The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-08-07
A LOVERS GALE.

maps we had Dcttcr not 90, and 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 b.
willing to miss seeing the procession
for fear of having your hair blown
about u bit! She isn't at all patriotic,
is she, Miss Myersp"
Little Miss Myers" looked up and
her lips moved, but no words came.
However, nobody noticed the dress
makers unusually pale face and evil
dent agitation, and "Good-by, Miss
Myers" the three called out gaily five
minutes later rs they started off for
the Haincs Building, on Broadway,
where window had been reserved for
them.
"Good-by,' 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 80
much absorbed in her work as in the
associations and recollections this
solemn holiday never failed to awaken.
Panoramawise there passed before
her mental vision the old homestead In
the South, the honored father taking
up arms to defend his all, the sanity
mother committing her child 10 God 9
keeping. when, home and husband both
snatched from her by wars cruel
hands. she sank beneath the blow.
Then came the image of the handsome,
happy hearted young northerner, Hen
ry Dean, who twenty years ago had
been visiting at the next plan tation and
whom the firing on Sumter had called
away from tho girl he had loved the
day after he had spoken, and she.
when the spark Of rebellion had fared
up into the fierce blaze of civil war,
and her father had enrolled himself
among the forces sent to resist those
other forces with her lover in the
ranks--then she smothered every lin
geriny hope of possible union, and
set herself the task OF forgetting. But
she never could forget and soon gave
up the endeavOr, and as the years
passed by and no word came to tell
her he had escaped the fate so bravely
met by So many thousands Of his coun-
lying ~ II soldiers .rave in some sun
n, cemetery, wnerc birds came to sing
and mate in the springtimc, and beside
which mother often sat.
No one knew her story; that is, moth
ing beyond these bare facts in that sad
ly familiar tale of the impoverishment
and scattering of families following in
the footsteps of the war. Everybody
was kind to the quiet, dcmurc little
dressmaker, and although light-heart-
ed girls like Belle and Helen Runkel
sometimes rallied her for refusing the
offers they were sure hor fair face and
amiable disposition must have brought
her, Agnes knew there was no malice
in the words. only thoughtlessness. and
soon forgot the sting Of them.
On the 30th of May, then, the past
twenty years back was being revived
IN her memory with more than usual
distinctness. Outside the unreason-
able wind moaned drearily around the
corner, now and then banging shut
ter and always whirling ahead of it
little clouds of dust. But the sun
shone brightly and the sidewalks were
filled with holiday throngs on their
way to view the procession. The SER
wants had all been given leave of alb
sence, SO that Miss Myers was alone in
the house. But. timid though she was
by nature, she was now rather inclined
to take comfort in the feeling that
there was nobody by to break In upon
her thoughts.
Up and down, up and down. went
her feet on the treadle. and the work
glided steadily out from under the
needle, and all the while the worker
was silently recalling that last day
with him in the sunny south, that walk
homo from the neighbours, that promise
to see him again on the morrow
promise never kept, for Sumter came
between.
"Ah-h! What was thatp" Miss
Myers gave little scream as she
sprang up from the chair. She had
quite forgotten the present, and thought
for an instant that she actually heard
the firing Of the guns that had sepa-
rated her from her love. But 1t was
only the ringing of the telephone call
over her head.
81 suppose l ought to answer 1t. ;"
She decided then, and taken down the
ear piece she put her mouth to the
transmitter and called "Hello!"
In spite of her recent solemn
thoughts, indeed, in view of them, Miss
Myers could not forbear smiling as she
spoke the homely word; with no one
present and visible to whom II could
be addressed it seemed like mockery Of
herself. She had only used the new
invention once or twice before, and
when presently tho sound Of martial
music came to her family but measur-
able clear through the phone she stood
listening as II entranced.
Some window must be open where
the parade is passing" she reflected.
perhaps IL is OF the Haines' and they
want to send message to me-"
At this moment Hello" was called
out at the other end of the line. Il
was q mans voice, and remembering
how she had heard the girls respond,
Miss Myers answered again. Hello!
who are your"
Henry Dean. Is that you. Aunt
Janep I'm down al the depot; start
for Baltimore in ten minutes, and
thought I'd say how do you do and
.pood-by.' Have found another clue.
PRAY heaven 1t may lead to something.
Have you any messages for the Car
rolsp"
There was > pause. while Mlsg