The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-01-17
GRAHDyAS STORY
OF a Brave Soldier Lever and His
Strange Courtship.
IBg Louisa r. -Alcoii.l

is time for you 10 begin your wedding outfit,
for I mistrust ycu'll marry young In those
days girls spun and wove webs Of fine linen
and laid en- up in chests. with lavender and
rosemary Tor sheets and table linen after they
married So J spun away. making all manner
OF fine plans in my silly head. for was pretty
piece, they al said, and young rs / was, two or
three igie lads used 10 conc evenings and SIT
staring at me while ] worked.
Among these was my neigbbor Joel Man.
lias shirley. and / was fond OF him, but he
hadH nHeii money. 50 j put On airs, and tried
his patience very mach. One day he came in
and said: PCS y. I'm going a-soldiesing; they
need men, aud I'm Of. Will you think OF poor
Joe when Ina gomez
don't StoH how looked, but felt as if
] couldn't bear IT, Only was too proud to
siow my trouble: so ] laughed and gave my
wheel twist. and said ] was glad Of it, since
ANYTHING was better than hanging round at
home.
That hurt him. bu; he was always gentle
to saRry Kelsey. and taking out his knife. lie
cut these letters under mine, saying, with
look ] acvCT could forget:
- That VIII remind you Of me if You are
likely TO forget. Good-by; I'm going right
asas, aad may never come back.
lie kissed nae and was of before could say
word, and then 1 cried till my fax was Wet
and my thread tangled, and nay heart most
broken. Dea:E me, how wei remember that
lrafN GAY.
Grandma sailed, but something shone in her
old eyes very Ike q tear, and sentimental Lofty
1cit deeply interested ii this point.
y here does lhe fighting come I'M asked
Gcos. who WAS OF q military turn, as became
the descendant of a soldier.
dent know or care much about the war
Of Isl2, except a. Ear as the safety OF oae man
was concerned. Joe got CA without any harm
til tie battle Of New Orleans when he was
nearly killed behind the cotioR-bale breast
works General jackson built"
Yes. knox all about it, jackson fought
against twelve thousand and lost only seven
men, That was the last hattie of the war
january :, 1915 Three cheers for Grandpa"
shouted Geof, waving tidy, as 80 hat was at
hand.
The Others echoed the hurTah, and grandma
beaiHed with pride as she went on: We
couldn't gel news from the army very often in
those treubious times, and Joe was gone two
years before the war ended. After the great
battle we haG no news for q long spell and we
feared he was ono Of the seven men killed
Those were dreadful days for all OF us. Ny
honored mother was q picus soul and 50 vas
Mrs Shirley. and they kept up their hearts
with hofse and prayer; bat ] poor thing was
young ard weak. and cried myself half blind.
remembering how naughty / had been. /
would spin no more. bat set the wheel away.
saying should have no need Of wedding gear,
az j Should never marry; and j wore black
ribbon 90 my caps. and one OF JOe's buttons
strung about my neck, mourning dismaily for
my LOST dear.
s. the winter ended, and The summer went.
and no news came OF Joe 81 said he was
dead. and we had PRAYERS AZ church, and talked
Of setting stone up in the graveyard and
thought nay lIse was done; for ] pined sadly,
and felt as ii ] could never laugh again. But
j did. for The Lord was very good 10 us, and
out of danger and captivity delivered that dear
boy
Grandma spoke s5leunly. and folded her
hands in Thanksgiving rs she looked up TO the
picture OF the handsome officer hanging on the
wal before her Tbs elder ebildrea could just
remember grandpa as a very old and feeble
man, and It struck them Is fuDay to speak of
bia. - dezE boy = but they nerer smiled
and Gafif1ly lifted tiicir eyes 70 the eacne and
The hizi-eglsared coat wondering IL Joe vas as
rosy jill resi Ire as III the portrait
Wei. fhatS the sentimental part: now
comes tie merry part and that viii suit the
b0ys sid tie old lady. hr5akly. as she spun
away. and went "a IN q lively tome:
One f'e..isitr day. as ] sat by that very
NlBdpw. oTe@lIiissg soErosgfaliy Al lBy sewing
work, waile old asly nodded over her knitting
by the FIRE l saw aiaE come creeping along by
the fence and dodge behind the woed-piie
Their we're many bad folks round in those
times; iar war always lraFes sight Of iazv
raseais atilat Is wei as poor fellows manned
ard Agsnc5css
8suraeF had gore over 10 fhe sewing society
a ATs S.4ir.ey's, AMI ! was al alone. sof Salty
vac - st.n wifl rhenBatiss she could scarce
stu. asa has was WY ] staid 10 take care OF
her The Old mHsssat aira. bang ever the
kitctel ciBney piece loaded, and knew how
70 hre X. FOR Joe taught nse. so away ] went
and got il down. fos J -aw the man popping UP
IT, inal EoE and iieH 70 spy the l.sid, and ]
lei sare De Iaealt mischief. / knew Sally
Eoala D.ls scream like scared hen. so ] let
her sleep. ard getting behind the shutter
PoiB.ed is.y sUn. and waited 30 blaze away as
sosn - Die enemy showed s;gas 81 attacking
lrese1s ~ lee came creeping up 10 the back
door. aud heard him Try tie latch. Ali was
fast % just sliPi,sd iato the kitchen and
stool behind the tie, for was suTer than
ever lie WAS q rascal since I'd seen him nearer.
lie N'as q TAI maIl, dreadful shabby in an old
coat and boots ragged hat over his eyes. and
great beard hiding the lover I1rl Of his face.
dc haa littlc bundle aud big stick IN his
HANDS and iimped rs il foot-sore or lame.
! was mnel aleard; but those were times
that las.ae heroes o men and Taught women to
be brave Tor iOyc u home and country. So /
KEPT steady. with my eye or tie window, and
M tager on tie trigger OF Hle old gun that
hadn't been fired Tor years Presently the
mar looked IN, aud ] SAW what q strange roll
his efrat eyes had, for he was ihin-faoed, and
hooked ilali-staryed. liz mother had been there,
She 2 have called him IN and fed him well, but
] dared not. and when be tried the window
aimed, bat id rot fire; for fading the button
down Re went away. and dropped on the set
tie shaking lke leaf All was still, and IN a
Minute piHeited up courage 10 20 10 look ont
hit. but just as ] reached tic middle Of the
kitchen. lie battery door opened, ana there
stood the rob5er AitA a carving knife in one
hand aud nay best loaf Of spice bread in the
other. Iie sad something, and made rush at
nle: bnt pulled Inc trigger, saw . fash. felt a
blow and ieli someE here, thinking Now I'm
dead"
Here grandma paused for breath. having
spoken rapidly and acted ont the scene drainaf-
iciiiy, 70 The intense delight Of the children.
who sat like images Of interest, staring al her
with round eyes.
But you weren't dead2 What ncxtY >
cried Walt eagerly.
Bless yOu 40. only fell into Joe's arms,
and when ] came TO- there the dear fellow was
crying over me like baby, while old Sally
danced round Us like bcdlamite, in spite Of
her ghenmatics. shouting: Hosannai Thanks
and praise, Hes come. he's conei'p
Was he shot? h" asked Gooif, anxious for q
little bioodshod.
No, dear. the old gun burst and hurt my
hands, but NOT nite Of harm was done TO Joe.
don't think could tell all that happened for
aspeli; being quite dazed with JOY aud surprise
but by the time mother came home / was as
peait as a wren, and Joe WAS at the table eating
and drinking every mortal thing / could find
10 the house.
He'd been kept prisoner tin exchanged