The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-07-15
A LOWERS GALE.

'Jnst look and listen, gitlsl What 4
windstorm for tho last Of Nay Per:
haps We had better not 60; aud Mrs
Runkel turned away from the window
and paused in the process Of drawing on
her gloves.
"Oh, mother" demonstrated Belle.
"You don't mean to say that you'd be
willing to miss seeing tho procession for
fear OF having your hair blown about q
BIT! She isn't at all patriotic Is she,
Miss Myers"
Little Miss Nyors" looked upahd her
lips moved, but no words came. How.
ever, noi'odY noticed the drcssmakers
unusually tale face and evident agita-
ton, and Goodbye. Miss Nyors,m the
three called out gally five minutes later
as they started OIL for the Haines build.
ing, on Broadway, where a whldoS had
been reserved for them.
Goodbye" responded Miss Myers,
and tried TO smile as she spoke; but
when the door closed and she was alone
she bent over the machine with very
grave face and a mind that was not 50
much absorbed in her work as in the as.
SociOtions and rccollections this solemn
holiday never failed to awaken.
PanonmawlSG there passed before her
mental vision the old homestead in the
south, the honored father taking up
arms 10 defend his all, tho sanity
mother committing her child to Gods
keeping, whel, homo and husband both
snatched from her by wars cruel red
hands, she sank beneath the blow.
Then came tho image Of the handsome. .
happy hoortedyouRg northCrner, Henry
Dean, who twenty years ago had been
visiting at the next plantation and
whom the firing on Sumter had called
away from tho girl he had loved tho
day after he had spoken, and
she, when tho spark of rebel.
lion had llared up into the
fierce blaze Of civil war, and her father
had enrolled himself among tho forces
sent to resist those other forces with
her lover in the ranks-then she
SmOthered every lingering hope OF q
possible union, and set herself the task
Of forgetting. But she never could for.
get and soon gave up the endeavor, and
us the years passed by and no word
came to tell her no had escaped the fate
so bravcly mot by so many thousands
Of his country.men, Agnes loved to
think OF him as lying in a soldiers grave
in a sunny cemetery, where birds came
TO sing and mate in tho springtimc, and
beside which mother often sat.
No one knew her story; that is, moth.
ing beyond these bare facts in that sadly
familiar tale OF the impoyeri hment and
scattering Of iamilie, following in the
footsteps Of the war l.vcryhody was
kind TO tho quiet, demuro little dress.
maker, and although light.hearted girls
like Belle an Helen RHnkel sometimes
rallied her for refusing the offers thoy
were sure her fair face and amiabIe dis.
position must have brought her, Agnes
knew there was no malice in tho words,
only thoughtlCssness, and soon forgot
the sting Of them.
On tho SOth Of May, then, the past
twenty years hack was being revived in
her memory with more than usual dis.
tinctness, Outside tho unreasonable
wind moaned drearily around the cor.
ner, now and then banging a shutter
and always whirling ahead Of it little
clouds Of dust. But the sun shone
brightly and the sidewalks were filed
with holiday throngS on their way to
view the procession. The servants had
all bCon given leave Of absence, so that
Miss Myers was alone in the house. But,
timid though she was by nature, sllC
was now rather inclined to take comfort
in tho feeling thai there was nobody by
to break in upon her thoughts.
Up and down, up and down, went her
feet on tho treNdle, and tho work glided
steadily out from under the needle, and
all the while the worker was silently re.
calling that last day with him in the
sunny south, that walk home from tho
neighbors, that promise to see him
again on the morrow-a promise never
kept, for sumter came between.
"Ah.h! What was that" Miss Ny.
ers gave u little scream as she sprang
up from tho chair. ShO had quite for.
gotten the present, and thought for an
instant that she actually heard tho firing
Of the guns that Ind separated her from
her love. But it was only tho ringing
Of tho telephone call over her head
II suppose | ought 10 answer It."
She decided then, and taking down the
ear piece she put her mouth 10 tho
transmitter and called Hello!
In spiteof her recent solemn thoughts,
indeed, in view Of them, Miss Myers
could not forboar smiling rs she spoke
the homely word; with no one present
and visible to whom it could be ad.
dressed 1t seemed like moCkory TO her.
self. She had only used tho new in.
ventton once or twice before, and when
presently the sound Of martial music
came to her family but meaSurably clear
through the phone she stood listening
as II entranced.
Some window must be open where
the parade Is passing" she reflected.
Perhaps 1t is at the llaines' aud they
want to send a message 10 me-"
At this moment Hello was called
out at the other enl Of the line. 1t was
. mans voice, and remembering how
she had heard tho girls respond, Miss
Myers answered again, "llelloI who arc
are you"
Henry Dean. Is that you, Aunt
janet I'm down at the depot; stait for
Baltimore in ten minutes, aud thought
I'd say how do you do and goodbye
Have found another clcw. Pray Heaven
1t may lead 10 something. Have you
any messages for tho CarrOlsf
There was pause, while Miss Myers
stood there at tho instrument, ClutcLing
the car piece RS III II had been a ropo
that was to save her from drowning.
by supreme effort OF will she had 70.
covered from the shock tho mention Of
that name had given hor, and now her
brain was rrOling with doubt, uncer.
tainty and longing, What ought she TO
dOi Should she reply and tell who sho
really was, or not Il was evident TINT
there was something wrong with tho
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