and irregular. as Old-fash-
Toned and time-stained as can be found in any
county of England A massive church tower
Old as the DomeSday, crowns it. rising proudly
amid mingled trees and roofs The ruins of the
castle are hidden by the shoulder of the slope:
Out nom my post. at the door of our black and
H Pan fh,
which leads from the bridge until the prospect is
closed by the gloomy arch of the Broad cate. a
great ieafy elm. waving above 1t. 1t is summer
onu there is humdine of bees lowering above
ne sweet smelling oid-fashiOned flowers-the
Cd man. the London pride, the column
bine-whch fringe the greensward at nv feet.
Ihls is not my home. but am so often here
whenever. IN fact my uncle can spare me-that
many people believe Mrs COsgrove to be INV
mother She died when was born. the news
OF my fathers death killing her: and Mrs. Cos
grove. who had been her friend became indeed
second mother To me. and so brought me home
TO Stuart Park The gallant Colonel her hus-
band. fell at Delhi. and before the mutny was
stamped out two of her three children died.
with the eldest she settled i'm the little black
and white cottage at Ludford within dozen
miles OF the park. And between these homes
have passed my lfe
ms stu summer afternoon. though nv fin
gers are knitting. and my eyes gazing across at
T..
listening Tor AinSlie Cosgroves step upon the
gravel lie is with us on leave and TODAY is
nsnlii9 AT SteyeiItOn. The gate clicks I 90 IN
with my knittin" AMI affect not to hear IT. but
out OF the Corner, Of my EYES see his tall
slight n"ure moving a-ross the lawn with the
loose singing step which makes SO little of
distance He IL wearing his gray suit and soft
nat learn to know all the clothes in his ward
robe when am at Lu;iford: Dut | like best TO
see MN IN thesr-the Tou IN gray goes 80 we'll
with AInSlles frank smile and SIlnburnt face I
don't Know why. hut he has not seemed so nice
THIS visit. And yet I have enioye,i it am
AFRAID that favorite is he must be the men of
MS regiment spoil him. He evidently does not
care 10 De with Us as much a. of old; the walks
IN the DUSK oil the evening. when we would sit
in some corner upon the hill and tell one another
our Inherent ambitions. and build castles in the
ar 1ar SURPRISING the gray walls that faced Us
nave vanished like our dreams I used too tn
go with him on his fishing excursions but now
ne goes alone. Since he has been out in the
world ana been petted and welcomed everywhere
1 suppose his Ideas have wideneu and only bore
him. why WIZ
A. amber he says. as he throws himself upon
tne grass near me- and plays with the reel OF his
Iou. nave surprise for YOU Whom do Won
Ii coming here" WV ""o
n