Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-05-30
DECORATION DAY;
Or, The Lone Grave of the Shenan-
dOah.

/ ran oI-inal story taken from TIE Field Book 81
Dom Patti
The old stone tavern known through gen
erations Is the Indian Queen. that stands on
a turn Of the road down the mountains from
Sherryvillc to N, Of the Shenandoah
Valley, enjoys landscape a castle might he
proud Of That this Is the Indian Queen
runs on tradition and general consent, for
the oli-iashiOnel signboard that creaLs i'll
front los long since the work of art that
! pictured forth the name. Nothing remained
ON the enc side but dim crown of feathers,
! nearly ObIterated, and two staring eyes On
/ the other, that, put together By tine curious
observer, failed t. make up that imaginary
creature known to tradition and dime novels
rs Her Majesty Queen Pocahontas.
/ ViTsinia's little romance Of that ilk is
about rs dim as the signboard. Pocahontas
/ did live and was the daughter of chief.
( Bu. all else is the fringe-worR Of fancy,
that, like The sign, would have long since
I faded out bu: for useful purpose the ro-
nance serves and that is, the manner in
which our loved ancestors had Of account
| ing for-wcll. say irunettes tina: appeared
from tine 10 time among the noble Virgin
ians The were cons.d cred the descend
ants Of Pocahontas.
To return, however, TO my story: The
view from the rude porch Of the inn is ex-
ce4eiingiy beautiful, for it contains enc Of
the l0yeliCst porlicns Of tat lovely valley
The green meadows and r;ci fields, with
groves and CLEANS Of water, dotted by white
farm houses half hid in orchards were all
framed in 10y mountains, the submits o.
which seemed t. melt into the blue OF heaven,
lcaving the eye in doubt rs 10 where the
rounded rocky or wooded tops ended and
the clouds began. The sulphury sno,-c Of
battle had obscurei these fields, and the
mountains had echoed lack the mouthins
cannon Of combatants, but at the time our
little romance opens no harm had been done
10 the valley itself Armies had marched,
fought and retreated-generally, up b. that
time, the dear oil flag had hurried inglori-
ously out of the row-but no great injury
had come Ia the work Of the farmer or the
beauty Of nature.
The summer sun was sinking in the lazy
west, with distant rumblings of artillery
telling of 2 far off combat, as n girl. some
twenty years of age, sat in rocking chair.
on the woo Ten porch Of the tavern, rocking
softly to and fro and gazing dreamily upon
the view lcfore her. Her appearance
was such as 10 attract attention. In dress.
bearing and expression there was a refine
ment that indicated one city bred. rather
than Of rural local origin. She was exceed
ingly attractive, with claim 10 beauty that
came under the head of handsome rather
than pretty. Her face, at rest, indicated
more force of character than that which
ordinarily falls 10 the sweeter sex. The per
feet oval ended in pronouncel chin, while
the slight aquilinc line Of her nose made that
chin aggressive But for the full red lips If
the perfect mouth, and large dreamy eyes,
the pale face would have beea too severe TO
excite other than a feeling Of admiration
The expression depicted from time to
time, a. the feelings changed, had wider
range than is usual to such n cast Of coun-
tenance. As her eyes wandered over tho
beautiful view her face was one TO admire.
When little three-year-old daughter Of
the stone tavern toddled 10 her and rested
its little head upon her knee. the long siIken
fringes of her tender eyes fell upon it as her
slender hands strokei its curly locks-ani
her face was one TO love. Afterward when She
gazed at n brigade OF Union soldiers pitch
ing their tents on the meadows below. scoru
and hate gave her face 10 fear
a movement below made her start. as if
to leave her chair. Then. after half rising,
she settled back and began again the monot-
onous rocking. a cavalcade of officers
was riding up the road, as if coming TO the
Indian Queen.
AT the head Of this little escort rode a
stout, middle aged gentleman. in the uni
form OF briSadier general of the northern
army. Mounted ON superb horse, he sat
with the ease Of an experienced rider. his
high rounded shoulders holding grim,
reSolute head that under other than mill
tarv hat would have been repulsIve in its
severity. There was face not to he trified
with, as the historic annals OF war and di-
plonacy have put to record
Hating i'll front of the tavern, the officers
dismounted, and as the orderlie> led the
horses TO the stable, they a<oended the steps,
and gaining the porch inStinctively lifted
their hats 10 the girl before them. She
barely recognized the salutatiou, then coz
::,S,;. IS IL 5..ier po,.te,, anu
presence were alike Indifferent 10 ite-
\ giirl change in the generals fac, left 1
one II doubt whether h. was suffering from I
a too;hacEe or INDUCING in n smile
Ca the landlord making hi; appearance |
the chief gave his orders They were for /.
supper for himself and staff, one room for 4
the night aud quarters for carp1rals /
guard, While the supper was beng pre- 1
pared the general SAT in n split-b5ttomcl 1
arm chair near our heroine, while tho Gucu,- 4
bcrs Of his staff, weary Of a long dpss ride. /
stretched themselves upon the sod JIr; Icr the .
trees
How Eanv vanished hour and iay
Have sunlight DER me shed,
since last pIryei from that gallant hani of
good fellows loved general held together
during the four Years Of terrible conflict,
| can sac them now. l see the tall. slender
as iiou. Esterhazs, quiet, grave, Vet ever
alert TO duty. Comb. slender and awk
ward. but poS>s>S.Ai Of the keenest sense Of
humor. 81, rra3y 70 jest under fire a. in the
camp, Then came old Grenville. called old
because he was solemn. Ii would take
surgical instrument 10 sc, JOKE in bis head,
and then another to get IL out And last,
but no; least. for be is the hero Of INV little
Bob Eliersly. young, handsome and
liable tolove sud debt
Two Of these met violent deaths, and the
rest ar scattered world wide apart. send
them greeting.
Il say. Fob" cried Chestnut u the aide,
as he rested his head on his elbow, AMI kicked
his toes into the grass, rather handsome
girl that mp there
The III MN Seerls 10 have discovered
that" : = &c -ailiel- See him doing the
SWEET "a ar, vlll yol.~
well, g. Cumb ohipp-i IN. -'bat he
isn't lna',;r- r,,-'s head0a r, r. Ls- from
the cx.re,~ u -er go-ely s. q "a .rce--
The q en- ;-' --ve polise.