River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-11-13

what seemed to be a dance of defiance,
addressed to the presumably uncon-
scious enemy. 1t consisted of half
dozen polka steps too and fro across
the hall, terminated by vigorous kick
of either slippered foot and a fierce
brandish1ng of an impotent little fist.
After several repetitions of this spirited
impromptu pas seul, she waltZed nois
Iessly ont the door, and so passed be-
yond the scope of the mirror
The Major who had fairly held his
breath during the enactment of this
novel and captivating pantomime, now
astonished his friend by springing up
and tip-toeing hurriedly from the room.
Following with like circumspection
the Captain found him standing on the
gallery with blank, bafled look on
his face
what was it," asked the Captain,
"guerrillas?"
riot dangerous ones" returned the
Major laughing. Come, let's be going.
You were right about the place being
enchanted"
what have you seen ?" again de-
manded the Captain.
"The Queen of the Pixies. Come on"
"But / should like to see her, too"
"What! you don't suppose she'd
show herself to prosiac beef-eater like
your"
He looked back with little sigh as
they remounted their horses, and turned
down the hill road Here now was
rebel in whose subjugation ne would
have taken genuine delight, but the rig
id finger of duty pointed infexibly to
the rude camp near the river.
Peace was in all the air. Birds called
and chirped. cicade droned their sleep
songs, wild bees swarmed with warm,
humming sound III the tops of the tall
locust trees. The atmosphere was dis
tinctly realizable as fluid, warm per-
fumed, and tinged greenish gold. War
and all its horrid appurtenances APP
peared to belong to the class of unthink-
able things.
Suddenly from a thicket-crack!
crack two puffs of light blue smoke
curled upward and melted away among
the tree-tops two frightened, riderless
horses dashed madly into the wood, two
men lay bleeding on the ground.
''Secure the horsesm cried voice,
and half dozen gray figures scudded
away in the direction the animals had
taken. Half dozen others stepped in
to the road and gathered about the fall
en- men.
Dead" said one, dropping the hand
of the Captain.
Dead" repeated another, who was
stopping over the Major.
"Hark, what's that? Come, boys,
let's skedaddle, they're at it already
down by the river"
Slowly consciousness came back to
the Major, consciousness alone, unac-
companied by memory Thereon was
family lighted by lamp hidden away
somewhere There was a sound of
weeping near him, and smothered
voice said
edo you think he will die?"
'I can't tell, +" replied another voice.
''Isn't it strange feel sorry?" asked
the sobbing voice. II hated him so
when he was here eating dinner, and
vet | can't help crying to save my life
1t seems so terrible; and then to think
that Charley shot him, Oh,mit's
dreadful thing to think of one'sftroth-
ct DaflIlS hlllStl Il 1udH.
The major tried to turn his head
toward the speakers who seemed quite
near, when a hand was laid upon his
forehead and another voice said, Don't
try to move, sir"
''Am / shot?
Eyes, sir"
"Who brought me here?"
"A couple of men found you In the
road
Where's the captain?"
Him as was with you"
ayes"
dead, sir"
Days of lethargy, nights of delirium.
At last morning, when voice beside
his pillow said
"He is much better, Rachel" and he
looked up into kind sweet face, which
he seemed family to remember having
seen somewhere before.
A figure came and stood in the long
open window and looked at him:
"Ah? know, he said with weak
smile, "The Queen of the Pixies"
Come in, Puss," said the lady at
his bedside, and the girl drew shyly
nearer,
"Puss y he repeated; "and where is
/ the white kitten?"
GLOW did you know / had a white
kitten ?" she answered. laughing.
eyes, "he SAID, looking at her reminis-
Gently, "that is the way you looked,
when you danced in the hall"
HE is delirous again." exclaimed the
/ matron. but Puss laughed and ran out
I of the room.
/ Days of enchantment succeeded, each
more divine than its predecessor. The
/ bullet, fortunately, had taken itself out,
and, though it had torn an ugly open
/ ing in dangerous proximity to vital
/ parts. the simple domestic surgery of
Mrs. Sterling proved equal to every
emergency, and the convalescence met
no serious Interruptions.
Gradually the patient progressed
I from an arm chair near the window to
a hammock on the southern gallery,
then to slow promenade under the
trees.
The tide of war seemed to have rolled
away and left him there in paradise.
Puss-it was the only name he ever
heard her addressed by-sometimes
walked beside him q few moments In
/ the avenue; sometimes read to him for
brief half hour on the gallery but she
was an erratic puss, and seldom stald
! long in one spot.
"Do you still hate me?" he asked one
i day, as she paused for a moment near
where he sat on the gallery.
I mot so much, no." she answered
candidly; then with an air of reflection,
but l suppose l shall when you are
gone
what then / shall not go. Why
should my going renew your hatred z"
ooh! | shall only think of you then
as Yankee"
"And you are bound to hate all
Yankees!" he said with a panied look.
/ "Of course, they are our foes.
Il am not your foe"
i Mine or my country's, what does it
matter You will go from here to fight
against us, You may kill my own
brother"
/ believe me, I would save his life at
/ the sacrifice of my own.
HE nearly killed you, and you don't
hate him ?"
I II regard him as my greatest bene-
! factor" "She looked at him incredu-
louslv
"You are funny Yankee" she said,
with her charming. joyous laugh.