The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-11-18

prompted her to conceal her rcmorse by
seeming carelessness, After VAN Was gone
she ilir.ed desperately with young Romans,
and Ben's wife did not think her duty ac-
compiishcd until she had repeated her
orinion of the girls conduct to Van. SO
thoroughly indignant was the young matron
that she even contided to him Dame Ru-
mor's report concerning tho wedding that
was to take place during the holidays. 1t
might all have boon different had not Van
at this juncture implcred his sistcr-in-law
not to mention Ellen Gilbert's name at all
in the future. So he went on believing that
Elleu-his. El.en-kelonged to another man,
and, feeling that he'was alone i'll the world,
he became reckless Of his life.
1t was Oh Thanksgiving Day, G2, that
Ellen drove him from her presence, and
when that fcstal-day came around again, he
lay wounded and bleeding on Lookout
Mountains CORY field. Early on that mem
orable day, the color bearer was shot
down, and it was Van Bernard who saved
tho tattercd flag from capture, carrying 1t
with him right into tho thcAcst of tho fight.
lie was seen to fall amid the storm Of shot
anu shell that darkened the air, and when
The smoke of battle cleared away, his COM
raGos took up what they supposed to be his
mutilated body, and, wrapping it in the rid
died flag he had borne, laid him tenderly in
the grave their own hands had followed.
But poor Van found a far less restful bed
than the one they had prepared for him, for
wounded, i'll and in Southern prison. the
scorching sun beat down numerically upon
him, while mis- friends in tho North thought
him safe with God. Having learned through
comrade who had been brought into the
hospital in dying condition that his moth
er WAS dead, and that the papers had been
full of eulogies concerning his own heroic
| end, he determined not to undeceive the
world, but, when the struggle was over, to
bury himself in some secluded spot in the
| Sunny South, and to let his old friends and
nc;ghbors go on believing him asleep on
| the battlefield whore he had fallen. He
was not exchanged until the war closed
and then among strangers, he began his
new and solitary life.
| Though Ellen feigned Indifference, she
would have sacrificed her life to have saved
| the noble one of her lost friend. Even
while engaged in playing the part of g
| ccauette her heart was aching for one word
from the honest, sensible man she had sent
| from her SO cruelty. Week after week and
month after month she looked in vain fol
the letter that she hoped he would be sc
| forgiving as to write.
AT times she was tempted to lay aside
| her reserve and send him penitent letter
that she was certain would bring reply;
! but Ben'5 wife would say that she was
counting his favor because the city fellow
| had cast her aside. So it 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
! around the house pale and wan, and al
/ ho,, f,,;n Ie hot
| would be dethroned. But trouble is moi
apt to kill, and poor Ellen was destined to
carry her heavy sorrow many long, weary
days. Her brothers and sisters married
and in due course of time her parents went
to join the slcepers in the silent city of the
dead, and Ellen was left alone in the house
that had once been so full of song and
| 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
home and familiar faces seized Van Ber
nard. Before, he had stihed all such de
sires, but somehow he could not quiet the
heart-yearnings this time, so his valise
was hurriedly packed, and his landlady wa;
informed that he would be absent a fort
night. An hour later he was flying north
ward and homeward.
Day was dawning when he stepped upon
the station platform of his native town
Not wishing to arouse Ben's family sc
early, he determined to take a stroll
through the graveyard and down past the
old Gilbert homestead. There were many
| familiar names cut in the monuments IN the
cemetery, but he only paused long enough
| to read the inscription on his mothers
tombstone and drop tear upon her grave
| The sun was just beginning to tint the
tree tops when he halted at the gate leadine
to 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 the
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, wher
woman who had been gathering China
asters and autumn leaves came suddenly
| from behind the old elm tree, and onct
again Van Bernard and Ellen Gilbert stoot
face to face. Ellen was the first to recover
her voice, and there was perceptibls
.remor in her tone as she faltered:
| Van Bernardo Has the grave really
given up its dead, or is it spirit I ad
dress?"
sit is Van Bernard, flesh and blood as OIL
old, who stands before you, Ellen-but d.
not know by what name I should address
you now" Van replied, in voice that con
| WINGED his hearer that it was no supernat
| ural being who had made her such an TN
seasonable call, but that the real Van Der
nard, whose face had haunted her for more
than score Of years, now stood in he1
presence.
'Call me Ellen, Ellen Gilbert, as you die
in the long-ago,' she said, quietly.
"But thought you were married-HenrJ
| Romans" -
"Is not, and never was any thing to me, >
she answered. "But you look faint. Come
IN and get mouthful of breakfast"
"Not now, Ellen. Sit down and let US un-
derstand each other"
And there, amidst the old familiar scenes
the breach Of three times seven years wa.
healed. All the long, doleful past was for
gotten in the new hopes that had come 81
suddenly to them. An hour later, wher
old Mrs. Goodman came in to help with thu
| Thanksgiving dinner, she found them still
on the porch, forgetful of their breakfas
and every thing else except that they hai
| found each other, and nothing but deatl
would ever separate them again.
That was a real Thanksgiving to then
both, and the quiet marriage that wa!
celebrated in the old-fashioned parlor tina
night was as full Of love as if there hai
been no gray hairs in the locks of the brid.
and groom. BELLE V. CHISHOLM.
WE should be thankful not only OF
Thanksgiving Day, but on all other days q
well, for Gods mercies are continually