The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-12-04
ACROSS THE MERIDIAN.

Helen Hunt jackson.
ACROSS THE MERIDIAN.
Kortlandt drew his horse to a halt
as he breasted the brow ofthe hill,and
lifted the cap from his head that he
might enjoy to the full the soft, deli
cious breeze. Perhaps only one wholike
himself had newly come from the
crowded amphitheater of the lecture
room OF a medical college, and from
daily witness OF mental and physical
sufferings by the bed-sides OF its hos
pital wards, could have felt, rs he did,
intensified by powerful contrast, the
stiffness, beauty and peace at what he
looked on.
It was the field Of one of the great
BATTLES Of the late war, ground made
holy by heroic blood-heroic, whether
the hearts which throbbed forth were
bursting with triumphor b breaking with
defeat.
So thought the young physician as
rs eyes wandered over the scene, dis
0vering few marks to indicate that
NICE this valley had seethed with fire
md smoke and struggling human
orms, and the whole air had been q
skriek OF agony and strife. Twenty
years had done their work, and IA
ture, which permits no ~desolation,
had sown thefurrowed land withgrass
and blooming flowers, which swayed
and swung in thespringai ali Us if in uni
son with the humming bees above
them. But as he dismounted and led
his horse down the hill he discovered
traces of the battle which had escaped
his eyes from above. Now and then
his horses hoof struck the rusty met
al of a dismantled gun, buried beneath
its brambles, and further on he found
himself in a wilderness of little
mounds, marked here and there with
a wooden slab, it's inscription effaced
by the rains of years.
As Rortlandt rose from Il vain en-
deavor to decipher one OF these, a fig
ure appeared from the woods near by,
and after q momentary pause OF the
first surprise OF seeing him, continued
steadily to advance along the path
which led within % few yards OF his
side. The figure was that OF nwoman,
poorly clad, but tall and graceful, and
moving with peculiar strength and
SF ,1~l~,x, x,-%s~,, 49, = u%l nd + 500 4
ed until she was near him and ther
said:
~ beg your pardon, but a youin
form me what graves are these"
The oma stopped abruptly as
the tones of the clear northern voice
reached her, and suddenly turning up
on him, her face until then concealed
beneath the brim of the coarse straw
hat which she wore. 1t was that of {
girl, brunette and brilliant, illuminat
ed with q pair of glowing eyes, which
now fixed themselves upon him.
s.You must have come from very fal
away not to know whose are thu
graves that you are standing on" sh'
said, in a voice which did not owe it
peculiar information to the southern
dialect in which she spoke.
aYou are right" he replied, sur
prised ut her beauty and manner
""Iny home is as far away as hesnowi
of winter s-cn these southern flow
ers.n
A look OF intense bitterness entered
the girls face. "You are from tn
North she said. Her ayes flashed
81 will tell y III whose are the grave
upon which you are treading. The,
nre those of the rebels whom you de
feated," proudly; "they are those Q
the martyrs, the heroes, who starve'
and froze, who gave up home, family
wealth and life in protection of thei
rights and freedom, and whom you G
the North in your overpowerin
strength Of wealth and numbers CO.
quered and killed. Yonder upon tn
hill are those OF my father and moth
er-he killed by your bullets and sh
by the agony OF his death. And a
these are mine, mine since | OWN tn
sacred earth in which they rest. OF
that I possessed the power to protee
their resting place from the insult OF
Yankees presence"
Kortlandt looked into the girl
flushed and flushing face in q yer
maze of astonishment. But her col
Guiding words aroused his anger, al,
he drew himself up with the colo
mounting to his brows. Controllir
himself with an effort he lifted his cal
and, bowing, said with cold courtes,
insingular contrast to her fire: ''Tha
being the case, nlademoiselle, | sha
not linger to bid adieu. But perm
me to reassurc you; youpossessp owe
to protect your heroes restingplace-
in = two-edged sword" and with al
other bow and q straight look int
her angry eyes. he drew his horse
bride over his arm and led him bac
to the roed.
As he mounted and rode onhefoun
to his surprise that his hand We
shaking with excitement. He was Yer
angry. He had never before been ii
suited by a woman and the feeling
helplessncss with whichit affected hi
was irritating in tie extreme. He lie
this to be weakness and endeavore
to throw it off. But that evening /
supper he could not resist giving
crisp little description OF his late e
cennt4s4on the old battlefield to b
W;ghbor at the table. ending with q