Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-11-23
A SOLDIERS LOVE STORY.

A SOLDIERS LOVE STORY.
We were at Cham when our DELAYED
mail was received. There was month
oil letter from my young nephew, Reg
inald Travers, containing sad news.
My dear old friend Oswald Hamilton
was dead; his affairs left in bad way.
The arrangement of his papers, straight
ening accounts, and settling up of the
estate were left in my hands A second
was to the effect that Josepha (the only
and motherless daughter of my old
friend, now about twenty-four years of
age) had finally refused him. That he
had secured change into the Tenth,
which was soon TO be ordered away to
fight the Zulus, and closed by saving
that the best thing l could wish him
was bullet through the head in the
first engagement.
My poor Reg! 1t was his first taste
of life's bitter, and it was going down
hard. l longed to grasp his hand in
sympathy. l cursed the stupidity of
mail-carriers and stormed and swore at
the hundred and one annoying DELAYS
that kept me so long on my homeward
way. However, in two days l was well
on my journey.
Soldiers are rough of speech. l be-
gan to fashion some soft phrases of
sympathy for my old friends daughter,
but gave up in despair, trusting that, as
in battle, when the opportunity comes,
should be ready to equal it. And,
after all, to such self-reliant natures as
Josepha's sympathy held tone of pity
which gave it a distasteful flavor.
word of myself here. An old SOL
dier nearing fifty, but hale and hearty,
1 inherited at my brothers death the
pile of stone he called home and his
large business interests. A misanthrope,
he had shown little taste for the society
of his kind. My visits to him were
few and brief. l had taken little notice
of Josepha until came to Deerwood
as its master. Her name describes her.
Divinely tall, she had none of the awk-
wardness peculiar in women of her
stature, but her motion was at all times
free, suggesting the flight of sea-bird.
Better than beauty, her face expressed
dignity and character. Her mouth was
shapely and red, although square law
and long chin proved somewhat detract-
i've to it.
But her eyes-glorious! Ciearest gray
"ith Pu'ilo VI NClfCt, Scb ~ man
forehead. She had frank, bon CANA
rade way which played sad havoc with
mems hearts, whatever their armor.
Many of the wisest and wariest knelt at
her shrine, but each and all vainlv.
Between her and my dear lad there had
been. an understanding, based on a
childish attachment. Merely silken
Link. | cared little for society (though,
thank God! never unfriendly or cold to
my kind, like my brother). The sur
rounding country families who would
have lionized me on account of a few
scars and decorations met with small
encouragement, and but for the fiying
visits of my young Lieutenant and an
evening cigar on one of the wide ve-
randas of Hamilton Place, my time was
passed in riding, walking and shoot
ing.
Now, will let you into a secret. I
was surprised when I found it out N.Y.
self. had fallen in love with Josepha.
Preposterous! So / said. At any rate,
give me some credit. Inever dreamed
OF telling her, and went away, imme-
diately-traveling with party of
friends.
My old friend | mourned sine ere
lU FVhnttnrh ta,
wo b.d basn sa years my SENIOR
He Lnaw 7 stond mo yo"lS anu years
inc hand whemavar o .;ty @ ~ .ena u heip-
he ,vos nrn,,d tn f, ~ was neeueu' put
had "ho hoIoaa pao ~; 'aui,, anu though
Tor noa I ha wv. w. ";iom NY assistance
would never talo I "a nn, ~ s"o S'fa''S) ne
He rayersas ] .anu No~o penny ,is,. -
u;s ;.do,e;t"h, VIII '';,, !uick anu suuden'
str,nmIa % 'e for t;r mni uPielu IW,1a MN IN ms
haneaih tba h,,ndon W non 1na' proke
crew haou;a. % u1m Jau h ~ 'Duo,es; "hich
sTm na.r n n,d LAY ~ u'1S, & ne uiea.
whom nr;de hronaht lou, e'9 :, t,us man
Ya atnd p,,ao @ u,ohShe iow' lihurmured'
bod Jou err;wad u,e. n, ~ raye, oao.,
aftornooa aud ~ 80 n1orwoou ia'e III me
nhnroh I'D anu ar nau s.oPPeu IN the
The grass o wagso% s %%"{ W oosePna'
fanc;ed sha ono IaIeu ha,o' st;,r 20 anu iro, L
aPaaaa ono - oIo p; p;om sS'rrou uheasily.
sho,I Sa .J, a,.o,oS. Sm"isPerea, our name
sd"m cd aoI, ~ ,, ,ieaieu' your ua'ghter guard
' Josarho ms 10. o :, CT.
faston pha ,ha iIS doo. i'o an ih one stayed TO
iaateh .he uoor' ana as she came up
,varn warn h hand ~ Ihv ;nt tor,idor ' Sne shPped her
s,rona,, "al manu- In'o IN n,ine s an l heid u
picture as we epteyeS cred the @ draw on Wswala Is