Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1885-06-06

wings of q bronze eagle over
grave little apart from the resi-
The touch Of gold oil the som bre
bronze caught Marion's eye, and
she crossed the intervening space
of turf and stood beside the grave.
The thick green grass was gemmed
all over with dewdrops, as if Liber
ty had wept all night over q favor
lite son and these were her tears
Even as Marion looked, the sun
touched them withrllis magic wand,
and they blazed forth into emerald
and topaz, sapphire and ruby, opal
and diamond, and she llnelt in the
wet grass and laid the wreath
among the glittering globules, say
ing softly aloud: "Laurel for glory
and lilies for peace"
A step broke the morning quiet.
She lifted her head; a young man
was Standing on, the other side Of
the green mound, 9his hands full Of
howe,i his eyes-beautiful, warm,
browTif e. es.-jptently regarding her.
It was not the~most dignifed posi-
tion in which fashionably dressed
young lady could be found, on her
knees, and she made an effort to
rise at once, but her foot caught in
her skirts and she fell back to her
former position blushing hotly.-
The Stranger extended his hand,
but without speaking, and she
tookit, and so was assisted to her
feet.S N1urmuring her thanks, she
was about to move away, when he
stopped her with a graceful move.
mens-of his hand.
"Iwant to thank YOU" he said,
'forllaying so exquisite a tribute
upon my fathers grave. DON'T
think me presuming, but surely y.Al
could not have known him; you are
too young. / can but dimly re-
member him myself"
He spoke in low measured tones,
andswith perfect self-possession,
dropping his gaze from her face to
the wreath lis he proceeded, and
lifting it again as he concluded.
"I,do not even know his name |
onlYwiShed-"
She hcsitated a moment for a
suitable word, and he quietly fin
ished the sentence for her:
SHE was a soldier, therefore you
honored him."
She bowed in assent; he read
aloud from the lettered marble shaft
thatisupported the eagle III bronze:
Colonel Frederick Earle: The
Battle of the Wilderness" and
added, ~ am proud to be the sou OF
SO brave a father"
He laid the garlands he had
brought at the base of the shaft,
leaving Marion's wreath in it's soil
tary beauty in the middle of the
grave. As he Strengthened up again
she lifted her eyes to his face, and
sawshow very handsome it was,
hoEI,regular the finely chiseled feat
lures, how full Of intellectual fire
the dark brown eyes, how athletic
and manly his tall figure.
He in turn noted the exquisite
mould of her form, the delicate tint
and contour Of her face, the deep
blue of her eyes, the silky brown of
her braided hair, and saw the ideal
of his youthful heart suddenly re-
allied in the fair woman whose
eyes met his across his fathers
grave.
She was just about to say good
morning and walk away when the
low roll of thunder broke upon her
startled ears. Unseen by either a
storm had risen, and as they look
ed westward they beheld the statue
OF Faith standing white and solemn
against background of black
clouds, which were ever and anon
rentapart blythe sbarp-edged sword
of the lightning. The mere sound
OF thunder was sufficient to set
Marion's sensitive nerves quivering,
and the flash oflightning to blanch
her cheeks with terror. A second
rumble and flash succeeded the first
and as the weaker always instinc
lively turns to tue stronger in time !
of peril, Marion turned, pale and
trembling, toward the young man,
and exclaimed, nervously clasping
her hands:
ooh! what shall l do, where shall
1 go?"
"The nearest place Is the seXton's !
house, a few yards from the gates. !
We have barely time to reach it,"
he replied as he came to her side
and offered her his arm. Size was
in sore need of it's support, for she
was trembling violently with ner-
vous terror. BY the time they reach
ed the sections house the sun was
obscured by inky clouds, and a few
great drops were falling, and they
were scarcely under shelter when
the heavens opened and let down
the torrents Of rain. For Il little
while it was one continuous roll Of
thunder, one constant glare Of light
ming and Marion, completely be
side herself with fright, hid her
face upon the young mans should
crs and allowed his protecting arm
to encircle her waist unreproved.
AS for him, long years after he look
ed back upon that hour of storm in
the sexton's dingy little parlor, with