The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-11-13


ODowd.
He'll dine off a posy bed any time.
must have something more substantial.
myself, not bein' Of the hummin' bird
variety"
"Lieutenant," said the Major sharply,
turning toward them his lean,. sun
Drowned visage, all the sleaner by con
trast with the white Havelock that
draped 1t, ride down to the river and
tell Capt. Coulter to camp IN the clear
ing to the left of the road. Let there
be strong picket guard posted" The
Lieutenant saluted~ aud ,obeyed, though
with inward rennenstrance his, hungry
stomach rebelling against the fve-mile
ride and the recession of the already de-
ferred dinner to a dimly prospective sup
per.
"We]l, Cap" said the Major to his re-
naming companion, well see what we
can get in here, though I swear it's a
shame to go clankling swords and spurs
through such heavenly place."
"Shure an there was war in heaven
itself wanst, I'm towld," rejo1ned
ODowd, exaggerating the slight brogue
that still chung to his Tipperary tongue,
as was at times his facetious won't. IF
the howly angels could injure the clash
O. arrums, their airthly sisters sh'ud be
able to do the same"
AS they approach it the cleaning
structure; resolved itself into a wide
! winged, high-perched cottage, with
numberless arched windows opening
upon the spacious gallery which encir-
cled it upon every side. It stood silent
and apparently deserted in little OPEN
ing among the trees, surrounded by
carefully tended flower beds, and ca
ressed by the .clinging arms Of rose
vines. A bird uttered a shrill note
above their heads as they advanced
which sounded like cry warning, but
no living creature of domestic charac-
ter appeared, not even cat.
MAY be it's al. enchantment,": said
the captain: IT hope it won vanish
EDefore dinner, IF it is" g -.
+ 'tHere is, a. good substantial door at
all events" rejoined the major proceed
ing to knock vigorously.
The knock reverberated with hel-
low sound. and almost Immediately the
door swung quietly inward, and a stout
mulatto woman appeared in the open
ing: She courtesied respectfully and
without the slightest appearance of sur
prise on her sober, middle aged face,
stood silently awaiting the announce
ment of their business.
ave want something to eat, Auntie, I"
said the Major, pleasantly; "can't you
give us something's"
ayes, sir, I recon so; walk in"
Stepping back a few PAGES she ushered
them into long room, whose furniture,
mysteriously draped in gray colored
chintz, stood about in groups with that
air of patient waiting, which furniture,
in its summer dress, always wears.
The bare floor, beautifully polished,
and the open windows, before which
lace curtains swayed gently in the light
air, made up an interior of delicious
GOODNESS after the long ride in the hot
sun. J.! ;'f y
The captain threw himself at full
length upon large sofa, but the Maj
Oh moved restlessly about. examining
the books and engravings on the tables
and the pictures on the wallis, the last,
evidently, family portraits: +
His command hadtbut recently joined
the forces whose mission it was to gain
control of the Mississippi and this was
his first experience of spring and sum
mer south of the famous boundary
(which hail at that time assumed such
startling prominence. He had c)me
filled with fierce >indignatlon. and,a
like Saul. breathing out fire and
slaughter, but when the magic of the
season began to work in his blood when
days and nights whose counterpart had
never shone for him, unrolled their
brilliant panorama: when every
thickct and morass laughed back to the
laughing skies with myriads of
strangely beautiful blossoms when the
yellow jasa1nine hung>its clustered drops
of scented sunshine in the deepest forest
shades; when the great magnolias,
those sylvan priests, held up to heaven
their ivory chalices filled with the wine
of fragrance, there had occurred with
in him responsive awakening to softer
words and sweeter emotions, which even
the rude encourage of the military camp
could not dispel. In the face of this
beautiful and muniticent nature the ter,
rible expedients of war took on an aspect
OF aggravated barbarity and though by
sheer force of will he still held. himself
sharply to his convictions of duty, he
was conscious of ,rtain mental relax
ing and expanding which he alternately
yielded to and strove against.
After a brief delay the servant an
nounced dinner; and the two officers
I followed her to a room, where a table
was spread with repast so bountiful
as to excite the suspicion that the fami-
ly dinner had been diverted to their
use:y ODowd fell to with appetite, his
tongue keeping time with the play of
his knife and fork, but the Major made
little response to his remarks.
=: AS he ate in, silent abstraction, the
Major glanced from time to time at
pleasing picture Of the wide, breezy
hall, section of the shadow-haunted
gallery, and the. swaying blossom-star-
red branches of a climbing rose reflect
ed I'M large mirror above the mantle-,
piece. All at once something interest
ing occurred. Upon this shadowy scene
entered little white Kitten. with sin
uous back and: protesting tail, that
spoke of wounded sensibilitles. Close
behind; running silently, and swiftly
upon tiptoe, and laughing breathlessly,
came a young girl, hardly more than Is
her little slim figure draped in 9 cling
ing gown Of blue home-spun, open at
the throat, and with loose sleeves that
afforded enchanting glimpses of white
girlish arms, her sparkling face CROWN
ed with an aur1olas Of red gold hair;
suchsa vision IS . watcher in an en-
chanted mood might hope 70 !: see.
E Catching ZIP the Runaway pei. she shook
ii reproving ly, then set it upon hels
shoulder ind holding il, there with a.
hand that showed like ose,veined ala