Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-11-24

intu ton told her something was amiss be-
tween them.
when Ellen heard Of her lovers enlist
ricnt she wept bitterly. but her pride
prompted her TO conceal her rcmor5e by
seeming carclcssness. After Van was gone
she firte1 desperately with young Romans,
AMI Bca's wife did not think her duty ac-
Complishei until she had repeated her
opinion Of tho girls conduct to Van. So
thoroughly indignant was the young matron
that she even cOnhdel 10 him Dame Ru-
rlor's report concerning the wedding that
was 10 take place during the holidays. II
n CHIT all h w. bsea different had not Van
ut this juncture implored his sister-in law
rot 20 mention Ellen Gilbcrt's name at al
IN the future. 50 he went on believing that
Ellen his Ellen-bclonge1 10 another man,
and, feeling that he was alone in the world,
lac became reckless Of his life.
IL was on Thanksgiving Day, CO, that
Ellen drove him from her presence, and
when that festal-1ay came around again, nc
lay wounded and bleeding on Lookout
Mountains CORY field. Early on that mem
orIble day. the color bearer was shot
d)wn, an 1 IL was Van Bernard who saved
the tattered flag from capture, carrying is
with him right into the thickcst Of the fight.
He was seen 20 fall amid the storm oi shot
aud shell that darkencd the air, and when
the smoke Of battle cleared away, his COM
rades took up what they supposed to be his
mutilatcd body, and, wrapping il in the rid
died flag he had borne. laid him tende-ly in
the grave their own hands had followed.
But poor Wan founl a fur lcss re5tful bed
than tho one they had prepared for him, for
wounded, i'll and In a Southern prison, tho
scOrching sun beat down numerically upon
him. while his friends in the North thought
h.n safe with God. Having learned through
"A cOmrldc who had been brought into the
no ,pital IN "A dying condition that his moth
CT was deal, aud that the papers bad been
full of eulOg.cs concerning his own heroic
end, he determined not to undeceive tho
world, but. when the struggle was over, 70
bury himself in some secluded spot in the
Sunny South. AMI 20 let his old friends and
nc ghbors 20 on believing HIN asleep on
the battlefield where he had fallen. He
was not exchanged until the war closed,
and thcn among strangers, he began his
new and solitary LIFE
Though Ellen feignoi Indifference, she
wOah have sacrificed her Iifo 10 have saved
Tho n,Slc one OF her lost friend. Even
chilc c. gagged In playing the part OF a
coeucttc h,r ScsTt ,;s-s5 aching Tor one word
from the honest, sensible maa sac hal seat
from her 50 cruelty. Week after week AMI
month after month she looked in vain for
the letter that she hoped he would be 50
forgiving rs 70 write.
At times she was tempted TO lay aside
her reserve and send him penitent letter,
that she was certain would bring a reply;
but Bcn's wife would sly that she was
counting his favor because the city fellow
had cast her ASIDE. SO IL was that no ex-
! plantations were ever made, and when the
news Of Vans noble death came, Ellen was
almost FRUSTRATED with grief. She went
arc md the house pale and wan, and At
times her friends feared that reason itself
would be dcthroned. But trouble is not
apt 10 kill, and poor Ellen was destined 10
carry her heavy sorrow many long, weary
days. Her brothers and sisters married,
and in due course Of time her parents went
/ 10 join the slecpers in tho silent city Of the
dead, and Ellen was left alone in the house
that had once been so full Of song aud
/ laughter.
! Three days before the anniversary OF the
/ battle of Lookout Mountain, twenty years
after he had been carried into captivity,
an uncomfortable longing TO look upon
! h-I.c and familiar faces seized Van Bcr-
Gsri. Before, he had stliled G.l such de-
J sircs. but somehow he could not quiet tho
hcart-ycarnings this time, so his valise
| was hJrr edly packed, and his landlady was
/ informed that he would be absent a fort
night An hour later he was flying north
/ ward and hOmeward.
I Day was dawning when he stepped upon
the station platform Of his native town.
( Not wishing To arouse Ben's family so
| early, nc determined to take a stroll
through the graveyard and down past the
| old G. Ebert hJm stead. There wers m my
familiar names cut in the monuments IN the
cemetery, but h, only paused lonz enough
to read the inscr ption on his mothers
tombstone AMI drop tear upon her grave.
tn sun was just beginning to tint the
trco-top whcn ne hated at the gate leading
/ u the porch, where he and Ellen had spent
so many happy hours. But little change
| had taken place in the appearance Of the
| OLD house and its surroundings since tho
| day he went away, just twenty years be-
| fore. Opening the gate he walked up the
! path, and was about TO occupy a rustic seat,
which his own hands had fashioned, when
a woman who had beoa gathering China
as;crs and autumn leaves came suddenly
/ frcm behind the old elm tree, ard once
again Van Bernard and Ellen Gilbert stood
I face = sacc. Ellen was the first 10 recover
! h,r voice and there was a perceptible
! tremor in her tone as she falter~d:
"Nan Bernard! Has the grave really
given up its dead, OF . Il q spirit III
drcssi"
1t is Van B,rnard, flesh and blood "a Of
Old, who stands before you, Ellen-but / do
not know by what name should address
! You now" Van replied. in voice that con
WINGED his nearer that it was no supernat-
ur:l being WHO had made her such an un.
seasOnablc call. but that the real Van Ber-
nard, whose face had haunted her for more
than score Of years, now stood in her
presence.
"Call me Ellen, Ellen Gilbert, rs you did
IN the long-ago," she said, quietly.
But thought you were marricd-H Henry
Romans" -
"Is not, and never was any thing 10 me, "
she answered. "But you look faint. Come
IN and get a mouthful OF breakfast
"Not now, Ellen sit down ana let us un-
dcrstand each other"
And there, amidst the old familiar scenes.
the breach Of three times seven years was
he1led. All the long, doleful past was for
Cotton In the new hopes that had come sc
| suddenly 10 them. An hour later, when
o'd Mrs. Goodman came in TO help with the
Thanksgiving dinner, she found them still
on The porch, forgetful Of their breakfast
and every Ting else except that they had
found each other, and nothing but death
would ever separate them again.
That was a real Thanksgiving to their
both, and the quiet marriage that was
celebrated In the old-fashioned parlor that
night was as full Of love as II there had
seen no gray hairs in the locks Of the bride
and groom. BELIE v. CHIsnoLa.
wE should be- thankful not only on
Thanksgiving Day, but on all other days as
we'll, Cor Gods mercios are continually
showvred upon uS
|