Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1884-01-17
A TALE Oh THE LATE WAX.

ghany Mountains, was astir early on one
June day Of 1864, for the soldier b5ys
were coming-the ones la gray-and
they would Of course be very hungry, a
condition that had become chronic with
confederate soldiers by that time. They
were TO march rapidly through the town,
and whatever hospitality was to be SHOWN
them must be in q sort Of passover form.
So the town-folk were making busy prep
aratinns to waylay the regimenison the
street with bread and meat and coffee
rye coffeei-ani b ittermilk, and black
berry wine, and home-brewed ale.
YGu would have taken it for market
day in some Old. World village, 80 ANNA
ted wasthe thronged street,and with peo-
pie in such queer costumes. The digni-
fed matron and the douces. maid wore
complacently furniture calico of the
most startling patterns; gray and blue
domestic" was made to fit slender
waists, whose ante bellum silk and vel
vet had given out; hats and bonnets
were of all shapes and no shapes, all
home-plaited of wheat straw; old silk
stocking legs figured as well as fitting
gauntlets, and the more stylish wore
shapely gloves of chamois skin, which
had known the good effects of soap and
water, since it used to rub the family
silver. Trim feet were covered With hand
knit stockings, the cotton having been
spun in the winter evenings, when read
ing was scarce for want OF new books,
and letter-writing scanty be-
cause Of 10 cen stamps, and sociables
few because there were no beaux and
no refreshments to be had; stout leather
shoes, of village manufacture, were
laced over those primitive hose, with
heels the iarthest possible remove from
French. Men were conspicuously abb
sent, only old men and bows representing
the sex, except where some sleek publ
can managed to put a government office
between himself and hot bullets.
This was the picture presented by the
long, Struggling main street, as Lauder
| dale awaited Che soldiers, that bright
summer day.
Cary Brook, however, was not lend
| ing herself to this good work of cater
ing; she seemed TO he devoiing herself
to the esthetic instinct OF the soldiers,
for the adornment of her dainty self oc-
| cupied an ~unusntl time. And yet Col
onel Bird. of the One Hundred and First
Mississippi, was not IN the diviS-
ion which was to pass through Lauder
dale that day, bat when does not a pref
w girl think that her lover may chap
pen along" Oh, if you knew what fun
ny clothes we wore in these days. And
if YOU could believe how serenely fine
we felt in the queer dudsi Cary'sdress
on that was of homespual cot
ton-that is, woven In the country SIS a
ward. ten wards to q dress; total $3.50.
1t was new and fresh; fit rg her "slim
ele gance.n as Howells says "as the
| I'll. ath or the flowers fits the tower
Brown lengths 0s hair ornamented iieI
shapeIy bead with lavish beauty, but nc
vI1s ia aAfisIied with Stu 8 adjoining
and. the long Blockade had brought
| Cary's stock Of pretty things TO the low
est ebb. The W lite frills were freshly
| crimped, and throat and wrists resoond.
ed to their becoming effect; but oh, fol
4 touch of colorl" sighed the girl Will
true instinct, for the somberish dress
needed it.
why there, to be sure, were the Gre.
Vile roses, climbing right Sgainst her
window. Long clusters ol small flowers,
white, shaded with many varieties OF
| pink, all in one bunch, and SO sweet.
Half an hour later Cary stood at the
front gate, with the Gresiile roses In her
hair and at her throat, as intent upon
rationing those dear, dirty fellows as 9
chef of commissary, But they Eere
! tremendously hungry, and after the .ast
| bite that could be found in the house
had been given out, a straggler came up
| and asked for breakfast.
"Oh. Pm so sorry" said the girl.
"We shall have to keep a fast day as IL
is. but I would keep two at a time If /
| lnlv had a nice breakfast for you"
The soldier took off his old SLOUGH hat,
| and made such q low bow that Cary
| turned again to look at him.
'sTo what regiment do yon belong?"
she asked.
II am just from the Lynchbnrg hos
| pifal,,' he replied. ''anl on my way to
Join the One Hundred and First Mis-
s~issippi."
The s suddenly bloomed in Cary
! Brooks cheek, and she came out into
the road. ),
'slhen I must shake hands with YOU
she said. II love every man in the One
| Hundred and First Mississippi"
"And I'm sorrier than ever not TO
have a breakfast for you,' cried the girl.
IF you would give me your roses
! he said, with a gallant grace, II should
| not miss the breakfast"
She anfastened them quickly, both
clusters, saying archly, "With one CEN
| dition-fhat when you reach the regi-
| menu, you will take them to Colonel
Bird with my compliments"
"Oh my honor Us 3 rebel" replied the
soldier, again bowling low, and carrying
off Jary's bright flowers.
"Now,sf call that a skillful dodge" he
chuekied. as he fastened afterthe troops.
l alt WILL not be perjury to break an oath
sworn a non est, and having no honor
| 90 q rahal. 90 / may keen the roses and