Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-08-01

What was III? asked the captain,
''guerrillas?"
Not dangerous ones, returned the
major, Laughing. Come, let's be go
ing. You were right about the place
being enchanted"
What have you Scent" again de-
manded the captain.
THE Queen of the Pixies. Come
on"
But | should like to see her, too
What! you doA't suppose she'd
show herself to a prosaic beef-eater
like you"
He looked back with little sigh as
they remounted their horses, and
turned down the hill road. Here
now was :. rebel, in whose subjuga-
ton he could have taken genuine
delight, but the rigid finger of duty
pointed inflexibly to the rude camp
near the river.
Peace was in all the air. Birds
called and chirped, cicadT droned
their sleep songs, wild bees swarmed
with warm humming sound in the
tops OF the tall locust trees. The
atmosphere was distinctly reallzable
as fluid, warm, perfumed, and
tinged greenlsh gold. War and all
It's horrid appurtenances appeared to
belong to the class of unthinkable
things.
Suddenly from thicket- crack |!
crack two puifs of light blue smoke
curled upward and melted away
among the tree tops; two frightened,
rderess horses dashed madly into the
woods, two men lay bleeding Oh the
ground.
Secure the horses ~ cried voice,
and half a dozen gray figures scudded
away in the direction the animals had
taken Half dozen others stepped
into the road and gathered about the
fallen men.
Dead, = said one dropping the hand
OF the captain.
Dead" repeated another, who was
stopping above the major
''lIark! what's that? Come, boys,
let's sl,edaddle, they're at it already
down by the river"
Slow " consciousness came back to
the major, Consciousness alone, unac-
companied by memory The room
was family lighted by lamp hidden
away somewhere. There was sound
of weeping near him, and a smothered
voice asked:
''Do you think he will deg
81 can't tell, replied another voice.
Isn't it. strange that | feel so
sorry?' asked the sobbing voice II
hated him so when he was here cat
ing dinner, and yet can't help cry
ing to save my life. 1t seems so ter
rible; and then to think that Charley
shot him Oh, it's dreadful thing
To thin5, of ones own brother having
killed man"
The major tried to turn his head
toward the speakers, who seemed
quite near, when hand was laid up
ON his forehead and another voice
said, Don't try to move, sir"
lie looked up into the face of the
mulatto woman who had waited upon
him at dinner.
Am | shot?"
Yes. sir. "
who brought me here2"
"A couple of men what found you
III the road
Where's the captain3'
Him as was with you2'
"Ges."
Dead, sir.
Days of lethargy, nights of delir-
lum. At last morning when a voice
beside his pillow said:
"IIe 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 locked at him:
"Ah! / know he said, with a
weak smile. The Queen of the
Pixies"
Come in, Puss," said the lazy at
his bedside, and the girl drew shyly
nearer
"Puss" he repeated; "and where is
the white kltteni'
How did you know | had 4 white
kittenl' she answered, laughingly.
"Ges, he SAID, looking at her re
m,nisccntly, that is the way YOU
looked when you danced in the hall. +"
He is dellrlouS again" exclaimed
the matron, but Puss laughed again
and ran out of the room.
Days of enchantment succeeded
each more divine than its predecessor.
The bullet fortunately had taken it.
self out, and though 1t had torn an
ugly opening III dangerous proximity
to vital parts, the simple domestic
surgery of Mrs. Sterling proved equal
TO every emergency, and the couval.
escence met no serious Interruptions.
Gradually the patient progressed
from an arm chair near the window
to 4 hammock on the southern gal
lery, then to slow promenade under
the trees
The tide of war seemed to have
rolled away and left him here in Par
adIse.
Puss-it was the only name he ever
heard her addressed by-someumes
walked beside him a few moments in
the avenue; sometimes read to him
for a brief half hour on the gallery !;
but she was an erratic puss, and sell
dom sta d long in one spot.
Do you still hate me r he asked,
one day. as sue paused for q mo-
ment near where he sat on the gal
lery.
Not as much, no" she answeled
caudidly; then with an air of retlec-
ton, bat suppose shall when you
are gone.
What then shall never go. Why
should my going away renew your
hatred.
"OhlI shall only think OF you then
as Yankee"
And you are bound to hate all
tie Yankeesl" he said with a panied
look.
"Of course; they are our foes"
am not your foe.
Mine or my ceuntryS, what does
it matter You may 90 from here TO
fight against us. You may kill my own
brother"
Believe me, would save his life
at the sacrifice of my own.
He nearly killed you, and you
don't hate himln
Il regard him as my greatest bene-
factor